My second tasting lunch here was far better. My friends and I throughly enjoyed the different colors, flavors, and sources of inspiration. They did a great job of paying attention to my friends dietary restrictions. It's a lot of food so I suggest skipping breakfast before coming. read more

After our meals we went upstairs for desserts. This time we got chocolate chilies cookie and the fruit tarts They both are good. Only if it can have a bit more chilies in the cookie bcoz I couldn't taste any chilies. read more

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Location, space, and staff all good. Food and pasteries were good. Coffee and teas were just ok, nothing special. I do wish though their menu had more variety and exciting options. Nothing has chutney, no daal, no lentils. In a Indian kitchen I'd expect more flavorful and interesting menu options. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Forgot name but we chose the option on waffle instead of milk bread. - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

I've been wanting to try this place out for a while now, today I decided to stop by for something sweet. I got a 'hot chili chocolate chip cookie'. I was shocked with how good tasted. The flavor was very unique; def had a kick to it. Can't comment on the food but based on the smells and the menu selection I think it could be a hit. I would gladly come back and have lunch/dinner here in the future. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I wish I could bundle this place up and move it to Indianapolis so I can visit all the time. What's not to love about an Indian café and bakery? Not to mention that they have a small marketplace with delicious Indian inspired ice cream, chutneys, spices, and more. If not for having to check luggage, I would've purchased one of everything. I can't get enough of these flavors and Pondicheri's creative spins on everything. I had visited in the past, but this last time was my first time attending one of their evening, cooking classes. The intimate class was focused on dosas and we had the pleasure of working with the owner and chef to create a full menu and dine together. I was having a little fangirl moment since I have her recipe book at home. It was fun to see it all come full circle. The class featured a nice balance of demonstrations, hands on elements, and take away recipes to try at home. Dosea are very approachable and customizable. All of the staff was so friendly and knowledgeable. This was such a memorable experience! The next time I'm in Houston, I will be looking up the class offerings. Cannot sing the praises of this business enough. read more

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These are easily among the best pastries in Houston! The combination of perfectly laminated pastry dough and bold Indian spices makes for some of the most memorable, unique, and flavorful pastries I've had in a long time. They are reasonably priced and the atmosphere is great. Can't recommend enough! read more

Love this bakery! The coffee and food selection is great and they always have seasonal bakery items available. The rose cardamom cake and the breakfast Frankie are my favorites. They also have the main restaurant on the first floor that has lamb that is amazing as well. Can't wait to go back! read more

What a fantastic find for a unique brunch! At 10am on Saturday, there was no line to order and we sat ourselves. The water and silver station are self service and there are plenty of chairs and table. The food was delivered quickly and everyone who helped us was very kind. The ambiance was great to visit although a bit loud from the open kitchen. The food was fantastic, I'll be honest I'm not so familiar with Indian cuisine but I love all the flavors. I'll definitely be back to try the pastries or the cooking classes! read more

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Hands down, one of the best chocolate chip cookies in the city. I've been to just about every cookie place, Tiny, Milk Mustache, Pudgy's, Sinless, Bearded Baker, etc. Next to BB, these are the best! read more

Wow, what an amazing spot. They are owned by ponicherry (downstairs restaurant). But this place definitely does it better. The dishes are generally a Indian fusion mix. They do not disappoint and are refreshing especially as someone who cooks a ton of Indian food. I would suggest the dosa in the photo. It looks amazing and is quite the meal :) Pro tip: great place for brunch. They have a decent amount of space if you wanted to study and have a nice chai :) Great date spot as well. Can go on a nice walk and window shop after read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Dosa and cauliflower breakfast dishes with chai and tea - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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There's a ton of variety in this little bake lab upstairs from Pondicherry. I met up with a friend who had the carrot muffin thing and the roti, hence why I'm not really sure what they are. I did try them both and they were okay but nothing I was excited about. Similar could be said for my butter chicken kolache. While the flavors were nice, the filling to bread ratio was kind of sad. The coconut mint cookie was probably my favorite thing. It was good, pretty unique, but for $6 I was not wowed. The guy at the counter was very friendly, and they did give me a taste of one of the rather unique gelato flavors they have. Correction, that was probably my favorite thing and I should have just had the gelato. If you want to try a bunch of different stuff, especially vegetarian, come as a group and make a little buffet out of it. They do have some bigger tables to make it easy for a group of four or six to do this. read more

