I'm updating my review because the world should know how delicious the coffee here is. For starters, I am a black coffee girl. I almost never get anything different, unless it's an americano. On a whim, I ordered the Honey Bee, which is espresso, steamed milk, honey and cinnamon. I am now ADDICTED. It's perfect for those, like me, that don't really like sweet latte drinks, but want something a bit different. I always order mine with an extra shot, because it makes it even slightly less sweet, but it's delicious either way. My bank account is a bit lighter these days (I think I had 5 Scenic Route charges last week), but I am definitely a happier person for it. Go, now, and get some coffee. You won't be disappointed. read more

I went to this lovely bakery to grab some pastries and coffee for a work meeting! The pastries were simply amazing. They have almost anything you could imagine. The little quiches were so good and fresh and the chocolate chip cookies were WOW!!! I had the Honey Bee latte and I swear if I lived closer this would be my go to coffee shop! The customer service was delightful. Everyone was so nice and helpful. read more

Great brunch destination, pastries were wonderful. The kale salad is my recommendation over any of the sandwiches! read more

This place is adorable and the food is really good, too which is always a plus. I came in during the week for lunch and man this place was busy! I ordered the Hot Piglet, which is a black forest ham, bacon, and cheddar sammie on fresh baked bread. The meat to bread ratio was pretty good and the sandwich was really good. I also ended up picking some Cuban, one of their signature drinks and a cinnamon roll which was big and so freaking good. I love the space they have also, with the nice combo of sofas and lots of dining area. Not only will I come back here but I wouldn't mind if my company catered in some food from this place either. read more

Strong selection of baked goods, decor top notch - no coffee shop this level in DSM area. Barista's are well trained and espresso drinks are done very well. Only detractor was the wait and for me no Intelligencia beans for sale -- yet. Even in busy times they will need to get better at prioritizing, staffing. Great experience and I will be back. Welcome addition to DSM. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - View of the coffee bar and barista - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Came across this place based upon outstanding reviews elsewhere on line. Bakeries need 2 things excellent coffee and baked goods, right? Coffee was flat out terrible, my wife actu tossed hers. I got a cinnamon bun to go with my coffee - it wasn't bad, it just wasn't much more than dough with cream cheese icing on top ‍. read more

The cashier was so nice and helped me choose a drink because I had never been here before. (I got a Mia with a Carmel pump) I also got a blueberry pinwheel. I'm not gonna lie though, it was so hard to choose. Every pastry looked delicious. However, I am not disappointed in my choice and would absolutely eat it again. Every day. Forever. Treat yourself!! Get a pinwheel! read more

This was my first time here and I really loved it! I ordered a specialty espresso drink called Honeybee and it was absolutely delicious. I also had a pecan sticky bun. Wowza. So so so good. I met a friend for coffee and the interior is warm and inviting, yet kitchen-kitschy and modern. I loved the openness of the place. It was nice to just sit at a window-side table and see all the people just walking their dogs after work. The barista was wonderful and she was super friendly. I hope to be back again and try their tea. read more

A wonderful coffee and tea hangout! I had a chai latte and a black and chocolate cookie. Delicious!

Great location, very clean, welcoming staff, and plenty of seating. Huge windows which were perfect for people watching in the east village. Had a Cuban - espresso, steamed milk, and brown sugar. Chocolate Chip Cookie - speaks for itself. :) Will definitely be coming back soon. Only drawback I could find is no music which I prefer vs overhearing conversations. read more

I've been back as promised, and I tried the French onion sandwich, and shared the kale salad with my son, the sandwich was delicious perfect roast beef and caramelized onions, and the homemade bread had the best crunch, winner! The salad was fresh and tasty , dressed perfectly, it could be a meal in itself. My mom had the roasted cauliflower soup , she was in heaven, I'm not a cauliflower fan but mom said it was rich and very filling, everybody knows that mother knows best! And mom took a cinnamon roll for the road, she says it was big and delicious. I've had a few cookies since also, good old chocolate chip and a dark chocolate chip, wow! Big and crispy outside and soft and gooey chips inside. Go get some! Looking forward for spring for the outside seating, great place. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - The big airy dining area - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Best croissants in DSM! Hard to find authentic ones and these hit the mark. The almond croissant is amazing and so is the chocolate almond croissant. Only thing we have ever tried there as we are addicted. Everything else looks good too. read more

Very cute place, I love the aesthetic, it's hip and fun while not being overwhelming. The sandwich I had was very good, came with chips, and was reasonably priced! I didn't try a bakery treat this time, but they looked delicious! The service was friendly and fast, and the person who took my order was very helpful when I was debating between sandwiches! read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Inside - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Awesome bakery. Stopped in for a quick breakfast. Had the Brunch special and it was delicious!! My daughter ordered the cinnamon roll and chocolate chip muffin and loved them. Not too expensive either. We would definitely come again read more

