"I walked in, the baker said everything was sold I found out…read moreshe saved me some sweet jelly roll Yes, the baker shop boogie" (Willie Nix) Since we're friends, let me ask you a personal question--so tell me this: what's your official dessert policy? Are you a "dessert is a human right" kind of person who enjoys something sweet every night after dinner? Do you ceremoniously pair your evening coffee with a treat like it's a sacred ritual? Or are you more of a free range snacker who grazes on cookies and pastries whenever the mood strikes? At our place, we've somehow drifted into the habit of having a bakery item most nights. Could be a cookie. Could be a pastry. Could be a slice of something. All this brings me to yesterday's visit to the Hartford Baking Company in South Windsor, where we are now pretty well stocked for a week's worth of upcoming desserts, and maybe a breakfast or two. They have four locations in the Greater Hartford area, all selling the same amazing product line of bread, ciabatta, and rolls. But for the sweet tooth fiends out there, well get psyched for their scones, muffins, Walnut Coffee Cake, Financiers (a French almond cookie), brownies and bars, cookies, biscotti, shortbreads, Danish, Cinnamon buns, Pecan-Walnut Sticky Buns, Brioche Pastries, fruit tarts, and quiches. We were running errands in South Windsor yesterday, popped into Hartford Baking, and walked out with a bounty of wonderful looking goodies- brownies, a croissant, a chocolate banana muffin, a rectangular Financier, and a slice of coffee cake. We should be set for a while in the dessert department. I had the Financier last night, and never having heard of the word before, I consulted the old Google machine for some research and found a very cool origin-story. In the late 1800's there was a pastry shop located near the Paris Stock Exchange. The shop sold very popular small almond cakes that were baked in small rectangular molds resembling gold bars. They were a hit with the busy bankers who frequented his shop. The name "financier" stuck because of both the clientele and the gold bar shape. I have to tell ya, that Financier was amazing. It was dense and delicious and overflowing with almond flavor. I loved it. I also had a teense of the Banana Muffin this morning, and it was excellent as well. Loved that banana flavor and those chocolate chips. OK, so file away "Hartford Bakery" on your short list of "must visit" dessert destinations, because I assure you that you'll walk out a satisfied customer.

Quick service, good quality food and coffee…read more Was trying to go to a new place that just opened up. They were not open, so came here for my breakfast. Inside is nice and spacious. Staff was nice but were in the midst of conversation when I approached the register. They quickly took my order then went directly back into conversation. Felt like fast food service, more a number than a guest. Food came out quick. Had to stage my pics a bit but easy enough. The double chocolate latte was chocolaty and creamy. Coffee was strong enough to punch through the sweet and was well balanced as a drink. The sandwich was plentiful on the pulled pork and the egg was cooked well. Bun was soft and buttery but not pillowy. Which is good because you want a breakfast sandwich to be structural enough to hold its shape after each bite. Price was about 20 for the sandwich and latte, which isn't too bad for the quality you get. Much better than your fast food chains, even if you get the same service. A great quick stop location, worth a try but not a trek.

Wow! What a business this place has. I don't know how they do it... so many baked goods that look…read morelike they were baked this morning in Paris. Fast service, excellent drink menu. Surprises galore.

This is really one of those spots that stays consistent no matter how busy it gets and it is always…read moreworth the wait. Their Chicken Parmesan Croissant sandwich , with the black truffle chips, combo is just elite. And you HAVE TO finish it off with the Salted Hazelnut Malted Chocolate Chip cookie. HAVE TO! DORO is my go-to spot when I wanna link with friends and just catch up. Bonus: At this location, you get to watch planes take off from BDL. If you are not into that, there is a bowling alley/arcade right next door. A win is a win.

Late afternoon run did not disappoint Did not expect them…read moreTo have any more who is a happy boy These are my favorite mochi donuts

It was my first time getting boba and I loved it. I personally have sensory issues so I was a bit…read morehesitant to try something so new to me. When I went in the staff greeted me and let me take the time I needed to figure out the menu. They had so many options and they had popping boba as well, it was delicious. I also tried some of their mochi donuts and I loved how chewy they were. Over all it was a great experience.

