4. Restaurants

Café Besalu

5909 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA, 98107
  • (206) 789-1463
  • Store is closed

Café Besalu Menu

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  • Lisa H.

    Love love love you, Besalu! Yummy yummy! I've been to Paris and their pastries can give you this fix. Melt in your mouth goodness! Come around 10 am for first batch of piping hot quiche made thru out day. Yum! Yum! Yum! Warning tho: you won't be able to eat any other pastries in Seattle. Besalu will spoil you!

    (5)

  • Sarah E.

    Definitely some of the best croissants I've had ever, anywhere, and walking distance from a place where I used to live.

    (5)

  • Dr. E.

    This is pretty much a perfect place to meet up with someone. A nice talk in line...pick some delicious items to share...eat in the happening restaurant or on some benches outside. It's the most pleasant experience you'll have this week.

    (5)

  • Joel R.

    Every once in a while, after having gone a few months without having eaten here, and perhaps after enjoying a nice pastry at one of Seattle's many very good patisseries, I wonder if Besalu is truly as good as I remember. Anyways, the answer is yes.

    (5)

  • Hang C.

    How can you say anything bad about the best croissants?! I'm in love with the croissants and it's a good day when I get one. Our other fav is the pear gillette (sp?).

    (5)

  • Golnaz P.

    Amazing latte! Scrumptious pastries! Helpful staff! The only reason it gets 4 stars is because there are no outlets. Maybe this was done purposefully to dissuade people from going on the computer. If you are looking for a study spot, this is not your place. However, if you want to go and read a book and enjoy some pastries, you have reached your oasis. I got the ricotta pear cake, which I heard is pretty new. It was perfectly sweet, moist, and dense at the same time. I loved it!

    (4)

  • Mie T.

    It was a BEST croissant in Seattle area-. It's quite busy in the morning. I came here around 9;30 am and it was full. The croissant was very warm and freshly-baked. It's a small bakery with not so many seating but if you wait a few minutes, you can find a seat because many people do not linger long.

    (5)

  • Lisa M.

    Tiny little amazing bakery hidden away on an off-street in Ballard. I would have never found this place had it not been recommended to me by the Ness app. This place is INCREDIBLE. I honestly wish I hadn't found this place because I'm stopping in way too frequently these days - not EVERY DAY can be a cheese danish day, Lisa! Their baked goods are beyond delicious. I'd say my favorite are the cheese danish and almond schnecken. I tried their almond croissant one day as that's my favorite baked good ever, but to my surprise it wasn't nearly as good as their other pastries. So I mostly stick to the danishes now. And this place BRINGS IT with espresso drinks. The first time I tried it, I spent the rest of the day telling my friends about how good it was. My husband is a bit of a latte snob and has given this place the best latte in Seattle award. I think their mochas are out of control delicious. Only downside is the size of this place - incredibly tiny. It's not a problem if you're getting anything to go, but most of the time there is a line to the door and every table is packed. There may be off hours where it's not always so slammed, but I've yet to experience that. Not a place to plop down for hours on a laptop, either. The place has such little seating that it seems rude to take up a table that long when there are often so many people waiting for a place to sit. Parking is easy, prices are reasonable, service is great - love this place!

    (5)

  • Jason T.

    My favorite morning spot. The coffee is amazing, pastries delicious, and staff helpful and friendly. Very limited seating. Take your seat after placing your order. Do not be that person who saves a seat from the back of the line.

    (5)

  • Jenni C.

    A small mom and pop bakery operation churning out serious artisanal pastries, breads and etc. in the Ballard area. The quality is top notch. The item still etched in my memory bank is their famous "ginger biscuit". This unique treat was like nothing I've tasted before. It was sort of like a cross between a biscuit and a scone. It can be described as rich, decadent and subtly sweet. The hints of ginger were delicate and perfectly done. All of the other croissants, and pastries were as equally heavenly. Absolutely a must in Seattle.

    (5)

  • Massimo F.

    Impressively good pastries! We had to line up for good 15 minutes in a Sunday morning but oh yes it was worth the time! Good good good pastries, and very well done cappuccino. Variety is excellent, they make any sort of deliciousness. Recommended for ANY time you can stop by

    (5)

  • C K.

    When I first moved to Seattle in the late 90's, I more or less couldn't find croissants. Maybe the weird bready ones they make at Safeway. Later, coffee shops and bakeries started serving them, and they were good, but not GREAT. When Cafe Besalu opened, it was a breath of fresh air. Amazing, world-class croissants. And less than a mile from my house. Thanks, Besalu! randomseattle.com

    (5)

  • Klp M.

    This bakery is one of the best bakeries in Seattle take the time to come to this place you will not be disappointed. The cafe itself is intimate there will be lots of people there when you go but you will enjoy it.

    (5)

  • Molly C.

    Thus is my favorite bakery in probably the entire world. The chocolate croissants are amazing as well as the rest if thier pastries. The checkerboard cookies are delicious as well. If you haven't been I highly recommend this place to you

    (5)

  • Eve S.

    This is the type of shop that I come across where it's so good that I actually struggle with posting a good review for fear that it'll become overly crowded. The coffee is great and the croissants are delicious!! This place makes me wish that I lived just around the corner and woke up to the smell of their fresh baked croissants every morning. I ordered a croissant with walnuts, took a bite, and for a split second I felt like the woman in the Vidal Sassoon commercial who lets her hair fall down is utter bliss...thankfully I opened my eyes just in time to let the reality of being in a large crowd settle in. If you're in the Ballard area then this place is a must visit!

    (5)

  • Ann K.

    3.75 The croissant is too oily. The grease stuck on my fingers. The coffee is great.

    (3)

  • Elliott D.

    What can I say about this little boulangerie? I went here for a light breakfast with one of my friends who lives in the area and had a phenomenal little meal. I had the ham and cheese pastry which was quite delicious with a wonderfully flaky pastry, delicious ham, and hte perfect amount of melty cheese. I didn't have the good fortune of trying one but my friend had a slice of the quiche lorraine and was quite impressed. Everything looked so tasty I wish that I had more of an appetite to try more things; for instance the pain chocolat. One disappointment, but not worth docking a star for: I ordered a double espresso that was more like a single. However, the staff is friendly, the food delicious, and the setting quaint. The only drawback is that all of these good things mean that you are going to have a line, especially on the weekends.

    (5)

  • Joseph U.

    Normally, I am very wordy in everything I write, and very often when speaking as well. So this is going to be, beyond a doubt, one of the shortest reviews I will ever write. Its really more of a story than a review, a fairy-tale from the perspective of my stomach. "One day a small piece of Heaven inexplicably broke off and fell to earth. It landed in Ballard Washington, at 5909 24th Ave NW".

    (5)

  • Lolia S.

    If you find yourself out in Ballard and you have a weakness for a buttery pastry, stop by Café Besalu where the specialty is authentic French croissants. The pastry case had five levels of goodies: quiches on top, croissants & ginger biscuits on level 2, Danish, rolls and pretzels on level 3, cookies and pastries on level 4 and cookies on the bottom. * Ginger biscuit ($1.90): Tender with little chunks of ginger, crunch of sugar on top, small chunks of ginger, melts in your mouth, not too sweet, soft, buttery, really marvelous * Sacristan ($1.40): like a flaky, long, thin, crunchy cheesestick but sweet instead, has vanilla sugar and almonds, very buttery, mmm * Plain croissant: excellent, light, flaky and buttery as it should be The bakery is fairly small and very popular with families. It has a warm, contemporary feel. Espresso drinks are available.

    (5)

  • Lisa V.

    My favorite bakery in Seattle!

    (5)

  • Leilani Q.

    Came here for breakfast on a Saturday morning at around 10am. Waited in line for about 15 minutes. Tried the pain au chocolat, quiche Lorraine and a cappuccino. All were very satisfying! The croissant was so buttery and flaky that pieces were flying all over the table. The quiche was tasty and surprisingly lighter than I thought. Definitely recommend trying anything in their case.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    Pastries are delicious. Coffee is great too. Get there early or else prepare to wait in line! Luckily they are quick.

    (5)

  • Joey D.

    This place is great. Get there early though, because I'm not the only person that thinks so....

    (5)

  • Jennifer S.

    This is a great place to grab some croissants and quiche. It's a cute joint and a great way to start off your day in Seattle.

    (4)

  • Adam D.

    The pastries are superb and the coffee is tasty. But.... This place is quite small. And that can be a problem if you are hoping to stay there for any period of time. They don't have a prep kitchen, so today, when they started cutting onions, everyone in the place started to get weepy onioneyes. Also, because of the onion chopping, they left the windows open in the 40 degree Seattle weather so in addition to everyone having onion eyes, everyone was wearing their jackets indoors. Today it meant that the whole place cleared out in about 5 minutes. My advice? If you want to have a delicious (nay, superb) pastry and decent coffee, and are willing to wait in the fairly long line, go for it, but take it to go. If you want to have a coffee date or camp out to study/write/read, pick one of the other million coffee shops in Ballard.

    (3)

  • Jon L.

    Cafe Besalu is the little French bakery in Ballard that has been on my places to try mental list for quite some time. Little is relative, but the line stretches out the door. The most noticable thing about your waiting is the smell of pastry that fills the air. Jimmy John's with its free smells has nothing on Besalu in the aromatic category, which certainly has a Medusa effect on people walking past the shop. The selection here is not as extensive as other French bakeries like Le Panier or Belle Pastry, but what they make is very good. You will not see find here any cake or much of a bread selection (try Tall Grass next door instead). The focus is on baked goodies including croissants, pieces of quiche, sweet pretzels, crumbly biscuits, tarts and cookies. The wait was long, but totally worth it. The smell in the air definitely keeps you patient. I picked up an almond croissant ($2.85), a ginger biscuit ($1.85) and a lemon cookie ($1.35). Indeed the croissant was as good as advertised. Flaky and the almonds on top are nicely toasted. The inside could use a little more filling, but otherwise flawless. The lemon cookie is sugary sweet and slightly tarty. The cookie is of the crunchy variety that Cookie Monster (and I) loves. Nom nom nom. Finally, the ginger biscuit is my favorite of the three. It may be a mess to clean as it a bit crumbly, but you will not care as your mind will have been wow'ed. Truth be told, I am glad that Cafe Besalu's smell advertising only extends out to its street. Could you imagine the line at Besalu if that pastry air wafted all over Seattle? That would be one crazy line. Haha.

    (4)

  • Elle P.

    Still heaven. Heavenly heaven.

    (5)

  • Sammy W.

    Cafe Besalu takes me back to the streets of Paris. The quiches are the best I've ever had. The quiche Lorraine is soft and fluffy and full of bacon and onion with a perfect flaky crust. The almond croissant is perfection. There is often a line but the line moves pretty. My dad loves the Apple Danish

    (5)

  • Jessica A.

    The cafe has always played relaxing jazz music during my midmorning visits. I find this place is easy to read or work in, despite its popularity. It's usually quite busy, but the line is fast moving and there is usually one table open (inside or out). The quiche is delicious, I had the leek one. They keep them under a lamp so they're a bit warm, which I prefer. The crust is flakey, they use the same dough as their other danishes, croissants and pastries. I think the coffee is just ok. Oh and there's usually tons of free street parking.

    (4)

  • Gerald C.

