From what I understand, they have new owners as of early 2025. Under the previous owners, I would have given them 10 stars. All exceptional. All great value for the money. Not so much now. Now it is good but not exceptional like in the past. Their pastries are getting smaller and the prices have gone up. There is also inconsistencies in quality, with some items being slightly overcooked. Napoleons - these are about half the previous size. Still very good though. Strawberry eclair - smaller than previous. Also, the shell is consistently overcooked now. Quiches - these are around a third of the previous size. Sometimes they are overcooked and dry. Also, the mixed veggie quiche is much smaller in depth to the spinach one Various danishes (cheese, apple, cherry, sticky buns) - all around a third of their previous size. Still great quality and tasty though Sfogliatella (Italian pastry) - surprisingly, these are larger than they used to be. These are not good anymore though. The filling tastes good, but it's a weird texture now that they make it larger. The pastry shell is really hard and chewy now that they are larger. These used to be the greatest ever. It's a shame. Cannoli - tried this for the first time today. Won't ever do that again. The shell was good and crispy. The filling was a weird color and had tiny chocolate chips in it. You could tell it was several days old because the chips were soggy. Also, they filled it when we ordered it - and they just put a tiny bit of filling in it so we could actually see through the shell. Not good. read more

I was a neighbor of PbR when they opened & immediately fell in love with EVERYTHING they made!!!!! The layered cakes were perfectly balanced - delicious BUTTERcream thinly spread, that curd was soooooo good & THE moistest cake holding it all in either in whole cakes or a slices! Those French tarts with frangipane-all sublime! All the tea cookies were simply butter, sugar, a little flour-simple and delicious! And those fabulous individual pastries were jewel -like in flavor & in decoration. Anytime I would bring a box filled with PbR's jewels to a friend's home, office party or to my neighbors' block party; I WAS THE DESSERT STAR; deservedly, sharing the best with friends. Then a neighbor brought a PbR coconut cake with lemon curd to our block party and I could not finished my slice... thin cake layers, the "buttercream" was not very buttery but sweet & gritty, what lemon curd?! Nowhere to be found, sadly. The Randolph's retired and the new owners are not reading any of those wonderful recipes from the OGs - Chef Mark Randolph, Chef Cindy & their awesome kitchen team. read more

Second time stopping in at Pastries by Randolph and it did not disappoint. Initially we stopped in for the tres leche after reading a review that they have the best. Unfortunately, they only offer an entire cake for purchase rather than a slice. So we selected a couple of various pastries to enjoy and share with friends. Staff was friendly and the presentation of the pastries was top tier. Parking was easy and the shop was clean. Highly recommend! read more

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From the moment that you walk into the bakery it is very apparent that they have been in business for a while. From the automatic door to the large and up-to-date displays, there was no question in my mind that this place is on the higher end of bakeries. The hundreds of positive feedback also gave me a pretty good idea about where the most popular bakery was at, so I came here. I seriously must have driven past this store hundreds of times without even noticng that theu were here. I would classify this bakery as very high end when it comes to the quality of their baked goods. I ordered both the Red Velvet Square and Key Lime Tart pie. I actually shared the Velvet Square cake with my roommate and it was escrllent. They gave me a very large portion. The key lime pie looks to be mouth watering delicious. read more

Pastries By Randolph - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

After lunch we continue our journey to this corner lot pastry shop located on North Woodstock St and Cherry Hill Rd. As you walked in, their display case were colorful, vibrant and filled with a variety of pastries, cakes, macarons, cookies and a small shelf of other treats. Each of us ordered multiple of items and we had some favorites such as strawberry eclairs, lemon rolls, chocolate eclairs, almond croissants, lemon cream danish. There wasn't any interior seatings but they do have limited outdoor seatings. The service was impeccable as they have multiple staffs who were all friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. We would definitely make another visit to try other items in this cozy shop. read more

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Welcoming, warm, and delightful are three easy words for pastries by Randolph. I walked in on a rainy day, and was able to pick up my order with no fuss or issue at all. The compelling backlit display case did tempt me to grab some additional beautiful looking treats, but that'll be for another time. The dark chocolate shaved mousse cake was wonderful, both in taste and in craftsmanship. The flower on top was a big hit in particular, but every bite was lovely. read more

Pastries By Randolph - Display - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I keep walking into Pastries by Randolph like I'm visiting the beautifully preserved ghost of a bakery I used to love. The sign is still there, the name is still there, and yet the soul has fully left the building. What was once a warm, reliable part of my monthly routine now feels like a slightly depressing exercise in misplaced hope. I'd take my dog to be groomed, grab a Starbucks coffee, then happily stop by the bakery. It was a ritual. Now I walk in, glance around, and leave almost immediately, like a person who just realized the party ended hours ago. Same name, entirely different experience. The quality is not what it was, the selection feels uninspired, and whatever made this place special has either retired, been sold, or quietly slipped out the back door. It is amazing how a business can keep the branding and lose the magic so completely. At this point, I need to stop coming in out of habit and accept reality: Pastries by Randolph did not so much evolve as gently collapse into a beige imitation of itself. A bakery can survive a change in ownership. What it cannot always survive is becoming forgettable. read more

