Flour Bakery + Cafe

I love cake! more

Flour Bakery + Cafe in the South End - operated by Harvard grad Joanne Chang - serves up delicious baked goods, coffee and sandwiches. The sticky buns, featured on Food Network, are especially tasty. I have been there more times than I can recall over the past few years for lunch. It's also a good place to go to grab a coffee or order a special occasion item - such as a birthday cake. I especially enjoy the Turkey Cheddar sandwich on whole wheat focaccia. The cafe itself always seems to be cramped and very busy during the lunch period, so be prepared for a 15 minute wait if you go during peak times and don't expect to find a seat. The staff also seems to be very slow at times, often talking amongst themselves as opposed to using that time to help customers. I certainly recommend Flour, but it is important to realize that it doesn't have much competition, so it doesn't have to please every customer all the time. It is also very close to the intersection of Mass Ave. and Washington Street, which is an area still in the process of gentrification so there are usually homeless people near the entrance. Pros: excellent pastries and sandwiches Cons: cramped, busy more

I wanted to rave about Flour for a special order they handled. I contacted them to make a birthday cake for a friend and asked for an off-menu selection (red velvet). Not only did they gladly accommodate my request, their head baker personally made the cake and it turned out beautifully. It wasn't inexpensive, but ask yourself: Are there people in your life who mean enough to you that you'll order them a birthday cake, but not enough to have it done right? Didn't think so. When all was said and done, it looked so nice, we almost (but really...) didn't want to eat it. Fortunately for all, that was a mistake avoided. Everything from the lettering to the crumb to the taste was perfect. Pros: uhh... it's yummy. Cons: You might end up walking out with a couple extra pastries. more

Joanne, I love you. Your sticky sticky buns are little goo-drenched gifts from heaven. They brighten my day, and make the world a better place. The staff is always so cheerful, and every single delicious pastry screams up from the case, ""EAT ME!!"" I had a cinnamon sugar cream cheese brioche the other day... amazing. Pop tarts? Divine. Vanilla & raspberry filled doughnuts? I die a little. And if that weren't enough, the savory fare holds its own! Every single sandwich on the menu is delicious (a realtor at my office used to get them to cater broker open houses. Leftovers were a huge job perk). The breakfast egg sandwich is a delightful pillow of egg nestled with dijon, arugula, meat & cheese on a crunchy, chewy brioche bun. Good thing I don't live in the South End or I'd have Flour breakfast, lunch & dinner... with a pastry dessert after every meal. Only thing is, the coffee isn't great. You can get better espresso at a lot of places. Great hot chocolate though. Pros: Pastries, sandwiches, staff Cons: Long lines more

Yum. Overall, delicious place. The only con is that it is small and gets packed - no seating guarantees. Prices are reasonable to moderate. Pretty good pastries, got the bran muffin, a cheese danish, but their normal breads are my favorite - don't be fooled, the egg sandwich is not your typical one, it's delicious especially with bacon. the egg is super fluffy and the whole thing is packed with flavor. - smoked salmon sandwich with goat cheese on toasted bread, this was pretty good, the egg sandwich is better - raisin toast with jelly and cheese - YUM. this was recommended to my friend by the cashier and yes, she was right. Pros: great egg sandwich, good pastries Cons: small, barely any seating more

I walked into Flour and observed a small, clean, unique bakery. My purpose was to inquire and potentially order and purchase multiple full sized cakes. I first noticed three employees working behind the counter. One individual immediately dissapeared into the kitchen/prep area, the second was watching some soup being heated in some sort of oven (I wasn't really paying attention), she acknowledged me and stated, ""just a sec!"" and the third was explaiaing to a customer the different types of breads that were on display , while he was assembling a small box to place a cupcake into that the customer had selected. After watching the girl finish and hand the soup to a customer who was seated, she assisted the male employee with the customer looking at bread. After not being acknowledged for over five minutes (believe me I timed it), I decided to leave. Having previously been in the food service/hospitality industry, it is known that service is everything. At flour, on the evening that I visited, it didn't exist. I will probably visit Flour again with the hope to sample some of their food that I'm told is delicious. This review is only my personal experience regarding the service. I will honestly say that the foods on display looked delicious and the establishment smelled delicious. Two stars based solely on what I smelled and saw for food. Pros: Clean, Food looked good..... Cons: slow/no service.... more

My friend and I selected several cakes and pastries to take with us before leaving town. They had potential, but were fairly bland. Not terrible, but not that memorable either. more

I have no idea what some of the other reviews are talking about!! This place is a great little spot. The amount of people in line are proof. If the food was bad there would be ample seating but its not and the seating is limited. this is a must go to for a pastry if your in Boston!!! Pros: FOOD !!!!!!!! Cons: snotty people that write bad reviews more

felt slightly overrated as the soup/sandwich/coffee is just about what i expect at a decent place like this, but it's good regardless.\r \r the place is crowded as is, w/long order line; took us at least 20 min to finish the food-getting process, and then there's another line for the limited seating (about 25) there were! and there are people who just won't finish their very last bites (or sips) and get the heck out but instead took their sweet time chatting it up and giggling around as if they're at a fine-dining restaurant or something. yes, they have every right to do that regardless, but in my personal opinion i just thought people can use a little bit more consideration and compassion when eating at a small sandwich place like this, especially during peak-time.\r \r order out if you can, esp during peak times (weekend included).\r \r thought ms. chang started off as a pastry chef (and expect more items to that end on the menu), but all we had was just her sandwiches. have yet to try her sweet stuff. maybe next time.\r \r it's a cool place to hang--if you can find a seat first.\r :) \r Pros: good neighborhood, park right outside for a little picnic!! Cons: packed area, seat-your-self style (good lucky w/your tray of food) more

