Black Walnut Bakery — Restaurant in Minneapolis

If you were to ask me what the best bakery in the Twin Cities is, I would say Black Walnut Bakery is definitely in the conversation. There are a couple other bakeries I still need to try in the area but what I tried here today was not only some of the best French pastries I have had in the state but it beats out a lot of places I have tried across the country as well.

I got up early this morning to get here right at open. Parking took a little bit of searching so I just parked a few blocks away and walked to the bakery. There was already a small line forming out the door right at open so expectations were rising. Once I got up to the counter, the variety and visual appeal of their croissants and french pastries was heavenly. Plus the prices were super reasonable! I decided to go with their seasonal rhubarb danish and a traditional kouign-amann.

Let's start with the rhubarb danish. The airiness and crunchiness of the outer ring of this danish was to die for! Each bite was better than the last and even the bottom was this golden brown and flakey masterpiece. The filling reminded me of a rhubarb jam my family makes so I was just digging everything about this danish. The cream filling hidden below the rhubarb was also subtle so it let the rhubarb shine. I actually didn’t even notice this had a cream filling until the end because I was mesmerized by everything else but then I was like duh this is a danish.

Shortly after, I bit into the traditional kouign-amann and surprise, they actually gave me one of their raspberry passion fruit kouign-amann! Since I don’t have any allergies to these fruits, I found it to be a pleasant surprise! The slight tartness from the raspberry and passion fruit filling helped balance the richness and sweetness of this pastry. It was also flakey, crunchy, and delicious in its own way. If I had to pick a favorite, it would’ve definitely gone to rhubarb danish though because everything about it was perfect.

The bakery was thoughtfully designed and it has both indoor and covered outdoor seating. The whole vibe of this place was also great and based on the chit chat around me, everyone was just as happy as I was to be enjoying these wonderful pastries on a sunny Saturday morning. I honestly can’t wait to come back here again soon and kudos to these...

The best bakery in the whole world.

As one of the best bakeries in the whole world, and one that my family has loved for years, it was a no brainer to order from them when it came to provide food for my grandma's funeral.

I remember walking in to pick up our (very large) order and realizing that I had the wrong pick up time. The pastries were far from ready. Given the grief of the day, I am confident I wasn't a pleasant customer, and I'm confident I didn't take responsibility for my mistake. And yet, rather than send me on my way, the owner and her employees took basically every pastry they had on the shelving and gave it to me, likely at the expense of their current business and their current customers. They then helped me bring my order to my car, and when I offered to help them carry some boxes, the owner told me she didn't want me to get my suit dirty. She said she was sorry for my loss and then went back inside.

The pastries were a hit, but they wouldn't have been possible without Black Walnut's kindness. This review is a thank you and an apology. Thank you for your kindness. I am sorry I was so out of it.

Given the extremely high quality of their food and taste at a more than reasonable price, Black Walnut is an extremely easy bakery to fall in love with. Coupled with their kindness and warmth, there really is no place on Earth...

What's the best bakery in the city? Black Walnut. Hand's down. I've been eating this gem's fabulous baked goods since back in the day when they were stocking Spy House Coffee.

BWB has come along ways since then and I figured it was about time I tooted their horn. I almost don't want to because they're that good!

Pastries: My go to order is the kouign amann and plain croissant. Now before you blast the plain croissant, try the one here first. I, too, was once a non-believer and naysayer to the more basic of the croissant family, but when they're done right? Beautiful, buttery, flaky yumminess. And the kouign amann is simply perfection. If they have a seasonal flavor, try it. I once had a chocolate orange one and it was chef's kiss.

They also have an assortment of breads which are equally yummy. My personal favorite is the croissant loaf. That's right, a loaf of bread made out of croissant dough! It's better than you can even imagine.

Service: Everyone who works at Black Walnut is super lovely and fun to have a little chat with while you pick up your morning coffee.

Seating: There is plenty of seating (both in and outdoors). Their patio is a MOOD during the all-too-brief Minnesota summer.

Parking: You'll find street parking either right out front on Hennepin or around the corner on...