I'm sad. I did not control myself enough to take a picture, but we ordered a pumpkin mousse pie for Thanksgiving, and it was a hit. The ingredients taste really fresh and it was super easy to order online and pick up. Highly recommend for your get-togethers. It was also big enough to feed at least eight of us. read more

Absolutely terrible service. I placed an order for a simple custom cake that they never responded to. When I called to confirm the order was being processed, they gave me the run around for hours. Eventually, I spoke to the manager, who yelled at me and refused to confirm my order. Now it is too late to have this cake made elsewhere. After reviewing the recent reviews about this new owners, this all makes sense. STAY AWAY! read more

Word of advice - go to Heidelberg Pastery Shoppe instead. The pasteries might be good, but the store management at Randolph's is a complete disaster. We placed an order on Sunday for pickup on Thanksgiving, and when we arrived, the pick up line was wrapped around the block. Apparently, they were still baking people's orders and we were all told the wait time for pre-order pickups was at least one hour, and we had to wait outside in 40 degree weather. The workers had no idea what was going on, and the manager was silent the whole time. We also placed an order at Heidelberg on Saturday, and they had our order ready right when we arrived. read more

Bakery with a large selection of pastries that are out on display (primarily desert pastries, not breakfast ones), and a bunch of custom cake options as well Only have a few stools inside for seating, but have a couple of outdoor tables I came here on a Saturday morning to pick up a birthday cake that I ordered, and the place was fairly busy. They got through the line pretty quickly, but the people were not very friendly and definitely made me feel rushed In addition to the cake, I also decided to try one of their blueberry scones. It was delicious - probably the best I've ever had. The cake was great as well read more

A friend of mine purchased a cake from here (strawberry shortcake) and it was incredible. I followed up by visiting to purchase some smaller scale treats. Things like lemon bars, mini pastries, and croissants. These were pretty solid. I was a little disappointed in the croissant; tasted a bit like a Costco croissant which isn't a bad thing, but was just expecting it to be fluffier. read more

Their wonderful spot is right off Lee Highway. OK, having said that, yes, while their management has been edited, the good news is their products have not and remain amazing. They are *world class* and if there is anyone who lives in the DC metro area, who thinks they can get better desserts and fine pastries from anywhere else in the area than from here they can hang out with R.P. McMurphy in Oregon. Yes, Heidelberg is awesome... and fantastic, but Heidelberg is a whole different thing. Heidelberg is where you go when you're trying to impress family and coworkers and trying to get the most for your money. But if you NEED to treat *yourself* (like you should), Pastries By Randolph is a more than a "smidge above" because they punch things up a few notches in terms of the product and experience they offer. So I'll just leave it at that, and let you understand that if you want an amazing dessert, go to Pastries By Randolph. I went this morning (2.13.2026) and got there at 7:45, but dude waved me off and told me come back at 8. I came back at 8:20 and got two amazing eclairs and some "can't get from anywhere else" coconut cookies. My weekend is set. Set yours. read more

Pastries By Randolph - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I don't buy sweets often, but when I do, Pastries by Randolph has always been my go-to. I even bought my wedding cake here back in 1994. Last week, I picked up cookies for my family--and unfortunately, they were hands-down the worst Christmas cookies I've ever had. Other family members, longtime fans of the bakery as well, were equally disappointed. It's hard to pinpoint the exact issue, but the taste was off, almost as if a butter substitute was used, leaving an unpleasant aftertaste that lingered. Sadly, this experience means I'll be buying my future sweets elsewhere. I've read that it changed owners, but all I know is I won't be returning. read more

I was in the area looking for something sweet and Pastries by Randolph came highly recommended on Yelp, so I figured why not. I was there on a weekend and they weren't too busy, plus they had about 3-4 employees ready to help. The employees were friendly enough. They offer a variety of cake slices and cookies. Even though all of them looked quite appetizing, I decided to go with something familiar for my first visit and I got the Napoleon. Unfortunately, this cake slice was very disappointing. The cream had the right flavor, but other than that it was dry. I grew up eating Napoleon so trust me when I say, this was not it. I'm comfortable with not ever going back. read more

Pastries By Randolph - Napoleon - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Pastries By Randolph has the most elegant desserts! From tarts, to cakes, to mousses, this bakery has everything! I have gone to buy birthday cakes there many times, and Pastries By Randolph never disappoints! When I visit the bakery, I am always unsure of what to get, each dessert is carefully crafted to the best taste and the most beautiful exterior! I highly recommended the Mango Mousse, Chocolate Lovers Cheesecake, and the Mixed Fruit Tart. These three delicious desserts have amazing texture and flavor. read more

