Baker & Commons

Wow. Just wow. Best coffee I've had in ages. Excellent bitter kick. Ordered tiramisu and it was perfect. Well priced for college Ave as well. Though staff is nice, line was quite long -- expect to wait. Crowder and bustling but, for me, this made me feel more "part of it" than "too crowded." Would highly recommend.

Outstanding hours and interior spaces - good desserts and ok pricing.I love the hours of this bakery. I actually was looking to go to Nabolom but they close at 2pm on most days - this conveniently is right next door. I can't tell you how much I appreciate a place like this open late - its casual and perfect for visiting with friends. A bar area available too for mingling if your dining solo. Good desserts - but for almost every dessert I saw room for improvement. To start with mango pannacotta had 1/4'' of water on top. Probably wasn't too fresh and was way too sweet. I get these in Little Italy in SF and was shocked by how sweet it was. Owners need to try what they serve at Stellas - not saying its the more authentic way but this was super sweet. The chocolate cream pie had a delicious rich flavor and texture and the crust flavorfully toasty but the crust was soggy. On this dessert I would blind bake the crust add a thin layer of melted chocolate to the crust and then fill in the chocolate cream. Leave off the bits of chocolate on top - doesn't add anything the way a layer of chocolate between the layers would to keep things from getting soggy the next day. Blueberry bread pudding was ok - but it was one big clump like it always is. I hate to say it but this dessert could be so much better if it was two layers - one layer of bread and one layer of pudding - its so easy - I make better bread pudding at home myself and am a novice. The tiny $1 almond pastry was perfect. If I had a cup of coffee and a few of those it would be 10/10. Maybe if you got this far just do that.

We ordered pastrami sandwich and tiramisu. 11/10 for both. A bit pricy but it's worth it! Nice spot to catch up with friends or go on a little date. Quite busy so not great for studying or reading. Line moves quite fast.

The first time I passed by this shop with my son he explained that there is always a line outside. My wife and I came here for some breakfast and surprise... there was a line outside. Now I know why. Only one person taking orders and people deciding what they wanted when they got to the front of the line. My wife and I were no different. There was so much on display that we could not decide what we wanted to do.They have an extremely friendly team who walked us through the process of ordering, taking a seat and waiting for our food. I did get a cup of their excellent coffee to wait with. We found a comfortable seat and waited (just a few minutes for our food.)The egg sandwiches (see photos) were amazing... Fresh eggs with either fresh bacon or sausage on these incredible biscuits. These were truly delicious and a treat. My wife and I enjoyed it all so much. The cinnamon muffin was awesome.This is such a great spot for both the locals and visitors. A cozy spot to hang at with friends and enjoy some really good food [and coffee.] We are definitely looking forward to our next visit.KUDOs to the team at Baker & Commons.

This place is amazing!! Located in the heart of Elmwood, Baker & Commons is a neighborhood staple. Their coffees all come with two shots of espresso, and they have a rotating menu of baked goods that smell and look incredible. They also have a menu of food for their sit-down restaurant, including a soup of the day.The restaurant itself is on a corner lot. It gets great sun and has some outdoor seating. You can pick up a free postcard at the register with a beautiful watercolor painting of the restaurant on it (perfect to put up on your fridge!).The coffee is excellent. The double shot of espresso is tasty. I've had both iced and hot coffees from Baker & Commons, and I loved them both. The iced latte I had did not taste watered down, which is a huge plus.I also tried some baked goods: a slice of pear cake with a salted maple frosting, a savory scone with sun-dried tomato and herbs, and a slice of coconut almond cake. Genuinely so good! And I'm not even a dessert person!The people who work here are extremely friendly and will strike up a conversation with customers, regardless of the length of the line. The restaurant has a very homey feel. I'll definitely be returning!

Stopped in on a whim and they had one item in the bakery that's gluten free and vegan... it was a red berry (strawberry or raspberry jam bar, I was too excited and hungry lol. The bar was hands-down one of the best oat bars I've had. The crust and oat crumb was a perfect balance of juicy jam and streusel. Not overly sweet. I can't wait to go back. Helpful staff and a very large indoor dining room, come and plan to stay and visit with friends or get some work/studying done.

It's a very local cozy neighborhood cafe with variety of great choices of coffee drinks and pastries/cakes. Great place for brunch and afternoon coffee.Check for soup of the day for sure. Service is normal cafe order-to-sit with great casual atmosphere with WiFi.Indoor and outdoor settings available. There is flat entry and wide inside and outside for navigation. Good for kids with high chairs and outdoor seating, seniors, groups, meetup and couples.There is free parking lot bring the cafe. Free and paid street parking spots available.

Good bakery goods, efficient service but don't expect much hands on help - not bad just is. Very good breakfast for a college town restaurant. The restaurant has that college town feel of we're deeper than fast food, but not everybody invoked is making a career of found service - relaxed vibe.

In a word, messy.The adjective applies to a whole lot, from how the place came to be (spoilers: damage control after a 2015 incident regarding race) to the filthy tables/floors; from bags of kitchen dry goods left in the customer area instead of a storeroom to all of the chipped and cracked drinkware.From what I understand, this place has a persistent line out the door. This is sometimes a good sign (meaning that the menu is good and people like to pay frequent visits) and maybe this really is the case but when I've come here it's slow service. Regardless whether you're dining in or taking something to go, expect to wait. The already-cramped indoors will feel even smaller with all of the other people waiting for their stuff and the staff weaving between them to try and fling orders or bus tables.All of these could be overlooked if the full menu was stellar. It isn't. The star of the show is the baked goods and, even here, it's a pretty plain affair. Prices do not match the portion sizes or final preparation. Everything will be slapped together and, as some other reviews mention, possibly already on its way to cold.

Stopped by for a little mid afternoon snack with my partner, enjoyed a thick slice of creamy cheese cake, and the classic hot cocoa. Before the whole social media debacle at Elmwood café, I really did enjoy all the breakfast and lunch items on this menu and the more affordable prices, especially for the baked goods. However, I don't find myself coming back to this establishment as often due to the high prices. Anyhow, thought I might give it a try today. Service is friendly, and the interior has café vibes that older folks seem to enjoy for reading and doing work.