An Eau Claire local raved about this spot and I'm pleased to say that Nostalgic Bean lived up to…read morethe hype! I came in on a Sunday morning and there was a little line of people ahead of me but it moved pretty quickly! Interior-wise, there isn't a ton of space for seating but luckily, there are plenty of tables/chairs at The Yard Container Park that's ~40 second walk from the bakery. I got the strawberry passionfruit cruffin, chocolate almond croissant, lavender vanilla shortbread, and a latte with sugar-free caramel. First off, I was very impressed with the variety of flavors that were displayed (i.e. passionfruit, rhubarb, cardamon, kimchi, etc.) All the baked goods I got were fantastic- especially the cruffin. I was initially hesitant to order it because I'm not a fan when the exterior doesn't have that flakey/crunchiness. But I'm glad I tried the one here because the texture was perfect. As for the filling, it was a good balance of sweet and tart. Same thing for the croissant. When I ate the cruffin, I already knew the croissant was about to hit- and it did. Perfectly flakey and had that beautiful crunchy exterior. They definitely didn't skimp on the chocolate/almond filling either! Personally, it was a little too much for me but that's just a me thing Last but not least, the lavender vanilla shortbread was wonderful. You can actually taste the lavender and they added a perfect amount of salt to bring the flavors out! Aside from the delightful pastries, the coffee was lovely and the staff were super friendly. Nostalgic Bean is definitely a Altoona gem!

I'm so excited we got to stop by and try things. The service was very friendly and prompt. I had…read morethe everything seasoning and cream cheese croissant which was really flavorful and had great texture. The kids inhaled the homemade blackberry pop tart. Chai latte was delicious, not too sweet, not too spicy and I love the variety of steamers available for kids. They even offered to make them kid temp! Space was cozy and had plenty of tables when we went (10am weekday).

Great view of the rotary lights, yay for coat check…read more + Beef short rib ($42): very tender (7.8/10) + Beet salad w goat cheese, pecans, ($15 + $15 chicken thigh) w a fruity vinaigrette was refreshing. Pricy to add chicken but it was juicy and well worth (8/10) + Norwegian salmon ($38): best salmon I've ever had, cooked perfectly, not dry and nicely crusted. Served over lentils and capers (9.3/10) + Pumpkin risotto ($27): did not have any pumpkin flavor (5/10)

Located inside the boutique hotel - Charmant - is the bar and restaurant. The kitchen is open and…read morethere is kitchen side seating if you wanted to watch them prepare dishes... but it can be a bit loud. The server - Landon - was very professional and detail oriented when discussing specials and items on the menu. Had the scallops and they were delicious. The lamb dish was also very flavorful. Ended the meal with a well made espresso martini. The dessert options did not really appeal to us, so we did not partake. The restaurant is modern with a slice of steampunk with pulleys they suspend the lighting.

I love shopping local and the cakes are amazing if you love buttercream. The frosting is extremely…read morerich and the cake is delicious. We thought the frosting was a little too thick and buttery but if that's what you like- this is the place for you

Like Lilly, I had the pleasure of being introduced to Cocoa & Fig at the yelp event and everything…read morethat they served up was very, very, good. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone in need of finely executed, and delicious, baked goods and desserts with a bit of style. Nothing was overly sweet and everything had the right amount of "rich" going on in each sample... the tiramisu and key lime cups... the tarts... the red velvet cupcakes... and everthing else... excellent to the one. I need to hurry up and get married so I have an excuse to use them.

Edelweiss is easily my favorite spot in the area…read more There's almost always a line on weekends, but it's totally worth it and moves fast so you're not waiting long. Everything looks so good it's hard not to over order. They have a really great mix of sweet and savory options. Pastries, donuts, cakes, sandwiches, and more. The quiche is one of my go-to items and the breakfast pastries are always so good. They also have homemade granola that is to die for. Coffee and matcha are consistently great also. I love their seasonal fresh orange juice but it is a little pricey. The space itself is super cute and nicely decorated with plenty of seating, so it's a great place to sit and actually enjoy your food. I also love that they're open in the evening for wine and small plates. Makes it such a fun and unique spot for the area. Such a great local spot that does it all really well. Definitely recommend.

I have been to this place a number of times and am never disappointed. They have great coffee,…read morebaked items and meals. Each time I have gone they have different baked goods. The staff is always friendly and helpful and service is always fast. Very cute inside with a cozy feel (seating outside also on a nice day). For sure worth going!

All I wanted for my 30th birthday was a bourgeois cake, and my husband (with the help of Meringue)…read moredelivered! I gave him my wish list of cake design inspo and let him run wild. He just found one he liked and sent the inspo to them and they brought it to life. Simple in design, but damn tasty in execution. Looking forward to more birthdays as an excuse for more delicious cakes!

Stopped here for an afternoon pick-me-up and was not disappointed! Apparently baker Jen has been a…read moreFood Network baking champion three times?! When we saw that sign we had to stop in. A handful of options to pick from, and I loved seeing two GF options. I got the brownie cookie, and it was fabulous! For beverages I got chai - it wasn't very warm and only filled 3/4 way, so I had to go back and ask them to fill the rest with hot water. My partner got a pumpkin cold brew and he loved it! He picked a vanilla sprinkles cupcake - there was only one left, and he was pretty bummed: it was stale and pretty flavorless. I think we picked wrong on a few things, but the brownie cookie and pumpkin cold brew were delish!

Delicious drinks, done dirt cheap!…read more Situated in a hotel is Eau Claire Downtown Coffee. Or better known as ECDC. I saw this place when I first visited Eau Claire but never got the chance to go. I told my friends that when we hang out for vacation, my only one real request is hitting up ECDC at some point. Not because I love rock music but because I love the ingenuity of the name... and maybe because it reminds me of AC/DC every time I think about it. We popped in on our quiet day and were greeted with a really nice coffeehouse and some really nice baristas. I ordered my usual americano while Tim and Matt got drinks and a small baked good. We took a seat at one of the tables and just chatted and talked about our plans for the day. My americano was really good. I noticed americanos up around Eau Claire were more subtle and subdued versus back home, which by this point I was getting used to it. Tim and Matt both got a latte that sounded good to them and a baked good. Matt got a macaroon and Tim got a tiramisu cake square. I don't have much to say about this place that I haven't said a million times already. It was really nice inside. It had a very black theme to it. Maybe inspired by being somewhat named like this one hard rock band? There were some Star Wars meditating posters in one corner of the dining area. We didn't stay long before we slowly sauntered on to our next destination but I am 110% glad we stopped in and finally got to check it out. It was definitely worth the wait. Check it out sometime if you are in the area and need a break from the chain places (or try one of the other good places to get coffee in the area, which is what I suggest). Rock on and stay caffeinated.

Service by Jordan was colder than the iced brew. The new Hiker coffee tastes like dirty socks.read more