    Don't be intimidated by the long line! It goes by pretty fast. Just be worried about finding a place to sit if you plan on sticking around or come with a large group. Other than that, all of the treats are pretty delicious! I had a spinach quiche and a cheese brioche. The quiche was very tasty and filling, while the cheese brioche was just alright. I've heard great things about the chocolate croissant, so I'd recommend that if you're undecided. Staff is very friendly and I could stand in the bakery all day soaking in the delicious smell of everything that is baking. Everything is so cheap, you could probably try 4-5 items for just $10! An ideal spot if you're looking for a very light breakfast to start your day.

    (4)

  • Monali P.

    pain au chocolat flaky, chewy, buttery bravo. i love you Besalu is as good as you've heard. The pain au chocolat takes me back to my days in France and is frankly an experience to be had. It is what a chocolate croissant should be. High quality, high calorie and high pleasure. Great pick me up treat. The quiches are magnifique, the pastries are incroyable. Grab your order to go or get there early for seating.

    (5)

  • Ellen T.

    There is really no point in reviewing this place - it is endorsed by Zagat/Serious Eats/Best of Seattle/Yelp/and a bunch of other certified review institutions. There is nothing bad here, everything and anything on the menu is rewarding. The basic lowdown: 1) Cafe is small, seating is limited, outdoor benches and tables are provided 2) Lines form on the weekend, get there early 3) They don't skimp on the filling on their almond croissants - yum!! 4) The quiches are thick - like at least an inch and half thick - legit! 5) Parking is street parking but its managable

    (5)

  • Marie B.

    My earlier review still stands. However, I bought two new pastries to share with the family, a cheese danish and a Stockholm roll. Forgot to mention too that I like the switch to Ballard roaster - Seven! Ranks up there for me with the beans from Stumptown, Vivace,, Caffe Fiore, Caffe Ladro, Caffe Umbria, Caffe Vita, and Victrola.

    (5)

  • Sami A.

    Amazing quiche, good bakery. Be prepared to wait to find a seat or to sit outside and freeze like I did. U know that the bakery is good because u will want more of the food they provide. Bigger portions wouldn't hurt. Good experience all in all.

    (4)

  • Parisa S.

    Absolutely delicious pastries. They use butter instead of margarine. I would definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Emma Luvr T.

    I'll add another 5 stars to the sea of reviews already here. Besalu, what can I say? The pastries are sublime. It's easy to spend a lot here, because everything is visually and aromatically tempting. The coffee is strong and good. Watch out for the line that often stretches down the block. Early mornings will give you a shorter line. No particular suggestions about what to order - it's all fabulous.

    (5)

  • Kristie T.

    Closed on Mondays and Tuesday is ridiculous! Those are big coffee days in Seattle! This was a huge turnoff for me. Seems like such a loss of money for the establishment as well.

    (1)

  • Cheese W.

    Cafe Besalu is incredible. Their pastries are otherworldly, and the coffee is amazing as well. Service can be slow at times, but that's not the fault of staff or ownership, it's that the crowds can get out of control at times. When it's more quiet it's a lot more pleasant.

    (5)

  • Kelvin C.

    One of THE best pastries I've ever had. I don't even like sweets or pastries (a double whammie) and this place blew my mind. Imagine how a pastry lover would react if they had a taste of this gold (my girlfriend)... We had a chance to eat several of their pastries and my favorite would have to be the onion Gruyere. It was fantastic. The quiches here were also pretty good here, but nothing really knocked me out like the pastries. Definitely a must-visit place in Seattle for out of towner foodies like me!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth G.

    Cafe Besalu makes an amazing quiche! We brought out-of-town guests to Besalu and we ordered a slice of each available quiche - all were amazing. It helps that they were fresh from the oven... warm egg filling, crisp buttery crust. The other pastries we sampled ( a danish and scone) were also excellent, but I'll always recommend guests to order the quiche. Coffee was great, too. Though seating is limited, we arrived early enough to grab a table that seats four (though we didn't escape a line). Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • My-Linh H.

    Love this place, even though it's famous for croissants, I'm in love with the quiche here. Can't wait to go back there someday!!

    (5)

  • Kelly G.

    Perfect place to hunker down on a rainy Seattle day with a chocolate croissant and a cappuccino. Super cozy, smells divine inside (and outside!), and great staff. Perfect all around!

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    Cafe Besalu pastries are so delicious. Croissants are flakey, warm and buttery. I love all kinds of their croissants - raspberry jam and chocolate. Their danishes are amazing and their savory pastries are what I stack up and eat for several days. The line can get long, but I don't even mind the waiting. My advice: just go, get in the line and order anything you want. You won't regret.

    (5)

  • Mindy C.

    It was my last morning in Seattle and I'm so happy we made this one of the very last stops. Cafe Besalu was the exclaimation point in our trip. Here I experienced the flakiest crossaint ever and devoured the lightest quiches I would use up my 3rd wish to master in my own kitchen. This is going to be a must stop for my next trip in town! I fell in love here. I loved looking out the sunny windows to the fallen leaves, sipping my coffe, and letting out a few sighs of content. Oh Seattle, you've definitly grown on this bayarea girl!

    (5)

  • Guillaume R.

    Full disclosure, I am French. I tried the pain au chocolat and the pain aux raisins, two classics of the french pastry line-up. The pain aux raisins, however tasty, was quite soggy. The pain au chocolat, to the contrary, was a little too crisp and suffered of an egg wash exposed to too much heat, as visibly did most of the pastries including the quiches in the window with their crust on the darker side. My Seattle favorite remains Bakery Nouveau, but I will try Besalu again as they might have had a bad day today.

    (2)

  • Garth S.

    This place is fully deserving of its stellar reputation. It's known for pastry, but the espresso here is also excellent. There are, to my palate, a few duds among the baked offerings. The impressive-looking sacristans don't have much flavor, and the cardamom pretzel is uninteresting as well. But given the level of the other pastry, I suspect my palate more than the bakery. Avoid visiting on weekends unless you're taking out. It's always packed.

    (5)

  • Sophia C.

    This has the best croissant and French pastries I've had in the United States. The croissant had multiple, buttery layers with a crisp exterior and tender interior. The strawberry danish blew me away too. I cannot get enough of this place and cannot wait to return.

    (5)

  • H L.

    One of the best croissant I have had. It's a small bakery in Ballard, so you'd better be there early on the weekend. The butter croissant was served with a jam, so you can enjoy both sweet and buttery flavor. Definitely I am going back for more.

    (5)

  • A.J. S.

    ****Yelp App cell-phone friendly version: BEST QUICHE IN THE CITY. EAT.******* ****Website-friendly version:**** So if you're stalking me you've noticed many of my reviews have been in Ballard. I've been spending a lot of time in Ballard lately, and it's none too painful. The locks, the great views, the farmer's market. All good. 7 new restaurants opening up in 6 months isn't too shabby either. Good all around. I dig. But I am not 5 starring Ballard. I am 5 starring Besalu because it is perhaps my favorite place in Ballard. Their quiche is simply the best I've ever had. Mom, cover your ears because I'll say it again- Besalu's quiche (spinach or leek, preferably) is simply the best in the city. No doubt about it. The crust is flaky, buttery, croissant like goodness (their croissants slay me and take me in a drooling heap to Paris), tender, fluffy egg filling, warm and never, ever, overcooked. It is simply devine. I am not a crust person, I've been known to flatten pumpkin pies eating just their filling and think most frozen crusts taste like an abomination to mankind. The egg with the flaky, buttery light crust, indescribly fabulous. The line is often daunting, stretching to the door. The cashier girls and baristas are quick and friendly and move the line quickly. Grab a spot if you can find one, but be respectful of your fellow Ballardites and don't loiter too long. :) Coffee is delicous and Besalu remains a complete Ballard gem.

    (5)

  • Renee C.

    I dropped into this cafe recently while on vacation per the recommendation of my friend who lives in the neighborhood. I had the pleasure of trying a plain croissant with an Americana coffee. The croissant was flaky, delicate and very delicious. Not like the soggy chewy kind I often run into at other places. The coffee was strong and aromatic. Great experience!

    (4)

  • Jana P.

    Amazing! We wanted to treat ourselves on a lazy Saturday morning, so we checked out yelp and came across this place. It was packed! And for good reason, the lattes were creamy and HUGE, the French apple tart, the quice Lorraine, the ham and Swiss pastry - all to die for! We will definitely be coming back, but my boyfriend will only let us if we walk there, make the indulgence worth it!

    (5)

  • Tina T.

    very good choc croissants a must try the staff was very helpfull

    (4)

  • Adam P.

    When you get to the front of the line, just ask for whatever is the freshest out of the oven. The still-warm almond croissant I just finished eating was possibly the best pastry I have ever had.

    (5)

  • Tim F.

    The food is great, long lines can be an inconvenience, the customer service can be less than professional. If you have a policy where I can't sit down before I get my order please make it clearly visible at the table and enforce it throughout the whole establishment. Don't make me get up while letting people at the next table do exactly what you are asking me not to.

    (1)

  • JoAnna L.

    Stopped by this place for a little Sunday brunch action. There was a line and no available seats inside, so we opted to eat al fresco at a little table. I ordered the quiche Lorraine and a chocolate croissant. Both items were so flavorful and the croissant was so soft & flaky. The quiche was very creamy and yum, definitely filling. My friends ordered other items that they raved about, too. I think everything here is delicious. I also ordered a vanilla latte, I loved the little leaf drawn in the foam and it was really good, too. For everything, my total was about $10, not too bad. I will definitely stop by here again.

    (4)

  • Chris M.

    One of the best bakeries around Seattle! When I bite into one of their pastries, I'm instantly transported back to Paris. ( Dare I say, their pastries are even better than some bakeries in Paris!). Really top notch, quality ingredients. Even on a rainy Seattle day, there is a line out the door. Yes, their food really is THAT good!

    (5)

  • Jean Y.

    Deliciously flaky, buttery croissants! I tried both the plain croissant and almond croissant. I had to stand in line for 15min, but the pastries were worth the wait on a lazy Sunday morning. I could smell the croissants when several feet from the door. I also ordered the onion + gruyere pastry. Another customer in line overhead me tell my friend I was eyeing it, and he told me he approved of the choice, describing it as "French onion soup in a pastry." Definitely an accurate description! The soft sauteed onions + gruyere in the middle of the flaky croissant-like dough were delicious. I've read good things about the danishes and quiches here as well, but there was a limit to how many pastries I could eat today. The drinks are generously large. My chai really hit the spot. Cozy cafe atmosphere. You can watch the staff baking behind the counter. The clean, beautifully shaped raw dough made me even hungrier. A friend and I went on a bakery tour and tried Cafe Besalu, Bakery Nouveau, and Columbia City Bakery (all three featured in a May 2010 NYT article about Seattle bakeries and sweets.) Cafe Besalu had the best pastries by far. The croissants at Cafe Besalu definitely beat the ones at Bakery Nouveau, which were a bit dry and overloaded with sugar.

    (4)

  • Jason A.

    This place does everything right. The pastries are freshly made (and continue to be throughout the morning), there is a constant variety so you never know what you'll get (though you can always count on some quiches and croissants), and the coffee is exactly what it should be. There's typically a line, which, for a coffee/pastry shop, tells you all you need to know. Downside? Closed Monday and Tuesday. A coffee shop, of all places, closed on Monday mornings when you need them most? Alas, places that are closed Mondays tend to be family-owned and higher quality, so I'll take it!