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The cafe is cozy, colorful, and aromatic. If I lived in Houston, pondicheri bake lab would be a frequent third-space where I would get work done, read, grab a bite, and hang out with friends. I visited the cafe on a Monday, which is plant-based day (w/ghee). So I had limited items to try from, and they were all tasty and flavorful. What I ordered: - Sindhi laddu: sweet, nutty, and earthy - Lemon bar: (my parents favorite) zesty and chewy - Blood Orange cake: like eating a light fragrant cloud read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Restaurant front - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Always such a positive experience. Ambiance is lovely, coffee is great, food is unique and tasty. Service is excellent.

Stopped by for light lunch after flying into Houston. The Indian fusion menu was interesting, my wife enjoyed her cocktail & crab dosa & the ambience & service was fantastic. After lunch we walked to the upper floor bake shop for dessert - enjoyed the coffee ice cream read more

I did not know this place existed until I was dining at Pondicheri, and the staff told me there were more pastries upstairs. The selection was SO COOL! My in-laws are Pakistani with West-Indian roots, so many of the fusion pastries were familiar to me. There was a Gulab Jamun donut -- which I didn't get but really regret. My favorite item I got was a Gingerbread Cloud, but I also got the Mawa Cake, pistachio croissant, and Bostock (a cardamom-almond pastry pocket). I brought items home to my husband, and he was also impressed by the modern spin on classic pastries and familiar flavors from his childhood. We even made chai and had some of the pastries after dinner. Will return! read more

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This place has the best chocolate cake I've ever had but you really can't go wrong with anything here! We also had a donut and the Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie which were also both amazin read more

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This place is amazing! I wish I lived in Houston, because I would definitely be a regular here. I love the Desi twist on classical American/western baked goods. This is not your typical Indian bakery where there is just a display case of Black Forest Cakes. Nope, we got try the pista scone, chai pie, cumin-cheese ball and saag biscuit. All of them were amazing as they sound, but the Chai Pie was by far the star of the show. I am amazed that it wasn't just the chai-spice flavor, but you actually got a really strong taste of the black tea. It really did feel like drinking a cup of chai, in pie form. My second favorite was the cumin cheese ball. I also loved that they had a decent selection of healthier pastries, like a quinoa muffin. After we left, I found out they have Bournvita ice cream. If you are a 90s desi child who grow up eating this stuff by the spoonful, don't be like me and miss out! Hope to try it some day! read more

If you're a fan of Pondicheri, you gotta check out the upstairs bakery. This is one of the few bakeries that doesn't make me feel guilty about indulgence. Their baked goods are intensely flavored with spices and fruits -- not sugar and frosting -- and the have so many GF options! Aside from coffees and teas, they do have cold pressed juice options. WiFi is available. Space to work on your laptop or have an informal meetings. I've actually coworkers with friends a few times. read more

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I love Pondicheri, and the Bake Lab so much! As a Houstonian, I grew up with my comfort foods being Mexican and Cajun food. I discovered Indian food when I became a vegetarian over 20 years ago, and it has remained the most wonderful thing that my spice-loving palate has ever discovered. I really love Pondicheri the most because their food tends to me much less oily and salty than the spots on Hillcroft, and the aromatic spices are carried over into the desserts and baked goods. I highly recommend the new veggie burger. And the cakes are so light and flavorful. It's magic Every time I think I'm going to be upset because of a recipe or menu change, Pondicheri just gets more impressive instead. read more

