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Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: WallingfordMon-Sat. 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Crepes that actually beat expectations!
After occasionally sampling their bread at grocery stores over the years, we finally made it down to their Madison shop for a Saturday morning breakfast. Their coffee is a solid performer--better than fuel, perhaps not quite as perfect as Vivace.
We had the apple crepe which was their seasonal special. It was hands down the best crepe I've ever tasted. Their blueberry scone was also outstanding--not dry, but not muffin like either. We'll be heading down their often.
I've never been to any of their locations or tasted their goods before (as far as I know), so I decided to stop by for their birthday celebration (which was rumored to include free cake).
I walked in thirsty, so I went for choosing a drink right away. The guy at the counter was friendly and all smiles. I got a Pellegrino Lemonade or something like that, and said I'd also like one of the mini cupcakes that were sitting on the tray in front. He said those were free (no mention of the company birthday), guided me over to the cashier, and gave me a mini-cake.
After paying for my beverage I found a seat indoors (since the outside tables were full) and took the opportunity to chill out and finish the last bit of this month's book club book. Great place for reading or- as I noticed most everyone else doing- meeting with someone for a chat.
Note:
I overheard talk about how great their coffee is... and how they don't have wi-fi. Bummer about the internet, yay for the coffee. I'll have to try some next time!
I **** UPDATE I remember the quality of the cake and the wonderful coffee. I am upping it to a 4.%% Not that I wasn't very upset about the accusations.. tho". ^^^^^^^
I hav e changed and updated this. Fiascos happen. They are over after a few hours. I forgot that and thought how fun it would be to wander down there at 730 am and kick off a lovely day with CAKE! and in a nice place! and then onto another day of job applications.. I asked if I was in the right place and/or it was the right time.. I was assured it was the right place and time.
I asked about the free cake and then it got embareasing! No No You have to buy a drink first! Oh, well, no I didn't think so......
Well, all ended up better. I have amended this and removed the embarrassing details. I got a few cupcakes! No one knows that I know the proper way to eat those tiny cupcakes - eat frosting off first! What a rush of delicious!
I like it!
I can't afford the high prices of the baked goods.
Never go in here if you are on a diet…
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Consistently good! i lived a block from here and went all the time. Its got quality baked goods, amazing coffee and great soups/sammies... nice staff and a real neighborhood cafe feel.
Whether I am in need of a yummy crepe/pastry breakfast, a soup and sandwich for lunch, a loaf of bread to go, or an afternoon latte; this place never lets me down.
I must say that after frequenting this spot on Saturday mornings, I am very surprised it isn't filled with more twenty somethings. It is cozy, aesthetically pleasing, good urban location, plays great music, and serves caffeinated beverages... doesn't that qualify it for a 20 something hangout? At any rate, it can be my 20 something hangout even if I have to share it with toddlers, strollers, and mommies.
I would recommend ANY of their soups especially since they come with their pizza bianca, which is basically a salty piece of ciabiatta bread that has olive oil drizzled over it. For sandwiches, their whole is HUGE so if you're not ready for a feast, stick with the half and perhaps a side salad. Each sandwich comes on a complimenting bread that was made in house, like the turkey on rosemary bread, so good! Their hot sandwiches are the best and their menu is always changing with new sandwiches to try.
For sweets, their pastries are definitely up to par. I usually can't chose from ONE (lets face it, everything in that goddamn case looks so delicious) so I typically get one to eat there, and another for later which usually ends up being a treat for the ride home:). Don't go here if you're dieting, even those with the most impressive self control might find themselves in a bind here. If they have their meringues, try one! They some how manage to get almonds, cherry, and chocolate into a meringue? I tried to make this at home and failed miserably which makes me appreciate this place even more!
Their lattes are served in big mugs with delicate foam designs, you can definitely tell this is a Seattle joint.
For bread, the choices are a bit overwhelming... my favorite is the Fremont, a white sourdough, but as I stated there is pretty much something for everyone!
Parking is easy, just park in the lot next to the building where all the bakery trucks are.
Enjoy!
It's hard to beat good bread, but I think I pass this place up a lot because of the so-so quality of the Essential Baking bread I find in the grocery stores. But everytime I go to the cafe in Wallingford, I remember how great it is to have a bakery right down the street from my house.