What a great place! Super fresh and tasty baked goods and awesome coffee! Friendly team working there and they even adjusted pour over to fit my 12 ounce Keep Cup. Very much appreciated attention to detail. They serve Intelligentesia coffee and feature other roasters on a rotating schedule. I was lucky to find Blueprint Coffee there on the pourover bar. I chose the Tamana from Columbia with flavors of Malted Chocolate, Fig and Currant. They also currently have their Kawa Kabuya from D.R. Congo. Definitely recommend and for sure my go to spot in Des Moines! read more

Great place for a cup of coffee and a fresh bite to eat. I think the shorter lady from Quebec really enjoys her job, and she was super informative about their Costa Rican blend. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The service was great! The coffee/unicorn latte/lavender latte was the best I've had (and those Vancouver Canada & Italian folks can do coffee). The kale salad delicious. One of the top salads I've eaten. And I know non-leafy people, I don't usually order salad. My brother actually ordered and I ate some of it. Paninis could be more unique with flavor combinations. I will be honest. Service and well blended balanced flavors are what I look for most in a place to drink & dine. I think scenic route has got a great thing going!! I love it when the background story is interesting too. Ask the owners to get a little insight. They're busy, but humble. I appreciate this too. Would most certainly return. I'd like to try more things on the menu. And I'd definitely return for the coffee/latte. And the fact that I'm supporting a dream made real. Great work!!!! read more

Atmosphere and decor are really nice. Big windows with trees outside, refurbished old wood and shipwrecked theme. I had the Cuban which was a little milky and sweet for my taste but still interesting and tasty. Kids loved exploring and reading books as we sat on couches. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is our first visit to Scenic Route Bakery. The atmosphere is great. Delicious coffee, pastries, and a wonderful ginger turmeric chai. Nice downtown corner location with large floor to ceiling windows for a great view and plenty of natural light. Plenty of on-street parking. read more

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon this new cafe. I am a vegan, so I can't always just walk in a place and find something to eat. The kale salad and ancho-chili soup both were vegan when they left off the cheese, croutons and sour cream garnish. I'm glad to report this place is both tasty and has a great atmosphere. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Kale salad and soup. - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Well, I would LOVE to tell you about the food...however, after standing at the counter for about a minute, an employee appeared to take my order of a tuna sandwich. He replied, "I am sorry but the grill closes at 3." I then replied with, "how about a salad?" He says ..."no, sorry". I walked out feeling hungry and disappointed, and as I crossed the street, pulled out my phone...it was 3:03!!! LOL read more

Scenic Route is a must visit for an delightfully delicious croissant that the flavor of which you will not normally find in our fair city of Des Moines. Staff is always friendly to me and my family. It is set in the East Village which makes it a great stop as you walk around to the shops on a beautiful afternoon! Definitely check out Scenic Route! read more

I've heard a lot of things about this place so I was dying to try it out. I came here on a Tuesday evening and I was worried that they had run out of all of their fresh baked goods but I was in luck and they still had some! First and foremost, I love the design of this place. Super clean, spacious, and since it is surrounded by glass windows, the sunlight brightens up the room. Plus, it makes it great for people watching. I was super torn about what drink to order so I ended up ordering a small latte so I could judge the quality of the espresso and steamed milk. I also ordered some carrot pound cake. My cousin ordered the double chocolate pound cake and a rosemary lemonade. The carrot pound cake was a bit dry but not overly sweet so it was a nice contrast from the double chocolate pound cake that was pretty dense and sweet. Fun fact, their monkey bread is made from the left over dough from their giant croissants. They do this so that nothing goes to waste which is awesome! Anyways, in regards to the latte, it was not the best. It tasted like steamed milk with hints of espresso. I'll have to try out their other drinks to see if they are better or worse. Luckily, the rosemary lemonade was very nice. It was pretty sweet but it was refreshing and perfect for any summer day. Despite the lack luster latte, I am excited to return to try out more of their pastries and to do work here. There is ample seating and this place is great for productivity. read more

See all

Can't wait to get a pastry. I have been three times for lunch. Everything in the bakery case looks great. I've so enjoyed my lunches, I say you can't go wrong with a bowl of the soup. The accompanying side of roasted bread they serve along with it is excellent. It is counter service. Employees are very nice and friendly. The windows are great, and even though it's always packed, there's always a table open for you. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Roasted Cauliflower soup, served with Parmesan and a hearty slice of bread - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Scenic Route Bakery has delicious coffee and pastries in a adorably, minimalistic decorated spot that makes me want to sit all day sipping my coffee and actually get work done. It's not too loud or crowded and theres plenty of seating as opposed to other coffee shops, so you can actually focus and the prices are pretty consistent with other competing coffee shops - a small mocha with tax was $3.75 roughly. My only negative is that since it's in a downtown location you have to find street parking and pay for that and most have a 3-4 hour limit which doesn't work so well when you want to sit there all day. But that is going to be the case with any business in the downtown area. read more

for the coffee, for the customer service, well just one barista and for the cleanliness and amazing atmosphere of the cafe. One bummer was their dairy-free milk (only soy) and no house made syrups (which I believe every good cafe should have). read more

