Bredenbeck's Bakery — Restaurant in Philadelphia

8/26/25: I have been buying cakes and various pastries from BREDENBECK’s for 20 years. It used to be I could not say enough great things about them. Birthday cakes and Shadow cakes were a favorite. I’ve ordered more of each than I have fingers and toes to count. We moved out of the area a couple of years ago and my son was hounding me for a BREDENBECK’s birthday cakes. So I made a special trip back to the area and while ordering the birthday cake during a phone call a week prior, I decided to order a Shadow cake. I sensed something was wrong when the girl taking the order had no idea what a shadow cake was. Keep in mind that this is a cake that was ALWAYS kept in the case for purchase. I passed it off to her, perhaps, being a new employee. I was looking forward to just being back inside the bakery with its many cakes on display that were always nothing short of artwork, and seeing the cakes in the window display and the racks of pre-wrapped cookies by the dozens in their colorful cellophane, displayed on the left as you walk in. When I walked in it felt like I walked into a discount, low end bakery. No “artwork” cakes could be seen. The case of ready-for-purchase cakes were super tiny and decorated like something you’d see in an Acme. No cookies wrapped for purchase were on display. It was empty. Bare. I ordered a 14 inch birthday cake and a 9 inch shadow cake. When I got them to the car with the help of an employee, I looked them over and the birthday cake had no piping along the bottom or around the top circle of the cake. It was just plain and unexciting. Then I looked at the shadow cake, where there had always been a hard chocolate shell (more like an actual piece of chocolate candy) there was soft, almost watery, chocolate icing. I called and mentioned it to the girl on the phone and she said “the cake was made fresh this morning and the chocolate on top just needs to harden. I knew from looking at it that wasn’t the case. This was/is NOT a Bredenbeck’s’s shadow cake that I’ve purchased all those previous years. I asked if the place changed ownership over the past few years and she said “no”. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. My husband tried the birthday cake without any knowledge of everything I’ve just said and he immediately said “what is this? This isn’t a Bredenbeck’s cake”. I was charged $135 for both of these cakes. An outrageous price for the sharp decline in standards here. If this place has not changed ownership then the baker has changed. Because these cakes are far below par to what Bredenbeck’s has provided the previous 20 years. Needless to say I will not be making the 2 hour trip back ever again. I’m so...

In a past life, I used to go to Bredenbeck's twice (sometimes three times) weekly to buy a three row of raisin covered sticky buns. Years later they remain on the higher end of the best sticky buns I have ever eaten, heated with melted butter dripping all over them. Besides their wonderful taste, they have the quality of being "heavy". They are more dense then sticky bums I buy from other places. This is a good thing apparently as they are more filling than other sticky buns I eat.

Now I only go on rare occasion due to my self imposed health policy that prevents me from eating things like sticky buns regularly any more. Today I had a rare urge to buy a donut and they were only blocks away from where I was. Their donut selection leaves many things to be desired, but they have jelly donuts I like and I brought one.....at a price of $1.60! It was good, but not $1.60 good. If not for going where I could get a comparable tasting jelly donut for only .90 cents being very inconvenient to places I had to be, I would have canceled the purchase.

I can only say good things about Bredenbeck's baked goodies, but their prices have really gone "Chestnut Hill", where they are located in the city. They have never been cheap, but now I find their prices, er...ambitious. Always nice that the young ladies (during the week anyway) who serves up the orders delivers pleasant customer experiences. Not an attitude among the bunch.

I will still make my rare triple sticky bun purchase. Which they only make available on weekends these days I was informed today. But moving forward I will check all urges to pay $1.60 for a single...

Good evening. I am so sorry to have to leave this review. I have been doing business with this Bakery since my daughter was 2 years old. She is 28 now. I have never had a problem or issue until now. For the last 7 years, I show my appreciation to the 14th District Police Department by buying them a specialty cake. This year it was horrible. Katie was very rude and dismissive. Infact after I sent a final email she wouldn't even return to the phone. After trying to charge me over 250.00 for a half of sheet cake without fondant I came to the realization that they didn't want to make a cake for the 14th District which saddens me. But to be fair it may have just been because of who I am, an African American woman. Either way, I am not accustomed to being treated in that manner. I know that prices have gone up and I was prepared to pay a small increase but over 100.00 increase is insane for a cake I have been getting for years. Let me say I am not a Police Officer but I do work closely with them. I was going to contact the owner about this misjustice but I decided to leave it alone. They asked me to send them a picture of a previous cake I guess to prove that I wasn't lying. Imagine that. I am really sorry that this happened because as I said, I have been a long time customer. I will be taking my business else where and I will also be making people aware of just how discriminating...