My first time here passing through town. The pastry was very good but my small iced latte with two shots was weak for my taste. If I had known, I would add another shot. Espresso lovers would have to pay extra for another shot. read more

Such a cute bakery/cafe! One of my highlights on the business trip! Huge space inside with floor to ceiling windows, rustic designs/artworks hung all over the cafe. Very chill and a great place if you need to get some work done. Yummy lattes and sweets that sell out too. A gem in Des Moines IA! read more

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Smooth delicious coffee! Tasty breakfast pastries! Great atmosphere! My only complaint was that I couldn't order through Uber eats. I will definitely return, and highly recommend!! read more

Bagels, cookies and a baguette was all that permitted myself to buy. Everything looked so good, and everything we had was fantastic. Prefect fuel for the Paavo Nurmi Marathon. read more

If I lived in the DSM area, this would definitely be one of my go to coffee shops. Visiting from out of state during Covid definitely does not give me a full picture, but the glimpse Ive had, has been amazing! The bakery offers a wide variety of sweet and savory treats at fair pricing for the East Village. The ham and cheese croissant is definitely one everyone should try. And the drinks - well the lattes definitely keep me awake! I wish they would have some more food selections as I usually like to have a bigger bite if im working at a coffee shop vs continuous small pastries. I could imagine the crowd they see on a daily basis pre covid and the interior is definitely set up for it. Light, open, and airy. Not to mention the workers have all be so sweet and kind. For covid, staff and patrons are wearing masks inside, they have markers on the ground for distancing, and have specific entrance/exit doors. Although they are not open for dine in, they do have outdoor seating set up! And they use placards to distinguish which ones need cleaning. Awesome! read more

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Fanfreakintastic food, superlative service, best coffee drinks ever. And priced well. I recommend any croissant.

Is it a fabulous coffee shop or is it a delicious bakery...Scenic Route Bakery is both. Cheerful greeting as I entered and hot cup of coffee as soon as the words came out of my mouth. Bought 20 pastries for a meeting I had and everyone complimented them. Stop here and indulge! read more

My favorite environment in East Village to get work done and enjoy a scone/coffee. The blueberry scone has been a favorite of mine for years now and all of the pastries honestly (you cannot go wrong with any choice here)! The lunch menu has a great variety and healthy options which I've always appreciated. The kale salad is my favorite for lunch items! Great drip coffee as well. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Spinach salad, almond scone, and drip coffee. - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Scenic Route has become an almost regular weekly stop for us following the Saturday morning runs at Fleet Feet. I am not a coffee drinker but have discovered a favorite beverage- the Turmeric Ginger Chai Latte - very warming with a nice ginger bite. Available in three sizes - sometimes I can't resist and get the large but usually stick with the medium. Reusable mugs not available in the large size and you need to request one for the medium size. I usually don't indulge in baked treats but ran farther this morning so I had an almond scone, which was good. Nice, light and bright atmosphere with games and books available. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Turmeric Ginger Chai Latte and almond scone - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Extremely nice service. I love the variety of bakery available. The place is very cute and service is quick. The ladies were friendly and helpful in picking out a selection . read more

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

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This place is a pretty sweet place located in the East Village of Des Moines! The atmosphere is rustic and homey and yet there is a modern feel to it as well! There is plenty of space for the person who wants to get work done and a comfy lounging area for the person who is there for a chat. They make a small space feel big with the layout. And the coffee!! SO GOOD! The coffee and vibe of the atmosphere are interdependent on making this a an incredible place! read more

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Best cinnamon rolls around! Doughy and the cream cheese frosting is AMAZING. Specialty coffee drinks are alright, wouldn't be my first choice to grab a drink at, but the bakery items are great, even the mini quiches! Service is always quick and friendly. Great place to go to get some work done and sip some endless black coffee. Hate that they are closed on Sundays. Growing up, Sunday was traditionally a bakery day. read more