Scenic Route is my go-to. They're always friendly, their food is great, and they brew up some great beverages. ProTip: try the cinnamon roles--amazing! read more

I live in the east village and it's probably my favorite place for a quick breakfast it opens right when my shift ends and is a nice way to start and end my day read more

YUM YUM YUM. Those Cinnamon Rolls are DEEEEELICIOUS&Hazelnut Latte hit the spot. If ya ever need something good and quick this is the place. GO FOR IT!!!!!. read more

I typically only get coffee before I head to a barber appointment nearby, but the occasional times I've also bought a pastry it has always been amazing. The staff has always been extremely friendly and helpful with questions about the food. read more

Long story short: I read about Scenic Route Bakery in Hillary Clintons new book "What Happened." She mentions that while traveling all over the US her top favorite bakery was this place! I went with her recommendation Honeybee Latte and I got a blueberry scone. AMAZING! I'm so mad that it took me this long to find this place! The staff was very friendly and helpful. I can't wait to come back and try other menu items over the lunch hour. I'm still sipping on my latte right now and it's truly out of this world! read more

They always nice, great place for a simple but delicious lunch. Good coffee always. I love the vibes everytime I'm there

Such a cute bakery! I love that they have a dog picture wall in the doorway. I got an assortment of cookies and was not disappointed. I hope to go back to try the cinnamon roll or monkey bread. read more

Been here a few times now and I've never been truly disappointed, but I've always never truly been wowed. They serve Intelligentsia coffee so my expectations were quite high going in there. I got the pour over and It was okay. I'd like to see them offer more roasts than the house roast and El Diablo. The pastries are pretty good as well, I've had the brownie, cinnamon rolls, and croissants. They are all very rich. Not my favorite, but I can see how they'd be liked. The service is average, nothing exceptional. Seem like decent enough people though. Overall it's pretty bang average but the location and ambiance gives a big boost. read more

I was excited to try this bakery in the East Village. From the outside, you can tell it is very spacious. When you walk in from the entrance near the counter, you are greeted by a long case full of sweets. It all looks so amazing, but upon looking at each individual pastry/sweet, nothing really caught my eye. I wanted a cinnamon roll but it looked dry in my opinion. I moved on to the drink menu-basic coffee house drinks. I ordered an iced mocha and moved to the end to wait for it. When I arrived they were not helping anyone before me, but it took about seven minutes to get my drink. I had a friend with me that kept me distracted from the unusual wait time, but otherwise that would have bugged me way more. They had a good amount of people working and I noticed they kept stopping while making people's orders to chit chat. I got my drink and sat down. There was plenty of seating and different table/lounge options-including a patio! My iced mocha was very good. It was the average price of almost $5. Overall, I would definitely recommend stopping in here for a yummy coffee drink. Hopefully they can speed up and get the drinks out faster in the future. read more

Ham and cheese scone was amazing! Wish I would have gotten two. Very cute space; great for catching up with friends, meetings or studying. The friendly staff was knowledgeable and helpful. Will go again! read more

I stopped in here for a light lunch. Tried the potato soup and it came with the most delicious bread! Service was quick and kind

New to the Des Moines area and decided to explore downtown a bit since it's a gorgeous 70 degrees on this February 22nd. Thought I'd get a local coffee and read a book on the hill of the capital building. I asked a local, as I've found this is the best way, and stumbled into this coffee shop around 3pm. Clean, not to busy, nice menu, so far so good. I had one person in front of me and they were done ordering. I stepped to the counter and said, "hi" to the girl. Nothing back, so I figured she must not have heard me. I stood at the counter, 2 feet away and said, "hi". Nothing. She just stared at me with the warm presence rivaled only by a Dementor of Azkaban. Blown away, this now was a challenge. I just stared straight at her with a smile of disbelief and stated, "HI"! once more. I can only assume she realized this would go on for hours and finally gave a dry "hi" back. She made my vanilla latte and put it on the counter. I don't know if it's their "thing" or not, but she didn't bother to put the sleeve or lid on (at least she didn't spit in it). I picked it up and walked to the door, fingers crossed for a "thanks", "goodbye", or "come again", but nada. Tired from the "pre-drink dance" I didn't feel up to a round two. Coffee was good, but where's that Midwest friendly customer service? I was even wearing my good shirt today! Starbucks may be a corporate fat-cat, but at least they act like they appreciate your business. Will be checking out the coffee & book shop around the corner next time, hoping they'll throw in a free "hello" with my order... read more

Scenic Route Bakery - How can you not smile at my "good shirt" on a sunny 70 degree day in Feb?!? - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Didn't try the coffee, but the tea was great. Also, the soup of the day and bread were both excellent. The place was busy on a Saturday, and got a bit full/loud, but it was a good environment for a bite, drink, and some work. read more

I had upside sandwich roast beef Swiss and coke slaw. Wow just wow. Best sandwich I've had in forever read more