A little hard to park for and a little hard to find, as the parking lot can mean a little of a walk and the bake shop is on the second floor of the plaza; however, it was so forth the little exploration. For $8 a slice, it is a little steep but not bad in my opinion - especially since they cleverly combine time told recipes with unique flavors. As people have recently noted as well, slices have gotten bigger. The hibiscus cream cake could have done with a layer of fresh strawberries or fruit and a little stronger note of hibiscus but overall was delicious. As for the chai pie, this is a keeper. I understand now why it is a best seller. It is not shy on chai spice - emphasis on the spice because it is like a chai latte on steroids. Beautiful flavor with a crispy cookie-like crust and topped woth whipped cream and cashews (mine on the side since I got it to-go). I would definitely come back for this again. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Hibiscus cream cake and chai pie - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

The Pondicheri Bake Lab is on the second floor right above Pondicheri (easily missable, but definitely worth trying!) I visited after lunch at Pondicheri with a group of friends, and we heard that the Bake Lab upstairs had great desserts. Curiously, we entered a beautiful coffee shop-esque Indian bakery. With great decorations, friendly employees, and a very casual vibe, I really loved the environment at the Bake Lab. The food was also fantastic! We decided to share besan mithai and a small chai pie between the three of us. I found the besan mithai tasty, but not worth what we spent for it. The chai pie was AMAZING. I highly recommend it for anyone who is unsure about what sweets to try. The sweet chai taste was complemented perfectly by the whipped cream and cashews served on the side, and the pie crust had a perfect crunch to it. I'll probably be back here (and will definitely be getting the chai pie again). They also serve chaat and other light foods. Highly recommend! read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Chai pie (top) and besan mithai (bottom). Yum! - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love how the pastries, cakes, and pies are unique and flavorful. They have a wide variety and the food is not flavored like food from other bakeries. Unfortunately, I don't always feel like the end result lives up to the promise. Some things have interesting flavors but those flavors are not well balanced, or the interesting part is very subtle. I'm happy to come by once in a while and try a few random things, but it can be hit or miss. The masala chai is very good. Service is excellent. Upstairs, parking right in front can be tough. read more

I can say that this bakery is creative with its baked goods. I wanted to try everything on their display. But, I settled on trying their Texas mesquite cookie, avocado key lime pie, and lemon square. The cookie was not to my liking. It had a mesquite flavor, but none of the other stuff that the display said it contained, especially the chocolate. Their avocado key lime pie was also not very tasty to me. This was because the top coconut layer was bland, and it didn't blend well with the mealy avocado middle layer. The bottom crust was just ok. But, man oh man, their lemon square was the bomb! It was so good. Bright lemony flavor throughout. I think they put a ton of lemon zest and juice into this item. I was even impressed that they used avocado instead of butter for this pastry. I didn't even notice, since it still had a crumbly texture. I haven't given all of these baked goods a try. So, I don't know if I missed out on any other phenomenon treats. If you're eating downstairs at Pondicheri for dinner already, go upstairs to this bakery and get some baked goods for dessert before 7 pm. Big thanks to our waiter, who recommended the lemon square. Best decision ever. read more

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We went looking for gluten free bakeries in Houston and found this gem! I liked the casual, yet together atmosphere and the second floor India ambience. We had a Pondi bar - caution - very spicy, olive oil gf chocolate cake with a rich ganache served with a delicious specialty capuccino for me and an espresso for my spouse. I was very impressed with the welcome and thoughtfulness of the staff. The server/barista noted my husband had not tried much of his bar and kindly asked him if he liked it? My husband responded that he liked it, but was a little too spicy for his palate to enjoy. The server/barista stepped away and quickly returned with a Texas Mesquite Pecan cookie which he offered to my husband with his compliments. My husband proclaimed it as delicious! And we were introduced us to the gf goodness of Mesquite Flour! read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Love the ambience of the place- cozy, warm, and airy. It's upstairs from its more "serious" restaurant counterpart, and people often work here as you would at a coffeeshop, but it's never too crowded. The cakes and desserts are gorgeous, all pastel and petals, while the almost completely vegetarian/vegan food items are so stellar they make this meat-lover consider whether it'd be so bad to go vegan. This trip, I got a half-sandwich of mushroom masala and the chickpea soup on the side, which was a huge portion, as well as the pear and celery juice, while my friends always rave about the avocado toast. Every visit here is truly delightful. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Pear and celery juice - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Terrible! They charged me for items that I did not buy. Be careful with this place! Lousy overpriced desserts ! read more

