This is our favorite bakery in the area for several reasons. There is a wide variety of baked goods…read moreto choose from and nothing is too sweet. They make cookies, pastries, breads (pan loaf and hand-formed ones), soups, hand pies, and sandwiches. The variety is amazing. During the holiday season, they offer larger pies and have various seasonal goods to offer. But what's also wonderful is this bakery gives back to the community in many ways. During the height of the pandemic, they offered free bagged lunch to anyone who needed one. They also were (are?) part of the pilot project for Durham's guaranteed income. It looks to me that the owners/company are concerned about being good citizens of the community and that's a great thing. These days, so many companies get bought out by private equity companies. I hope this bakery continues to be locally owned and operated! (Also, generally this bakery isn't offering the very fancy European/European-ish style pastries which is fine by me. The prices are very reasonable, possibly in part because they aren't trying to make their baked goods a "high end" item. There are other good local bakeries that offer "high end" pastries, but they are also much less affordable and for my taste, too rich.)

Cinnamon roll...tasty, flaky, warm, flavorful it was great. There was indoor and outdoor seating…read more Staff was great, friendly, and helpful. Will def go back!

Called in on a tuesday to get a last minute bday cake but they had a private event and wernt open…read more They still answered the phone and told me to come in the next morning and pick up a cake. The lady in front was super friendly and accommodating. Could definitely see the hard work in the product they make. I tried the yuzu lemon and lavender fog truffle. After trying it i knew the decadent chocolate cake was going to be delicious. Ended up getting a 10" cake which was plenty for 13 people with leftovers. Really good cake and decorated really nicely. Did not dissapoint. I would stop by and get another cake just to try it.

Miel Bon Bons is a cute little artisanal chocolate shop and bakery nestled within Brightleaf…read moreDistrict! We got a pack of 8 chocolates (admittedly they did cost a pretty penny haha), which ranked from my most to least favorite are: 1. Horchata: So good, the horchata essence hit me as soon as I took a bite. Very cinnamony, very milky & creamy. 2. Passionfruit: I'm a sucker for anything passionfruit. The curd-like filling did not taste artificial at all. 3. Almond cardamom: Topped with a real almond, but more cardamom forward, reminded me of chai. 4. Hazelnut sassy monkey: Distinguished more coffee than banana, but it was there. Also liked the layer of crunch. 5. Raspberry lychee: The raspberry jam was strong and tasty, the floral essence from lychee was subtle. 6. Sesame matcha: Surprisingly citrusy? I did taste some bitterness from the matcha and appreciated the earthy sesame crust. 7. Ube: Sadly did not detect much ube flavor. 8. Earl grey lavender: Definitely the prettiest, but tasted like what I imagine soap would taste like. In terms of whether the chocolate is worth the price: I've never had this experience of trying such diverse and interesting chocolate flavors before so it was for me. Ambiance is nice, I think there was only outside seating. There's good parking nearby in the Brightleaf lots or on W Pettigrew St. Service was fast and friendly. 8/10 would recommend!

Friendly family owned bakery. The baked goods are delicious. The atmosphere is cozy and unique. I…read morewill definitely return.

Came to this shop looking to find sweets. I saw that they had chocolate covered strawberries. I…read morefound them to be a bit expensive, but tasty. I purchased two mini quiche, the feta was delicious and the bacon was okay, but not as memorable as the feta. The service was polite and efficient and the shop had a cozy vibe. Not sure that I'd come back, but it was worth the try.

The line is always long and it moves relatively quickly. Love sitting outside. Great ambiance. This…read moreplace runs like a well-oiled machine. This was my third time there. I always want the fish sandwich but they don't have the fish I want (picky! ). My son got the chicken sandwich which was really great. The bun was so fresh. My FIL got the Benedict. It was huge. Fruit cups all around. Huge chunks of pineapple. My son and I got the lemonade spritz. It was too sweet me but my son enjoyed both of ours.

This spot has a great indoor and outdoor space, and it's dog friendly, which is always a plus. The…read morefood was delicious. I absolutely loved the fish sandwich. It was grilled perfectly, and the fries were crispy and well seasoned. The coffee was made with freshly ground beans, and if you're a coffee connoisseur, this is definitely your spot. They also have a fresh bakery with so many options to choose from. My least favorite part of brunch was the soup. It could have used a little more salt and maybe some fresh herbs on top. It was served with a cold slice of sour dough bread , and I think grilling the bread would have made the dish much better.