Specifically, the stirato bread. This is a variety that they don't deliver to stores, and it seems to sell out pretty quickly when they make it. It's a soft-crust bread that has great chew and amazing flavor. It reminds me of a big loaf of soft-pretzel but without the salt on top. If you ever find yourself at the Essential Bakery in the early afternoon, pick up a loaf or two of this (one for me, you can drop it off, thanks!) It's great straight out of the bag, toasted, or used a few days later for french toast or bread pudding. The perfect bread!
The couple times I've been here, my expectations were high as I gaze at their nice interior design, menu layout, and wide variety of pastries. But I left unsatisfied. I am usually ready to throw down at a whim just to try something, which I so unfortunately did. That money would have been better invested with Madoff.
The pastries were dry and tasted old (I don't care if it's 1 pm, as many bakeries such as Tall Grass, Macrina, Great harvest, etc.) know how to make something taste good throughout the day. Though, I will say that the staff was friendly.
It's a little overpriced relative to the quality you get. Go somewhere else. Go to Macrina.
Wonderful facility, easy parking, nice staff, good coffee, reasonably priced. And their FOOD! Absolutely wonderful! Gotta buy some of their fresh bread! Worth the trip just for that!
I love the Essential Baking Company! This is within walking distance from my pad and is perfect for my Saturday/Sunday morning caffine/sugar fix. They have amazing pastries, muffins and the most decadent looking desserts which I have not been brave enough to try.
It can get busy on the weekends so tables/sitting room can be hard to find but it is a great and relaxing place to spend a morning.
Only complaints would be that if you are ordering espresso, give yourself a few extra minutes because it usually takes awhile. Last complaint would be that last time we went we ordered 4 drinks and 2 were made incorrectly. This hasn't happened before so it could have just been a rough morning.
When the wind blows right I can smell the Essential bread baking from my house. It's heaven.
I love this place. Everything is good. We only buy our bread from here. One time I walked in right at 5:59. I was desperate for my bread and didn't realize they close at 6:00. It must have been dumpster dump day because they asked me what I wanted and gave me like 3 loaves of bread for free. And I didn't have to dig through the dumpster or anything! (BTW, thanks for that tip- I'll see you all there!)
I couple of months ago I hosted a small event for my work, and since I am so sick of Costco platters, I ordered a whole bunch of baked goods from Essential. They had my order ready when they said they would and everything was fresh and wonderful. It was quite the hit. I heard rumors that people came just to eat Essential baked goods and not to hear my presentation....
I've been to the EBC in Wallingford and thought it was pretty good so this morning we stopped into their Madison Park location. I left there $28 lighter with such burning questions as 1.) If the special of the day was French Toast, how could they "be out" of it by 9AM? At a store that sells primarily bread? 2.) Really? No bread slicer? At a place that sells primarily bread? Not even the knife kind? And finally, 3) What happened to the rest of my $9 omlette breakfast? I only saw about $5 worth of food on the plate when it was served to me.
Essential Baking Company bread has always been my favorite from the grocery stores. However, as I was in the middle of a 16 hour long work day (Gasworks Park on the 4th!) my stomach started growling for something healthier than the standard festival fair. Fortunately, the Essential Baking Company was not far from the park, so my coworker was able to walk over and get a to go order.
The sandwich was FANTASTIC. I ordered the herb crusted turkey on rosemary bread and it was delicious! The bread was perfectly chewy and the layers of turkey, lettuce, and condiments were divine. My co-worker had the Cubano and was equally satisfied with his fare.
The prices were a tad expensive for sandwiches, but I'd certainly go back here again when I'm craving a truly spectacular sandwich. It truly is all about the bread...
What kind of a bakery doesn't have the ability to heat up pastries? They have an excellent and delicious selection, like the mushroom & blue cheese croissant and the spinach & feta croissant. But who wants to eat that cold? When I asked if they could heat it up for me, the person behind the counter looked at me as if I had 2 heads and said, "We don't have any equipment to heat up anything." Ummm.. don't you BAKE the bread at the Wallingford location??
I gave Essential Baking Co. 3 stars just because of the non-heating up option, and also because they are pretty pricey. Coffee is a little bit more than I'd like to pay. But I do think the pastries are good.
Overpriced and overrated. I bake better bread at home. If you don't bake your own bread, most of the other local bakeries like Three Girls or Macrina are better.
