Essence Bakery Cafe
| Address: | 825 W University Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA |
| Phone: | +1 480-966-2745 |
| Site: | essencebakery.com |
| Rating: | 3.7 |
| Working: | Closed 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 8AM–3PM Closed |
Location
Photos 29
Reviews 7
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A Private User
I met a client for lunch and to sign some contracts. My client eats there at least once per week. I arrived before my client and took a seat. My client arrived shortly after (w/in 5 minutes), and we decided to get our contracts done before we ordered as the line to order was long. We were almost done with the contracts (maybe 10-15 mins) and the owner came over to ask of if we were planning to order because the place was full and there were no inside tables available. Totally understandable. However, she was rude and condescending imeediately. I told her that we were looking forward to eating. She said, "Could you order now. There are people waiting for tables. If not, please go outside." I told her we would be happy to order now. I did not stand up to order as she remained hovering over our table. She continued to ask if we would order RIGHT NOW at least three times. Each time I responded that we would be happy to. It was not until I explained to her that I was not standing because I did not want to knock her over that she finally left. The dining area is very small, and she was standing directly over us. Looking at my clients stunned face, I realized she was very offended by the owners behavior, and we decided to leave without eating and finish our paperwork elsewhere. My client said she would never go back. Otherwise, the place seemed clean and everyone else seemed to be enjoying their food other than all of the people around us staring at the rude behavior of its owner.
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Benjamin Memnoch
On 07312013 I had their lunch special, which was a salad that was supposed to contain free range chicken, egg, and avocado, tossed in some dressing ( I dont recall the name). After receiving my meal I was particularly dissatisfied with the quantity of food I received for ~$10. Especially after the fact that I had explicitly inquired the woman at the register regarding the portion size; and she had assured me it was a large salad (which I understand is relative, though I definitely felt misled). The amount of food I received was comparable to the side salad which was included with the burger my colleague ordered. In addition to the meager serving size, the constituents (or lack there of) that were supposed to be in my salad (Free Range Chicken, Free Range Chicken Egg, Avocado, etc.), were virtually nonexistent. I had maybe 3 pieces of chicken (0.5-1" X 0.5"), a teaspoon of chopped avocado, and a teaspoon of diced egg. Although Ill give my fleecer some credit for a decent tasting dressing; this $10 salad was nothing more than a hand full of Romaine, with sprinkles of avocado, and egg. As a side note to those that rave about the croissants. The croissant that was included with my meal was decent, though nothing to write home about; and did little to satiate my appetite, and regret, after the dainty $10 salad. Caveat Emptor...
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James Dammeier
Its hard finding really great places to eat in Tempe. Essence Bakery is a hidden gem, fresh and unique. I went there yesterday for the first time and it was great. The first thing I noticed when I entered Essence Bakery was that everyone was older. The customers were all business-class type people, not college students like myself. Prices are very reasonable, especially for the quality and preparation of the food. It really isnt any more expensive than say, Chipotle. Essence Bakery sticks out in the crowd of mediocre restaurants in Tempe. The owner/chef trained in Paris for several years, need I say more? I had never had a macaron before but these little things are really good. I have no idea how this bakery ended up in Tempe but it feels like it came straight from Paris. You have to try it.... They close at 3pm and often sell out of certain pastry before noon. I had the steak sandwich, local grass fed beef, it tasted really good and was only $8. I can say with confidence this is one of the best places to eat in Tempe. Bon Appétit! PS- the serving sizes are not huge so if your a heavyweight it might get expensive. Just placed a order for pickup, it is 10:30am and they are already sold out of all their croissants! I should have placed my order earlier....
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Amy Grant
Ive seen this place every time I stop at Starbucks during lunch for the last year. Today I finally had a chance to take a few extra minutes to see what they are all about after picking up a coffee from Starbucks and the first thing the lady at the counter said to me, before even welcoming me into the cafe, was "Just so you know we do not allow outside food and beverages". I smiled, said ok and walked out. Saks, another competitor of theirs, was right next door and graciously welcomed me as I walked through the door and answered my questions before handing me my order with out once mentioning anything about my outside beverage. From a business perspective, why would you want to loose 6-7 dollars you could have made from a customer buying a meal to a 2 dollar coffee they brought in your store? If I was an owner and my business was sitting next to a huge competitor to my coffee products, that would not be the first thing out of my employees mouths. It just doesnt make sense, mathematically speaking.
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A Private User
I have used Essence Bakery catering service many times for "Lunch and Learn" events with my clients. They have fabulous food, and I always receive compliments. More recently though, I decided to have them supply us with all of our food for a wedding reception / open house at our home last Saturday. Not only was the food delivered to us for a VERY reasonable fee (so we did not have to worry about picking it up and transporting it), but it was ON TIME, and some of the BEST finger food we could have ever imagined having at our event. We received so many complements. Their pricing is also outstanding, considering the very high quality of the food. It was right in line, or just slightly less expensive, than other catering services that I researched. I give them a huge 5-star rating. They were the best. Use them for your next event, and you will NOT be disappointed!!
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Tim Suchomski
The food is pricey, but their croissants are delightfully amazing and everything is high quality using organic and in-season ingredients. The atmosphere is perfect for a relaxing morning with coffee and a book. The staff is friendly and the one time I had a minor dispute* they were nice about it and rectified the issue. *They charged me for a side of sausage, instead of adding sausage to the dish I ordered. The difference was $2. I didnt realize why my bill was higher than expected until the next day (a Sunday) when they were closed. My next time going there (Thursday), I told them what happened. They discounted my new order by $2 and threw in coffee for free.
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Yellow Bee Vintage
My new favorite! The very helpful staff had our office lunch order ready to go and individually boxed, with no issues charging different meals to different cards. And the food was outstanding! I had the lemon and basil chicken salad on fresh brioche with cucumber and spinach...wonderful! A coworker ordered the greens, wine poached pears and grilled blue cheese sandwiches with carmelized onions and pecans...also wonderful! The key lime macaron was perfection, as was the coconut cream pie. I very, very rarely leave reviews, but this cafe is really something special.