Randomly stopped in here after a morning haircut at Salon Spa W. This trip wasn't planned but after needing to meet someone (after my haircut) and they were going to be 30 mins late, I decided to search Yelp for a breakfast place. Scenic Route was in the next block so an easy walk, even with storms looming. Good thing I could walk because at 9:00 am on a Wednesday, all the street parking in front was full. Entering the door, I was greeted with a selection of pastries and a wall menu of drink choices. I allowed a few people to go ahead of me as I decided what I wanted. They seemed to be "regulars" as they laughed and chatted while ordering. After being very tempted to select a sweet pastry, I changed my mind and went for the Spinach & Feta Croissant. I added a Chai Tea Latte. They handed me the croissant at the cash register and instructed me to go around to the end of the counter for my tea. This seems to be a great place to do some business as a group or one-on-one. I was alone and I felt awkward looking around and seeing so many business meetings happening. I sat at a two person table along floor to ceiling windows and watched as cars and people went by while hearing business chatter. The croissant was delicious. Nice and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. The spinach and feta tasted great together. I kind of wished it was warmed but it was good nonetheless. The Chai Tea Latte was as expected. Not too hot to burn your mouth and the right amount of froth on top. The only reason I didn't give them five stars is because I had no clue if I was to clean my own table or if they did it. No one left while I was there and I noticed a small trash and dishes area at the back of the restaurant so I took my own. A worker thanked me for brining it back which made me think I wasn't supposed to? But I truly don't know if I should have or not. Oh well. Maybe I'll add this stop to all my hair appointments on purpose. read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Spinach & Feta Croissant and Small Chai Tea Latte - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I have come here a lot in the last year, so I should probably give an update! This place is still the Bees Knees and I love coming here for meetings or just to work! The atmosphere is spot on, I always see someone I know and get to catch up for a minute, the baristas are super nice and always have service with a smile! The Lattes are some of my favorite in town, and the layout is perfect for grabbing lunch, or chilling for work! They have indoor and out door seating and it's always clean.. I love this place! read more

Great spot opens at 7 am closed at 4 Have to wear mask but I'm good with that ! Croissant and latte pretty good . Staff pleasant and the surroundings a good work spot - quiet music and plenty of seating to be had . Some larger tables would be good for a meeting spot ! read more

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In Iowa for the weekend and decided to try this homestead themed bakery and I was not disappointed. I got a large lavender latte with oat milk, pictured at the bottom, and it was pretty decent. A little sweet for my liking, but regardless, I drank the whole thing. Indoor and outdoor seating provided. Staff also seemed friendly. I would definitely come again, and would like to try their bakery section as it seems like that is what they are known for! read more

Clean and Cute place with great attitudes behind the counter. The seating was nice and spaced out, so it was comfortable for everyone to unmask while seated. Wonderful natural light spilling in the big windows. No heavy music piping in, so just the bustle of other folks chilling, meeting or working. I grabbed a veggie croissant and a rosemary lemonade. Very satisfying! Oof, I should have ordered a water with it though. That lemonade was STROOONG! Now, don't get it twisted, strong lemonade is good. I'm just fat and getting older, so that heartburn was STROOOOOONGER. I had appointments that were spaced out and about a 4 hour gap with several online meetings and bits of work to accomplish in between. This place was perfect to have a relaxing environment without too many distractions. Taking the Scenic Route was definitely the right choice, thanks to fellow Yelpers who pointed me the right way! read more

Delicious mocha! Will stop again. Loved the coffee blend as it wasn't too acidic or sharp read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Delicious mocha, creamy and smooth, no acidity or sharpness. Perfect balance of sweet and coffee - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for their BAKED GOODS! YUM! Bakery 5+ ... Espresso Drinks 2. This is a tough one. Their bakery is so good that I want to give them 5 stars, but if you are planning on getting an espresso drink, get your bakery there and head elsewhere for your drink. We had a peach danish ... FANTASTIC! Even our hotel used them for their baked goods. But I had an iced latte ... and? It tasted like a weak ice coffee with tons of milk. Two sips and in the trash. read more

Coffee, pastries, oatmeal, sandwiches,... everything we've tried here proved delicious. The vibe and outdoor seating also makes this one of my favorite places to visit downtown! read more

Scenic Route Bakery - the dining area of the restaurant - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Came in on a busy Saturday morning that had a long line, but they get you through in a timely matter. Lots of bakery options, but picked over by mid morning. They have large menu boards with many drink choices, but I found it a little hard to read. I had the almond scone which was very good and not too sweet. To drink, I had an iced chai latte and it was good as well, nothing to crazy or different than other places! They have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate everyone: people working, large groups, or small gatherings. Good location in downtown DSM. read more

Great pastries and coffee. Great staff and plenty of space to work. Very convenient as well

(Just opened in the East Village!) Huge selection of fresh pastries- I loved their cinnamon roll and quiche. But they have other unique bakery items as well to try. They have lots of great seating for meetings or catching up with friends. The decor is very cool and this establishment is very clean. More soon. This biz is also on FB read more