If you're looking for a place that is low-key with a chill cozy vibe, you are definitely going to…read morewant to stop by. The owner Kristina is such a delight, she stops by every table personally, and checks in. I haven't had service like this in a while. The food is definitely delicious, chef's kiss. The cook really throws down and follows the directive of your order to a T. The staff super friendly and knowledgeable, super kind. Definitely my new fave breakky spot. Thanks Zinneken's

We finally got to check out Zinneken's and it did not disappoint! The café is super clean, cute,…read moreand cozy with such a great vibe. The staff are sweet, friendly, and so helpful, especially for first-timers. The waffles are incredible. There are so many options to choose from, so good luck deciding! I had the Berries Insanity fruit-topped waffle and the fruit was honestly the freshest I've ever had. My husband opted for the Gourmand waffle (a Bananas Foster vibe). He opted for a Liège waffle (chewy) and I went with the Brussels waffle (crispier) and both were amazing. Drinks are just as good, from coffee and espresso to tea, matcha, or juice. We also shared a Zinneken's breakfast meal and it was perfectly made. Everything was incrediblly delicious and made for such a great brunch. We can't wait to go back!

Wow! I can't believe this place has been here this whole time! My friend and I were looking for a…read morespot that had good coffee and gluten-free options, and this was such a nice surprise. I was recently diagnosed with celiac, so when I realized everything was gluten free, I was honestly overwhelmed with excitement. I wanted to try everything. Since it was after 11, I decided on a chicken quesadilla--and wow. It was crispy, cheesy, and everything I've been missing about quesadillas. The coffee was delicious too. We split a peanut butter sandwich cookie, which was absolutely incredible. I also took a blueberry muffin to go because I knew I'd want it the next day--and I was blown away all over again when I enjoyed it with my coffee at home. This is definitely going to be a regular stop for me!

I can't begin to share how much I love this place! Kate is the best, I love the ambiance and it is…read morejust such a cozy and safe space. The food is INCREDIBLE and I'm not someone who typically eats gf.. and I will choose this every time. Don't get me started on the coffee!!!

We stopped here with our kids (9,10,15) while on a road trip. Breakfast did not disappoint!…read moreHomefries were crispy and well seasoned! Food was hot and the hotcakes were "godly" per our youngest food critic. We left with a box of assorted homemade donuts and fritters for the road. The chef and host were very kind! We will definitely add this to a stop in the future to try the lunch

Perfectly fine quick breakfast spot…read more Came here on the fly, looking for new breakfast spots and found this one on my feed. The parking situation is a little weird, there's some spots in front or by the side, but they are not really marked well. But there's a lot of spaces for the actual dining space. The inside is simple but clean, lots of seats for the space and a reasonable display for their pastries and donuts. The menu is simple and the options are low. It's very much designed to be a quick breakfast spot. I opted for one of their donuts and a latte, with a French toast platter. Food came out quickly, and the staff were friendly and welcoming. The breakfast was okay. The donut was large, cakey but freshly made. The strawberry frosting was a little heavy on the extract which gave a chemically taste to the frosting, but it wasn't off putting just noticeable. The French toast was slightly undercooked, but I do enjoy custardity bites so it was good enough. The eggs were also underdone, but I just ignored those. The turkey bacon was crisp and the home fries were seasoned very well. Unlike other home fries I have had, these ones actually had flavor. As a breakfast spot, it does well enough for the local crowd. When done properly, the food put out at this location can be good if not great. I'm fairly confident if I made them aware of my issues, they would resolve them without fail. If you need a quick breakfast and happen to be in east hartford near the police station, his place works for that quick meal. It isn't fancy, but it's basic food done right.

3.5: I had high hopes for this cute little place but was a bit disappointed in the food…read more The smallish menu consists of a few breakfast items like avocado toast variations, an omelette, a waffle and a pancake, as well as a couple sandwiches, and pizzette. They also have some baked goods like a cinnamon roll, alfagor shortbread cookies, and various cakes; they seemed to have a dry consistency which isn't my preference with pastries. The spinach and chicken empanadas ($6 each) were also a little dry and crust to filling ratio was more on the crust side. The two omelettes were ok but one was more well done than the other and you couldn't really customize it much; the home fries were good though. They also have a variety of drinks that were interesting, especially the Peruvian coffee and golden latte. You order at the counter and then your food is brought to you. Empanadas just needed to be heated. The atmosphere isn't bad. There are a few small tables and it was pretty quiet, with a few customers stopping in every once in awhile. In the warmer weather, outdoor seating is available. Parking shouldn't be an issue either.