Fantastic treats and friendly staff. Only downside is there is not a seating area. Delicious to…read moretake out though!

Loaf is tucked away on a not so popular street but thanks to their yummy treats, they are known all…read moreover Durham as the place to grab a sweet or savory when you need it. What I also love about Loaf is that if I am unable to go downtown, Loaf items are all over Durham, namely at the Coop and so many other businesses. It makes it easier to access and grab when you are on the go. Staff are always so friendly and welcoming. We always appreciate their warmly decorated business that is cozy but also smells of fresh, newly baked bread (or cookies!) We always look forward to stopping by to see what they have for the day!

The desserts were absolutely delightful & tasty. We look forward to returning & trying something…read moredifferent. The owner was very nice and welcoming. There was also a refreshing corner nook to sit, eat and enjoy coffee

We recall this shop and owner when it was in the Durham Food Hall. We had read he had relocated and…read morepopped in while we were wandering around Brightleaf Square. It was mid-day and we weren't starving so we only got the cookie cake bites and ate it at the counter in the shop. It looks like another customer was there picking up a larger order (catering maybe?). They have various -- I would call -- artisan baked goods and limited coffee options. It is branded as a dessert cafe after all, so you're not going to get breads, bagels, etc., here. I'm glad we popped in.

This bakery is amazing! I stopped by here on a random weekday and loved the strawberry and cream…read moremacaron and it was SO delicious I had to come back for a box! Truly, these are the most delicious macarons I've ever tasted, and I've had way too many! These have a great bite to them, slightly chewy texture and the smoothest, TASTIEST filling ever. I tried the Bridgerton themed Early Grey one to the double chocolate and black sesame, my favorites are the nutella (not too sweet but tastes heavenly) and strawberries and cream. I think everyone in the rtp should try these at least once!! I know it's going to be the hostess gift I grab whenever I visit friends from now on. They've got also a great selection of baked goods and the chocolate crThey've also got a great selection of baked goods and the chocolate croissants are perfectly flaky and delicious!ssiants are perfectly flaky and delicious!

Checked out this bakery on the way to Durham since I had it bookmarked and wanted to try out their…read moremacarons. We happen to arrive as they were taking freshly baked croissants out of the oven so we opted for one of those as well. I was impressed with both and would return if I'm in the area. I enjoyed the variety of flavors available to choose from in regards to the macrons. I selected a 6 pack and liked the birthday cake flavor and salted caramel the most. The croissant was quite delicious as well. The bakery is located downtown so you will have to find parking, that was the only inconvenient aspect of it. It wasn't busy when we arrived so I wonder if they would have more customers if it were located in a section with more foot traffic or easier parking. Overall we had a pleasant experience.

"VERY hole-in-the-wall Middle Eastern patisserie"…read more This gives hole-in-the-wall new meaning. The location is in a strip-mall that's set back a ways from 55, so it's not really visible from the street at all. However, it's weirder than that-- you have to drive AROUND the strip mall to the back, past the various loading docks for other stores, and they you see this place is open just from the BACK of the strip mall. I heard the owner is Algerian, but there are many Palestinian references and flags around the shop, so if that's triggering, then know this in advance before coming in. Still, the place is brightly lit and airy, with tables to eat. They do custom cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts, but we just wanted to sample some sweets. Hours are funny-- just midday Friday through Sunday. We ordered a pecan brownie and a pistachio chocolate dish with kunafa (shredded Middle Eastern pastry), as well as a mocha coffee. The mocha coffee was rich and delicious, as expected. The pistachio chocolate dish with kunafa was to-die-for... SO delicious. Super thick and messy, as you'd hope it would be. And of course the pecan brownie was amazing. I will say the pastries are not "cheap". I got a single tahini chocolate chip cookie to go for a friend, and that was $4.50 for a modest sized cookie. The other dishes above were in the $6 range. But these are unusual custom-made dishes, so it's fair.

I don't speak French, but trying to find this place left me wondering if the name means "receded"…read moreor something like that, because it is hidden away. in the back of a shopping center. Both the atmosphere and the menu are a mix of French and Arabic, so I got a cherry-infused chocolate cake and some sort of cheese and za'atar savory bun, along with a cardamom chai. The chai flavor was interesting, but not altogether strong, while the cake was as delicious as it looked. My cheese pastry was strongly salty, for better or for worse. The price reflects the quality of the food more than the location, let's say, but I was glad I went.