I visited Continental Bakery for the first time this morning just before 8 am. When I walked in, I was greeted immediately. I told the workers it was my first time, and they were patient as I decided what I wanted to order. I was shocked when I saw the kardemummabular (cardamom buns). My mom is Swedish and it is rare to come across our cultural foods in the States, especially in the South. It was very nostalgic and did not disappoint. I also tried the Nutella croissant, which was scrumptious. I had initially planned to stay and do some schoolwork for a little while, but there was no indoor seating and it was raining outside. Nevertheless, my first visit was a great experience and I will be back for more goodies. read more

The Continental Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I couldn't quite swing a 5 Star review because the ordering process is just too painful here and the staff has zero clue who is ordering what, who's waiting for what, and who's food is going to whom. It's sad really. All that said, the bagels and baked goods are quite delicious. The bread is divine and the coffee isn't horrible. Parking can get tricky on business weekend mornings so be prepared to loop around for street parking sometimes more than once. read more

I LOVE this bakery. The warm atmosphere and delicious baked goods are unmatched! Go check it out.

I usually write serious reviews about atmosphere and service and I'll still mention those things but my experience with the quality of food I received here will be, in no way, serious because of how this place's bread seduced me. First off lemme knock out the normal stuff. 1. This place is very cozy and evokes European countryside. 2. The staff was incredibly helpful because I've never been to a local bakery. Just places like Panera or Edgar's. Both of which, to me, fall flat in some areas. I had a simple question about prices of loaves (or boules) which was thoroughly answered quickly. Okay. Here's the main part. I bought French sandwich bread (and an old-fashioned cinnamon roll and a hibiscus high-C tea both of which were delicious but not the star of the show). My thought on the drive home was that I was gonna make a super tasty breakfast sandwich with this bread but the thing was it was the middle of the day so I'd have to wait. When I got home I had to taste the bread because I never had fresh bread before and basically I ate half the loaf in one sitting. That's how good this bread is. I didn't put anything on it. I was just content to sit there and eat plain bread. Now I'm sure it's a simple task to make a loaf of bread but I don't have the patience or know-how for that. And I'm also sure that making a more than decent loaf of bread is harder than it sounds. Then the next day instead of buying stuff for a breakfast sandwich I wound up eating most of the other half of the bread over the course of the day (again, just plain) and then toasted the last 2 slices and spread some butter on them. So, basically what I'm saying is that the bread was so good that I forgot to do what I wanted to do with it. I look forward to going back and getting some pastries and more bread. read more

I don't visit the bakery that often because most of the time I do they are out of the item I go to buy. They are frequently out of the French Baguettes, even when it's still early in the morning. WHY? Why not bake more of the item that sells out first thing every morning? I find that many of the servers are not friendly, polite or very helpful. In fact, they seem irritated to assist you. This has been the case mainly with the female workers. The few male servers have been much nicer. read more

Going to Continental was fantastic. The atmosphere is calming, and the food is delicious. I don't like many bakeries because I am not a big fan of sweets, but I was able to find many good options here. I ordered a bran muffin and a plain hot latte. The muffin was amazing, not overly sweet, and it didn't leave me feeling sluggish or overfull. I have also gotten their croissants and sourdough bread in the past, which are incredibly good. The latte was a little weak for my taste, but I still drank the whole thing so... take that for what you will! And, given that this is a bakery and not a coffee shop, I think the staff does a really good job of getting drinks out quickly. They were also very nice, and kept their cool during the morning rush. I paid about 9 dollars after tipping, which is incredibly reasonable compared to other places in the area where a latte alone can be nearly as much. There is no indoor seating, but I adore their relaxed outdoor setup. Overall, I highly recommend trying this place out! read more

This used to be one of my favorites because of the wonderful coffee and yummy vegan pastries. I've heard the coffee has changed. I know longer like (at least when cold or rainy) because they no longer have inside seating. read more

