I always enjoy stopping by Grand Central Bakery anytime I'm in the Wallingford neighborhood. Today I ordered their Raspberry Jammer, an oatmeal chocolate cookie, a caramel latte and a tuna melt for lunch later. Sooooo good! Their bakery goods have never disappointed and I'm excited for the tuna melt later since I love their breads. They have a good selection of baked items each time I visit and have seasonal selections too which are fun to try. My favorite is the "Pear Frangipane Tart" which my cousin and I look forward to each late summer/fall. Location/Inside: The Wallingford location is so convenient to get to, right off 45th across from Molly Moon's and some great Asian restaurants. You could basically get all of your meals (breakfast through dinner) from this one block! There are plenty of tables inside and a few picnic-table-like tables outside to sit at and big glass doors that they open on pretty days for the nicest breeze. Staff is friendly and efficient and they provide little buzzers so you can grab your table while waiting. Definitely worth a stop in while you're in the neighborhood. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Their raspberry jammer, caramel latte and a tuna melt for later - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Grand Central makes excellent European style bread, the quality of which has greatly improved over the decades since they stopped overbaking it which resulted in rock hard crusts cutting the inside tissue of your mouth. However, their retail food service establishments leave a lot to be desired. This one is poorly organized, with inadequate signage on the doors (is is that difficult to post "push," "pull" and "please use other door?") and confusing instructions as to how you are going to get your food once you have ordered it at the counter. I have no problems with the quality of the sandwiches, but they are ridiculously overpriced. And they come with nothing other than a pickle. Sorry, one time at this place was enough. I have much better uses for my dining out budget. I will not be returning. read more

Super fresh and cozy sandwiches, pastries, soups aaannd even the staff is cool and cozy! Bottomless drip while dining in...woohoo! And, actually exceptionally good coffee. Seasonal stuff as well. Fresh salmon, summertime s...just really feels like this place is doing it right. Happy staff really speaks volumes about a place! read more

Grand Central Bakery - I really meant to take a picture BEFORE I started eating it...failed! - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

They bake their bread from scratch. Their sandwiches are always fresh and tasty. My daughter's favorite is the Veggie Grinder. I'm a big fan of the Jammer. A yummy buttermilk biscuit filled with Oregon jam. Best to order ahead if you're in a rush. It can get crowded. read more

Wanted to stop in for a breakfast sandwich. This place NOT dog friendly and not really friendly to humans either LOL. I will be taking my money to several other coffee shops in the neighborhood that allow dogs while picking up. Check out coffeeholic, Feva, or mas cafe for dog friendly spots! All have food and baked goods. read more

Went here at like 8 in the morning on a thursday, it was decently busy with a few groups there. The vibe of the place is nice, it has a corner spot so lots of windows and open space for people to sit. We inquired if they would heat up our ham and cheese croissant but they said they don't hear anything up which is a minus for us. Overall for the food and everything tho I wouldn't come back, everything was just ok. Ham and cheese croissant - 6.5. Not warm, it was very hearty. Lots of ham. Liked the cheese on top of it. It might've had mustard seeds on it which I liked Cinnamon roll 5/10. It had raisins which was nice but it was just kinda mushy overall. read more

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Went with some co workers to get lunch to go and ended up with a box of pastries in addition to lunch. Turkey and chutney sandwich was delicious. Light and flavorful yet filling. Bread was perfect. Oatmeal cookie was wonderfully soft and chewy. Staff was friendly, patient and accommodating. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Turkey & Chutney Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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My friend visiting from out of town LOVES this place and was insistent that we go. After two visits I found that everything was OK. My Mocha was hot and chocolatey but not quite on par with a handful of other coffee shops I favor. On my follow up visit my latte was very good. I've had a couple croissants from here and they are hot and flaky, definitely has to be some of their best offerings here. Sausage egg biscuit is pretty good too, the biscuits are big. The Bacon Egg and cheese croissant was pretty good, again hot and flaky but lacked a bit on the bacon. I tried some of my friend's almond croissant and while good, I found it to be a bit too sweet. Service is decent. They hand you a buzzer that goes off when your order is ready. Ambience good, spacious compared to most coffee shops around town. Biggest gripe, it's expensive here. The 2 croissants and mocha and I believe a matcha for my last visit was over $30. So, if you come, be prepared for Grand Central level prices otherwise, not bad. 3.5/5 read more

