The Best Bakeries in Irvine

Braga baker

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"This place was hidden inside the Pink Pig boba shop. I knew this bakery when they were in the union market in the Tustin district. Yet I didn't know they moved here until one day my boyfriend wanted to have milk tea. We checked out the cookie section and the lady who baked those cookies told us that she isn't part of the boba shop. Well cookie n boba?! Perfect combo. We bought one cookie which is def a pricy side about $6. We had matcha green tea cookie which was delicious. It was a big cookie. You can taste of matcha flavor but not bitter. The cookie is just right amount of sweetness not too sugary at all. This place is owned by a Korean lady (I think...) There is a little sign saying the sweetness of the cookie. Their mugwort cookie was once on the OC register. We also tried that. It has a Mochi in the middle. However honestly it isn't my favorite because the Mochi was a bit hard not soft. Yeah my boyfriend is addicted to this place. So we have been there three weeks in a row. Oh did I mention the lady heated up the cookie for us. Def delicious with warm cookies."

Chelos Panaderia

★★★★☆ 4.3 (161) • $

"There needs to be more than 5 stars available for this panaderia. I've lived right by here for 13 years and I CANNOT BELIEVE I NEVER CAME IN! You know I really shouldn't be writing this review, I really don't need this place to blow up and make it difficult to come to...but I'm doing this as an act of service to you, the reader. You're welcome :)The tacos here were as good as anyone else's, in fact better than most, and only $1.50/taco. The tortillas tasted homemade, but if they're store bought, they're still extremely fresh and I'd bet still hand made. I typically do not like corn tortillas, but I could eat their corn tortillas all day. They're soft, but hold together just enough to keep most of the meat contained. The carne asada was juicy, but not greasy, that's a tough thing to achieve!I had the infernio salsa and it really just sealed the deal of deliciousness! The salsa was fairly hot, but not painful to eat. If you're craving tacos, this is the place to come!"

Sarkis Pastry

★★★★☆ 4.3 (336) • $

"Some of the best baclava I've ever had! Perfect for parties and reasonably priced. I'd suggest ordering ahead for large platters."

Paradise Bakery and Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (257) • $$

"The Lemon cookies weren't as good as they use to be - what happened!? Why do you need to mess with recipes!? lol - the chocolate chip ones were delish as usual."

Crema Artisan Bakers

★★★★★ 4.7 (18)

"This updated review will mainly focus on their croissant loaf.I have been searching for the PERFECT croissant loaf, which is a cross between a croissant and yeast bread (I think). The texture is soft like bread, but has buttery flakey layers when toasted. This mix creates a unique crispy exterior texture that tastes and smells like a buttery croissant, but retains a fluffy interior like you would find in bread.Oh boy, Crema Artisan did not disappoint! I knew that their croissants were phenomenal when I had their pastries so I had really high hopes for this croissant loaf. I am absolutely hooked and happy to know that my search for croissant loaf is over! Seriously, if you have never tried a croissant loaf before, order or buy it from Crema Artisan - it's so good! You can follow them on Instagram and Facebook to see if they have it in stock or you can request it for a special order! I enjoy eating my croissant loaf slice plain or with a fruit jam.Thank you for making the croissant loaf! I am a huge fan!"

Bake & Che

★★★★☆ 4.4 (784) • $

"Loved the food, I ordered a Pandan Grass Jelly with light sweetness. The grass jelly had no flavor but that's just how grass jelly is. The milk was slightly sweet and really good. It was more of a textural dessert than a flavorful one, but overall I loved it!The place itself had lots of seating and it was completely full on a Friday night. I don't have much to say about the service since I ordered on the self order machine, but the staff seemed really nice and helpful. Super nice ambience of the store and nice place to hang out on a late night."