    (5)

  • Jen H.

    decent chocolate croissant when they're fresh!

    (4)

  • Scott G.

    Simply amazing pastries! It's small, and you have to rise early, but it's well worth a little less sleep. They do a fantastic job using seasonal fresh fruits, as well as providing a great set of standard selections--the cardamom pretzel is a perennial winner. Besalu is worth sacrificing a little early morning rest.

    (5)

  • Mimi L.

    Ahhhhh the danish is seasonal...no more blueberries till spring! Still the plumb danish was lovely...but aahhhccckkkk the blueberry... *heartbroken, tearscrying

    (4)

  • Jen F.

    Came here on a Sunday morning worried about the line. Line was definitely out the door but it moved really fast. Don't let the line deter you, it is worth it and goes fast. We had the fruit danishes, several of the croissants and ordered cookies for to-go. We found a table quite easily - the turnover is pretty quick so again, don't let it deter you. Because I'm nosy and because I just need to know what everyone else is ordering, I glanced around and noticed most people ordered two pastries each for themselves. Totally do-able b/c the portions are very French (i.e. normal sized, not supersized) and b/c you just can't have one thing! Can't wait to return - this is a must for all!!

    (5)

  • Christina N.

    BEST QUICHÉ EVERRRRRRRRRRR. I had the lourine quiché and it was sooooo goooood.

    (5)

  • Scott L.

    The best pasties and croissants this side of the Atlantic, but the coffee is lousy since they switched a couple years back from the fantastic Lighthouse roasters, among the finest roasters in Seattle. Has virtually ruined the whole experience for me. No more dense, dark coffee for the beautiful pastry and croissants. Now we have the current PC medium roast. Not the same.

    (3)

  • Diamond C.

    Everything we had was excellent and it was sold for a fair price! Besalu is basically baked goods, coffee and teas -- at least when we went. My date loved her coffee and it compared/surpassed to the best stuff she's ever made for herself. Come early or you'll be waiting in line. Though, the wait was never that bad.

    (4)

  • Tom R.

    Besalu is wonderful, a gem of the NW! Their slightly crispy croissants are aromatic and have a great texture. Their various tarts are delicious and fresh. The lines can be really long on the weekends, especially Sunday, but get there first thing in the morning and your wait will be shorter and you'll your pick of their freshest that morn. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Carmen K.

    Pain au chocolat has to be my favorite indulgence ever. After spending 6 months in France eating at least 2 a day, my addiction was completely cemented and I was looking for a suitable replacement. Cut to bad croissants all over Seattle - dry, too doughy, gross chocolate. I had no idea it was so hard to make this staple pastry! Enter Cafe Besalu. I saw all the yelp reviews pointing out the excellent chocolate croissants and knew I had to try it. And boy was a I not disappointed. The bread itself was the perfect amount of flakiness (but not too flakey) and you could tell they were liberal on butter usage when creating the masterpiece. The bars of dark chocolate were the perfect proportion and from the taste of it, very high quality. So good. Good thing I just moved to SF otherwise I would have to enroll in Weight Watchers or something. The cafe itself was homey and smelled like fresh baked bread. They had quiches and other yummies, as well as coffee (which was also pretty good. Weird hours though - think they are only open W-Su 7-3pm or something? Since moving I wish I could go back but you'll have to carry on the legacy on my behalf. SO GOOD.

    (5)

  • Tricia N.

    We heard about the amazing croissants at Cafe Besalu and just had to try them. We arrived at around 9 am on a weekday morning, and the line was out the door. We waited almost 20 minutes. We got a regular and a raisin croissant. They were great - as good as any Parisian bakery. Everything in the display case looked divine. There were no open tables, so we took our coffee and treats and walked with them. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Laleh J.

    Excellent bakery! I've come here a couple of times and there is always a long line. The pastries are excellent- imagine the crustiest, flakiest exterior with a moist soft interior. I've been to France, and I don't remember the croissants being like this. Yum...

    (5)

  • V V.

    Got a little box of heaven on my way to work today for my bosses birthday. We all ended up cutting them in half in order to try more pastries. The croissant is the best I've tasted in Seattle, with the quince jam - amazing. I also had a bite of the onion tart and cardamom pretzel. Highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Shawnacee t.

    You won't find a better bakery in Seattle. This place is buttery and wonderful. There is usually a wait but it's so worth it. Get everything at least once.

    (5)

  • Ashley P.

    Every time I go to France, I gorge myself on croissants, je les adore! Unfortunately, every place I have ordered a croissant in the States has been a disappointment, until I found Café Besalu. All of their goodies are delicious, but if you are marketing yourself as a French bakery, your croissant needs to be done right. And they do it right, the flaky texture, buttery flavor served with a side of jam - delicious happy place! Negatives: the cafe is small which makes sitting difficult and the lines are usually long. But if you can practice patience, go with someone or bring some music to bop to while you wait, it is worth every minute! Vous avez essayer Café Besalu!

    (5)

  • Mona N.

    Café Besalu deserves all the 5 star ratings on Yelp. Truly superb pastries. I can never eat the bready, dough-y, chewy croissants at Safeway or Starbucks (what a waste of calories!) when I know I can get proper French croissants at artisan bakeries around town. Besalu will not disappoint the discerning Francophile. I usually prefer my croissant a little more crisp and baked just a little longer (like at Honoré nearby) but Besalu's was just as enjoyable. The almond croissant was excellent too - not too sweet, with the perfect amount of high quality almond paste. The pastry was fluffy with separated layers inside, not soggy like a lot of filled croissants. It is not a twice-baked almond croissant like at Bakery Nouveau so it isn't super crispy. The onion and gruyere pastry used croissant dough and was fantastic. Although I have to say I prefer the one at Honoré which uses puff pastry dough. I came by at 8:45 on a Sunday morning and waited in line outside for 15 minutes. Totally worth the wait. I'm not sure I would do so if it was pouring rain though. As others mentioned, there are only a few tables inside and there are a couple outside on the sidewalk. Be prepared to wait for a table or take the goodies to go. A true neighborhood gem.

    (5)

  • Jen S.

    Absolutely glorious pastries are served here in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The ham and swiss cheese pastry is tops - a perfect balance of fresh buttery goodness with a salty finish. Very difficult to eat just one.

    (5)

  • Megan M.

    The smell of butter wafts delightfully over you when you enter this gem of a bakery. Good coffee, amazing pasteries, and a great atmosphere. Come early on the weekend for the best selection, as this place gets slammed.

    (5)

  • Aram C.

    The best croissant in Seattle. Review done.

    (5)

  • Rayyan J.

    One of the best bakeries I've been to! Don't miss out on the goat cheese quiche and the chocolate croissants! The tarts/pies with fruits (apples, plums, pears, etc.) are great too. Seating can be challenging, as they have few tables and they are always busy.

    (5)

  • Jamie S.

    Oooh their coffee is good and get a small quiche bite too! I really liked their desserts and have tried a few different things. I'm always pleasantly surprised! It's affordable and nice to be able to sit outside with friends in the sun or sit inside and watch the busy bustling workers. The only thing I wasn't thrilled with is that they close too early. But that's really a compliment due to the fact that I wanted to go there later in the afternoon and couldn't. I highly recommend this place to tourist, locals and people interested in just hanging out at a place with a great atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Trina C.

    These guys know what they're doing when it comes to baking. The ham & cheese pastries are heavenly. Don't be discouraged by the line - their team has a great system down to where the line moves quickly. I can't wait to try the quiche the next time we go back.

    (5)

  • Beebs C.

    If I ever have a craving for pain au chocolat in Seattle, this is the only place that would satisfy it. It is just delicious. They have other great pastries and cafe drinks as well. Everything is just good.

    (5)

  • Shirley B.

    By far the best plain and chocolate croissants. The plain ones come with homemade jam. Very flaky shell and soft on the inside. It's oh so delicious. It's best to get there before 9 AM especially if you're going on the weekend. Otherwise, there are always lines. Weekdays are doable. Remember they close Mondays and Tuesdays. Ouch. And they take long much needed vacations. More ouch. Nice staff. No attitude whatsoever. Just your neighborhood bakery with world class pastries.

    (5)

  • Tim R.

    Yeah, yeah, yeah...this place is good. But do you want to know what I *really* like about Besalu? Nearly every time I've been here, I've seen some clueless bobo wander in with their 2.5 children and SUV-stroller at two minutes before closing, expecting to sit a table. But amazingly, the staff *never* objects. In a city where "customer service" means "maybe I won't spit in your food, if you tell me that you like my tattoos", that's a freaking miracle.... Besalu is a class act. (Just be sure to come at an off-hour to avoid the crowds, and enjoy the place as it was meant to be enjoyed.)

    (5)

  • Dana A.

    Look the pastries are delicious, no doubt about it. The ginger cookies, as simple as they are, are one of my favorite things here (and I usually hate anything with ginger!). The only thing I think they should really improve is their coffee. The blend is blah and frankly they just could do a better job with coffee beverages (foam, ratios etc...). If I have an americano it is usually acceptable but if anything with milk in it, the taste of coffee just disappears. I like though they are still a tiny place and they are doing great business and they're still packed from open till close.

    (4)

  • Benjamin Z.

    Incredible Incredible Incredible pastries I had a pan au chocolat and a crossient with homemade apricot jam. It was fresh and the texture was perfect. My coffee was very nice too. I award Cafe Besalu 5 stars for the culinery mastery and doing a public service to the western United States, which is why you go there in the first place. On that note, aside from eating, reading, working, studying, etc. I was a little dismayed at the fact they close at 3 pm and they do not have wifi, but hey, that's what Starbucks is for I guess :)

    (5)

  • Jonathan H.

    mmmmm French pastries... good coffee and staff so helpful and patient how can you go wrong? I've been to Besalu a few times and every time I have received the same stellar help from the staff and amazingly good food every time. A note of caution, if you go right before closing they are bound to be sold out of a few items because they are just that good!

    (5)

  • R T.

    The line can be long, but you won't regret swapping out five minutes of your life for a ginger biscuit.

    (5)

  • Isabella O.

    I think it's pretty obvious that this places rocks, everyone loves it. It was recommended to us by friends, and my boyfriend went there to get me an almond croissant to make up for blowing it by getting me a chocolate croissant the day before. (I know, what's wrong with a chocolate croissant? I'm weird and not a huge fan of chocolate in general, although it is good in certain, specific items. I don't hate it, I just don't love it, but I definitely don't think it belongs in a croissant. Ever.) Not only do they have possibly the best almond croissant I've ever had, but the ham and cheese pastry is most excellent as well. Totally worth whatever sum may have been spent!

    (5)

  • Amy B.

    Hands down my favorite little bakery and espresso ever! I absolutely love it and only wish everyone else didn't feel the same way! It is always packed and seating is limited but that is simply because it is worth the wait! Everything is amazing here from croissants to quiches. My mocha was delicious and even had a cute little leaf in the foam. I am over the top impressed with this place and will visit frequently.

    (5)

  • Noel H.

    There is no other place in Seattle for pastry. Period.

    (5)

  • J R R.

    My God, the line was damn near out the door, and with good reason... buttery croissants and espresso. There were no tables left inside, so I had to eat in my car, which was not nearly as warm and comforting as the cafe. The pasteries were very good. JR

    (4)

  • Xteve X.