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I've been wanting to try this place since it came to the East Village but it always has been busy when I've been in the area and thought of it. I was with my mother and we were hungry so we decided to give it a try since they seemed to have good outside seating. We came in to order and the inside seemed very clean and well decorated. There is no inside seating and there is social distancing markers placed throughout. Mask's are required. There was nobody in line at the time and since it was our first time there we took a bit to decide what to order. The lady behind the counter definitely seemed annoyed that we were standing there trying to decide. My mom was unsure if I was going to find anything to eat so she asked me if I found anything I wanted. I told her it was up to her to stay but I would order the Pesto sandwich if we ate there. Apparently that was too much for the person because she interrupted us and started to read the special that was posted by the clerk. When my mom said she didnt like black beans we just got a scoff and a "Oh really? Wow." She then started reading the main menu to her for some reason. We decided to order the Pesto Papi Sandwich and the Dany DeVito Salad w/ chicken added upon the lady's suggestion. They came out in paper/compostable containers which was good to see. The water glasses were in plastic but they had the sippy cup lids instead of straws. I didn't see anywhere to separate trash/recycle though so I guess it all goes to the same place anyway. The sandwich was hot and nicely grilled. Overall it was kind of one note as the pesto overwhelmed the tomatoes/cheese/chicken. It was good but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat it again. I did not eat the salad but upon observation it seemed like a mediocre fast food salad. Mom said it was a bit bland except for the spice and the chicken was cut so small that it was hard to find and didn't really taste of anything. Overall if I already had something to do in the east village and wanted something quick to eat I might go in again and try their baked goods as they looked really good in the case. I don't think I'd order a meal here though. I'm curious what their expresso drinks are like as well. I would have rated it a 4 but the service issues knocked it down one. read more

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I don't have any pictures because I ate that awesome almond croissant in about 2 seconds! It was so delicious and crispy and the right amount of almond paste and almonds. Mmmm! Also split a meat something and got a ham and cheese croissant! Got a breve and a macchiato. Just go! It's amazing and such a cute clean place. Is it too early for me to do a round 2 almond croissant? I'll take a picture next time. Might need an afternoon snack. read more

This is the best coffee shop in Des Moines! The impeccable customer service starts at the top with Mark and Katy and trickles down to all of the employees. Fantastic atmosphere and the best baked goods in DSM! Definitely the first place I recommend to anyone visiting DSM! read more

Scenic Route is easily my favorite coffee stop in Des Moines. It's located in a fun area of East Village with lots of cute local shops nearby. The space is super bright and airy, and has lots of tables and a cozy couch. (Though it can be really busy on a Saturday so it's a little tough to find a table at times) The coffee is great, and they have rice milk to keep your favorite drink dairy-free! And don't leave without trying one of their pastries! So. Good. I recommend the chocolate crescent. read more

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

Nice coffee and tea. Salad options for a quick bite. Spacious space to work. Closes at 4pm.

What a lovely cafe! So much beautiful natural light here, with plenty of seating and delicious goodies here! They have seasonal drinks, and this summer they are featuring a "unicorn latte". YUM you guys. What's in it? Unicorns. Ok no, but lavender. Sometimes lavender can be OVERPOWERING and it tastes like potpourri. BUT here it is perfect, and honestly, I could have done with juuuust a little bit more lavender! It was lovely and just perfectly flavored and sugared. I would say that the latte was very mild. Not too strong! I also got the morning bun! Yum! Looks like a fluffy croissant with all sorts of yummy in it. Everything looked sooo yummy in the display case!! Can't wait to go back. Awesome place! What to try: any latte! Water rating: 8/10 read more

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Love their selection of pastries! We always go here after our chiropractor appointments at East Village Chiro. The cranberry scones and blueberry muffins are hard to beat. I've also heard the cinnamon rolls are great but I haven't actually tried them yet! read more

Hello, my wife and I came for a visit today and it was phenomenal. The croissants, monkey bread, pastries etc...are the tastiest I've ever had. They have something called, " Bialy." It's a take on an egg & cheese bagel BUT This is taste buds time 10, so good. I PROMISE, you will LOVE it. I had a large Mocha coffee and it was the best tasting mocha I've ever had,Decadent even and the wife got a Large sugar free caramel, oatmeal latte. It was to die for. We are now permanent customers. The staff is very friendly and professional. read more

Very friendly staff, great coffee and even better baked goods. If you are looking for a quick coffee in the East Village this is a solid choice. read more