Brio Brio Bakery & Café

★★★★★ 4.6 (552) • $$

"One of the best sandwiches in recent memory (aside from work in progress + brew story)Cute cafe with some small candles, fresh coffee beans, small snacks + dipsQuality Japanese baked goods with tranquil musicSandwiches range from $16-$18, but are worth! Also comes with a yummy salad.Also have rice bowls and drinks/caffeinated drinks ==========Food and atmosphere are great here!Service is very sweet and friendly.Upon entry, the place smells glorious. They took out a fresh baked hojicha cheesecake and my nose was so happy.In the past, I've gotten a walnut cheese bread here and tho it was kinda pricey $5-$6? It was very high in quality. It was chock full of walnuts and lots of salty cheese bits throughout.I shared a roast beef sandwich with my friend, and tho two girls ate the entire half easy, it was well worth the $18Their meat used is prime, juicy, and flavorful. My pet peeve is when the protein just tastes like boiled protein - here, it is definitely not that. I very much enjoyed the sandwich with the kick of wasabi aioli (the smell went a teensy bit up my nose), and freshnesss from greens and tomato. The bread was fluffy and slightly sweet, it ranks very high in my bread world. I will grab a loaf when I run out of bread in my freezer!Side saladNot just lettuce, but a spring mix with crunchy rice crackers? And a light sesame dressing - none of that prepackaged stuff - delish!Cheesecake $8the slice is quite large and every bite was very yummy. It leans on the milky side and there's a soft tang with vanilla undertone. Somewhat dense, more creamy, but not gooey soft. I was expecting a basque cheesecake by the looks, but it's not as caramelized. Cannot wait to try the hojicha! Regular is their best seller.Lemon brioche $4We ate this warm and it was fantastic. Very fluffy and plush, with lemon zest speckled in-between the bread. Sharing a half made me appreciate it hahaOh and I think I found a wonderful study spot :x dogs can be outside as well!A little sad they changed their menu and removed curries/tacos, but I guess better something than nothing."

Cosy Dough Co

★★★★★ 4.5 (8)

"I loved my Cosy Dough cookies! They were delicious, packaged well and shipped on time. I highly recommend them out!"

Pasteleria Rancho La Ilusion

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (38) • $

"This review is overdue.I called to get a quote for a tres leches cake & came in store the same day to place an order.I wanted to support a mom & pop shop.1/4 sheet cake was $45 & simple name on it as I had the cake decorations for a birthday.The cake was delicious! My entire family loved it & kept getting compliments. & family is stoked I found a go-to cake spot.I think my only "con" is how thickly layered the frosting is HOWEVER that could be due to keeping the cake in tact since its a tres leches cake & didn't get soggy AT ALL! Definitely a huge plus so it's not too shabby.Highly recommend."

Viktor Bene's Bakery

★★★★☆ 3.5 (38) • $$$

"Ordered a custom Princess Cake for 4th of July and it was amazing! Everyone loved it and it had the perfect amount of fillings. The service was excellent and they were so friendly."

J & J Bakery Cookies Bouquet

★★★★☆ 3.9 (51) • $

"Ordered their fruit tart cake for my goddaughter's birthday and everyone loved the cake. Price was reasonable for the amount of fruit and portion you get and staff is friendly. The place itself although older, is spotless and very clean. Highly recommend this place for their yummy fruit tart cake!"

Panaderia Paloza

★★☆☆☆ 2 (14) • $

"Here is why I am giving a 3 star review. I came here to order a large number of conchas. When I did the calculations it was over off by $4 I asked why and she said she charges for the boxes. I was like so put it in bags. That's stupid! Be careful this place will steal your money if your not careful"

Jack's Bakery & Eatery

★★★★★ 4.7 (416) • $$

"I recently discovered the beauty of lamhajuns from other bakeries, and I was excited to try them here! They were tasty as expected, and I love that they are a light and affordable snack. We also tried the khachapuri, spinach boreg, and zaatar manaish. The khachapuri was light in flavor so we needed to add some salt and pepper. I appreciated that it was a good, simple pastry. The zaatar manaish has a fluffier dough and is drier than the lahmajun. It's good on its own, but I could see myself adding cheese to it since that seems like a good pairing. The man at the cashier is so friendly and makes you feel welcomed. The parking lot is tiny, but we've been lucky to find parking easily on our visits."