And similarly, for pastries or coffee or soup, there are better places. Perhaps the problem is Essential Baking Company has spread themselves too thin. If you're with friends and you all want something different, or if you've fallen in love with something they offer, it 's a good choice. But if you're craving something particular (bread, pastry, whatever), you can find cheaper products with better taste elsewhere.
Breads are good, but take advantage f their two dumpsters full of bread that they toss- if you go on the right day, you get the fresh stuff that they toss.
I am unable to part with more than five bucks for a loaf of bread, no matter what the ethics/morals/business practices behind the company happen to be.
It's the first genuinely nice day here in Seattle '09, and my bf and I stopped in for lunch before heading out for a hike at Discovery park.
This was our first trip here - though I've eaten pastries and breads at other locals made by them - walking in it was full of smiling people chatting over food and coffee. The woman who took our order was super friendly and had a good laugh when Matt missed the very large coffee menu I kept pointing to while he was asking what type of coffee they had.
I got the tuna sandwich (which is made with olive oil instead of drowned in mayo - delish!), he got a pork sandwich and a double espresso and we split a chocolate sumapaz treat - which was absolute heaven and I don't usually go for the chocolate desserts. The total was $22, which I think is absolutely reasonable for the quality of food you get, I'm a little confused as to why people keep saying this place is too expensive... go to subway down the block then and quite complaining. In this case, you DO get what you pay for, and it is fabulous!
Waaaay overpriced. Espresso was no good and not worth the money. ~$5 for a tall latte? Sandwiches were pretty good but again, overpriced for the amount of food. The only thing worth the money is the pizza bianca.
But what really confuses me is why is their bread more expensive than their bread at Trader Joe's?
It's a nice place but I can find a place with better espresso and sandwiches for half the price.
Scones and sandwiches are great, albeit on the pricey side. There is something satisfying about having a local bakery, and I'm seeing their breads at more and more local stores and restaurants. Their scones especially have just been phenomenal in my experience.
I intended this this to be more substantive, but all I really have for you is "scones."
Check it out.
Where have I been?
I MOVED!
Right next door to Essential Bakery!
This wasn't a strategic move on my part. I didn't realize what I was getting myself into. I had never been privy to the friendly staff, lovely space, and ummm obviously delicious menu before the fateful month of September 2008. But all I will say is that I have visited Essential six times in the past week that I moved to Wallingford. I'm an insta-regular. It's embarrassing.
But oh my god, it's so good. Everything, from coffee to pastries to salads to sandwiches, is just so damn GOOD.
I suppose you could say it is already ESSENTIAL to my existence.
(Yeah, I went there. Obviously I had to.)
Cripes! They have Crepes now!
They're $7, but they're enormous! There looks to be about 7 different ones on the menu, and when I asked someone if they were enjoying theirs, he responded with a resounding,
'Yeaaaah.. They're SO f____'in good!'
Alrighty, then. You heard it from him. :)
You have not lived until you've had their Rosemary loaf..
their tuna sandwich..
one of their tarts..…
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I was so impressed by their selection of pastries, but then was so disappointed that they had no way of heating them up. I was stuck eating a COLD spinach & feta croissant. That totally ruined my experience.
I am writing a review of the Wallingford location DUMPSTER. Or should I say dumpsters? I saw there are reviews of people saying they can't afford the baked goods here. No problemo! There are 3 excellent, full dumpsters of high quality baked bread out back. I love this dumpster because where else can I get challah, irish soda bread, and a variety of other delicious specialty breads for free? The best part is going after sunset and chatting up the other neighborhood folk who are all rummaging for a prized raisin walnut or orange blossom score. All our sandwhiches are made from their Columbia bread. Delish!
It's really all about the vibe here. Warm, yummy smelling air. Exposed brick, tall windows, the fact that it's been a bakery for like 80 years. I can't say anything really stands out to me (oh, except for the Rachel sandwich and the olive bread and the chocolate moussie thing) but I really enjoy the smiles and the energy. I simply like to hang out here! My coffee experiences is very dependent on my vibe I'm feelin and it's almost always good here.
And this artist, Ken Ketchum, his stuff is hanging there and it's really cool! They most often have really cool artists, but this stuff is the bomb! Come and check it out! http://www.kenketchum.com
The place has a great atmosphere, with its lake proximity and sometimes international quality. But the real thing to get here is a coffee- Essential gets a special roast from Lighthouse roasters. They do coffee art, and have a delicious organic Lighthouse roast.
