Not that they need my review because they will be awesome whether or not I write this but ... If…read moreyou can't get to Bova's on the North End for cannolis, these guys do a pretty damn good job. Wholeheartedly recommend them for cannolis. I have tried their other desserts, but hands down the go-to dessert here are the cannolis (and I have had all the flavors - favorite, pistachio). I like that they have the mini ones. And of course the staff people are a delight and are always able to direct you and advise on the other desserts they have there.

Place is great. Everything a fat man could want. From cookies to cannolis. Pizza and Italian bread…read more Mousse bowls, full size cakes. Pieces of cake. Cheesecakes....you get the point. Can't go wrong with whatever you choose.

Highland street location: 1. Tried one of the summer…read morespecials "tiramisu latte" with oatmilk and it was delicious and a reasonable price ($7.55). 2. Great gluten-free options. I tried the gluten free chocolate chip cookie and it was a good portion, soft and had lots of chocolate chips, also at a reasonable price ($4.82) 3. Very friendly staff and lots of options for both drinks and food 4. Lots of seating and has a bar to add in any sugar or toppings on your drink. Great place to study or sit on your laptop! 5. Parking was a little tricky as you can only park on one side of the street but didn't take long to get a spot right in front of the cafe!

Inviting space with a long showcase of treats in several categories, plenty of roomy tables, and a…read morelarge communal table. -- Muffins: I consider their blueberry muffin one of my favorites in Massachusetts, if not my #1. It's got just the right mix of bounce, density, and butteriness, without being too greasy. Big, fresh blueberries (not the shriveled kind). Plenty of crumbly streusel on top for extra taste and texture. Their mixed berry has multiple fruit presence and more of it, minus the streusel. Also very good. Sometimes the muffins are warm. Sometimes a little long in the tooth. -- Cakes: That's their claim to fame, and for good reason. They're more expensive than most, but so dense, rich, and heavy that a small slice goes a long way. My favorite is the chocolate raspberry decadence (pool of raspberry atop a deep, dark chocolate frosting). Or maybe the strawberry snowflake, which is like the best strawberry shortcake you ever had. -- Cupcakes: These often feature some of the same ingredients as the cakes, such as that killer chocolate ganache. Great for the toppings and fillings, though the cake part (especially if chocolate base) is often dry. -- Cookies: Noticeably less impressive, EXCEPT for the Linzer heart. Great flavor and texture in the raspberry and shortbread. -- Coffee: Good stuff. Not elite, but good, in heavy mugs with good feel. Service is a little lacking. Not so much because of rudeness, but because they're perpetually understaffed for the amount of business they do.

This bakery reminds me of the bakeries I used to patronize decades ago. It's an old school bakery…read morewith the sights and smells that fondly reminded me of so many pleasant excursions to bakeries from my childhood. The cases and shelves are fully stocked with cookies and breads, and off to one corner sits a refrigerated cased with Apple Tarts that seem to be beckoning. I was unsure if the tart was made at the bakery due to the packaging and label. But it looked good, so I grabbed them to go. I thought the tarts were delicious, not overly sweet with a nice texture. I'd look forward to eating these again. Alas there were no French Eclairs, my perennial favorite, and there could be a greater selection of pastries. That said, this is a great local spot to score some fresh bread or tasty treats!

So disappointed. Aren't they suppose to list things as day (or older) old??!!! I bought a dozen…read moreponchi/doughnuts- SO stale. Worse I brought them to a friends house and so dry and noticeably OLD- not fresh we had to throw them out

That's don't impress me much!…read more That's the feeling I have. Queens Cup has been on my list for about 3 years. I admit, I am weak for frosting so I figured this had to be a win for me. Good location, tough parking if you can't get in their small lot and good luck scoring a table (i think there were only 2!) But that's not the reason for disappointment. It's the product. Magic cookie bars are one of my favorite sweet treats so I had to buy one (at a high cost of $7!) It's heavy and dense but the flavor... the crust was inconsistent. Too thick and too think at points. The taste... it tastes like an M&M (with a slight hint of coconut.) I could have saved myself a lot of money just buying a bag of M&M's. But I don't like M&M's! See the problem? (And there were small M&M's on the top which is ok but it was overpowering.) I also had to try something cupcake related right? My daughter got a huge slice of funfetti cake. I had one layer of the cake. I can share the frosting was thick and dense. I like it sweet and melts in my mouth. Thus was not that. The cake itself was dense too. I was my cake fluffy. Overall I was let down and Queens Cup is off the return list.

Updating my review to reflect the continued lack of gluten-free offerings. And the few offerings…read moreavailable are usually also vegan. Since they've redesigned the space (years ago at this point), I have not been thrilled with a visit here. It's not bad, but I will no longer go out of my way to go here.

We recently hosted our engagement party at BirchTree and truly could not have imagined a better…read moreexperience. My fiancé and I had been having a lot of trouble finding a venue that could host our crowd at a reasonable price, so we were beyond thrilled when Birchtree not only accommodated our 60 guests beautifully, but we actually ended up under budget. From start to finish, the service was phenomenal. The team was genuinely invested in making sure our night was perfect. They went above and beyond in every way and more than accommodated anything we needed. We had an outpouring of texts the next day from our guests. So many people let us know how beautiful the venue was and how wonderful of a time they had. The space itself truly showed a refined elegance which was the perfect kickoff to our wedding season. If you're thinking about working with BirchTree, Jayne, Caitlin, and the entire staff we're incredibly organized and attentive to detail, helping us set up, pack up, and even ensured all guests had clean tables, fresh drinks, and the bar staff recommended really unique cocktails & mocktails! We are so grateful to the entire BirchTree team, especially Jayne and Caitlin for helping us set the tone for our wedding. We would absolutely recommend having an event here - you will be in the best hands!