    Hands down the best quiche in the city. Unfortunately I can't eat here anymore because of the interminably slow moving lines and ever-increasing number of self-absorbed jerks who hog the minimal table seating. I'm not saying you have to grab your food and GTFO, but here's a hint: When a place only has four or five tables and you're sitting alone at a 4-top with an empty cup of coffee and no pastry perfecting your passive-aggressive Seattle laptop stare whilst ignoring patrons politely asking if you need the whole table? Dick move. And it's happened too often.

    (4)

  • Tish K.

    My iced tea was really overpriced, but enjoyable (although I could enjoy an iced tea from McDonald's just as much). My husband's americano was just okay. He always orders americano's every place we go, and he said that the Java Bean's americano right down the street was much better (among other better choices on his list). On the other hand, the shortbread we shared was delicious but overpriced. In the future, we will go to Java Bean (a short walk away) when we're in that part of town and have coffee and organic desserts which are just as tasty as the dessert we had in Cafe Besalu.

    (3)

  • Connie C.

    Expect a long wait - everything we ate was delicious. Had some sweet and some savory (one of the quiches). Wish there was more space to thoroughly enjoy the food. From the way we were sitting, we were blocking another party from leaving their table, because the space just isn't large enough to contain all the love for cafe besalu.

    (4)

  • Quinn R.

    Pure pastry perfection. I always LIKED croissants and tarts and such but my affection was not deep. Until Besalu. Now I have a deep admiration and LOVE for croissants, tarts and any pasty that I assume is made with a lot delicious delectable butter. If you haven't gone here you must go. Now.

    (5)

  • Morgan W.

    Oh. My. Agod. This is a cafe with pastries to inspire pastry envy of all the other croissants and palmiers of Seattle. I arrived around 9 am on a Sunday morning, and as I stepped in, I was hit by the unmistakable scent of fresh, flaky croissants being pulled out of an oven. Small, cozy tables were filled with young couples, families, and older folks. With the espresso machine screaming, we waited in a line nearly to the door as small, immaculate batches of cookies, bread, danishes and the like were pulled from the oven. There wasn't a huge selection in the case a la Whole Foods, but what *was* there set a standard for baked goods everywhere. I typically go for muffins and scones; not seeing any, I ordered the apple danish (2.75), which I haven't had since. . . elementary school. It was smaller than the usual store-bought globs of corn syrup and gloopy apple pie filling-- in fact, this thing was all about quality. If it were any lighter and flakier, if would have floated off my plate. I also had an americano, which was delectable. When I return (which I will!) I'm going for a plum roll or pear galette. Pros: The freshest, flakiest, most incredible pastry. Ever. Cons: Limited seating.

    (5)

  • Priscilla R.

    I absolutely LOVE Cafe Besalu. It is so adorable and so tasty. I would move to Ballard just to walk here every morning on the way to the bus, but I would probably end up eating my weight in pastries. I have had the caramelized onion and gruyere pastry, plenty of the sweet treats, and of course the Lighthouse coffee (my favorite!), and everything has been wonderful! I don't know how I lived without Cafe Besalu!

    (5)

  • Anna M.

    Let me join the chorus of Besalu lovers -- my croissant and latte were flawless. OK, the croissant could only have been better if it was twice as big as my head. But WTF with the all people lounging at the tables, acting like there isn't a frickin' line out the door and lingering over their final ounce of coffee and newspaper like they have all the time in the world? (That's right, I'm talking to you, Mr. and Mrs. Pretentious NY Times Greyhairs on Friday Morning, February 22.) You've had your pain au chocolat, now move the fuck on!

    (5)

  • Kesli J.

    In my dreams, this is what Paris taste like.

    (5)

  • Candice D.

    Seriously....doesn't get much better than this. I had to slowly wean myself off of getting pastries every weekend, need to fit into my pants. I've gotten a few things here. The croissants are amazing, there is a wonderful ham and cheese pastry thing which is my current favorite, so buttery and delicious, I could eat three...but I don't. Loved the almond schnecken for a while, not in love with it anymore. The quiche is generally pretty good, I've gotten the leek and goat cheese, but sometimes you get such a small piece, and not always enough goat cheese, for the price, its not always worth it. Coffee is generally pretty good as well. Nice friendly people working there as well, along with the owner who is usually hard at work!

    (5)

  • Dan H.

    If I can give a higher rating, I would in a heartbeat. The pastries are the closest to the standards of the best bakeries I've had in my many trips to Europe. The sight of the owner and the wife always cutting and batching new dough in the background - this is a major plus. He measures precisely with a yardstick and is very focused and clean cut. With this much attention to detail, no wonder the pastries are tops in this city bar none. The coffee beverages are always well made and the beautiful artful crafting is always something to applaud the baristas about. My favorite place to go and often, I drive 30 min just to get here. Even with a line out the door on weekends, I don't mind the wait. The place gets crowded and every one sitting is considerate enough not to stay long so that the next customers can sit and eat. So PLEASE don't sit and lounge there all day when there's a crowd. It's not a place I would read the New York Times front to back. Cafe Besalu - I am so grateful that you're around!

    (5)

  • Kris W.

    If you can stand a line, it's worth the wait. And watching them make pastries while you eat pastries just tops the experience off.

    (5)

  • demian j.

    Eat a ham and swiss pastry as they take them out of the oven. That feeling you have. That is the feeling religious people have when they become totally aware of their god. Crazy. The lines are long. They close early. I think they are also one of those businesses that find almost any reason to close. I hate that. But the coffee and pastries. I may fight and die for those.

    (5)

  • Shyam H.

    Go to ballard for breakfast. Just good stuff and nothing less. A place for nice savory quiche for breakfast. The Tall Grass bakery is just next door, so if you are a bread lover, you can pickup some on your way back...

    (4)

  • Barbara P.

    What all the other 5 star reviews said - these really are the best pastries in all of Seattle. Just go there, you'll be glad you did.

    (5)

  • Sheila Y.

    Yep...I straight up died and went to heaven after taking a bite of the Pain au Chocolat. Oh yea...the Croissant and Schnecken were good too! I love this little storefront and all the hominess it exudes. I love the guys behind the counter who are extra cute. I love the fact that I feel transported back to Southern Germany and my grandma's kitchen. And I love eating every calorie-laden bite. They also have holiday order forms out for take home tortes and if you are smart you will order one...even if you are an avid baker such as yours truly. I am contemplating one to consume all on my own (hopefully not in one sitting!!).

    (5)

  • Stephanie W.

    Every day on my way to work I pass by Besalu. Eventually, I decided to pop in. I lucked out and managed to sneak in on a day when the line was down. When I got there, I got to see what the fuss was all about. Your pastries are just delicious. I'm a big fan of fruit pastries, thus I've fallen for your danishes. Finally, I don't have to settle for QFC danishes (no offense QFC) and I can go get something sweet at a local cafe! The store has a very nice ambiance, I like being able to see them bake the pastries.

    (5)

  • Srta L.

    liked the croissant w/chocolate and the coffee. The quiche is ok.

    (4)

  • Chris T.

    Its been a while since I've gone to Besalu since, being a carless UW student, its a bit out of the way. But when I did go there, I remember getting a delicious spinach quiche along with something else (I don't remember what). What I do remember is that the quiche was delicious, though not filling: so, your average pretty-good snack-ish cafe fare. I didn't really see any lunch foods around but the pastries that I did see behind the counter looked amazing. The one thing I didn't like about it was the atmosphere: it was a bit sparse and too open for me (I like dimmer, cave-ish places like Cafe Solstice haha); there's a small grove right up the street and to the left where you can eat your Besalu food on a bench under two huge trees though

    (4)

  • Dennis M.

    A stick of butter in every croissant! These are delicous pastries and the best in the Seattle area. I would offer a money back guarantee, but I'm not too big on money or guarantees. The negatives here are long lines on weekend mornings and prices are high compared to standard pastry prices. That being said it is worth the wait and the money.

    (5)

  • Peter K.

    Loved this place and thought everything was superb. Within a week we went here and to Honore. Honore had more variety and fancier desserts. But we like the chocolate croissants better here, however the croissant part was better at Honore. There is a little more seating here so that is better. There seem to be more breads here as well. I thought Besalu was a little more reasonable with their pricing than Honore. Each place is unique and it is great for Ballard to have two outstanding bakeries like these in close proximity to where I live.

    (5)

  • Christy A.

    When I lived in Ballard, this place was a weekly ritual for me...ok, I'll admit, for a while there I stopped by on my way to work almost every day. How could I help myself? This place is as close to pastry heaven as you can get outside of europe. OK, I'll admit: the only time I was actually in Paris was a one-hour layover at Charles DeGalle airport-- but nonetheless I appreciate a good Pain au Chocolat...and the one here is top-notch. I'm having a Pavlovian response just thinking about the crunchy sound you get when you bite into one...divine. And that's just the beginning...the owners handcraft all their pastries with love, and lots and lots of real butter! My only problems with the place are: 1. The coffee isn't super consistent (keep in mind, the last time I had it was over 2 years ago, so this may have changed). 2. On weekends, forget about finding a place to sit. That said, I routinely have nice dreams about the ginger biscuit, Pain au Chocolat, orange brioche, all three kinds of quiche, and when I was still single, the adorable owner (who is married...sigh).

    (5)

  • Shon R.

    Great cup of coffee in Ballard. Finally got a chance to stop by here. The place itself has a nice vibe to it and everyone was friendly. The line was long, but moved along at a nice pace. I got my coffee and it was pretty much as good as advertised. But the place gets a four because while the coffee was good, its not quite as good Cafe D'Arte or Cafe Fiore. Overall, definitely worth stopping by if you are in Ballard.

    (4)

  • Molly R.

    I will make the bold assertion that Cafe Besalu serves up not only the best croissants in Seattle, but the best in the United States. Ok, ok - that I've been able to find anyway. And it's not for want of looking. I've been searching for this holy grail since I returned from a trip to Paris in the early 90s, tasting croissants in bakeries across the Northwest, Northeast, San Francisco, Louisiana - the list goes on. With each anticipatory bite, I was disappointed every single time. Each trip back to France only confirmed the sad fact that no one in the U.S. knew how to make such flaky, buttery delicacies as the French did. Until a friend took me to Cafe Besalu in my own home town. Their croissants are absolutely, stunningly, PARFAIT. Buttery, warm, and soft on the inside - light and flaky on the outside - they are just what you would find in the fine bakeries of Paris. Adding to the delight is a sampling of Besalu's homemade jam. The fruity concoction is quite good - the flavor rotates from week to week - but it is also never truly necessary. Be sure to try your croissant both plain as well as with the tasty spread. Cafe Besalu continues to impress well past the basics. The other utterly spectacular items on the menu include their Pain Au Chocolat - a chocolate crossiant with mouthwateringly bittersweet chocolate inside - and their Ginger biscuits - which melt in your mouth with their buttery ginger sweetness. And if you are lucky enough to find their less common Plum Frangipane pastry tucked into the glass case upon arrival - order this without hesitation. With such devine selections comes a devoted customer base - so expect long waits for pastries on weekends, up to 25+ minutes if you arrive at a peak time - usually between 8 and 11. I've noticed an increased popularity in bulk orders lately as well, which only increases the wait. But on the flip side, you're practically assured to receive a fresh, just-out-of-the-oven pastry with such a fast turnover during these busy time periods. If you arrive in the afternoon, you're in for a much shorter wait and quieter cafe - but expect them to be out of some of the crowd favorites! Also on the menu besides the daily pastry selection is usually two or three different quiches, brioche, and a good selection of cookies. Their espresso is fresh and good, and the cafe warm and cozy - albeit a bit cramped these days. The staff is friendly and James (head pastry chef and one of the owners) always nods and smiles to his patiently waiting customers as they peruse the day's selection. Beware to those who have yet to experience this place: you will quickly become addicted!