The food looks good, but can taste a day old. It really doesn't matter though!
I might be biased, because I come here often, but I f*cking love this place. They have wonderful baked goods (I'm partial to the tiny quiches and the chocolate-chocolate cookie) and they know how to make me the perfect au lait. Most of the staff are great, and one of them is cranky, but then, I was cranky when I slung espresso, and I guess I don't really care if she's cranky so long as she continues to make my coffee right.
I do have to confess that I was inordinately pleased when I walked in one fine morning right behind a group of, like, 8 spandex clad recent UW grads, and then four more of their friends joined them.....and they couldn't quite decide what to get....but the vast majority of them skipped the actual food and went for nonfat whatevers .....and I was starting to get annoyed, and then the lovely woman at the espresso machine made my coffee ahead of time so I didn't have to wait! Yay! That's good service.
I am lucky to live right up the street from this charming neighborhood spot. I can't decide if I love breakfast or lunch here better. I wish they were open past 6pm during the week for dinner! Their soups and salads are amazing and I really enjoy eating all their bread! This is a great place to come and relax and enjoy the Wallingford neighborhood.
I am pregnant, and this morning I was having an extreme craving for a chocolate croissant...my only way of getting any caffeine these days. So, I went to Essential on my way home from an appointment. I have to say that I was mildly disappointed that my so called chocolate croissant had about as much chocolate in it as, well, a chocolate chip. It was like eating a buttery roll...not even that flaky either, with just this tease..'here I am, here I am not' of chocolate. It brings back memories of the good ol' days of my youth, when, after swim practice in the morning, my mom would take me to the local bakery and I would get a REAL chocolate croissant, the kind that is super flaky and 'choc' full of chocolate AND even partially dipped in chocolate, just to satisfy me to the very core...Does anyone know where I can find one of these?
I give Essential 3 stars because they have done better, and I know that they are capable! c'mon people. CHOCOLATE!
I'm not from Seattle at all so i was definitely apprehensive especially cause i didn't do ANY research like i usually do when i go to another city. But i went there twice in my 5 day stay and was beyond happy both times.
Bread-AMAZING they have many different types of bread that they make...i loved there ciabatta and the bread that was served with there homemade soup, with that said
Homemade DAILY soup- i'm a soup fiend so i was in soup heaven(appropriately said) they have 2 different soups everyday that they serve in either a cup or bowl and you can order with a sandwich or salad..
anyways the main thing i can say about this place is that they use fresh ingredients, they have very good inventory control obviously cause everything is fresh and not from the day before and the staff is friendly not overly but who cares if the foods are good.
I've been to Essential several times now, and every time their staff have been welcoming and great. It's close to the Burke-Gilman trail, so it's frequented by riders lots of very fit people!
Parking close by, several places to put your bicycle, pretty good. Indoor and outdoor eating areas. Recommended for a quick bite if you're out on the trail.
I would have given them a four but it took 10 minutes before we got our coffee- just basic black coffee. Not hard to make. Some chatty customer was talking with another chatty person who was in charge of coffee. I know the lifestyle here in Seattle is laid back but you shouldn't make someone wait eons for plain ole coffee. Enough b****ing.
It smelled great when we went in :-) My eyes were bigger than my stomach when looking for breakfast. I didn't bother reading the name plates next to the dish. I let my eyes do the picking! I decided to get this light pastry with a slice of pear inside topped with powder sugar! YUM!! My husband had the gruyere and ham pastry. It was also good! We will be back because I want to try the crepes. People sitting around me had crepes and they looked delicious. I would also like to try lunch. Salad and sandwich looks interesting to eat! Hopefully chatty customer and chatty employee will not be there the next time I am there.
I no longer live in Seattle but Essential is always the first place I go to when I am visiting. If you are a San Franciscan, Essential is on par with Tartine and Bay Bread. They have all the qualities I look for in a good bakery: a great selection of both savory and sweet stuff, decent sides (salad, soups, etc), and a warm atmosphere with the rich smell of baking. Also, one of the Essential bakers was on the on the small team from the US that placed 1st at the Coupe du Monde (the world cup of the baking world).
http://www.bbga.org/te...
Hands down, the best muffins I have ever had. Also have some great breads, and coffee from Victrola.