To paraphrase Charles Dickens and also Mary Kate and Ashley, was not the best of times, it was also…read morenot the worst of times. This was the very definition of fine. Space was nice and airy, art was cute, food was solidly mediocre. Everything was missing out on seasoning, except the tomato soup. The soup was solid. Bathrooms were quite dirty. The food cost too much.

What I love: consistently delicious food in every changing and interesting flavors! Local business…read moreowned by local people! Frequent inclusion of butterscotch chips, a slept-on flavor! Cool higher end culinary items for purchase and some other weird but welcome items like handmade soap! Good community posting board! Chill vibes and surly baristas that make you feel like you're in a bigger city! What I don't love: there are never signs telling what the baked items are, so you literally have to ask one by one at every visit- as does every single person in line. It makes me feel guilty for the people behind me and I often rush before fully exploring my options. This is made worse when I bring my small indecisive child, so I go elsewhere when I have him with me. Also- 90% of the time that I have asked, the attending barista isn't certain what the baked items are and says something like "I think that one is an apricot and cheese danish. Or cheese and some fruit. I'm not positive." At Crust's prices, I'd like to know what I'm buying and I would appreciate time to make a decision. Why won't you tell us what your yummy pastries are?? Lastly- the automatic tipping options are so high (this is coming from someone who never tips below 20%) that it makes me wonder if you're paying your employees appropriately, or expecting tips to make up the difference. If you were to change one thing and one thing only from this feedback, PLEASE consider labeling your baked goods! I truly cannot think of a good reason why not to.

This place is adorable. We stopped in for some quick snacks and coffee. Great latte with multiple…read moremilk alternatives offered. Friendly staff and comfortable seating options. We enjoyed the baguette and sour dough bread but the apple cider donut wasn't our favorite. Would definitely go back.

Pretty Good Sandwiches- Expected More…read more I've always enjoyed the bakery items at Giovanni's and was eager to try a deli sandwich. What better way to start at an Italian bakery than an Italian grinder. To start they bake their own bread and coat the inside with a house special basil sauce. Layers of salami, prosciutto and ham were tucked alongside the lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, banana hots and provolone cheese. Sandwich was good, but I wish the bread was more crispy. Nice family owned joint, but if you walk in you think you'll going to have an amazing sub, and the sandwich is just good. Not great. Thanks

Food was great and they give you a lot. Employees were friendly, was able to call in to order ahead…read moreof time

My fiance and I were trying out local bakeries to determine which one would suit us best to make…read moreour wedding cake. I loved what I saw from street view already, being someone who loves quaint homeyness over hoity-toity pretentiousness, but upon walking in I almost knew immediately this would be the spot. It's a lovely little bakery, in a very quiet part of Worcester, and I felt invited in by the staff upon entering. Mara knew who we were, sat us down and provided excellent samples on a platter and discussed our favorite colors, ideas, etc. during our consultation. By the time she finished, my fiance looked at me and we exchanged the decision that we were going with On The Rise. Now, it's a way's off before I'll see what our wedding cake turns out to be, but the samples we tried were wonder, the presentation was beautiful, the service was excellent, and I love knowing I'm supporting a truly local staple. (If I remember, I'll update this after the wedding!)

I'm hesitant to write this review because this is a best kept secret in Tatnuck! But yet... support…read morethis local business! I cannot speak for their catering business, but I highly recommend stopping by for a coffee and a pastry or sandwich! Prices are on point and the quaint space has a relaxing atmosphere. The owners will be there working hard and the service can't be beat. Low visibility, limited hours, and street parking but well worth stopping in.

My wife and I bought our wedding cake from Gerardo's. It was amazing! The cake was amazing and the…read morestaff were very helpful and eager to help!

I have been ordering cake for my daughter's birthday for over 3 years and noticed customer service…read moreand quality went down a lot. The frosting on the cake was so bitter that no one ate it at all! In addition, when I came to pick it up, they were just finishing the cake up and did not let it rest! When we started cutting it at the bday party, the cake was basically falling apart. I never had such a bad experience anywhere. I paid over $130 for the cake to end up throwing all frosting away. I called the same day and asked why frosting was so bitter, like metal taste, and at first, they hang up on me, and when I called back they said its because the color of frosting was red color! What a non sense excuse! They just added so much dye that it was impossible to eat!! It stained everything and I could still taste bitterness 2 hours after eating it. Also, sensative individuals could have gotten sick from it! You would think their bakers would try it first when they prepare mixture. I will definitely not going back again ever. Please be careful! In addition, they didn't put my decorations I brought for the cake a week before. Bunch of new people and bakers probably with no experience, but charging the same money. I would rather order from a grocery store next time for half a price and better quality.

My husband and I wanted to support small-businesses and stay as local as possible for our wedding…read morecelebration. We therefore got our wedding cake from Sweet Melissa and not only did Melissa implement my vision perfectly, the cake was beautiful, delicious, and reasonably priced. My mom was even able to order some color-your-own cookies for the kids to enjoy while we adults visited. Since we were a small party, I was not sure how much cake to buy. Melissa was wonderful and counseled us on how much we needed. Though we perhaps could have gotten even less, I am not about to complain! Who would complain about too much cake?!? Thank you so much Melissa! If whoever is reading this is looking for a small-business to support, pick Sweet Melissa. You won't be disappointed!

We just received a delivery and it was packaged in such a creative way…read morewe tried the Woopie Pies right away, Delicious, nice and moist and chocolaty, so good we also got cookies and cupcakes that looked beautiful, can't wait to try them i would definitely recommend this bakery!