    (5)

  • Mike C.

    I've been going to Besalu for years and their pastries are great. My favorite is the ham and cheese croissant. I visited the Nuevo cafe in West Seattle after reading yelp reviews and it had a bigger selection, but the quality wasn't as good. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars is that the coffee staff can be a little grumpy. Must be the rain.

    (4)

  • Kaoru W.

    I am totally obsessed with Cafe Besalu. Their baked goods are SO DELICIOUS! It's great that I live walking distance from this place...but it's also bad because it's hard to control myself not to buy too many at once. Their croissants are so buttery and flaky....(drool) I wish they were open everyday!

    (5)

  • Michelle D.

    Every single pastry is fresh, the quiche is amazing. It's worth a try!

    (5)

  • Todd D.

    France called and wants its national bread back from the Besalu bakery. To-date the best culinary experience in Seattle. Don't forget the plain croissant, probably the best thing on the menu.

    (5)

  • Atif M.

    The space is on the small side, as is the menu, but what they do have is generally good. I usually get a pain au chocolat with my espresso. I think they are pretty averagely priced and stop in when I'm in the area.

    (4)

  • Brian W.

    Enter another world. Well, it feels like we're in someplace older than Ballard, and it smells great.

    (4)

  • Nicoletta G.

    This place is ridiculously AWESOME! The coconut macaroons are heaven! The ham and swiss pastry is great. Everything is wonderful.... even the coffe. Its a must when in Ballard!

    (5)

  • angela l.

    I la la la love you, Cafe Besalu. Yes, you're small inside and always busy, plus you always have long lines, but everything you make is amazing and well worth the long wait. The croissants and danish are actually flaky, which is the way they are supposed to be. The jam that you get with the croissants is great too. The pain au chocolat is also to die for - you can't got wrong when adding chocolate to a croissant. And, if your knowledge and love of cheese is far beyond cheddar, then you must try the gruyere and onion pastry. I just wish there was always a parking spot and a table just for me, me, me! Don't hesitate, just go to Cafe Besalu and order a bunch of things. Indulging every now and then isn't a sin.

    (5)

  • Erik L.

    I can't complain about the quality at Besalu. They have great croissants which are buttery and flaky. Yes, the place is small inside and always crowded, but the quality is worth the long wait.

    (5)

  • Paul R.

    Just had a triple espresso and leek-goat-cheese quiche. Yum, yum! Hopping even on a Wednesday at noon so it's good they have outdoor seating and the weather is cooperative. The pastries are quite good and the cookies are very interesting concoctions. The Lighthouse beans produce an expected espresso: somewhat flat and very black. I don't hold this against Besalu but if they want great coffee products they need to switch to a different supplier. It's actually nice that they are off the beaten track because parking is free and readily available within a block or two. Bonus points for co-locating with the Tall Grass Bakery!

    (4)

  • Anita U.

    A truly exceptional cafe! All the pastries are delectable and the quiche' exquisite! This place is incredibly consistent and has the best pastry in town! Truly exceptional!!! and has been for years.

    (5)

  • Bryan M.

    Worth the Saturday morning line. We stumbled upon this local favorite on Saturday when we saw a line wrapped around the building and along 24th. Such good fresh, fresh baked goods. This is the real deal. Try the Ginger biscuits and their brioche with their house made fruit spread. It all tastes even better with outside seating too. Besalu customers are really friendly Ballard locals that love food, so you are in good hands. The customer service is outstanding. They are the nicest people in the city possibly.

    (5)

  • Tyler H.

    I know its cliched to talk about Seattlite's love for coffee, but please, allow me to be cliched for a moment. You see, I'm sure there is some sort of mathematical equation to determine the number of people living in Seattle based on the number of coffee shops in Seattle. I think it goes something like this: If C equals the number of coffee shops in Seattle, and P equals the number of people in Seattle then: C x 32 = P Therefor, if there were 4 coffee shops in Seattle, that would mean the city of Seattle has a population of 128 people. The interesting side effect of this equation is that we can use the population of Seattle to determine the number of coffee shops. According to Wikipedia, the greater Seattle metro area as a population of 3,263,497. So: 3,263,497/32 = 101,984.28125 Seattle has 101,985 coffee shops! (You always round up!) Anyhow, luckily Cafe Besula distinguishes itself from the other 101,984 coffee shops in Seattle by also providing a wondrous array of pastries. This is definitely a good thing, because it distracts you from the fact that there is always a line of 31 other people stretching out the door. Oh, and Cafe Basula would possibly get 5 stars, but their sign uses Papyrus style font... And after to Comic Sans, someone really need to put an end to that font.

    (4)

  • Bethany K.

    I have tried every ham and swiss croissant in town, this place is hands down the best!!!!! I can't attest to any thing else they offer because I can't seem to stray from my consistently perfect order of pure goodness! If you are a ham and swiss lover, don't miss Besalu!

    (5)

  • Julie K.

    I've seen the enormous lines outside this place and thought, "It can't be THAT good." But since it was a sunny day yesterday and I didn't have any particular place to be, I decided to wait it out and see for myself. It WAS that good. Tried the leek and goat cheese quiche, the ham and swiss pastry, and a pear galette that was the most delicious thing I'd had in weeks. I almost walked out of there with a cheese brioche as well but managed to restrain myself. All the pastry was flaky and lovely, and the quiche was just right. I will definitely be back, although I may try to aim for a time when the line isn't quite so insanely long.

    (5)

  • Rachel L.

    Why bother reviewing the same place 42 other people have? Why give it the same five-star rave they all did? Because, well, it's 36 hours later, and Besalu, I still can't get you out of my head. Mind you, I'm not a frequent consumer of lattes or pastries, but I'm right now doing two important things to demonstrate my undying love for Besalu: 1. For once it's not the cats drooling on the keyboard. It's me. 2. I'm actually considering taking up running, or aerobics, or long-distance-hilly-rainy-cycling so that I can consume your goodies on the daily and not turn into one of the aforementioned butter tubs On top of everything else, I got friendly, personal engagement from your servers in the midst of what appears to be a perpetual rush, and yummy perfect SOY FOAM atop perfectly-pulled shots in my latte. Bless you and the fluffy French cloud you floated in on.

    (5)

  • Landon R.

    Wow! These pastries truely blew us away! loved everything and the coffee was top notch as well. Keep up the craft, Cafe Besalu, and support these folks.

    (5)

  • Meghan F.

    Wow. What a great little discovery. I went here today with my good friend and her 4 month old, she looked at me like I had 8 heads when I told her I'd never been to Cafe Besalu, and now I know why. Great pastries, and amazing, hand crafted cups of coffee. It was quite busy, I'm sure because this place is so good, but we were served within 5 minutes. The quiche Loraine was delicious and so was my latte. I'll definitely go back if I'm in the neighborhood!

    (4)

  • S K.

    I go all the way from Capitol Hill to have their pastries. Best in Seattle I have found so far.

    (5)

  • Josephine L.

    This place is a hidden secret!! Get there early since the line goes out the store front - very popular spot on the weekends especially. It smells heavenly and you'll want to eat everything you see. I ordered the seasonal quiche with cherry tomatoes and it was yummy - so fresh. I also tried a piece of my friend's chocolate croissant OMG to die for. I can't wait to go back and try other pastries!

    (4)

  • Mark D.

    This place is pretty great. The line on Saturday mornings is pretty long but it's worth it. Excellent pastries. My favorite is the onion & gruyere. Coffee is also good, but the selling point of this place is the baked goods. They have quiche also which I have never had, looks good though!

    (5)

  • Heather U.

    Hands down best French pastry in Seattle (sorry Le Pichet)! Well worth the wait in my opinion for the gruyere and carmelized onion tart. The chai was also amazing, not too heavy, with plenty of cardamom. I'll be back soon!

    (5)

  • Annika E.

    Pure buttery heaven...the ginger biscuits...so good!

    (5)

  • Z Z.

    Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Best croissant in the United States hands down (I think).

    (5)

  • Marlyn C.

    So good- I love everything here but my favorite is the cardamon pretzel (but the quiches are luscious and the savory tarts flakey and delish). So hard not to order at least 3 different things because everything looks and tastes so great. There's always a line so don't be off-put- it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Karin J.

    Mmmm....Besalu. Everything here is marvelous, but to really appreciate it, try a plain croissant. I haven't had one this good since periodic outings as a child to the delightful Michel Richard in Los Angeles. How DO they make puff pastry that good? Don't pass up the homemade jam. On a recent visit, I made the discovery that the quiches (also very good) come out at 10.15 a.m. So if you have your heart set on something other than pastry, be warned. The steady turnover makes for fun people watching. There seems to be an unwritten rule that, even if there is a long Sunday morning line, you don't grab a table until you have your goodies in your hand, at which point a table always magically opens up.

    (5)

  • Kidron C.

    Me and my girlfriend went here this morning for coffee. I had my usual (a chai) and she had an irish cream latte. Both were very, very good. I think this was the best Chai I've had. And its my 'usual' so I get it wherever I go, usually. Aside from the highly pleasing drinks, their pastries were yummy. My girlfriend had the salmon quiche which she enjoyed, and I had a ham & swiss flaky pastry. It was very good. The only reason for the 4 stars is that the place is so small it cannot accommodate all of the curious yelpers and regular locals that the line nearly stretches out the door! A bigger location for easier convenience to its customers and it gets 5 stars! Of course they can't help that at the moment, and the staff is highly efficient and friendly. It also helps this stuff is hand-made right there. Yummy stuff, go here!

    (4)

  • Katie A.

    It smells like butta in heah..? Quick! Get me a spoon. Cafe Besalu is a hoppin' little joint. It might be because their delectable hand forged pastries are made from all organic, all natural ingredients in the traditional french way. Just a thought. Every item is delicious- I'm a sucker for the chocolate croissant, the ginger biscuits, and the savory goods.. Their coffee is great as well. Cute and quaint, but bit obnoxious at times- there's always a million little tots running around inside with shortbread crumby faces. A word of advice: When in Cafe Besalu, don't breathe too deeply. I did once and I gained like 3 lbs. Two tasty shortbreads and a scone straight up!

    (4)

  • Masanori T.

    This place is simply AMAZING. I walked in one early Sunday morning just wanting to get some coffee to start off the day, but the second I set foot in this place all this inviting, comforting smell of freshly baked pastries welcome you into the establishment. My friend I was with (lives around the corner from this place) tells me the guy that runs this place spent time living in Europe (near the border of France & Spain), and it totally reminded me of the time I spent in south of France back in the college days. Laid back, neighborhood type of a cafe. I love you can actually see them get their pastries ready behind the counter. All I got was a croissant but it was absolutely heavenly - super soft & warm. I must come back here & try some of their savory items for sure. Good coffee, good pastries, a great place to chill out.