I went to Pondicheri every weekend for three weekends back to back, and I live in Austin. Holy Mother of God. Still couldn't get thru all the diversity of flavors. The lamb chops were so juicy. The rose beet laddus completely lived up to it's decadent look. What will it take to open a Pondicheri in Austin? Our crowd would inhale the flavors and take to the top of the food restaurant charts overnight. I am not kidding. read more

I was disappointed by the customer service here. You would think that at such a pretentious shopping center they would only hire the best. I stopped by to order some baked goods for a friend and asked a few simple questions about their cakes. The cashier responded blankly and without much care. I had the impression she just wanted me to pay and leave. It kind of made us feel unwelcome. For the prices I was willing to pay, I expected Chic-Fil-A level of service but unfortunately we got Apple Bee's level instead. Aside from the service, the variety looked limited and the prices seemed a bit steep. Nothing really caught our eye so I defaulted to the honey mesquite cake ($5) so I didn't leave empty handed, especially after paying metered parking up front. With so many other options in rice village, at Central Market, and at Whole Foods, its a challenge to reason myself to come back for dessert. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Pastries and baked goods - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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One of my favorite spots for a treat-yo-self sort of breakfast (or treats for any time of the day). The location is a cute as can be with free parking in the attached garage. It's a nice spot to people watch, enjoy your coffee, or chat with a friend. Onto the goods, the majority of which are Indian fusion. I've had the chai which IMO was just OK, wish it had a stronger chai flavor and wanted it to be creamier (mine tasted rather watery). The real star here are the baked goodies. I've tried their potato samosa (purple potato was a nice twist and the outside was perfectly crispy), masala biscuit (a super herby-flavorful twist on a biscuit), chai pie (at $8/slice it's pricey but it's addictive and so well done! think of a dense mousse-eque pie with cinnamon chair flavoring and a killer graham cracker crust -- i don't even like most pies, but I like this one!). Their farsi eggs didn't go over too well with me - the blend of the flavors was a bit odd to me and bc it's sitting out on the display, the eggs were rather rubbery and hard to eat (although the presentation is very beautiful). read more

Super cute cafe located upstairs above Pondicheri restaurants! Filled with sweet and savory baked goods and flavorful coffees/teas! I loved the slight coconut taste in the rose laddoo and the milky mawah cake! Plenty of windows with plugs available for a great place to get some work done! read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Butter chicken kolache - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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After brunch at Pondicheri on a Sunday, I stopped by Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop with a friend for some dessert. It's located right above Pondicheri and there's a complimentary parking garage in the shopping center. Bake Lab is a pretty cool spot. I was impressed by the ambiance and decorations and I would definitely come back here to do some work. If you're looking for your run-of-the-mill desserts, you're not going to find a lot of that at Bake Lab. Creativity reigns here and a lot of the desserts, naturally, have an Indian influence. I ordered the mesquite cake which tasted as good as it looked. I'm going to have to come back soon to try some more of their unique desserts! read more

I like pondi bake lab; surprised it's taken me this long to review. Flavors are usually on point. Portions are good and presentation is typically lovely. I had the pondi latte today and was underwhelmed but I'd def recommend this place for a break from the norm breakfast. read more

Went here yesterday with a friend, and thank God we made room for dessert after our delicious lunch downstairs. We split a slice of the pumpkin chai pie ($8/slice), and it's easily one of the best pies, pumpkin especially, I've ever had. The pumpkin wasn't too sweet which was nice, but the best part was the cookie crust. Seriously, if I could order a the shell alone and dip it in the pie filling, I would be in Heaven. They're selling the pies for the holidays for $60/pie. While it might seem like a splurge, I'm realllllly tempted to get one as my unofficial birthday cake. As for decoration, it's a cute hipster/chic bakery quiet enough to study at. I'd love to return and try more goodies or perhaps a cooking class. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - $8/slice but very worth it! - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