Wow, I really wish I could have stayed here longer. I also wish I had enough restraint to have taken a picture of the baked goods I bought before I ate them all. Scenic Route was exactly what we needed for our impromptu picnic in Des Moines! I stopped by to just pick up some quick baked goods, but was surprised to see that the bakery was packed with people inside and outside, who were all sitting, some on their computers, drinking coffee and hanging out. It looked like a great place to get some work done! I didn't need any coffee, but they had some great options. I ended up getting a box of really delicious baked goods. I went a bit overboard and got the cinnamon roll, the almond financier, the ooey-gooey lemon butter cake, and a chocolate chip cookie. The lady who helped me at the counter was extremely nice and gave good recommendations. All the baked goods were literally so amazing, but the cinnamon roll definitely won me over. It was definitely the best "room temperature" cinnamon roll I've ever had, because the cream cheese icing was really, really good! And they put a lot on the cinnamon roll, which I greatly appreciated! The rest of my family liked some of the other things, including the lemon cake, which was probably my second favorite baked good of the bunch! Overall, everything was just really, really good! read more

Since I've last visited Des Moines, there have been many-a-plenty new coffee shops in town, but this has by far got to be my absolute new favorite. The cafe is welcoming, yet spacious & minimalist. Seating is spread out and all the windows make for great natural lighting. On my first visit here, I was getting over being sick and wanted something hot. The bariata suggested the Under-The-Weather, whicg was a hot, spiced cider. Perfect and was exactly what I needed! I also got an almond croissant simply because it was the last pastry there. I had a piece of the almond croissant and to be polite, offered it to my mom when I saw her later. She ended up eating it all (dangit), and for days I couldnt stop thinking about that dang almond croissant! I went back to Scenic Route right before I had to fly back out to California and opted to try the Honey Bee this time around. Soooo good! Although lightly sweetend, the honey flavor was prominent. I can't wait to come back to Des Moines for another visit to Scenic Route with hopes of trying out more of their signature drinks...and that delicious almond croissant! Yum! read more

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

I really love the atmosphere at Scenic Route Bakery. Fresh and open with windows all around to see what is going on outside. The noise level can be a bit louder than other coffee shops, but I usually come here when I'm in the mood the be outgoing and friendly and mingle with other people. I first tried this coffee shop because I saw some of their posts on facebook of their pastries. And yes -- their pastries are top tier and to die for! Great coffee as well, the barista are very patient and friendly and can help you pick out something great to drink. An awesome place to meet up with other people or to meet someone new! read more

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Went back today to try more baked goods- black and white cookie, WOOOOWWW so soft and chewy, my new favorite cookie... & the plain croissant was also amazing! Flakey, buttery & crisp! read more

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Such a great place to relax and enjoy a simple breakfast or midday snack! I've come here numerous times over the years while shopping in the East Village, and today we wandered in mid-afternoon for a treat and caffeine booster! They're taking all COVID-19 precautions and as always, the staff is friendly and helpful in describing an item I hadn't seen before but couldn't wait to try. The patio has fantastic seating! read more

Scenic Route Bakery - Pumpkin bar and cold latte - Bakeries Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great coffee!!! Not bitter and the specialty coffees are really good. The Cuban is sweetened perfectly with brown sugar and the Honeybee has a nice amount of honey and cinnamon. Pastries look amazing even though we didn't try them this time. Also nice assortment of salads and sandwiches. read more

I'm basing my review off of take out coffee & pastries. I'm particular about coffee. I like it strong & just a touch of sweet, but it's so hard to get it right. Even lightly sweet is too sweet at most places. I got the Cuban coffee with an add shot, oat milk (they have oat and rice milk for non-dairy people) and very lightly sweetened. It was super good (maybe still just a touch too sweet but delish.) Also, I do think it would've been too weak for me with one shot, so...that's your call. We also got a cappuccino which was good and a croissant, pain au chocolat and a "monkey bread." All of the pastries were warmed up and were honestly just perfect. A croissant is a total splurge for me, so to have such a yummy one that was crispy on the outside and soft and buttery (clearly I choose where I have my dairy) in the inside, perfect for dipping into my coffee, I didn't feel the least bit regretful of my choice. Yum yum and YUM! read more

Great vibes but sadly none of the sandwiches can modified, meaning none of them are vegan. Sure, there are a few salads but I'm sure many vegans can relate when I say there are SO many more options these days for vegans than a boring salad (maybe that's a personal opinion, but I think people would stand with me). So come on scenic route, we need more things without cheese on the menu! read more