    (5)

  • Michelle B.

    Cafe Besalu stole my soul, or at least they tried to, in exchange for their coconut macaroons. Holy yum, those were some of the best macaroons I have ever tasted, and I would gladly hand over my soul for a lifetime supply. Good thing they do take credit cards so I can hang on to my soul for a while longer. They make their drinks with Lighthouse coffee, so while I am a new convert to Lighthouse beans I do not see the charm in their establishment. I would much rather come to Cafe Besalu for one of their tasty coffees. They also make the best pain aux chocolate in Seattle, and the croissants are some of the best I've had in the whole US! Quiche, savory pastries, and bread from Tall Grass Bakery is also on offer at Besalu which is awesome since Tall Grass doesn't take credit cards. Do beware that they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays - I think I might protest that by standing outside the bakery eating Chips a 'hoy, that'll show them!

    (5)

  • Sean F.

    Going to Cafe Besalu makes me want to apprentice as a pastry chef so I can live on a diet of butter and sugar the way humans were meant to. I can't step into the place without eating at least a ginger biscuit, carmelized onion and gruyere pastry, and a cardamom pretzel. Don't go here if you are on the South Beach diet.

    (5)

  • James K.

    Undeniable and perfectly executed. You'll want to work through every item on the menu, though they're all variations on the same dough. Even the long and sluggish line somehow adds to the appeal.

    (4)

  • David M.

    Among the best pastry I've ever had in Seattle, or anywhere for that matter... Coffee was very good as well, plus great atmosphere and staff. Fantastic.

    (5)

  • Aaron D.

    magnafique!

    (5)

  • Amelia V.

    Besalu never disappoints, with great savory and sweet pastries, and delicious quiche. Part of the experience is waiting in a long line, so plan to spend some time there. The owners are often in the kitchen rolling dough, a nice reminder of why it's great to shop local. When we have out of town guests, we bring them here. I highly recommend it!

    (5)

  • Simon B.

    The. Best. Period. The quiches are light, fluffy, delicious perfection with the most amazing crust. The croissant are light, crispy buttery deliciousness, easily as good as anything we had in France. And watching James at work makes you realize that nirvana is a state of mind.

    (5)

  • Lucy H.

    They have the best croissants! I don't know how the pastry chef does it, the kitchen is super tiny but somehow he's able to pump out the best pastry dough ever. All the pastries are perfectly buttery, light, generous in size and pair perfectly with the savory offerings or seasonal fruits. The coffee is pretty darn good too. I'm always happy to wait in line or for one of the tables inside.

    (5)

  • Tyler M.

    This is the best pastry bakery in Seattle. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.

    (5)

  • mcbealer X.

    Hot. almond. buttery. croissants. fresh from their oven ... Mmmmmmm! No matter the wait, the hustle, or bustle ... you will not be disappointed. Go there and feast on these butter ladened pastries ... where they also happen to serve a mean cup of joe.

    (5)

  • Izzy H.

    I've been trying to get my ass up by 7 every morning so I can make my merry way over to Ballard to get fresh out of the oven flaky goodness. Which is saying something because I am anything but the early bird. After a week of missed tries, I finally made it by 7.30 in the morning today. And there was already a line out the door. A-fucking-mazing. Not that anybody should be surprised though, the scent of deliciously baked croissants wafted from a block away (how the people who live right around the corner can resist, I have no idea) enticing anyone. The service was great, the barista friendly and quick (making me a delicious latte) and service with a smile. Not to mention the kick-ass croissants and danish. What more could anybody want? And it was wonderful to watch them baking right behind the counter.

    (5)

  • Melissa S.

    I can't believe I haven't rated Besalu yet. I'm sort of ashamed since I'm such a huge fan. There are only a couple of things that I need in my 'hood. Parking, grass, and a bakery within a few blocks. I have been very lucky in my past but I have to admit that even I was not prepared with how well their drinks matched their pastries. I have never had anything bad. Sometimes my favorite (onion/gruyere) is too rich so I move onto one of their biscuits or cookies. And I know that I will never ever be disappointed. My MIL looooooves their quiche and loves that its true quiche (underdone). Fiance is a huge fan of the ham and swiss pastry. I also love watching the owner take out his flats of what looks like frozen butter (but is likely just dough...but I wouldn't judge if it was butter). The staff is efficient and succinct. They offer coffee discounts after 10 drinks purchased. The line is out the door around 9am or later. Get there between 7-8am for less hassle during the week.

    (5)

  • Vanessa G.

    This is absolutely the best pastry cafe in the world. And I just lived in Europe for a year.. so I have been eating my way across it. at 400+ reviews you get the point. It's amazing.

    (5)

  • Seattle J.

    Delicious!! We will be back often!

    (5)

  • Yi Z.

    December 24, 2009 - 2:30pm Me: Hello, what time are you closing today? Them: 3 o'clock. Oh, and we're going to be closed for the next two weeks. (hangs up). Me: OMG everyone, we need to leave right now. We need to get to the bakery before they close. Get in the car!! --------------------------------------------------­------------------------------------------ December 24, 2009 - 2:45pm We arrived and there was a huge line. There were about 10 people in front of me and the baked goods were disappearing by the second. Mom: Ok, we're should get the french apple tart, the almond pastry, the pear ... Me: Shhh!!!! Stop talking mom. Don't give the people in front of us ideas. There are only a couple of each left!!! As I waited nervously in line, I was deathly afraid that the french apple tart and the pear galette would be ripped away from me right before I got to the front. Then, some guy who came in to pick up the pastries he preordered took the last visible french apple tart. I simultaneously wanted to cry and to hit him for taking the last one without even having to wait in line. Just as I was getting ready to yell at him in anger, more apple tarts appeared. Luckily, I ended up getting everything I wanted. The pear galette was definitely the highlight; I think I could eat one for breakfast every day. The cheese brioche was a bit plain, but I guess I shouldn't have expected much from a brioche. I'm so glad I made it before they closed.

    (5)

  • Shannon R.

    They say a moment on the lips, forever on the hips... Well, I'll take a kiss from Besalu any day, embracing any delicious curve its memory might leave behind. James and Kaire work hard in the kitchen, rolling out soft buttery dough right in front of your eyes. Meticulous attention to detail ensures that every pastry is not only gorgeous, it just might sing you a love song. Since the website is under construction, let me list for you some of the desirables: pain au chocolat, sweet cardamom pretzels, seasonal plum tarts with frangipane, cornmeal apricot sage cookies and sticky sweet coconut macaroons. They have savory items too; several kinds of quiche, including the traditional quiche lorraine, and pastries filled with gruyère and onion or ham and swiss. My favorite quiche in Seattle is from Macrina downtown, but these are not far behind. I think they get their coffee from Lighthouse Roasters in Fremont. Besalu gives just one shot of espresso by default, instead of the two most cafes are offering now. But that's alright by me. Sometimes I love a mocha that tastes like a creamy cup of hot cocoa with just a hint of caffeine. It's the soothing kind of love that doesn't leave me all shaken up.

    (5)

  • Sam G.

    The problem with giving this place only five stars is that I feel like I need to bump down all of my reviews by a star because this is the pinnacle of all eateries. I am a pastry SNOB. I bake obsessively at home and if I can bake it better, I will complain and critique to ear-plugging lengths. Luckily for my accompanying crew, Cafe Besalu is the Original Form from which all other bakeries cast shadows on our primitive cave. This place makes me shut up and swoon. Ok. So. With four of us in tow, and this being the second time I've come (the first being a few years ago - it left such an impression that I prioritized this for my next Seattle visit), I decided to go all out. We ordered a dozen different pastries and tried all of them. Not a single one was my 'least favorite' and I honestly can't pick my favorite either. The quiche's, the savory tarts, the sweet tarts, the cookies... all are done with such deft balance that you are left staring at an empty plate wondering how you just downed the equivalent of 3 desserts. The pastries are buttery and yet light, sweet yet not saccharine, the fruit is fresh and wait for it.... they bake in small batches throughout the day which means that it is bloody likely that whatever you order will have come piping out out of the oven not more than 15 minutes before it goes in your mouth. They are all ridiculously reasonably priced ($2-$3 each). A line out the door pretty much whenever you drive by but it is so very worth it. It actually pains me that there aren't more bakeries like this in the States.

    (5)

  • Kathleen C.

    Maybe this would get a higher rating if it was based on more than 1 visit and I got to try more things. Place isn't very big or fancy. A little bit of uncomfortable outdoor seating. Iced vanilla soy latte, no complaints. I tried the Apple Galette and it was amazing! This is after I had brunch too! Granted I only had 1/3 of it, but my friends and I all agreed it was very good. The flakiness of the pastry was perfect! Would come back for more!

    (4)

  • Alan C.

    I was craving a good pastry/croissant place this morning. I'm originally from SF and I miss my pastries from Tartine and Arizmendi Bakery. Came here in the late morning on the weekend and there was a small line. Parking is relatively easy around the area. I ended up ordering the pair au chocolate, nectarine danish, and a mocha and my girlfriend got a croissant w/ peach jam and a chai. The danish and croissants were GOOD. So good in fact that we ordered more to go! Mocha was good too and my girlfriend really enjoyed her Chai! The chai we got though is a bit different from chai's i've gotten in the past, it has a more spicy flavor.

    (5)

  • Jade L.

    One of my favorite pasty places, even more than Bakery Nouveau. There's a certain quaintness to the small bakery. On the weekends, it's constantly busy, but I don't ever seem to have a problem getting a seat. My fav? The almond croissant and their quiches. I love how they also have such a variety of different types of pastries. It's always so hard to choose, but it's always fun to try a new one. They also have a variety to cookies, and it isn't just your standard chocolate chip cookies. I had their Russian tea cake cookies and they were so moist and soft. Love it. Always can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Tameka B.

    I know nothing of baking so I can't speak to what makes a "proper" pastry or croissant. However, I know what I like and this place fits the bill to a tee. I have had various iterations of their fruit danishes, their base croissant and some of their sweet twists like the cardamon pretzel. All of which I loved. My current favorite is the cheese danish. They are priced well and are a short distance from the main strip of Ballard so an easy walk if you happen to be in the area. Actually, it's one of the few places that I would say is worth a trip to Ballard alone. Even on a busy Saturday morning when the line is out the door, the staff is friendly and patient. They also seem to be constantly baking so I have not seen them really run out of anything, but that could just be my luck of the draw. Overall a great place to pop in for some pastries. Lastly, I have not had much of their coffee so I can't really provide a good judgment on that. However, I did have a mocha there my first time and it was pretty good. No burnt espresso taste. TLDR version: GO!

    (5)

  • Hugh D.

    Great pastries, friendly and efficient staff. Usually a line but the line goes quickly. Limited seating most of the time is made worse by people that stake out a table long before they order and receive their items. If customers had a little common sense and courtesy, they would wait to sit AFTER they pay. Thus, making life a little better for all that stop by for a delicious treat.

    (5)

  • Brian L.

    Can 600 reviews be wrong? To start it off, the pastries are excellent. The Yelpers got that one right, definitely. I've had croissants in Belgium and France and this gets about as close to that as you can. (I'm sure a real French person would condemn me for saying so) The coffee though was not really anything special. Come for the pastries, that doesn't disappoint.

    (4)

  • Marnie S.