After eating downstairs, we went upstairs to the bake lab + shop to get some chai and dessert. I ordered the masala chai and we shared the chai pie. We expected the pie to be in your face chai, which we would've liked but it wasn't and we were very disappointed. My chai was also not very chai and had a weird flavor to it. After enjoying lunch downstairs, we were disappointed by the lack of flavor and spice of the chai we were used to. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Chai pie - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

My friend who's a local took us here for unique afternoon treats. She ordered an lychee lemonade drink which was really delicious! I got a slice of their mango pie topped with a few raspberries for $7-8?. It was a little pricey but I can't resist anything that has mango in the name...It had an interesting taste. The texture was similar to pumpkin pie with a tiny indian spicy kick to it. There were definitely tiny chunks of mango. I enjoyed it but don't think I would order it again. 1 slice was enough for the 3 of us to share. If you're looking for something outside of the norm, this is your place to go! It's also a super cute place. Apparently, they also host baby showers for maybe 10 people but there are no private rooms. The entire space of the bakery is pretty small so it's not idea for big groups. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Mango pie for $7-8? - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

This is my 3rd visit over the past 2 weeks - this visit was disappointing all around - visited noonish on a Saturday. Giving 2 stars for new staff that seems to be trying. The tomato soup was "oily" and overly spicy - grease bubbles floating around and lukewarm. The ambiance is dated, food racks and spice racks were almost bare (again). read more

The service here is kind and warm. I live nearby and am here regularly. Love the coffee

Lovely space and delicious eats! The Bake Lab is such a fun place to hang out or get some work done! The raves about the Chai Pie are real - but I finally tried some of their other "cakes" and WOW. The AKL Tart is tangy and so so smooth. The avocado keeps it from being too sweet (in fact, it's barely sweet) and the crust is just delicious. They also have a cheesecake (I forget the name) that is excellent! Take a break from chai, and try the other cakes! The servers are very helpful and will gladly tell you the ingredients. I tried their food for the first time and was very impressed. The Sri Lankan Hopper was full of spices and flavor! The non-veg version is packed with bacon (maybe a little too much bacon) but the crispy shell balanced out the flavor. My friend had the parsi eggs which were very different than expected. The eggs are not spicy, but it comes with a ton of different veggies and flavors. Ask the server about the dishes because the menu does not do a good job explaining what is in the dishes. The drinks are a little hit and miss for me. My friend is obsessed with their turmeric latte - which are very difficult to find in Houston. The madras coffee is disappointing - it is too sweet and too small for $4. The laal juice is good and super flavorful. read more

Pondicheri Bake Lab + Shop - Sri Lankan Hopper (non-veg) and Madras Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - Houston, Texas

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I love this cafe/bake lab/restaurant. Everyone is helpful and incredibly nice and patient. Unlike downstairs, everything is baked good oriented and quite casual. On a typical weekend, you'll find a variety of tasty savory items and unique yummy cookies and pastries. Everything is infused with delicious Indian spices and flavors. You can also order filling Indian style sandwiches (think salmon panini) and flavorful salads of the day from the regular menu. You will find nice options for gluten free and/or vegan needs, such as the lemon square. They have a delicious GF hazelnut cookie and a decadent chili pecan cookie. The atmosphere is nice casual for a bite or coffee, tea, wine, etc. or you can get takeout. There are lots of take home snacks, spices, gifts, etc. to look at. Great option for picking up some unique goodies to try or share. read more

This place was so cute! I love the atmosphere here, and the deserts were also good. We got the besan mithai and a slice of the chai pie. While the besan mithai was okay to me (I didn't prefer the sweet chickpea base), the chai pie was delicious! Ours was served with lightly flavored cardamom whipped cream and cashews, which complimented the chai pie well. I recommend visiting! read more

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