I visit Flour once or twice a week on Tues/Wed mornings. I have to say that the Cinnamon Cream Brioche, scones, Sugar Brioche Buns, quiche and soups are to die for. The service is horrible, at best. The milk/cream station for coffee is always empty and after telling staff I waited 4 minutes for someone to come out and service it and the kid doing it wiped down everything and then went in back for the milk instead of doing that first so I could get the heck out of there. It is perpetually crowded and the setup for tables and chairs isn't the greatest. If you are waiting for food to be warmed (quiche, ""hot pockets"" etc.) expect to wait at least 15 minutes, if not more and keep an eye out for your items so it doesn't sit on the counter waiting for you to ask for it. They need a better system for paying/picking up food, perhaps (this is a genius idea, really) asking for your name then yelling it out when your food is ready. The coffee is not that great and there doesn't seem to be a selection of juices. more

I used to live around the corner from Flour Bakery in the South End and it is the highlight of the neighborhood. The sandwiches are deliciously constructed: Roast beef with crispy onion pieces, Lamb with tomato chutney, all atop fluffy bread with a crispy crust. \r \r Also wonderful: the homemade oreos, the granola bar (!) with jam, the raspberry jam filled donuts, the bread pudding and the tiramisu. \r \r Yes, you may have to wait for a table, but on a nice day there's a lovely park just down the street where you can take your food to go and watch the neighborhood dogs cavort (or beg for a morsel from you). The servers are friendly and prompt, and if you visit often enough they may even get to know your name and preferences for food :). If only they'd open a location in Cambridge! Pros: Sandwiches, Service more

Oh Joanne Chang ... your prowess with everything baked is never-ending. Seriously, some of the best breads and desserts in the city. And good bread... more

Not sure why these negative reviews. The baked goods and pastries are to die for (and cry for). The sandwiches are very tasty (try the roasted lamb with tomato chutney and goat cheese), the bread is always fresh, the brioches full of flavor and the pastries are delicious. I wish the one in the South End was a bit bigger and less crowded on weekends. The one in Farnesworth Street (Forth Point Channel) is bigger.\r \r ps: I ordered my wedding cake from Flour (a carrot cake) and the guests loved it. A great alternative to traditional cakes. Pros: Great food, good coffee Cons: long lines, long wait for a table more

For $7 you can get a cup of watery soup and a ""salad"". The ""salad"" is a handful of lettuce with a side of dressing that isn't enough to cover the lettuce. I should have asked what they consider a ""salad"" to be and I should have asked for a sample of the soup. Flour is known for their desserts...and now I know why!\r Agree with other reviews that the service is slow (even the coffee)- especially at the new location. Hopefully, management takes notice and makes some changes so that they don't lose business to the local spots who have some dedicated customers. Pros: New place in the area Cons: Slow service and more expensive than other local spots. Has kids menu- if you want to pay $5 for a PB&J. more

I'm not sure what's up with some of the negative reviews, but I just ate at Flour for lunch today for the first time and it was great. I got a BLT sandwich which was to die for. The bread was grilled prefectly, it was just amazing. It was crowded since it was 12pm and a lot of the people from the hospital go there, but it was worth the 10 min wait. The only negative thing is there really is not much place to sit so you're better off getting your food to go. Pros: food Cons: Not much place to sit more

This is a cute place, but to be blunt, the food stinks and the employees stink even more. A few weekends ago, I bought a big box of mixed desserts for a party, spending almost $100. The stuff was so inedible that we threw most of it away after one bite. The pastries and desserts had no flavor and much of the texture was like sawdust. And this was even on what should have been simple stuff like brownies, much less the more complicated.\r \r If you think this place is good, you really need to get out more. Pros: Cute place Cons: Really bad food, terrible service more

No other bakery comes close. Flour has incredible pastries that you never dreamed of. Even so, I always get the almond croissant. Go. Eat. Enjoy! Pros: Yummy!!!, 'Kitchen table' Cons: Run out of goodies more

The desserts in this place are to die for. I stopped here last week to pick up a muffin...next thing you know I was buying a dozen. The desserts are fabulous...very tasty..very fresh and a wide variety to choose from. Everyone should try this place. Pros: Fresh, Variety, Tasty more

The raisin nut and sourdough rolls are to die for. They were so full of flavor and the texture was beyond compare. The cookies were masterfully done. My grilled chicken sandwich was fabulous. We (2) were lucky to find a seat quickly but some more unfortunate souls stood around eating their pastries standing up. The counter service was so hectic. We overheard several ppl say that other ppl picked up their food from the counter. Give an uncommon name when you order. The place is way too small for the amount of patrons. Makes me not want to go back and have to deal with that headache. Pros: Breads, Pastry, Sandwiches Cons: Small seating area, Chaotic counter servc more

I'm a sucker for neighborhood coffee shops and cafe's. This one is a winner!! more