    Was looking for a quick but delicious place to stop for breakfast while in town for a work trip and found this gem on Yelp. Great service and atmosphere. And the pastries and coffee were delicious - definitely hit the spot! I had the onion & Gruyere pastry - fresh out of the oven and so delicious! Also a double tall latte that was beautiful and sprung for the cardamom pretzel because I love cardamom pastries. Very good! Definitely recommend. Thanks for starting my morning right!

    (5)

  • Tony L.

    I stopped by Besalu on an early Saturday morning, and the place was already packed. Luckily, I was able to wait inside the café, instead of outside the door. The place is definitely small, with some seating inside. After waiting in line and looking at the display case, I got to go: Plain croissants: nice and flaky and buttery Pear tart and apple tart: these were good, not too sweet. Ham and Swiss pastry: really good, with the ham going well with the cheese Onion and gruyere pastry: this was probably my favorite of the bunch. The caramelized onions were nice and sweet. Although small, I would have to say that the pastries here re worth the wait. If you are walking by the café in the morning, it is hard to pass up on the smell of coffee and bread as you walk by.

    (4)

  • MaiLinh N.

    Pastries are delicious and reasonably priced. Coffee has been mediocre. I've had an americano as well as drip coffee and have been unimpressed. The drip coffee was weak and the americano's shots weren't too good. Definitely will put up with the coffee to snag a pastry though.

    (4)

  • Liza X.

    What to get: Ginger Scone & Nectarine Danish My friend picked us up some pastries to start off our day. She's a baker and this is her favorite bakery in Seattle. We had apricot danish, nectarine danish, and ginger scone--the last two were her favorites, but we thought we'd try something new too. My favorite was the ginger scone. I don't typically enjoy scones because I find them dry, crumbly and really dense, but I really liked this one. The ginger gave each bite a nice kick. So the first flavors that hit your tongue was the sweetness followed up by that distinct spiciness that give ginger its unique character. The texture itself was also a bit moister and much more palatable. Both danishes were very nicely baked to a golden color with a slight glaze. The nectarine danish was fabulous. The dough was soft, flaky, and slightly sweet (you could tell there was a lot of butter). The fruit was nicely sweetened and baked to perfection. My only complaint was that because of the pinwheel shape, it was hard to get an even balance of filling and dough. The apricot danish, on the other hand, had a much denser dough even though you'd think they would be the same. The dough was drier and the apricot just tasted off to me. Everyone agreed that it was good but a little weird. Maybe I just didn't expect baked apricot to taste that way, but of everything I tried that day from different bakeries, it was my least favorite. If I hadn't tried the apricot danish, I would have given Café Besula 5 stars.

    (4)

  • Rodica B.

    This is hands-down the best place for croissants in Seattle. They are closed Monday and Tuesday, to make up for crazy busy weekends - the upside is that now Wednesdays are my favorite days of the week! And don't be discouraged by a few people waiting in line - it's well worth it to spend a few minutes anticipating the awesomeness :) The pastry chef trained in France and you can tell - it's in the atmosphere of the place, it's in the tasty pastries, and it's in the way they prepare the food (you can take sneak peaks behind the counter) :) My personal favorites are the croissants (the dough is flaky and crispy, as it should be!), stockholm buns, and strawberry/apricot danishes. Their quiches are also really tasty - so don't forget to give those a shot!

    (5)

  • Nani V.

    Besalu is an absolute treat, in all senses of the word. Fresh and delicious pastries (better than any others I've had in the US), friendly staff, and an overall wonderful environment. We lived in Ballard for 3 years and I would say that Besalu was the most frequently visited establishment for us. My advice: get more than one pastry. My favorites are their standard croissants (they always have a fresh-made jam to pair with them) and the summer fruit danishes (nectarine is my all-time favorite). If you're in a savory mood, the Onion Gruyere pastry is unbelievable! I liked to take them home and warm them up in the oven for a few minutes.

    (5)

  • Yuchi C.

    OUTSTANDING tart shell for my pear frangipane tart. It's buttery and flaky, the bottom is perfectly crispy but strong enough to hold the filling. Never expected something so great in Seattle where I've been pretty disappointed foodwise since I moved here from SF. The staff was super nice, and friendly to dog owners. I'd definitely be back even though the buses are sketchy as hell...

    (5)

  • Vivian H.

    Their Sunday specialty -- almond croissants -- are the best croissants I have ever had. I wish they would put more almond filling in it. It is so good. And, they were still available on a late Sunday morning. I didn't have to stand in line at 7am. The ginger cookie is as good as everyone says it is. It has real shredded ginger, so it is not a wimpy ginger cookie like so many of them are. Their quiches are also very good.

    (4)

  • Benjamin J.

    Best pastries in Seattle. There is a reason there is a line down the sidewalk on the weekends. The coffee is good but the care they take with their food is so noticeable and unique. Quiches, croissants, ham and cheese pastries and seasonal items. To me they are the quientissential definition of a superb, local, neighborhood business that really cares about their customers experience, food and ambience. Well done guys.

    (5)

  • Tarik A.

    100% of the time amazing. They're consistent, efficient, friendly, and most importantly the drinks and pastries are all top notch. The flakey, buttery croissants and the ginger biscuits are my favorite. Great local business!

    (5)

  • S. S.

    12-months out of the year, always stellar and perfect. Love this locally-owned family business where family is valued in their own business lives. Everything is delicious.

    (5)

  • Jen C.

    It's rare to find a place where literally EVERY SINGLE ITEM tastes perfect. Cafe Besalu is one of those places. Any time I have family in town or want to go to brunch with a friend, Cafe Besalu comes to mind. The service here is great and everything is fresh baked. The croissants are so buttery and flakey, but don't feel heavy or greasy. My favorite items are the blueberry danish and the ginger biscuit.

    (5)

  • Austin D.

    best croissants and danishes ever. *drops the mic* Okay, I have to write more since yelp won't post it otherwise, but you get the idea. The croissants are sort of crispy, which is fairly unique as croissants go. Really the best pastries I've ever had in my entire life, no exaggeration.

    (5)

  • Diane C.

    I recently returned from a trip to Paris and have been searching for the croissants to return me to the boulangeries of Paris...Cafe Besalu delivers this in spades. From the perfectly crafted and baked croissants naturale to the pain au chocolat...but the pièce de résistance are the ham and swiss croissants. Seriously, these are soooo tasty with carmelized bits of ham and flaky croissant, do yourself a favor and double your order regardless of the number you think you need. Trust. Beyond the pastries, they do coffee right. You an get yourself a cafe noisette here, better known as a espresso machiattos. I lived on these during my trips. These are perfect for a quite bite on your own, being the pastry angel to your friends, family, and coworkers.

    (5)

  • Katie H.

    Perfect place to meet a friend to catch up over sharing a savory fluffy quiche of your choice and a sweet seasonal fruit pastry. The coffee is made of love. space is limited and lines long so have no agenda for the morning except enjoying the wait for good things comes to those who are willing

    (5)

  • Suie C.

    I finally had the chance to stop by after bookmarking this bakery for quite awhile. Stopped by on a Sunday after roaming around the Ballard market and was pleasantly surprised that there wasn't much of a line. The pastry case offered a variety of sweet as well as savory tarts, breads, cookies, etc. I got to try a strawberry tart as well as the coconut macaron. Both were amazing. The thing that sets this place apart is the quality of ingredients as well as the taste and texture. The pastry was soft and flaky and taste-wise, the perfect balance of sweet, yet not that overly sugary sweet. Just the right balance. Will be back.

    (5)

  • Richard Y.

    This place is great! But does anybody fucking work in this town? No matter what day it is, there's a fucking line. Worth it though! Get a job ballardians!

    (5)

  • Stephanie L.

    I'm always on the hunt for a good pastry and Cafe Besalu was AMAZEBALLS. Play by play of what happened as I ate their chocolate croissant. [Busted out phone and proceeded to text my sister] 9:38AM: I am eating the best choc croissant of my life right now 9:39AM I want to cry it's so good 9:39AM: Sob 9:42AM: I don't want it to end 9:50AM: I'm so sad Its over GO. Whatever you do, make time to go to this Cafe and get anything and you will just cry tears of joy.

    (5)

  • Rosa O.

    I've been hearing about this spot for quite some time now, and initially dismissed the hype because I didn't feel like I needed to know about another good bakery in Seattle. (Good job us, we have a lot!) When I was dragged here, however, I discovered that the range of their pastries is very unique and deliciously executed, and I'm now sad that they are in ballard and this more difficult for me to get to. I tried a pastry with raisins and cinnamon, which the woman who checked me out said was her favorite. The truth? Maybe! Regardless, it was buttery, flaky, and remarkably not heavy for something that probably had little to no nutritional value. So so tasty!

    (4)

  • T L.

    Handmade puff pastry, loaded with butter. Need I say more?

    (4)

  • Mary P.

    You can't get better pastries anywhere else on this Earth. The nectarine pastry and the cardamom pretzel are AMAZING. My husband also got the gruyere and onion pastry, and that was great, too. Highly recommend this place. It's worth the wait in line.

    (5)

  • Ingrid B.

    I ended up in the area on a weekday and I was able to get some other items to take home and try with the hubby. Quiche Lorraine and Chanterelle Gruyere Quiche - both good. Bit under seasoned. And a tiny slice for the price - but still yummy. Stockholm Bun - DELICIOUS Snickerdoodle - FABULOUS

    (5)

  • Claire S.

    Yes, there will probably be line (and it may go out the door), but be patient - all good things come with time. Their pain au chocolat is one of the best that I've ever had. They also have plain and almond, should those strike your fancy more, but you owe it to your taste buds to eat one of these perfectly flaky, buttery, magnificent things. The boy is a staunch supporter of their ginger biscuit, but I really don't see how you can go wrong here. 10/10, would eat here again.

    (5)

  • Christine E.

    Wonderful pastries! This place was hopping around 2:45 -- 15 minutes before closing. We had an assortment of pastries to share. It's a small establishment so not really a whole lot of seating. We took ours to go!

    (4)

  • Kate M.

    This place is so great. I've had a whole assortment of pastries from here, as well as the quiche. I would say 90% of their food is amazing, and the other 10% is still pretty good. I would highly recommend going on a Sunday to get an almond croissant. And if you don't like croissants, get one of their Stockholm buns. I dream about those things! My only complaint would be that I don't like their tables outside. The chairs are little tiny triangles that are weirdly far from the table. But hey, the food's delicious so it doesn't stop me.

    (5)

  • Sara Q.

    Food was good 3.5 stars, service 4 stars, ambiance 2 stars. I had the spinach quiche that contained caramelized onions. The bottom of the quiche was pretty soggy but the side of the crust was buttery and flaky. Couldn't really enjoy it warm bc there was no place to sit so I had to sit outside and eat it cold. Ladies taking orders for coffee and grabbing pastries were nice however didn't help figure out seating at all. Fellow customers were over privileged jerk offs who don't believe in sharing. They would sit there looking at me with empty plates and cups twiddling their thumbs together while I waited for a table to open up.. My favorite. Not the best croissant I've had .. And I've had a few lately. Texture was ok- didn't flake like i wanted it to taste was good. Chocolate chip cookie was also just so so.. I think for me it was too crisp and didn't offer enough of a chew. Sadly didn't get to try any other pastries like cheese Danish, ginger biscuit etc. but I think I will survive. I recommend that if you come- get it to go and don't try enjoying the treats in shop. You will feel more at ease and may even want to come back!