My favorite Saturdays start with a walk to Continental for coffee and a bagel or pastry. The line is out the door, but dont let that scare you aware. It moves quickly and it is always worth it. Everything I've eaten there is incredible---almond croissants, ham&cheese croissant, everything bagel with cream cheese. You cant go wrong. read more

The place was spotless from the entrance to the kitchen window. I ordered a slice of coffee sponge cake and a matcha latte. The cake was light, fluffy, and not overly sweet just how I like it. Utensils were individually wrapped and the cup had a clean lid. I also noticed staff changing gloves between every order. You don't see that level of hygiene everywhere. read more

Such a huge variety of baked goods from patisserie staples to breads to cakes and pies all put together is such a pretty location along with kind service. My favorite classical bakery in the city! read more

Cool decor--every corner is photo-worthy. Ordered a cappuccino; silky foam and bold coffee flavor!. Sipped, relaxed, and forgot all deadlines.! read more

Nothing smells better than walking into this place! Must try any of the croissants. Have never been disappointed with the pastries here!

Ambience was very nice. Friendly customer service. Was not really impressed by the pastries we chose. We got strawberry & cream cheese crescents. You could tell the crescent was homemade, but it was dry, very crumbly and the filling was what tasted to me like strawberry jelly with a little cream cheese. Nothing to write home about. Coffee was so bitter we threw it away. Couldn't drink it. Maybe we just didn't make the right choice. I really wanted to love this place. read more

The bread is amazing!! I love the coffees!! The chocolate torte and buttermilk pie are my very favorites!!! Actually, everything is DELICIOUS!!! read more

Why have I waited so long to stop here? I pass it when I go to the Vulcan trail 3-4 times a week. Well today (Sunday) I stopped since there were plenty of parking spaces out front. Was surprised they were open on Sunday afternoons. I figured the selection would be limited boy was I so wrong. When I walked in I was absolutely amazed by the selection. There is such a variety of desserts and breads. I was so disappointed that I didn't need bread. After ogling everything I settled for a butter croissant, pain au chocolate, and two chocolate dipped shortbreads. The pain au chocolate was amazingly delicious. I'll have to get back to you on the rest. There are definitely future stops at Continental. Probably will have to increase the number and lengths of my walks! read more

The Continental Bakery - Pain au chocolate, butter croissant & chocolate dipped shortbread - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

This is such a lovely little bakery. They have seating outside but it's mostly walk and go carry out type of place. Pros: they have coffee, fresh desserts, pastries, bread, ready made sandwiches, grab & go lunches and tons of other confectioneries. Costumer service is excellent when they're not busy. Cons: stays super busy, you will have to wait in line, it's pricey, parking isn't plentiful so you have to park a bit away and unless you're near Mountain Brook or are going there I personally wouldn't go out of my way to come here. At the end of the day it's a pretty standard but good bakery. But Starbucks, Seed's & O Henry's have similar menus. The stand out items are definitely their cakes and the fact you place special orders though! Tips: ask them to heat up your pastry. They have a walkthrough order window for those who want to avoid going inside. Make sure to wear your mask if you go in. They have a cute sign outside letting you know it isn't optional which I personally love & respect. My sister comes here weekly. She took me on a Sunday and I got the chocolate croissant and small coffee. It was about $7. read more

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Not only is their food incredible, but the staff are always awesome. The lines can get long if you don't get there early, and people don't generally know that there's a "system" once you get inside which can stagger the wait time a bit. Overall it's a good vibe! read more

I really enjoyed my first visit to The Continental Bakery! They recently just reopened in wake of Covid 19- currently only allowing 5 customers in at a time. This is a really cute , quaint little place they offers coffees , breads and an array of amazing desserts! It was really hard to decide what to get . After much thought, I went with a peanut butter cookie , a sugar cookie in the shape of the great state of Alabama and an Apple cinnamon scone. I really enjoyed the cookies; the scone wasn't for me but my mom enjoyed it. The baked goods are extremely fresh and displayed so nicely. The only downside is how low the lights are inside the bakery. It was a little difficult to see but I still had a great experience here. I will definitely visit again , real soon! read more