Pastries By Randolph - Unicorn Cupcake - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Once-Great Bakery Has Lost Its Way. Waiting an hour and a half on Christmas Eve for mediocre French pastries was beyond belief. What made it worse was the complete absence of any visible owner or manager--no leadership, no accountability, just frustrated customers left to fend for themselves. The holiday pickup system was defective and shockingly primitive, as if it had been designed by a four-year-old with no understanding of volume, timing, or basic organization. Under the new ownership, everything has gone downhill. The French bread is no longer as good as it once was, and the selection has been noticeably reduced. Longtime favorites and many specialty cakes and desserts have simply disappeared. It's baffling: if you can make a cherry danish, why can't you make a raspberry danish? These kinds of cuts reflect a lack of care and creativity that never used to be an issue here. After more than 30 years of loyal patronage, this experience makes it clear there is no longer any reason to return. What was once a trusted, special place has become disorganized, diminished, and disappointing. read more

Very good products but really people! 2 hours in line to pick up pre/paid orders!?! They need to get their stun gear or lose all their holiday business. read more

The best hot cross buns in the state and great customer service as well! love Randolph's!

It was just by chance we went in because the desserts looked so good from the window. I got a few of the cookies but the star was the swan cream puff. I don't know exactly what all was in it, but it was one of the best cream puffs I've ever had. The pate a' choux was still crispy even after sitting in a box on our long drive home. The cookies are all flavorful and delicious as well. I hope we get to go back someday soon! read more

We were among the many who stood on line for2-3/4 hours in the cold on Christmas Eve to pick up a prepaid (!) order. It was grossly negligent and incompetent that they did not adequately staff the order pickup process that day, since by definition they knew well the exact number of orders that needed to be picked up. Especially egregious is that we can see via Yelp that exactly the same thing happened the day before Thanksgiving, yet they did nothing to correct the problem; and that there was no explanation, apology or even presence by any manager while hundreds of people waited for hours outside. We have been loyal Randolph's customers since the business opened in the 1980s(?) when it occupied the former Heidelberg Bakery storefront. After this atrocious experience, we intend to give our business back to Heidelberg, which does a great job on both quality and customer service. read more

Today's Pre-Order Pickup was awful. Worst experience by far. Having to wait in line, in the cold, for over an hour is a ridiculous process. There was only 2 employees handling the pick up station for 50+ mins while the line (that did not move) was wrapping around the corner of Cherry Hill Rd. Things actually got faster once more employees started to help them. read more

The pastries, cookies and cake are absolutely amazing. Everything is soo good. Pricey but worth it. There is only one downfall and that is the parking. Towing strictly enforced. No where to park. read more

Read the most recent reviews before you put yourself through a horrible experience. The so called manager is a disaster. He is a bully, appears to not give a crap about customer service, and it's very clear by the look of his all female staff, that they are afraid of him. I went in today, and he was loudly complaining about something. His behavior was unprofessional and clearly distracting to his staff, who literally kept their eyes averted and heads down. This was a very busy time in the bakery, but Mr Manager was entirely focused on himself. I politely observed to him that he might want to keep his moaning and complaints to himself while customers are present. That started a tirade of him telling me to mind my own business, keep my mouth shut, and that he didn't need to listen to me ' cuz I'm a grown ass man.' Wow, does this guy have women issues? I'm 70 years old and have no intention of returning. Owners, why aren't you paying attention? Read the reviews. Interview your staff. Is this the best you can do? read more

I've been here a few times and everything I've had has been phenomenal. Definitely the best key lime cupcake I've ever had! The scones make you like scones. The lemon tart, perfection. If you are looking for a box of pastries for work or a party, this is the place. read more

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Great service and quality. Most strongly recommended. Terrific place. .................... ..........

Pastries get a 4 and cookies a 5! The real issue is the staff and the disorderly process in which they take orders and ring up. The staff moves painfully slowly even when there's a line thru the door. Why not hire people that are customer and efficiency focused? And add a rope to create a clear line and order for the customers. Instead they ask customers to keep track of who arrived first? It's really not that hard - there is so much unused space inside. read more

This pastry shop was recently been sold so unfortunately all of the old reviews are no longer relevant. I was long-time fan of Randolphs and they even catered my wedding! Unfortunately, I've tried it a few times under current ownership and it is simply not the same shop. The breakfast area is not recognizable as most items have been replaced by inferior products. The pastries generally "look" the same but it is obvious that there have been some changes under the hood. There are slight differences in taste and texture to most of the ones I've tried, and not for the better. It would seem that new ownership is using cheaper ingredients and/or simply lacks the touch of prior ownership. Prices are also higher - about $8 a pastry - though that the case with nearly all bakeries. Service has been average and I could not help but notice a large "help wanted" sign last week. Overall, I cannot recommend this shop anymore, except for emergencies. They honestly should change the name to avoid tricking customers. There are far better bakeries in the DC area. read more