Oh my stars and garters! Watch out for the carrot cake cookie, it's superduper fantastically AWESOME. I'm fortunate to have friends who live right up the street (literally right up the street!), and I drag them there every time I visit (sorry, guys). We've gone for breakfast, mostly, and the hot chocolate is just about the best cup I've had in my life. Yes, in my life! I heart baked goods with all the passion in my soul.
The only thing that makes me sad: no cupcakes. WHAT?! I know. No cupcakes. No cake, for that matter. Get on that change, Essential Baking Company, and you'll have yourselves 5 stars and a customer 4LIF.
I like their lunch. They usually have yummy soup, great sandwiches, and of course bread. I haven't tried their sweets but I bet they are good too. Staff there are pretty nice.
I saw crepes on the menu last time I was there. Maybe next time I'll order crepes. We need more crepes in Seattle! I love crepes. Why didn't I order crepes last time? I don't know...
A nice bakery, but the usual small $4 "artisan loaves" that you can get all over town. I have other favorites for breads.
They did serve up a lovely ruben and a very questionable "fish soup."
The ruben was such that even an official spokesman for all new york jews would have no complaints. They even surprised me with a spin on the kraut and used more of a red cabbage (if you're familiar with traditional german chow). A worthy diversion from the norm of the kraut from a jar.
The soup was actually something like a gazpacho with some odd hotness instead of flavor and sad chunks of clam. Attention world: a clam is not a fish. It is a shellfish, but still not a fish. I will alert for mollusk anti-defamation league for your slur against their kind, you anti-shellite bastards.
You save a dollar by ordering a soup and a sandwich, but then they don't give you the bread that comes with a soup if you order it by itself. No savings there, as the bread is likely the best part of the meal.
They looked like they had some cute baked goods and sweets, but I didn't have any of those.
Their coffee was not agreeable to me.
Essential Baking is the best for lunch. There strawberry salad, every kind of soup, the crepes, and even the sandwiches - it's all so good.
They get rather crowded at lunch time, but you will always be able to find a seat and get your food quickly.
So why only 4 out of 5 stars? Well, the cookies aren't that good. They tend to be dry. So stick with lunch time food, and you'll be happy.
Dear Essential Baking Company,
Do you put crack in your blueberry scones?
Love,
Jessica M.
The EBC used to have the most delicious almond meringues in all of Seattle, and since they discontinued them, I haven't found a suitable replacement anywhere. It's very frustrating, because I would typically try to make them myself, but Seattle is so humid that they never dry correctly. EBC, bring back the meringues!
I was also disappointed to find that they've gotten stingy with the chocolate in the choco croissant. Apparently they switched to the more expensive chocolate (which tastes waxy to me), and therefore use less of it.
I do like the EBC's donation program, the rosemary bread, the coffee, the location, and the turkey sandwich.
I do NOT like that health regulations make it so they have to throw away all the leftover bread each day, rather than have a free bin. What a waste!
Having been privy to some of the drama that's gone down in the company as of late, I have to say that I'm a little disappointed in the direction the EBC seems to be headed. However, since they pretty much have a monopoly on bread in Seattle, I'll continue to support them... begrudgingly.
Visiting Seattle (from SF) I heard of this as one of the top 5 places to go. I was not dissapointed. The pasteries here are top-notch, in both form and taste. The tea cookies were dry enough to be true to their name, but moist enough to be wonderful on their own. They went well with liquid.
The sandwich choises were small, but of good quality. The ingredients were fresh for both our sandwiches. I had the pastrami, and my girlfriend had the Hummus sandwich. But the odd problem was that while they were fresh ingredients, they didn't quite 'click' together as they could have. No means a bad sandwich, but not the 'oh-my-god you-gotta-go-out-of-your-way-to-try' kind of thing.
The beverage selection was fairly varied with assorted organic juices and sodas, of brands that I enjoy.
The outdoor seating area is wonderful on a sunny day. There wasn't much traffic this Monday afternoon, making it a perfect summertime lunch spot.
Always packed with amazing freshly baked goodness. The old brick warehouse building with clear views into the bakery behind the counter make one feel like they stepped back in time to the days where local bakeries supported the grocers.
The only bad thing about this place is trying to make a decision on the fly... I'll take one of everything.
oh and also best to just go with a drip coffee if its busy because the specialty drinks can get pretty backed up.
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