Byen Bakeri — Restaurant in Seattle

My second time visiting them. The store is pretty small but well-organized. On the right side of the store, closest to the entrance, is the traditional Scandinavian breads (mostly wheat, rye, and molasses-based) and coffee breads. In the middle of the store behind glass are cookies and some other breads. The portion furthest from the door are the tarts and cakes, which is probably what they're best-known for, including the princess cake.

Whole cakes are $40-60, which may be typical for small bakery cakes, but I'm not sure. I ordered a seasonal lavender lemon cake last year for a birthday. Aesthetically, it was very pleasing and the aroma and taste were wonderful. They also give you the option of an icing message on the cake. Would get again on special occasions.

This time, I got a baguette and croissant. The croissant was $4 which is typical in this area. However, it's the biggest croissant I've ever seen. Obviously, the inside is porous (see pictures), but that's just a sign of the bread having risen. Among other Seattle croissants I've tried, this croissant was subtly sweeter and less buttery. I think it struck a great balance between fermenting which I think helped give it sweetness and inner porosity, and flakiness from the laminated butter. Because this croissant wasn't so buttery, it was very light and I was able to eat it in one sitting, which hasn't been my experience with other, French-style croissants here. If it were warmer or fresh out of the oven, I think this would have been the best croissant I've had in Seattle for the taste, texture, and value. I highly recommend it.

The rosemary and sea salt baguette was nice and chewy and aromatic. Flavorful, but not yeasty. At $4.50, it was an okay value.

They sell coffee, too, but I think it's a bit pricey when you consider that there are cafes in the area that specialize a bit more in coffee drinks. They seem to get their beans from Fonté, which is local in Seattle. They also have some ceramics and goods from local Scandinavian artists/craftspeople.

I definitely recommend visiting this place at least once. You can't go wrong with...

I always enjoy seeking out new, small, family run places to grab a bite to eat, especially bakeries. As I write this my soul is at peace and my belly happy as well, I was not disappointed in this Bakery. As I walked into the store I was greeted with a friendly smile and a good morning by two wonderful women so happily and willingly ready to accommodate my hungry palate. My eyes beheld a most fantastic assortment of delicious pastries and baked goods in the display cases and behind them were with lovely murals on the walls, one of Seattle, asking with sample cakes and pastries which they make there. Two white coat wearing bakers in the kitchen vigilantly preparing more tasty and delectable morsels were hard at creating more delicious items, both having been there since 2am, and both looking content in their morning performance of once again fulfilling their American dream in opening a scratch-made community bakery. I had to take a moment for my eyes to gaze upon all of the choices of items that were available. I had no idea what I wanted for breakfast, but I did know that this is where I was going to get it at. I was so enthralled at the idea of all of the items being prepared on site with fresh whole ingredients. This is something that only moms and grandmas used to do and here it was right in Seattle a place that reminded me of home where I often prepare baked goods for my children from scratch. Could it be that I finally found a place that would match my own taste and quality in food and baked goods? The answer was yes. I decided to settle on their traditional homemade cinnamon roll. I am so glad I did. It was moist and fulfilling in every single bite that I broke off with my fork. The taste of cinnamon and brown sugar with that yeasty dough was fantastic and every single bite made my mouth so happy. It truly did remind me of my own cinnamon rolls that my children just can't get enough of. I highly recommend this bakery, it is so worth the trip to go and get something real, something homemade, something from scratch, made by the hands of real people, real...

I refuse to wait on a line for anything, unless there is a Beatles reunion, which I doubt will happen. Thus, when I saw the line outside Sea Wolf, early on a rainy Sunday morning, I bolted. Looking for a bakery close to Sea Wolf I had not yet experienced, I came upon Byen Bakeri, of Scandinavian origin. I knew about Kringles from once living near Racine, Wisconsin, and was intrigued by the ethnic uniqueness of Byen Bakeri.

The drive was quick from Wallinford/Fremont, with easy on street parking. Small and charming, the kitchen has an open window to the small waiting area. With masks on, it's difficult to be charmed by waitstaff, unfortunately adding to the robotic nature of our increasingly linear culture. Restaurant servers donning masks, will have to work extra hard, once dining opens up in Seattle.

Byen Bakeri was fun, with interesting pastries on offer. I ordered an assortment of stuff, along with two slices of mocha layer cake and two baguettes. Byen Bakeri has a sweet tooth. Everything was incredibly sweet, and my sugar buzz was uncomfortable all day. I don't like very sweet pastries. The baguette had a soft crust, again not my favorite. I like everything crispy. Now that's me. You may find Byen B absolutely scrumptious. Thankfully, we all have different tastes, and all like different things. Viva la difference! Check out Byen B and draw your...