Red Bench Bakery — Restaurant in Excelsior

As true to Paris pastry and bread as you will get in the US. I see other reviews of ppl saying the bread and pastry is overbaked; this crispness is what true French bakers hope to achieve! The breakfast pastry is delicious. My favorite is the almond croissant, which has a little bit of orange blossom water added. The orange blossom water pairs so nicely with the marzipan. A real treat and so delicious with a cup of coffee. The pastry they call the Swedish is a lovely cardamom spiced brioche dough made with olive oil and filled with marzipan, then lightly coated in cardamom sugar. This is always fantastic; also amazing with a cup of coffee. There is a daily offering of a filled brioche. Whatever the flavor, it's always delicious. I certainly don't miss donuts when I can have a filled brioche. The cream fillings are so rich and you can really taste the freshness of the dairy and butter fat in the filling. This is certainly NOT a factory produced, hydrogenated oil donut filling piped into the brioche. There is also a daily offering of a breakfast danish; sometimes savory, sometimes fruit filling. The pastry is so light and buttery on these danishes.

The breads are true to a French boulangerie. Artisan style breads with a crisp crust and tender, yet chewy crumb on the inside. I find it hard to not eat an entire baguette. As for the cookies; I've had every flavor and I can't decide which one I like best. Just know, you're going to love the cookies too.

Lunches at Red Bench are so, so good. Fresh breads and ingredients in the sandwiches, salads and soups. Quite possibly the best sandwich in the entire state of MN. The seasonal grain salads are so flavorful.

I love the decor- clean lines, and warm natural tones. It reminds me of small bakeries I've visited in California and Boston. The service is efficient and everyone behind the counters are always warm, friendly...

Finally made it there and I was pleasantly surprised! I ordered a chocolate chip cookie (so good), blueberry scone (👍🏻), ham sandwich (on an incredible olive bread and with a delectable spread - didn’t realize the pickles were sweet, could’ve done without those and maybe some leafy, crunchy greens on the sandwich instead), spiced apple cider (absolutely delicious!), and, finally, the surprise and last-second decision, the specialty danish (AMAZING - I can’t quite remember what flavor...it had a brown center, maple and/or brown sugar with cheese? I wish I could remember! I rarely go for a danish but I am so glad I did and am bummed the flavors change daily because I would like to go back for more of that one, specifically, along with a cider...and maybe another chocolate chip cookie...ASAP).

I think one of the reasons I was skeptical (and ultimately surprised) is the blue/white LED light bulbs they chose. Like others described the ambiance, those lights make the place feel cold, sterile, and uninviting. The light fixtures are fun/fit with the design so just changing the light bulbs would make a huge difference in improving the ambiance, making it warm and inviting. Might need to add a few recess lights or floor lamps or something, too, because it is rather dark. I don’t know if it just feels dark because of the light bulbs or if there does need to be more light.

One star knocked off for the fact that the pickles weren’t specified as sweet (only specification is that they are “house-made”) and for the light bulbs; otherwise, delicious! I’ll...

Red Bench Bakery is an ideal drop-in place for breakfast, lunch, or a refreshing snack. It adds a lot to our downtown Excelsior, MN.

It is a charming little café for dining in with a friend or neighbor; it also has a pleasant street-side patio for dining during warmer months. Often, it is easy to buy a scone and coffee and enjoy them on the bench just outside the door. Dogs on a lease are welcome on the patio.

We’ve enjoyed several varieties of pastries, cookies, scones (my favorite is the Blueberry Scone), and cinnamon rolls – sometimes to go. Their selection of Artisan breads is the best around. Actually, they fill many pick-up orders for local families and businesses. Today, the daily offering of a filled brioche was raspberry. However, all the flavors are consistently delicious. The kids won’t miss having a donut, but I think the filled brioches are ideal for adults.

I also recommend both the Chicken Salad, Tuna Salad, Vegetable Quiche, and Ratatouille Quiche. The soups and salads taste just-made with the freshest ingredients. We always love the street baguette. For certain meals, the Cardamon Bread is flavorful and has an amazing crust! You’ll find an excellent range of coffee, tea, and cold beverages. And they have fantastic ice cream to go.

The staff is friendly and kind, even when super busy. They always extend a warm welcome! It is a small space, but they really offer great products. The décor is warm natural tones and feels a bit like places we’ve enjoyed in Europe. It’s definitely...