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This has become one of my all time favorite bakeries! It's a darling store front, has great customer service, and pastries that are delicious as well as beautiful. My favorites so far, are the shortbread iced cookies and the French Love cookies. They go perfectly well with the mocha that I think is the best mocha I've drank in a while. The drink is not too sweet; it has the perfect amount of dark chocolate. On my future visits, I'll try the breads and croissants, as they look great too! read more

The Continental Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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I go to the Continental Bakery at least once a week for Wild Yeast Sourdough bread, half a round, sandwiched sliced. It's a small packed little bakery like you would experience in Europe, filled with pastries, breads, coffee and bagels. The staff are very helpful n a bit "unique". The bakery itself does not have indoor seating, but does have plenty of outdoor tables for enjoying your selections. read more

Great service, lovely atmosphere & delicious fresh food! I got the iced cinnamon roll read more

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My daughter and I have been dropping by after school about once a week and I've noticed that they are offering slices from their regular-sized tarts and individual tarts in several flavors in their cooler. I grabbed the mushroom tart and it was pretty good. Their Saltine Crackers are the best! read more

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Excellent baked goods. Great staff. Had the cardamom bun and sausage scone. Both excellent.

My vegan friends were in town and had heard good things about this place so we went, late on a Saturday morning. The line wrapped around the entire store but it moved fast and people were very polite. (Plus it gave us extra time to scope out the goodies.) I had a totally decadent croissant and they both enjoyed their vegan selections. The interior reminds me of an old country store and there is seating outside. Luckily even though it was December we were quite comfortable outdoors. read more

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Love, love alot of treats here- shortbread cookies, cakes , pecan pie, Truffles, croissants, cream cheese and olive spread, french bread, coffee, scones and so much more!! read more

Amazing I will becoming back, I ordered the strawberry and creme croissant, it was flavorful and so delicious. I also ordered the chocolate pastry it was also full of flavor and delicious also. But my company ordered the almond croissant it was not as flavorful but still good with the cinnamon roll it was a little taugh but ful of flavor. We ordered the French baguette and the tomato baisl bre baguette both were a Ummmumm delicious read more

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I go here fairly often, and it's solid. Service is nice, food is fantastic. They can be crowded or sell out, but that typically just speaks to the quality of their products! read more

Per my friend's recommendation, I pre-ordered an apple pie from here for a birthday gift and I was not disappointed! I'm not a big sweets person so I can't speak for their regular pastries but the pie was delicious! I called ahead a few days (Monday for Thursday afternoon pick-up) and it was packed/ready for me when I got there. I was expecting a hefty price tag, but all things considered, it was pretty reasonable: $32-34ish for the pie. And the recipient of said pie very much enjoyed it so that was a win win all around :) Staff were very friendly and professional and I'll be coming here for any of my delicious pastry needs in the future. read more

The Continental Bakery - Apple pie :) - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Authentic bakery with ALL homemade treats. You cannot go wrong by stopping by for a fresh loaf of bread or one of many delicious pastries, bagels or cakes. They also have lunch options and seating outdoors with pretty views. Too many choices not a bad problem to have. read more

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Great bakery in Mountinbrook next door to Chez Lulu Restaurant, an outstanding French restaurant.