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This is my favorite GCB located in the Wallingford neighborhood. Their baked goods are solid. On this visit I got the Blue Ribbon sandwich with roast beef, pickled onions and blue cheese mayo, which was delicious! Honestly, anything sandwiched between fresh baked bread is gonna be awesome. I also got the marionberry coffeecake & a 12 oz drip coffee. They have unlimited refills on coffee, so ... I ran my errand nearby and came back for a refill! Staff are friendly and this location has a chill vibe. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Marionberry coffeecake & drip coffee - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

After going to the wedgewood location for years and once at the wedgewood location getting stale baked goods I thought id give the wallingford location a try. I wasn't sorry!! Me and my dad went for iced tea and pastries one afternoon. The cookies were fresh and good tasting. The chocolate crossants were also fresh and good tasting. The atmosphere is also nice inside too!! I will return to the wallingford location. read more

GCB took a simple grilled cheese and tomato soup and amped up the flavor so beautifully I could not have asked for anything more. Truly a delicious, perfect experience. My only regret is I don't have two stomachs. read more

Ordered an iced matcha, sausage egg biscuit, and a chocolate croissant. The croissant was like biting into a fluffy cloud, I loved it. However their sausage egg biscuit had decent flavor but definitely could have used some kind of sauce as it was pretty dry and a bit bland without it. The espresso machine was sadly broken when I went in and their matcha was okay. Not the best but not the worst. Definitely would come back for another croissant! Overall vibe: 3.5/5 - nice amount of seating but minimal decor / vibes. Chocolate croissant: 4/5 - would've been 4.5 if they heated it up a bit. Sausage egg biscuit: 2.5/5 - a bit boring & dry. Matcha: 3/5 - good for a caffeine boost but forgettable. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Sausage Egg Biscuit - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Every time I have had breakfast here about 6 times this month... Tables are always dirty, these should be wiped down, chairs wiped down and floor swept. It seems like the staff does no cleaning between orders or slow periods of time. They need someone in charge that tells workers to be pro active, instead of talking story , ignoring the public areas. No silverware, bus tubs are full... I am getting seriously tired of needing to wipe down a table and chairs to eat in. Let's take more pride in your employment. read more

Food is great. Service is great. Ambiance is amazing. Good food and very helpful people to. Next time I will bring the family.

Went there as my last meal in Seattle before heading up further south to Portland and it was a cute little bakery where I got me an Ham and Cheese croissandwich with and butter which was really good and flaky . Great services in General. Sadly enough tho the baguettes were sold out as I wanted one to bring for my Christmas dinner tomorrow and even if my croissandwich was good they toasted it and was a bit burnt . Non the less was still very good read more

Was here about a month ago and I'm still thinking about their bacon, egg and cheese croissant. It does not disappoint. I also got a great cup of coffee. The inside is cute and seemed like a good spot to chat and enjoy a coffee. I didn't have time to stay long but hope I can be back again soon. read more

Really good place for breakfast or a snack. Their Chai Latte is amazing! Just the right amount of sweetness . The coffee cake is really good. And their cheddar egg biscuit was FANTASTIC! The biscuit was cooked so well (great vegetarian option). I think the sausage egg biscuit would've been better, but they only have pork sausage (no beef or veggie sausage). Their bread is also really good. And they have a bunch of little desserts. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Cheddar Egg Biscuit was - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've heard mixed reviews about some items, but I've been impressed with their almond croissants (4.5/5 stars) and sourdough bread (5/5 stars) every time that I have gone! read more

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Great place to stop when in the area for a quick pasty or loaf of bread! They have a large selection and everything I've tried has been pretty solid and a fair price. read more

