Alice Bakery & Confectionary — Restaurant in North Wales

A gem of a local business in North Wales quickly making a name for itself, Alice Bakery and Confectionary is a gourmet bakery with a special touch on everything that it makes. I first went to Alice's in October 2011 and have been going there almost every week since. It's the quality of their food and the welcoming, open atmosphere created by owner Dennis Darr and his staff that keeps me coming back for more.

I was first drawn to Alice's because of their cupcakes, which I'm always a sucker for. Their cake is always spot on: moist and semi-sweet with a light crisp on the top. And the various buttercream icings they use to top many of their cakes/cupcakes are great, always having just the right amount of sweetness and a perfect consistency (it's all about the right whip!). The aforementioned qualities are key to a great whipped icing, as too much sweetness or too firm a consistency can easily ruin any flavor, and is akin to cheap, grocery-store baked goods. Fortunately, Alice's knows this very well, and consistently delivers quality icings on all their cake products, affirming their label of "gourmet" with a capital "G".

But the cupcakes aren't the only high quality baked good Alice's has to offer. Their sticky buns are melt-in-your mouth-with-buttery-goodness delicious; same with all the other pastries and Danishes. The tarts they offer are very good as well, though I tend to stray from them in favor of the cupcakes and pastries.

As far as bread goes, I can't really comment all that much, as I really haven't sampled many of the breads they offer. What I do know is that the cheese breads and focaccia bread are outstanding (try the 3 year aged Gouda bread!).

Honestly, I've never had anything at Alice's I didn't like; Dennis and his staff really know what they're doing. What's more is that they'll work with you to create that special item you're looking for. They've made a couple unique cakes (as well as cupcakes) for me for special occasions, all of which were beautiful and delicious. Some of the cakes I've seen them make are ridiculous: the artful designs the staff is capable of creating is very impressive.

To put it simply, everything that Alice's makes is a level above almost every other bakery I've ever been to; you just don't find places like this very often. They have a great assortment of items to choose from, they use high quality ingredients, and they don't shy away from utilizing new or different ideas. Owner Dennis also offers a few different soups as well, using his professional cooking know-how to expand into other categories besides baked goods and sweets (apparently more is coming as well – salads, sandwiches, etc.). Check this place out sometime and support a great local business! You won't be...

TL; DR: must stop by for pastries and food! Just as good as some NYC and European bakeries 😊

Where do I start? In the times of covid, we took a much needed 1 week getaway from NYC and landed at a cute renovated house on Airbnb in North Wales. Our airbnb hosts recommended this spot, and we were excited to check it out! Everyone was very friendly, and Dennis the owner chatted with us for a bit about the area and menu which was nice.

We picked up some goodies and lunch during a weekday and got the grilled cheese, tomato basil soup, crunchy turkey avocado sandwich, mushroom soup, chocolate chip cookie, and a croissant. Everything was delicious, and I really loved the grilled cheese/tomato soup combo as well as the gooey cookie & flaky croissant.

I decided to put in an order for a couple days later on Saturday so that I could freeze the pastries and bring them home for some friends and family since they're not open on Sundays at the moment.

Croissants: almond, chocolate, chocolate hazelnut, salmon, anything and everything - please get at least 1 but probably more than 1 of these. Look at the photos of how crispy and layered they are! The texture is amazing, and you may have to grab some to go! They use Plugra butter (higher butterfat content) and King Arthur Flour which are both super high quality.

The gouda bread was still warm when they wrapped it up for me and was so amazing!! Perfectly aged gouda with the bread, that was one of my favorite flavors!

I'm so excited to try the crumb cake, muffins, doughsant, and chive cheddar biscuits in the freezer!! Do yourself a favor and stop by when you're in the area or whenever you want to treat yourself! Support a local business, and if you have any custom requests for the holidays, I'm sure Dennis would be able to whip up something delicious! We will definitely be back when in the area!

PS go earlier since they close early to mid afternoon or else some things will sell out. Maybe call beforehand if you're driving out for a little bit or order a...

I stopped in this morning to purchase cupcakes for a meeting my dept was having this afternoon. Ive done this several times over the years, as have my coworkers and partner. After entering, I noticed there were two people seated at a table but no staff in the front. I waited. An older gentleman showed up from the back and asked what he can get us. The others didn't say anything so I told him I just wanted some cupcakes. With attitude, he says, "ok, so how many cupcakes do you need?" I was surprised he's trying to rush me since I just stood here waiting for service instead of walking out. I said 6. "Ok, So which do you want?", he asks...again with a frustrated attitude, like im wasting his time. I told him my order. He got it wrong. I didnt say anything because I had already made up my mind I wouldn't be returning and just wanted to leave. He then quickly waves me to the register and says "come on". I guess I should have ran there. I exchanged glances with the others there waiting and it was clear we were thinking the same thing...this guy is incredibly rude. I gave him my card, he swipes it, then turns the screen around to a tip screen and says "you know what to do here," I did know, and it certainly wasn't going to be me giving a tip. He needs my card again and so he just holds out his hand for me to give it to him. He asks if I need a receipt and then says nothing. No "thank you" no "goodbye". Doesnt hand me my box. Doesnt even look at me. Nothing. The entire interaction was awkward and seemed like he thought he was doing me a favor he didnt want to do. Im just trying to buy cupcakes, dude!

A little customer service and basic human politeness goes a long way. I will be spending my money at a place where I can find that. I immediately sent a group message to my coworkers, letting them know we won't be making any future order stops at this bakery. Ive enjoyed their goods for 7 years but this experience ruined it. I would not even...