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Alpha Bakery
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
18 reviews for Alpha Bakery
18 reviews in English
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Review from Noel P.
Nashville, TN
2/28/2012
Called today to order Challah for friday :( shop is closed.....last day was saturday
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Review from Sasha T.
Challah! (Yep, cheesy but I went there.) This place has some of the best fresh challah I've ever had, and definitely the best in town. Of course, Publix might be the only other place you can find it fresh here, but until I find better Alpha Bakery is keeping the title. They only have it Friday's and Saturday's but it's worth it to stop in and get some.
I've tried other fresh breads from here and it's definitely the star of the place. I have yet to have a non delicious loaf of bread from here. The Japanese pastries are also yummy, but you usually have to get there fairly early in the day to get the good stuff.
Overall, if you're looking for something a little different than what your typical neighborhood grocery store bakery has to offer definitely stop in. Try something new, it's probably delicious.Listed in: Breakfast, My Favorite Meal of…, ROTD!
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Review from Joshua S.
Hendersonville, TN
7/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome! At first glance, I wasn't expecting much, because their storefront appears to be an old diner or similar small restaurant, and that is usually a bad sign. However, I walk in the the place is immaculate, and they've clearly snazzed the exterior up as well.
They have an awesome selection of terrific baked goods. I've tried their creme pans, melon pans, ham and cheese, and croissants. The creme pans where why I came, as I got addicted to them up in NY and have struggled to find them. They are awesome and are to be recommended. The melon pans are interesting, although they have nothing to do with melons. The croissants are amazing. The ham and cheese was just okay; I prefer their straight baked goods, anyway.
They have friendly staff, decent prices, and excellent hours. I just wish they either had a larger display case, or made it clear they have more in the back, since they often only have 6 or so of each thing on display, making you feel like you'd be depriving someone else if you got extra of something. Being closer to Hendersonville would rock, too. ;)
For amazing food at fair prices: 5/5. -
Review from Josh F.
Nashville, TN
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
My girlfriend took me to this place for brunch and I decided on the special omelet, but I decided to opt out the kimchee, and got bacon on the side, the food was awesome, if you go be sure to get a loaf of the pan bread, I will for sure go back
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Review from Misty M.
Hermitage, TN
9/30/2011
Alpha Bakery has some of the most unique breads and pastries in the Nashville area. If you're in Bellevue, you really should give them a try. The building is not fancy and this is a small business who doesn't spend a lot of money on marketing and advertising, but the food is great and made fresh every day. Many people that I know who go there found out about it by word of mouth.
Many of the offerings and pastries are Asian inspired. They are delicious and really are like what I and other family members have had in Japan. The curry pan is a great savory treat if you like curry. As another reviewer mentioned, the sweet Asian pastries are not overly sweet. A lot of people in the Asian community come here to get things they can't get anywhere else in Nashville.
If you want something decadent, the snowballs (puff pastry stuffed with whipped cream and sliced bananas) can't be beat. Both the almond and chocolate crossaints are flaky and fantastic.
The breads are absolutely worth trying as well, from the Asian alpha fan to the dinner rolls to the best challah in town. It absolutely melts in your mouth when it's fresh and beats Publix's challah bread hands down.
They do serve brunch now, and those offerings are unique as well. If you just want a sandwich, I highly recommend the chicken salad. It's very peppery and isn't overwhelmed with mayonnaise.
Last, but certainly not least, are the cakes. The strawberry cake here is my absolute favorite cake that I ask for every year on my birthday. The cake itself is super light and not overly sweet with a light creamy icing and a layer of fresh strawberries in the middle. When I've served this at family gatherings or parties, it's gone in a flash. They also have an amazing Asian inspired chocolate that is Japanese in style and not overly sweet. They often have slices of the cakes available, but you do have to order whole cakes ahead of time. -
Review from Aubrey D.
Nashville, TN
3/24/2011
I really wanted to like this bakery. After all, it's closeby, and I'm a bakery junkie.
However, on my 3 visits, I have been disappointed. My first time I ordered a chicken salad sandwich which was pricey for what it was. The staff seem flustered as it took 15 or 20 minutes to put a scoop of chicken salad on sliced bread. I was the only one in there, too! It was just okay.
I returned with my husband who ordered some sort of breakfast ham croissant. It neither looked nor tasted appealling! Yuck!
The only halfway decent thing I've had here are really thin rice cookies. These are pretty tasty but not worth a return trip. I've had much better experiences with other bakeries and don't mind a longer drive for higher quality. -
Review from Lee H.
6/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe we came all the way to Nashville and ended up at an Asian owned bakery. I guess it's more a novelty in the South than in the Bay Area and it was recommended and my husband's very pregnant cousin was craving an almond croissant from Alpha, so we went.
In true Asian bakery style, the pastries weren't overly sweet. The almond croissant was buttery and flaky. The snow ball caught my eye and I couldn't resist. It's literally a croissant-like boat filled with bananas and whipped cream. Again, not too sweet and a nice balance of flaky croissant to whip cream and banana ratio.
In addition to sweets, they also offer bread and sandwiches.