The specialty cupcakes were amazing! Someone gifted them to us at work. They were so good, I took a photo of the sticker on the box so I could find them and they were delicious as delicious as I remembered! read more

We have enjoyed an assortment of pastries and croissants from Randolphs for Christmas brunch for 30+ years. It was a much-loved family tradition until this year. The pick-up line (for a pre-paid order) took THREE hours; in previous years, it took no more than 20 minutes. While the pastries were as good as ever, I have had better croissants from a grocery. Evidently, the new owners are no longer making them on site, and the new source leaves MUCH to be desired. We were all very disappointed. read more

I ordered and prepaid for a Christmas cake with pick up on Christmas Eve. When I arrived at my appointed time, the line for prepaid pickup wrapped around 3 sides of the building. It was complete chaos, they could not match people and orders. We were told it would be a 3 hour wait to pick up our items. Several of us went inside and told the manager we could not spend 3 hours waiting on Christmas Eve. We asked for a refund or to substitute something they had in their cases for what we ordered. We were told no, that if we wanted our desserts, we had to wait for 3 hours or however long it would take for the to figure out the orders. The manager was rude and disrespectful. Instead of being apologetic for the chaos, he just argued with people. There was zero remorse. Some people in line had to go back to work, others had guests arriving. One woman had come back three times to try and get her dessert. We were faced with waiting for hours in the cold or leaving our dessert behind. More than one person said they would never come back. I am one of them. read more

New owners have no idea what they're doing. They absolutely butchered the Christmas pick up's- my 70 year old mom was in line for 2 hours and 45 minutes. It's typically a 5 minute process for Christmas pick ups. Everything was pre-ordered, what did they expect? read more

Stay away on holidays. Good stuff but they have no idea how to actually handle an influx of people. Easy 1+ hour wait on holiday pickups when you have preordered. Manager isn't around read more

Their good is very good but Don't ever attempt to use Randolph's on a holiday. The line for pick up on Christmas Eve takes over an hour. Not sure why they can't figure it out when the food has been PREORDERED but they can't. read more

We tried 3 items, in order of preference Mocha cream puff $3.75 - delicious, perfect texture Opera cake $6.75 - perfect balance of flavors Cappuccino mousse cup $6.75 - big, nice texture, not as flavorful as I'd hoped The shop had many other items and it was hard to decide, I'd return to try other items if in the area. read more

It was someone's birthday yesterday so one of my friends got a cake to celebrate! 4" RED VELVET CAKE I am usually wary of red velvet cakes because the cream cheese icing is usually overly sweet and heavy, but this one was surprisingly pleasant. I didn't think it was disgustingly sweet and while it's still pretty heavy, it was enjoyable with the red velvet cake. The cake itself was also not too sweet and not dry. Overall, this is a great cake to share between four people (recommended 4-6) and I actually liked that it's a square cake. I would prefer a bigger cake to icing ratio, but I know I'm in the minority when I say that. I'd definitely be down to come back to check out other cakes this bakery has for future occasions! read more

Pastries By Randolph - 4" Red Velvet Cake - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Pastries by Randolph are very good. Everything is fresh and you can savor each flavor. I use them for almost every occasion, and especially, when I'm entertaining with family and friends!! read more

Ordered an Opera Cake online with the instructions "Can you please write Happy birthday Jose" on it. Not only was the cake absolutely amazing, but it was gorgeous too! My husband used to have opera cake in Philly all the time and he said this one was just as delicious! read more

Pastries By Randolph - Opera Cake - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

One of my family favorite bakery. The double chocolate mousse is a must have. Great staffs, awesome service every time.

Cyndy's Bottom Line: Endless desserts to choose from... *Hours: Mon-Fri, 7am-5pm, Sat 8am-5pm, Closed on Sunday *Parking up front and lot in back *Shop online for pick up: pastriesbyrandolph.com This is what we ate: *Apple Strudel - apple filling a delightful blend of cinnamon and sugar not overly sweet. *Blueberry scones - yummy amount of fresh plump blueberries, good buttery crumbly texture, golden brown outside with sprinkles of sugar on top. Delicious! *Lemon tart - a bright, citrusy & refreshing tart with a buttery crust. Yummy! A wide variety of desserts: cakes, pastries breads & breakfast items, assorted baked goods, pies & tarts, and platters. Great place to order desserts for a party. Suggest shopping online for pick up if you know what you want because they do sell out. Highly recommend! read more

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