It's a great spot for sandwiches and a quick coffee. I like how they bake the breads here. Better to get the bigger breads instead of small pastries if that makes sense. I love love love their challah. It looks like their wheat bread loads are awesome too. I haven't got a chance to try their daily soups but will be back again soon. Coffee is alright, you are here for the big breads and sandwiches. Cute place, good service. read more

Fresh pastries with nice atmosphere. I love coming to Grand Central Bakery for fresh-out-the-oven pastries in the morning with a cup of coffee. Staff are friendly but it could take a while if you order a grilled sandwich. read more

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The cheddar egg biscuit was amazing and the bacon croissant was delicious! They are very friendly, too!

Love this place! I come here all the time to get a pastry/sandwich/breakfast item and everything is so delicious and the staff is always very nice! read more

It's pear season and GRAND CENTRAL BAKERY makes a Pear Frangipane Tart that's my favorite here so far. I just love how the crust is delicately crispy on the outside and mildly fluffy and moist in the middle. It has the most perfect sweetness from the fruit and powdered sugar lightly sprinkled on top. This pastry reminds me of a cookie. You must go there and try it for yourself. Make sure to order a coffee or your favorite hot beverage to eat with it. Eating this pastry transports me to a fancy café in Europe and has helped to wake my senses up and get me going this morning. I love it so much!!! Grand Central has 5 stores in the Seattle area and some in Portland, Oregon. Check them out! read more

Grand Central Bakery - Pear Frangipane Tart - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Blueberry muffins are so easy to bake, yet theirs tasted super bland. Actually no flavor in the muffin itself and rather than a streusel topping, it was a weird thick crust. Croissant sandwich looked like someone just stuffed a whole sausage in stale croissant and called it a day. ??? Biting into the sandwich would be just stale croissant and a big bite of sausage. Literally no effort to put this together. Update- added a star to the rating because of the professional and kind response below. Removed some of the meanness in my review. read more

Grand Central Bakery makes fantastic bread. I often buy it at the grocery store. Their baguettes and seeded multigrain are super delicious. But they also have a cafe that makes good sandwiches. Some of their offerings have been hit or miss (for example, I was not a fan of their recent muffaletta special), but their stand-bys are solid. My family's go-to is the French ham, a classic which is well-executed. They tend to be hit hard by the university crowd, so quite often their wait times around lunch are really long, longer than they even state. We have often had to wait 10+ mins more than the estimated time for pickup. I suspect that this is also the reason they do not contract out with delivery companies, or perhaps it is one of their ethical stands, some of which you can find scrawled on their blackboard when you walk in, explaining in relation to politics why one ingredient or another is not in stock. If you are looking for a delicious sandwich with high-quality ingredients and excellent bread, look no further! read more

My friend had a cooking class in the area and we were about a half an hour early so we were searching for a place to grab a latte and a quick nibble. There are so many great bakeries. I go to the Grand Central in Pioneer Square often for work. We times it perfectly no line and parking tight in front. My friend had a. vanilla latte and at the suggestion of me the Twice-Baked Challah if you haven't had it, it consists of a thick slice of rich Challah bread drizzled with orange syrup and slathered with house-made almond cream, then topped with toasted almond baked and finished off with powdered sugar. I had an oat milk latte with the scallion and Beechers cheese croissant. Service was quick and friendly, couldn't believe how fast a line formed after us. Large space with loves of windows lots of room fo families. Look forward to returning. read more