Rumor has it employees from Nissan North America in Smyrna and Franklin are known to come by on weekends and wipe out a lot of the pastries and bread. So if you're curious about how Asian style pastries taste, get to Alpha Bakery early. -
Review from Jason S.
7/16/2010
Alpha Bakery is a great little place.
We always stop there on Fridays to grab a loaf of challah for Shabbat. Great challah for sure with or without raisins. They also never seem to run out, which is also a plus.
I have also tried and enjoyed their Fan Bread, which is essentially like a giant loaf of croissant, glazed or unglazed. My wife forbid me from bringing them home anymore (although it is amazing warmed with some plugra butter and home-made strawberry freezer jam). They also have a great sourdough loaf as well.
My main regret and the reason I would not rate them higher is their hours of operation. They close at 6PM during the week, and a few times I have showed up with 5-10 minutes to spare and they are already shut tight. It can be a challenge for people with real jobs to make it there before they close. Additionally, they require a $5 minimum purchase to use a credit card, which violates all major credit card processing agreements. Other than that, a great place. -
Review from Dessa S.
Nashville, TN
6/21/2010
Before going in, I would have assumed Alpha was just another bakery. I'm glad I read the reviews on yelp that prompted me to go in (than you, yelp iphone app!).
The lunch sandwiches were tasty (I'm pretty sure I had the egg salad), but of course, it's all about the breads and pastries! Their Challah bread was fabulous. I got a plain loaf and want to go back to try the one with raisins.
They have those lovely rolled Japanese pastries (I think they are called "roll cake" ?) - fluffy dough with light filling - sort of tastes like eating a cloud. Not too heavy, not too sweet. I tried the chocolate and I want to try the other flavors. You can get a whole cake or try it by the slice, which is nice way to try it out.
I'd guess that the standard pastries they offer are delicious, but if you are going to go to an Asian bakery, you might as well get something that's not available everywhere :) -
Review from Aaron D.
11/30/2009
Literally almost everything in the case looks delicious.
The BLT had fresh white bread framing beautiful thick crispy bacon and high-quality lettuce and tomato.
The curry roll was tasty (although the inside was a bit cold - which leads me to believe the roll was frozen and then microwaved...)
The custard bun was light and just sweet enough.
Prices are better than reasonable.
Service is great.
Taste and presentation seem both reasonably authentic compared to the Japanese bakeries I've sampled on a few Asian trips.
I found it incredibly sad that this place had few customers while the drive-thru at the Burger King next door was packed.
Hope that more Nashvillians will give this deserving local bakery their support! I know that I'll be back (frequently) :-) -
Review from Ken L.
Alpharetta, GA
12/25/2010 3 photos
Alpha Bakery, in my humble opinion, is the alpha and omega of bakeries. They don't need any cheesy references like that to sell their product though as their soulfully crafted bread speaks for itself. When you walk into Alpha Bakery, the seemingly simple decor serves to emphasize what is important... the bread, the pastries, the cakes, the flour-y goodness. Media clippings from when the bakery first opened decorate the main entrance and tell the story of a couple's hard work to build this humble, yet grand place that has been around for over a decade.
The 2 times that I spent an extended period of time at this bakery left me with different distinct impressions. The first time was when I was 19, having just finished my first year of college. I've always known about a bakery in Nashville as a family friend would always bring treats from there back. When I found out that one of my newfound college friend's family owned that legendary bakery, I could see the attitude of meticulous attention to detail and hard work from the bakery had been passed onto her as well. However, when I was 19, all I remember is how great the breads and sandwiches tasted. I never felt any kind of connection with any other bakery but this one. None of the asian bakeries in Atlanta served Danish Loaf (Alpha Pan), which is a loaf of bread made from crossaint dough. When toasted, this stuff is seriously life-changing. I learned so much about different kinds of pastries and breads from this place as well. I never had tiramisu before this place, and am always craving strawberry cream cake because of this place. The cakes aren't too sweet and have this delicate flavor and light texture that I like.
I went back recently 7 years later, and they have made improvements to their menu by adding some brunch items and soups. Yet, the quality of what is important, the bread... the pastries, has not changed since the first time I went. The Alpha Pan is just as large as it was 7 years ago, and I think the prices of the items have remained relatively flat since then (compared to other places). OH! I tried apricot glazed (from germany) alpha pan this time around, and with some laughing cow cheese or brie toasted... it's sooooo good! Make sandwiches with avocados with this bread and you'll never eat normal bread again. For the price, you are getting bread/pastries/cakes that years of experience have trained and honed... and as the customer we think about how great something tastes, but don't really think about the years of thought and labor that went into creating that small edible work of art that you have just devoured. The second time I went back, I felt the hard work behind the bread, and I must say that the owners of this bakery should be very proud. The place seems busier than it did 7 years ago, and Mrs. Su Chen is just as hard-working and sweet as always.
I will be back as long as this place exists!!! TRY EVERYTHING! The only bread that I have had that I've enjoyed as much as the Alpha Pan is the English Toasting Bread from Fresh Market. They have much more to try than just the Alpha Pan...
The personal sized breads are very good as well...