"Well, you should see Polythene Pam She's the kind of a girl…read morethat makes the "News of the World" Yes, you could say she was attractively built" (Lennon & McCartney) Baked by Pam is a very sweet Peruvian Bakery, coffee shop, and luncheonette run by a mother and daughter team from Lima. How cool is that? You'll find it in the Antonio's Plaza on Hopmeadow Street in the space previously occupied by Lox Stock and Bagel, a Dunkin, and a Lion's Den coffee shop. The interior is very pretty with a white and pink color scheme, but what really grabs your attention are the tantalizing bakery treats in their showcase - cake slices, Dulche de Leche rolls, and wonderful Peruvian cookie/pastries known as Alfajores. Pam also serves up breakfast with avocado toasts, bagels wraps, egg sandwiches, and heartier fare like waffles, empanadas, steak and eggs, omelets, pancakes and waffles. Add in their deep line of coffees and teas, and you have the makings of a wonderful experience here, like we did. We had a very nice lunch here yesterday and ordered a spinach empanada and a beef empanada for me, and a Lucuma Chocolate Chip Waffle ($11.50). My empanadas ($6 each) were wonderful. They are homemade every single day by Pam herself and were flaky, tender, and really loaded with fillings. The beef empanada was my favorite; the delicately spiced ground beef was delicious. The full-sized circular waffle was a work of art, garnished with strawberries, Nutella, chocolate shavings and bordered by a pillow of golden whipped cream flavored by Lucuma, a sweet yellowish South American fruit. When Pam's daughter Danitza brought out our foods, she gave us a complimentary Nutella Alfajor - a yummy, filled shortbread cookie. Ours was so terrific, we ordered two of them to go -a Classic and a Pistachio. When we arrived home, we saw a third small Alfajor was tossed into the box as another freebie. We really fell in love with Baked by Pam! The delicious pastries, the breakfast and brunch menu, the pretty interior, and the wonderful service -everything was stellar.

Love the atmosphere, pastries and mission of this spot: "inclusive coffee café employing people…read morewith and without intellectual and developmental disabilities and demonstrates the possibilities in all of us." Their mission is imbued in their staff, products, how they set up their space, and how you order. We came here for breakfast on a weekday and had a lovely experience. They have breakfast and lunch cafe menus (+catering), yummy pastries (cookies, muffins and scones) and various coffees and drinks. We enjoyed the omelette (if you order more than 3 ingredients there's a charge) and the village breakfast which was eggs, potatoes (slightly blackened), sourdough toast (or wheat) and bacon. Prices are fairly standard ($11-14) and portions not very large. The panetonne, toasted coconut, and chocolate chip scones ($5 each) were all good and baked well. The honey latte and hot chocolate (most drinks are $4-8) were also very creamy and delicious, though slightly too sweet for our tastes (made it taste good though!) You order at the counter and then take a table and place a marker with nice words like "love" and then your food is brought to you. The actual space is very inviting, with lots of nooks and crannies (tables with chairs, couches, a fireplace). They also sell t-shirts ($30) and sweatshirts ($40-50?) which are pretty soft material, as well as ground coffee, cards, granola, etc. The other half of their space is their homemade pasta place so it's a unique layout and looked fun as well. There were plenty of customers cycling in and out, many sitting down with a warm drink and a pastry. Parking isn't huge but was not super super small but could be an issue if they got an influx of folks hanging out. Wouldn't blame them though because it's a comfortable place with free wifi. Looking forward to returning! Shopping like Whole Foods, walmart, and Shop Rite are all within a few miles.

Beanz Cafe is a Gold Medal winner, but in their new location Teamed with Pasta Co. this is a Double…read moreGold! A fantastic business concept that makes way for hardworking individuals opening new opportunities and pride in one's Self. The service is spectacular and the servers smile earns an even greater smile in return. On one half of the open and airy space is Beanz and on the other side Pasta Co. Each works in unison. Seating is abundant with open and tucked away spots. Some limited outside seats as well. We have purchased breakfast items and devilishly delicious snacks and beverages. Over at Pasta are fresh dishes for a relaxing bite. There are also take home coolers and freezers for enjoying at home.