Essen Bakery

Essen Bakery is a charming spot with a lot to offer. I ordered an everything bagel with plain schmear, pickled red onions, capers, and their whitefish salad. The flavors were spot on--fresh and delicious. The whitefish salad had just the right balance of richness and tanginess, and the capers and pickled red onions added a nice punch.My only minor gripe is that the bagel was a bit thinner than the traditional New York bagels I'm used to, but it was still tasty. The inside of the bakery is cute and quaint, and the staff was friendly and welcoming, making it a pleasant place to enjoy a good bite. Overall, a delightful experience!

I went on a Sunday morning for the first time. I walked in and scanned the menu and pastry cabinet, and decided on an iced coffee and everything bagel with lox to go. It was very quick. I didn't have time to sit and enjoy but there were a few seats inside to do so. I enjoyed my iced coffee and bagel and would stop by again if I was in the area maybe to try a pastry.

I love the black & white cookie here as well as cinnamon rugelach! Babka is Essen's signature but that's because you never had its rugelach! Trust me, try it and you won't go back to babka again. Babka is actually pretty good also, but clearly I am biased toward the other contender. They recently renovated the space & now you can sit inside. I thought it was a much needed addition. The place does sell out fast. I have to take one star off for the size of the bagels. They're the smallest I have ever had in any place. And not the cheapest; if you know what I mean. Since we're talking about value for money, I do think that babka & coffee special is priced well for just under 6 dollars. Worth trying on a weekend morning.

I love Essen Bakery! They used to just serve out of a small window, but they recently opened a small indoor dining space with a counter with seating and a small cafe table, so you walk inside to order now. The baked goods are always fresh. My favorites are the homemade pop tarts, black and white cookies, bagel and lox, and caramelized onion focaccia. Try to get there earlier in the day, as they generally run out of most things in the afternoon. I would also recommend ordering online in advance if you know you can't make it there in the morning.

tl;dr the iconic babka is more than just hype -- a whole loaf is the surest way to become the most popular person at your next partySouth Philadelphia is no stranger to fabulous bakeries, and Essen Bakery on East Passyunk is no exception. Similarly, Chef and Owner Tova du Plessis is no stranger to fabulous baking -- she was recognized as a James Beard Foundation semi-finalist back in 2020, and, more recently, she won Beat Bobby Flay on the merit of her Jewish apple cake. But the real draw at Essen is Plessis' iconic Chocolate Halva Babka.Her intimate Jewish bakery no longer offers indoor service, you can still order takeout from the commercial-grade window built into the white-brick building. Wooden patio furniture is arranged outside if you're intent on digging in ASAP.My partner and I arrived for weekend lunch, and a queue trailed down the block. The trim menu is geared toward being prepared quickly, so the staff steadily churned through the line. Unsurprisingly, we loved our slice of babka -- despite the dense, chewy texture, it pulled apart with ease, and each fold was generously laced with rich dark chocolate. We also enjoyed the Za'atar Crossaint, served cold and layered with tangy labneh and a sliced hard-boiled egg. The croissant itself had a flaky exterior but a flat, somewhat dense interior. While I enjoyed the strong flavor profile, my partner commented that the combination was about as simplistic as a DIY avocado toast.Our bill worked out to just over $10, and we agreed that splitting the small items left us both hungry. Nonetheless, the stellar babka is reason enough to visit Essen. If I had the time and/or appetite, I would strongly consider investing in a whole loaf just for myself.

C'mon, really? This is considered a jam filled sufganiyot? It could barely cover the tip of my pinky finger. For $5.50 this is shameful. However, I'll give credit where it's due and that belongs to their bagels! But if you want fresh filled donuts, go to Frangelli's on 8th

Love this cute little spot! The service was really friendly and I love the quaint feeling of the place. I got the Bagel & Lox on a sesame seed bagel and it was delicious. I heard a lot of people either ordering the bagel & Lox or the Babka. Sounds like ai need to come back to try the Babka!

Bought Cakes and CRAK for Pesach. All Delish. Employees are Supeer!! All morning food is a great way to begin a great day.. Always accepting and accommodating!!!

We stayed in an Airbnb across the street from this bakery and went in almost every day. The first day at the register was pretty because we did not know how to order. But everything was so good, we went back. We never ran into her again and the person working there every day after that was a really nice guy. I think he may have been the owner. It's pretty small in there but there are 2 tables. Try the Basque cheesecake for a special tray!

been getting challah here every friday since my fairly secular family started doing shabbat when i was about four, i wanna say. the food's great, i've loved their black and white cookies as long as i can remember. i know the owner, my family's friends with her. very cozy little shop where everyone's very friendly. even during covid where we had to order through the front window, every interaction was still great. really just a fantastic little spot.