The Ham and Cheese bread when toasted is delicious.
The Nice Sue is one of my favorites, with coconuts and this light sweetness.
The tiramisu and the strawberry cream cake are my favorites too!
The Curry Pan, and the Melon Pan are good too.
They have other kinds of loaves as well, so I'm sure there is something here that will suit your tastes.
They make seasonal items and cookies as well and have various Japanese drinks and treats to try as well.
Call ahead with some orders for the more popular breads as they might run out by noon.
This has obviously been a biased review, but this place changed my perception of what cakes, pastries, and bread have been and should be... maybe it can do the same for you too! -
Review from matt c.
Nashville, TN
2/12/2008
This *is* Taiwanese owned, but the owners were trained by Japanese bakers, and it is mostly of the European influenced Japanese style. It is fairly neat and clean, and there are some specifically Japanese items (such as rare Japanese drinks and sodas) in the small market section. An ample breadcase holds several varieties of puffy fresh-baked loaves at a price just under Provence (@ $3.50-4.50). A very clean and orderly glass case holds too many picturesque pastries and buns (most @ $1.50-2.50) to count: a perfect happy little army of weenie rolls (identical down to the number of squiggles of mustard on top), ham & cheese croissants, curry pan, eclairs, blueberry danishes, baklava, bite-size cakes and whipped-cream buns stand attentive to your order. The coffee is also good.
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Review from Ian R.
5/30/2008
One of the most unique bakeries in Nashville. I can say from experience that this is an authentic Japanese style bakery. They have excellent bread, but if you want to try something different they have a wide assortment of baked goods that you will not find anywhere else in Nashville. I would highly recommend the curry pan and the melon pan for a start. Both will give you an interesting taste of what another country's baked goods. Their strawberry cake is also the best I have ever tasted. Worth a trip out of the way.
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Review from kristen p.
Godley, TX
5/28/2008
Back in my middle school days my mom would take my sister and i here for a special treat. I had been waiting to have a newer experience though to review it. Well Husband and I ended up here one Saturday afternoon and to tell the truth this place hasn't changed all that much.They still offer all of my old favorites along with some new things as well. We ended up having lunch here. They have a small sandwich menu as well as some savory pastries (listed by matt c.). All sandwiches have the option of coming on a croissant or your choice of bread. The vegetarian options include a veggie sandwich (which i ordered) and egg salad (which husband ordered). Both were good however the egg salad was a bit too herbed for me. As for drinks I highly recommend the aloe vera soda's in the case. Yes, they may sound scary but they in no way taste like aloe (flavors like blueberry, apple, & peach) and they have fun jelly bits in the bottom. almost like a mini less scary bubble tea. (husband hates bubble tea but likes this stuff). And I didn't see it advertised anywhere but I saw a lot of people with a fruit tea looking drink.
As for the pastries go I recommend the blueberry danish and the chocolate roll cake. If you want something to go I highly recommend the apricot glazed alpha phan. That is if they still have any by the time you get there.
The only downside (and subtraction of 1 star) is that there is no line. If you stand there and wait patiently everyone who walks in the door after you will be helped first. You have to be somewhat aggressive (which is not my nature at all).
And I do know for sure that this is not a Chinese bakery. I was always told that they were Japanese bakers trained in France. Wherever they are actually from doesn't matter. It is Japanese style. (Although Matt C's stars around his "is" are quite convincing.) -
Review from Joe C.
Newport Beach, CA
2/1/2007
It's sad that we don't get any Chinese bakeries in Nashville. When this bakery first opened, not many people knew about it and those who knew were glad that they didn't have to drive hours away to Memphis, Birmingham, Atlanta... to get Chinese bakeries anymore. The down side about this place is the price, but I guess spending a little more money to get what we want is worth it!
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Review from Alex H.
Nashville, TN
12/2/2009
The sandwiches are really great, and the pastries are awesome. It took me a while to step into this little place, because it kind of looks deserted. Try it, you'll love it!
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Review from Jasmine S.
Los Angeles, CA
9/16/2010
Haven't eaten the sandwiches, but the pastries and bread are they real deal. The BEST baguette in Nashville...and I have tried them all.
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Review from Erin D.
Nashville, TN
1/12/2009
I decided to give this place a try this past weekend. I was surprised by the fact that it's in a building that looks like a McDonalds used to inhabit it. (Also, tip, they don't have a drive-thru so don't drive up to the window) I splurged and ordered a Hot Chocolate, piece of Baklava and Veggie Sandwich on a croissant. The drink was a disappointment, tasted like the packs I can make at home. The Baklava was flaky and moist and so amazing. The Sandwich was good, all the veggies were super fresh and the pickles were amazing. Although, I was disappointed in the avocados; they were tasteless and not ripe. I think next time I'll go with the Veggie on bread, cuz with the croissant it felt like something was just a tad missing, like butter or some other spread. The danishes in the cabinet looked absolutely intoxicating. I really wanted one as did I want to buy a loaf of bread. They have every bread you've ever dreamed of; Sourdough, Country Italian, English, French, Cinnamon Raisin, Six Grain, Rye, Pumpernickle and Challah. I must go back!