The Sketch Pad Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (7)

"Went to Downtown Disney for the day and walked through the Pixar Hotel firat. The sketch pad is in the cute lobby of the hotel and on the way to DTD if you cross the street and go through The Grand Californian hotel. This cute little coffee shop is fast and they have different flavors to choose from. I had a lavendar latte with oat milk that was so good. The food look yummy that they had in the front case. A great option for a fast bite."

Nothing Bundt Cakes

★★★★☆ 4.3 (596) • $$

"Sometimes you and your bestie co-worker just needs a sweet treat for comfort. They offer individual cakes, full on party sized cakes, and bundtlets, which are a perfect bite-sized sugary snack for a team, or any get-together. The only thing is that I'm not a huge fan of cream cheese frosting, but they will not serve one without it. That's my only gripe. Other than that, all of the flavors are delicious, moist, and fluffy."

Cream Pan

★★★★☆ 4.3 (664) • $

"We went near 5-6PM but they still had some strawberry croissants and it was not busy. Probably an unusually less busy day but would go again (maybe earlier)."

Paris Baguette

★★★★☆ 4.4 (52)

"Paris Baguette is a delightful spot known for its friendly staff, charming ambiance, and delectable baked goods. The cakes here are particularly popular, with the strawberry cream cake often being a favorite. On this visit, I opted for the red velvet cake, which was a big hit--surprisingly, the strawberry flavor was more prominent than the red velvet taste. The bakery provides complimentary candles, which is a nice touch for celebrations.It's best to arrive early for the widest selection of cakes. I came at evening time. While the strawberry cream cake was still available in the back, the rest of the options were displayed upfront.Beyond cakes, their pastry selection is excellent. The ham and cheese buns and sausage buns are especially tasty and worth trying. The bakery also has plenty of seating inside, with the typical Paris Baguette décor adding to the cozy atmosphere. Overall, whether you're picking up a cake for an occasion or enjoying a pastry with coffee, Paris Baguette consistently delivers a satisfying experience."

Delaware Street Bakery

★★★★★ 4.8 (18)

"So this bake shop is a gem literally a few hundred feet from me. When the sourdough is hand delivered, it is piping hot fresh and incredibly delicious. Really makes store bought bread feel like ancient material by comparison. Her Italian bread is just amazing with sandwiches.Honestly, as soon as you receive the bread, EAT IT. Make something with it. It doesn't get better than this folks."

Sunflour Natural Bakery

★★★★★ 4.5 (22) • $

"The best all natural bread i have eaten in a while. I love to eat healthy and try new foods and experience new foodie restaurants as much as I can just to enjoy a simple life with food however I am a diabetic at the low end where it can be reversed but every once in a while I will like many many slip up and eat tasteful carbs lol.. its just life and we like what we like but we just have to eat certain foods in moderation . I am so guilty right now because I can't even show a picture of the bread because I ate it all‍"

Keto Time

★★★★★ 4.5 (24)

"I'm so happy this store exists!! The owner is super friendly and she has the most unique and delicious sugar free items you can't really find anywhere else. Also, it's reasonable pricing. (:"

Chaupain Bakery

★★★★★ 4.7 • $$

"5/5 The service was impeccable. Staff was super nice and informative and also very generous. It was my first time trying this bakery and I wanted to get an assortment to take home and try. They had some wonderful recommendations and literally EVERYTHING we tried was a straight up banger. There was not one bad egg in the bunch. When they rang me up, they even gave me some freebies to try on the house and something for my daughter. A+."

Epic Baguette

★★★★☆ 4.1 (51)