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Quick service right out of the case. My husband's Bolo breakfast sandwich that was made to order Took at least 10 minutes, so prepare yourself. It was amazing and worth the wait. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Veggie with thee most amazing crust - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Street parking out front! Time to check out and leisurely chill at the new Grand Central Wallingford location an hour before closing (6/8/19). Love the open air window counter seating facing N 45th...breezy and tranquil with ferns out front. Upon inquiry, I was told this location opened about three weeks ago. Terrific bright, spacious, and airy interior. Ample indoor and outdoor seating. Decent menu offerings (yes, Captain Obvious this is a well established baking business in WA and OR, started by Gwen Bassetti). Carbed out meandering earlier from a farmers market and another indie bake shop, so I'm enjoying a refreshing 16 oz iced mocha instead and taking in the atmosphere. Also, don't forget to start a bread and/or coffee card when you stop by. Now if I could locate my other ones! I've been to the Pioneer Square and Eastlake ones numerous times over the years. No, to the Wedgwood site though due to the parking and road construction challenges plus my allegiance to two other indies. Opportunity presented itself when my parking spot appeared at the welcoming Wallingford site. Will definitely have to return, have something off their menu, and stay awhile. What a great addition to this vibrant neighborhood that has several other bake shops and cafes within walking distance! read more

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Best bread around. Had rye and soda break for saint Patrick's day and it was wonderful

Came in on Saturday morning. The place made me happy. Great coffee and breads, and a lot of seats to chill.

I really liked their muffin! Would love to try their croissant next time. I also tried their sandwiches last time but didn't quite liked them. They were dry & not too special. :( would not recommend it. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Muffin - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Beautiful space and the Chai is spicy! (yum) They have salads and soups and sandwiches but no combo option which was disappointing. Ordered the kale & white bean soup which was just not great. Tepid, bland broth, leaves too big to fit on a spoon and very few beans. read more

The coffee was average and the iced chai was way too milky. Service was great but they didn't have a way to warm up the ham and Swiss croissant which kind of took away from the taste. The brioche cinnamon roll was amazing and super soft. I would recommend trying their pastries but not so much the sandwiches or drinks. read more

Grand Central Bakery - Brioche iced cinnamon roll, croissant sandwiches, iced chai - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I come to Grand Central every Sunday to have coffee, breakfast sandwich and get work done. Free coffee refills when you dine in, and friendly service with Wi-Fi. I love coming here. I don't give it 5 stars due to not loving their baked goods (minus the bread of course). read more

Great pastries and super friendly service. A very nice place to sit with a cup of coffee and a chocolate chip cookie (based on personal experience)! read more

This place has the best chai tea I've ever tasted. Spicy, spicy, spicy - the flavor danced on my tongue. Surprisingly the croissant was pretty good too ( not the best at 5:30 PM). It had potential! read more

Grand Central Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Good: Sweet cafe with a nice airy vibe, nothing on the menu is bad, and they have some fun take-home frozen pastry shells and such to help up your pie game. Bad: - The online ordering system is a bummer. It mentions a sack luck option but omits it from ordering options. They also don't even start making your food to close to 30 min out, so if you're just trying to spare yourself some time in line, be sure you're thinking ahead. - I used to travel across town for their egg salad sandwiches, which they've now taken off the menu. -Suggest: if you get the veggie grinder, unless your teeth are like razors, make sure you request different bread (can't do this online either). read more

GCB already knows his to do good good and atmosphere, so I'm not rating them on that since their performance in that respect is already known. I'm rating them in their sustainability, since that should be part of their focus in this day and age. They need to ask the customer if they need a bag or napkins, like many other places do. To use a bag for a single, fully wrapped item is ridiculous. And same for giving 5 napkins. I try to remember to say I do not need these items, but they should be asking everyone just to assist in the process of using less stuff. It does not matter if their bags are paper, as the success of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle only works if it is done in that order. And if they want to be selfish about it, they will save money. read more

I was a big fan of Grand Central in the past. You guys do a great breakfast sandwich. Lately I've had a tough time convincing my partner to choose you rather than other nearby bakeries because of recent spotty customer service issues. After receiving an offer in the mail of a complimentary loaf of bread with a $5 purchase, she decided to give you a try again. After paying for her $7 latte she was told (without apology) she needed to produce the hard copy of the offer, which was not in the form of a coupon and did not say "must present in order to redeem," in order to qualify. Bottom line; for want of a loaf of bread you've lost 2 customers in the neighborhood. Not a major hit to your revenue, but I thought you should know you still have some work to do where customer service is concerned. read more