Everything one could want out of a traditional bakery! Great selection, great taste, and great service! The only thing I can complain about are the calories, but if you are counting those you best not visit. I had a Ham and Cheese Croissant. It was butter-laden & fantastic! My wife had an old fashioned Oatmeal Cream Pie and a lemon bar. I'll put it this way...I didn't even get to try a bite of the lemon bar because it was gone! We will come back when we visit Birmingham again...this was a welcome treat. One Ham & Cheese Croissant, a Lemon Bar, one Oatmeal Cream Pie, and (2) Martinelli Apple Juices, plus tax was $18. A little expensive, but I knew what I was getting into. read more

Recently treated myself and friends to a loaf of the organic sourdough. As always, it was wonderful. I could've stayed there gazing at pastry and confections all morning, (everything was flawless) but I knew I'd better leave before my waning will power left me. Continental's been a Birmingham landmark for decades now; and it seems to just keep getting better. read more

Shortbread- Outstanding. Almond croissant- acceptable. Cranberry orange scone- yummy. Everything bagel with cream cheese. Toasted- oh yes. Raspberry cream cheese croissant- delish. Quaint shop with wooden door. An active outdoor patio. Friendly, welcoming, helpful staff. Solid coffees. Just toooooo many options for the three of us to choose from, so we will simply have to return! read more

Going here made me feel like I was in Kiki's Delivery Service, so quaint and cute. I enjoyed the baguette (which is vegan friendly), and their vegan strawberry lemon muffins very much.. but what really blew me away was their snickerdoodle cookie, though! I got one plus a oatmeal, chocolate and walnut cookie. I have never been a fan of snickerdoodles, and thought I would love the oatmeal, but it was actually the opposite. I found the oat cookie a bit dry, but I adored their snickerdoodle cookie, beautifully crisp on the outside and moist on the inside with a hint of coconut (probably coconut oil?) I wish I lived near by so I could order those and the muffins by the dozen. My dad wasn't a big fan of their soups so I might pass on those, but everything else seems lovely. read more

The coffee was really good. We purchased an iced latte and a hot latte. Other standouts were the Italian wedding cookie and the Belgian chocolate truffle. Service was friendly and quick. Hard to decide with so many pretty temptations. The place is tiny with two tables outside. Most of their business seems to be to go. You will be happy buying a coffee here. Their cheesecakes looked incredible. And the almond biscotti is almost more like a marzipan biscotti. Still has that crunch you want in a biscotti but a little sweeter and with a chewiness to it. read more

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While the employs were nice. It smelled nothing like a bakery and the pastries I got were SO DRY. HOW do you make a muffin SO dry? Why are the croissants tasting refrigerated and STALE? The torte I got? DRY. $23 for it to taste like a sugar free brownie covered in cigarette smoke. I was and am SO disappointed. More of a hippie kinda place to go just to say you went I guess. But $50 for some dry as hell pastries (4 mind you) I will never again. read more

Hands down, best bakery in Birmingham! My favorites include the Apple galette pastry, ham and cheese croissant, and their iced vanilla latte. The baked goods and the overall theme of the bakery make me feel like I am in France for a moment. I'm excited to also try their pies I ordered for Thanksgiving! read more

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The Continental Bakery is a real gem! Tucked next to Chez Lulu in Mountain Brook, this French style bakery offers locals some international flair. You can find a great variety of tasty treats here. From crusty loaves of artisan bread to sweet treats such as macaroons and tarts, there's something for everyone! In the cooler, you can also find a variety of olives, salads, soups, and tarts from next door Chez Lulu. The staff is always friendly and knowledgeable and I always leave happy with my experience. Definitely stop by for a visit!! read more

Absolutely stunning bake cases with so many options to choose from. Grabbed a fresh Nutella croissant and a loaf of sourdough for guests coming to town. They will even slice it for you--and you can choose from 1/4 to 1/2 of the large round loaves if you're looking to buy a smaller portion. Lovely place to sit outside and sip coffee and enjoy the village. read more

The Continental Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Came here for the second time today, and was sadly a little disappointed. After traveling through Europe this past summer, my husband and I were craving some croissants. We'd been here once and enjoyed our experience. When we went today, we bought 2 Nutella croissants and 2 macarons. All 4 items we bought were seriously over cooked and we paid nearly $20 for it All in all, if I'm paying $20 for some pastries I expect them to be nearly perfect. We would come back again, but definitely disappointed this time around. read more