"Firstly, I want say that the banh mi's here are delicious and unique. I saw complaints about how small the banh mi's are compared to other spots. But if you look at the concept of their bakery it's more of French style and it's not meant to be like typical banh mi's spots like Tan Hoang Huong or Banh mi Che Cali. The bread is more sourdough like and it seems like they baked them freshly in store. Please look around and observe before writing reviews.Some banh mi's options has scallions or arugula in it. How can you compare this to typical Vietnamese spots? If anything this place is more gourmet for literally the same price as any other banh mi's spots. The education and technique the owner obtained to create these creations are worth the money spent here. If you want regular Vietnamese banh mi then this is not the spot for you.The flavors that this place has is unlike any other and I'm glad I stumbled upon it a few months ago. I've been coming back every other week and the sandwiches have been on my mind as one of my top spots. I'm not affiliated with this store and I feel that the negative reviews are not accurate. If you look at the bakery it seems like a mom and pop shop and the owner is running it by herself with some family members. It's ok, as long as the food and service are great. Everyone who starts a business takes time to build it up. I believe they are doing great and the food prices are reasonable. They are not charging over the top for nothing. If you like to support big corporations that have the funds to support making their businesses look up to par then please do so... but please don't criticized mom and pop shops over what kind of bag they use to give you the product. The bag is new and not used. It just doesn't say the current business name. And I don't see what that has to do with the actual product itself that's being offered.Anyway, give this place a try and you won't be disappointed. Here are some of my favorites -Spicy fish cake (has scallions)-Sticky Pate pork floss -Grilled lemongrass chicken (has arugula)-Vietnamese thi cha cucumber Sweets-Durian crepe cake-Matcha crepe cake -Tiramisu crepe cake-Almond croissant"

Mag's Donut & Bagel

★★★★☆ 3.9 (164) • $

"Wonderful family owned donut shop. Love their donuts selections in the morning! They are efficient but still offer a warm welcome. Fluffiest donuts at a great price point. Other customers were raving about their coffee (similar to the strong Viet coffee). There's always a line in the morning but it goes by fast"

Beard Papa's

★★★★☆ 3.8 (294) • $$

"Came here tonight after having dinner nearby with a group of 8 and was happy to find the big communal table was available for us. But they have plenty of seating for smaller pairs or groups too. The menu has something for everyone with coffee, teas, other drinks, and different desserts. Kids liked the good selection of gelato and the workers were happy to split a small cup, which comes with 2 scoops, into 2 cups with one scoop each. So big thumbs up for awesome service!I also liked they made sure utensils and plenty of napkins were available and the whole place, including tables and chairs, were clean."

DF Bakery

★★★★☆ 3.5 (4)

"A delight in the heart of Santa Ana. Accidentally found this place through a tesla super charger station nearby, i recommend everyone to try it if you want some light and sweet pastry. Everyone else was seem to be bothered by the "service is horrible" aspect, this isn't true in my personal anecdotal a few times that i am there. Honestly if the food is great, why would you care? If i want a good yap session I'd have gone to places that taste doesn't matter, Starbucks"

Ace Donut

★★★★☆ 3.7 (121) • $

"I got there around the time they were just opening. I found this place through next door app. The relative was spreading the word that her family owns it and i support family businesses. They were just making these when i came and not ready, so it means its fresh. I can hear the oil boiling. I was patient and it paid off. The strawberry one had little custard and powdered sugar on top. The bun is very nicely fluffy and light flavor."

Smoking Tiger Coffee Lab

★★★★☆ 4.3 (226) • $$

"as someone who has been bouncing around different coffee shops for the last year to study and do work, this one is my favoriteee. i'd been going to the one in buena park for years but it's always quite loud over there. this location was more conducive to a nice, relatively quiet work session which was perfect and the girls working there are suuuper nice :)drinkskorean honey oat- love love love. the only place i trust with misugaru so far but had to stop ordering during study sessions because it keeps sending me to the bathroom. sweet corn latte- recently tried this and it's my new favorite! it tastes just like these filipino chips literally called Sweet Corn that i grew up eating which i lovedddd"

Duke Bakery

★★★★☆ 4.3 (409) • $$

"Such a cute bakery with fresh bread and sweets at a good price! Stopped by here after having shabu shabu next door as we wanted something sweet. They had a bunch of different bread both savory and sweet. It was so hard choosing but we decided on a loaf of the cranberry walnut bread and Carrie black bread. The cranberry walnut bread had the perfect amount of cranberries and walnuts evenly spread and wasn't too sweet. The Carrie black bread was my favorite - it was a dark chocolate bread with layers of Belgian chocolate, dark chocolate chunks, and what seemed like a marscapone cream filling. It was amazing! Both breads were soft, so fresh, and the loaves were huge. Such a good value for less than $5 per loaf. Will definitely be back again the next time I want something sweet!"

Small Axe Bread

★★★★★ 4.6 (14)

"If you like bread, you have to try their Sourdough. Made fresh daily, organic ingredients. We look for them every week at the Orange Farmers Market. Nice couple making the best bread. They have samples so you can try before you buy. Support small businesses!"

Sweet Lili's Bakery

★★★★★ 4.9 (625) • $

"Sweet Lili's Bakery in Laguna Hills is an absolute gem! From the moment you step in, you're greeted with a complimentary fresh Danish pastry, hot and fresh out of the oven. It's like a warm hug wrapped in buttery, flaky goodness. The staff? Simply the nicest people you'll ever meet. They make you feel welcome and loved, every single time.I even ordered a cake over the phone, and let me tell you, I could feel the love and their great demeanor right through the line. The location is super easy to find, just off the freeway, which is a huge plus.Their Danish pastries are a must-buy, and you absolutely have to try their chocolate cakes (Bibi cake)- they're out of this world! I highly, highly, highly recommend this pastry shop for your next event or just to satisfy your sweet tooth. Oh, and did I mention I drive 45 minutes to get there? Totally worth it!"

Rockwell's Bakery, Cafe & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.5 (294) • $$

"Special menu item!! PRIME RIB, eggs, bacon and potatoes. Only served by Tammi while South OC Cars & Coffee aka Cars & Bloodies!! Enjoy A+A+A+"

Portugal Imports

★★★★☆ 4.3 (267) • $

"Found myself in the area and have had Portugal Imports for quite some time. I looked around their shop and ended up purchasing two tins of fish which I am looking foward to having! I also ordered the two pastel de nata which was worth every bite! i had my second one hours later and the crust was still super flaky!The staff was really friendly and I hope to make my way back for another visit!"

The Bakery Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.5 (55) • $

"Randomly found this place as I was walking around The Source. This place is so cute. I'm the outside there's a bench with its own tiny nursery. Inside, it's connected to a clothing store so no outside food is allowed. Service is always great! First time I came, they had a Nutella latte on their speciality/seasonal menu. I also tried the blueberry cake slice which was also good. They have such cute cakes shaped as panda or a bear head. I haven't tried any of the pastries yet bc I'm usually looking at the coffee menu haha. But today I tried the honey cinnamon latte & it's so good! The perfect amount of sweetness from the honey/cinnamon and the perfect amount of bitterness from the espresso. Would definitely get again!"

Long Dog Coffee and Treats

★★★★★ 5 (48) • $

"I discovered this place through Yelp yesterday and knew immediately I wanted to check it out, and it did not disappoint. Super cute themed place, the owner was very friendly and pleasant. They sell human and dog treats, along with coffee and gelato. My son said the gelato was 5 stars lol. I knew I wanted to try this place specifically because they had a cardamom latte, which I LOVE and never see this outside of my usual place close to home I go to in Brea. My latte was flavorful and I really enjoyed it. The overall vibe of the place is very cute and cozy, and definitely different, which makes it stand out in a good way. They have coloring pages where you can decorate a doxy and yours can be featured on their wall. This place is worth checking out, we'll be back for sure!"

Sunmerry Coffee

★★★★☆ 4.3 (224) • $$

"Sunmerry coffee never disappoints, I should come here more often lol. It's so close by I don't know why I don't maybe I will so I can try more of their delicious flavors lol. They have cute decorations for Halloween, they also moved things around since the last time I came here. They had autumn new flavors, which I didn't see until after I ordered the delicious Dalgona honeycomb latte which is absolutely delicious and wakes you up all at once. They changed the tops I noticed to a yellow color and they added another plant and move things around and we saw the girl that was there the last time we were here my best friend and I came with our two kids got them a doughnut mochi one they enjoyed it, of course. Always friendly service I enjoy coming here. I will be back. Thank you again for an amazing cup of coffee and awesome service.Have a beautiful day :)Aloha"