    (3)

  • Jocelyn C.

    This is a tiny little place. I must say, this has got to be the best croissant I've ever had. It melts in your mouth and helps you realize how amazing butter is! (They serve it with a peach jam, which is not my favorite, but it's good.) You can watch bakers make doughs behind the counter, which is always entertaining. A bunch of tables outside for a nice day, otherwise a very packed front of house that doesn't do much for me on the ambience scale. Coffee beverages also looked very affordable, and people like to come here for one of their hearty quiche slices. Help yourself to water at the coffee station. I would go to this place all the time if I lived in the neighborhood, but I probably wouldn't drive halfway across Seattle to check it out.

    (4)

  • Craig P.

    I love this place. We lived across the street for several years and always enjoyed the entire experience going in for coffee and a pastry. It feels as if you are suddenly in Europe. There can be a line but it is well worth the wait. In fact, waiting in line is just part of the experience of being here in the 'hood. Strollers and hipsters and all of the assorted Ballardites all congregate and know that good things are in store for them. Best of all, the owners are wonderful members of the community who work so hard to make sure they bring us the best quality product, and they deserve to be rewarded. All around a very feel good kind of place.

    (5)

  • Monica B.

    After I stopped bashing my head against the wall for all the times I didn't come here, I went back to eating my coveted pastries. I spend an awful lot of time in and near Ballard, yet somehow, this cozy little spot was not on my radar. Pretty much everything I've read in other reviews is true but I'll focus on what I consider to be the most important things. The line can get long. Be patient. The pastries will be there (maybe) when it's your turn. It's also equally likely that some well meaning soccer mom will purchase literally 2 boxes full of pastries and leave the case looking like my pantry - cold and empty. Never fear, while the nice young lady behind the counter is taking your order and brewing your coffee, others scurry in the back - baking more delights for your indulgence. Seating space is a premium and you may have to employ creative strategies to secure a seat. I'm partial to invading the personal space of folks already there and asking if they wouldn't mind sharing their table then quickly moving on to, "Can I get a bite of that?" Let's see...the croissants are flaky, and buttery but a bit soggy for my taste. Not bad, just not my preference in terms of texture. The pain au chocolat is a bit more crisp and honestly, I can't say no to anything that is filled with chocolate in the middle. The cheese danish had a subtle flavor that was pleasant and texture that was right on the money. Everything about it took me back to my childhood danish except for the fact that this one tasted 100 times better! A solid bakery with good products and good service. Win!

    (4)

  • Lisa B.

    This place was right around the corner from our AirBnB and has some great reviews. We shared the chanterelle gruyere quiche and a cardamom pretzel, made of croissant pastry dough. The quiche was really delicious and the pretzel had good flavor. The other pastries looked good as well: croissants, pain au chocolat, quince tart... The Americano wasn't great, though Nicole is a former coffee roaster, so pleasing her is tough. Overall the ambience is nice (French café-style jazz and guitar music) and the service is good and quick. We were here at noon on Saturday and the line was consistently long. We had a nice chat with a young Polish woman and her son who live here in Seattle. If you are in Ballard and desire a bit of France, this is a good place to come. Bon appétit à tous !

    (4)

  • Amy D.

    We really liked Cafe Besalu. It's a pretty small place, with tiny tables, but it's easy to take things to go. The quiche Lorraine and the pastries (we tried the strawberry danish and the hazelnut twist) were some of the best I've ever had. I'm not a huge fan of quiche more pastries, but this place made me love them. The coffee wasn't the best (especially after having Storyville yesterday), we both had Americanos and didn't love them. Overall a really great place that I would visit again.

    (4)

  • Kiki C.

    The line is out the door... And I was waiting a while. At least 10 minutes. But then it was my turn to order and was so thankful they took the time on my coffee order and warming of fresh pastries / getting ones straight out of the oven. There is nothing low-carb or sugar-free friendly here but hey, if you're going to indulge... Do it here! I had the Lorraine quiche, almond schneken, ham and Swiss pastry, strawberry danish, and the chocolate croissant. Every single one of the them was warm, fresh, and had plenty of flaky buttery goodness. Don't judge me for getting all of it... It was just that good! Then, I wanted more so I got in the long ass line again... And it was worth it... Again!!!

    (5)

  • Little S.

    If you're reading this, you have seen the other 5-star reviews saying how good it is. Well, they aren't misleading you! Yes, there's a line - it goes by quickly when you spend your entire visit trying to decide what on earth you're going to order and can you actually order 4 different pastries without being gluttonous (yes). Don't skip the coffee - they have excellent espresso and obviously their coffee pairs well with all their food. You really can't go wrong regarding what you order, but if you like quiche, you've gotta try it. And then pair it with a pain au chocolat. Close your eyes to enjoy both. They could definitely charge upwards of 20% more for their pastries but they don't. That's good people, friends. Two pro-tips: 1) They aren't open Mondays or Tuesdays 2) They usually don't have quiche until 10 or so on weekends

    (5)

  • Denis N.

    As close to Europe as you will get in Seattle! Located in the beautiful Ballard neighborhood this is a perfect place to stroll to while around. You can smell the wonderful aroma of a bakery as you queue to place your order. Wonderful music plays in the background as people enjoy each other's company. I recommend the nectarine Danish and latte and you can find parking right up front!

    (5)

  • Jonie N.

    To be honest, walking in here, I wasn't impressed. It was empty and seemed kind of dead? It wasn't until later I realized it was probably because they were closing in fifteen minutes, so the selection was sorta slim - no croissants, sad. I had a hard time deciding what to try, but chose the nectarine danish because I've never had one before and thought nectarine was something different. It was SO good - fresh, flaky, crispy, light, and the nectarine was delicious! I'm not sure if it's seasonal, I would think so? but I hope they have it next time I go because I could eat one by myself. (I shared last time, never again :) I'll definitely be back again (earlier!) for another delicious Danish and hopefully to try a croissant too.

    (5)

  • Whitney B.

    I have a croissant problem. So much so that sifting through my contact list on my phone, the number of people who I haven't harangued to eat a croissant with me is falling into critically low zone. Why aren't all of my pretend Facebook friends flocking to me?! Bitches. Now it's come down to this. Here I sit, explaining why you should come eat croissants with me in a damned Yelp review and here's why: 1. You're a generous person and I'll let you pay 2. I won't partake in your cheese danish because I think cheese tastes like salty goat vomit 3. But I will eat some of everything else you have because sharing is caring Their croissants here are praise-worthy and they know it. That's why "Besalu" translated is simply a concise way of saying, "Either put your large, curdled ass in line for 20 minutes or fuck yourself." And here's the thing: I have line rage. I will do anything to avoid lines or cut down waiting times and after circling the block twice, I had given all the fucks I had to give and parked my hot miracle machine in a 24-hour tow away zone. My friend and I ordered a pain au chocolate and a pear galette to share. The chocolate croissant reigned superior to the pear galette, perfectly buttery and light and adorable. None of that dry, foufy Bellevue shit. The middle of Besalu's chocolate croissant is lathered with chocolate. The pear galette was ultimately a let-down, but even among their small selection of pastries, there were at least 5 other items that I want to try in the future. And by "future," I mean until someone finally decides to give in to my incessant nagging.

    (5)

  • Niki H.

    I finally decided to try this little coffee shop/bakery place to see what it was like. I ordered a double shot mocha and a nectarine tart. The coffee was very tasty (rich, bold, full flavored beans). The nectarine pastry was flavorful, buttery and fresh. Outdoor seating is available. ;) Be sure to check you Yelp app before you head over because their hours are weird. I think they are closed every Monday & Tuesday. I really like the staff here...hard working and super friendly.

    (5)

  • Luke W.

    Obviously I'm preaching to the choir here, but the Croissant, and literally everything else sold here, is top notch. I've made it my personal mission to find a better Croissant in Seattle and so far, 20-30 bakeries deep into my challenge, I have yet to find one that comes close. (Sorry Nouveau fans, that's some basic baking you got there) Also, keep in mind it's in Ballard and kind of a pain to park. Just do what I did and let a Croissant be the primary reason you move to Ballard.

    (5)

  • Stephanie R.

    Yum yum yum! Great coffee, pastries and friendly staff. They need to expand. Super busy. You will wait but well worth it.

    (4)

  • Deborah J.

    Here's the deal--I've lived in Ballard on and off for 8 years and I'm ashamed to say I finally just now made it into Cafe Besalu. Seriously I've cried about it, I'm terrible! So there is always a line out the door which I'll be honest, that has definitely deterred me in the past because I'm really cranky when I'm hungry and I can't stand lines. I'll tell you what, Sunday it was raining pretty hard and I thought if we go now there won't be a line and everyone will assume the line is long and they won't want to wait in the rain. Thank you intuition! So there was a line but only like 6 people and it moved so fast I hadn't yet decided what to order, so in my frantic effort at the register I became super fat and ordered the following: Apple Danish 2 Slices of Quiche (Lorraine & Spinach) 2 Chocolate Croissants I'm the kind of person that likes to save the best for last, so initially I started with the Apple Danish which I was only allowed to eat half of because the other was for my fiance which in hindsight was the best so bummed I started with that. The Lorraine was better than the Spinach but probably because it had delicious bits of bacon in it. The quiche was super fluffy which I can never perfect on my own (I make quiche pretty much every week), so I'm totally envious. The croissant was perfectly flaky and buttery and it was delicious but the chocolate was a little too bitter for me. Not much seating inside and we actually ended up ordering to go but it did look like tables cleared out pretty quickly so you might get lucky if you want to eat inside, and once weather gets better there is additional seating outside. After our bellies were full we some how came to the conclusion that we will try everything on the menu, and Chris even said "before our wedding" but he's a little too ambitious sometimes and that likely won't happen so soon but I WILL try everything whether that takes me one month or eight more years. Actually on second thought, please don't come here, you'll only contribute to the already long lines and quite frankly I don't want to be behind you!

    (5)

  • Melissa R.

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE that they actually brew their chai here, rather than using a concentrate or powder, AND it's delicious! I thoroughly enjoyed having the chai and pairing it with a cardamom pretzel!

    (5)

  • Julia L.

    No explanation needed. It is the best croissant I have ever had. Waiting? I willingly wait in line because I know I'll get a fresh/warm croissant like everybody else :-D

    (5)

  • Krissy C.

    Best croissant I've ever had! I love all of their pastries and the coffee is delicious. You won't be disappointed...even if there's a line.

    (5)

  • Vincent T.

    Love the vibe and atmosphere of this place. The pastries are delicious and the quiche selections are to die for. Will definitely come back again.

    (5)

  • SG C.

    My favorite bakery in Seattle! Pain au chocolate, apricot danish, ginger biscuit, quiche, pain au raisins...I'm in pastry heaven. Everything on the top two shelves are amazing.

    (5)

  • Trudie M.

    We've tried a number of places around the Seattle area to get good croissants, and this is the best! They have that light flakey crust on the outside with soft layers on the inside. The owners are very nice, and are there doing the baking. The line maybe long, but it's worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Ruby G.

    My favorite is the pear pastry, but I need to come back and try more! I've heard raves about the plain croissants, but I was not very appreciative. Plain ones are usually just ok for me and I've have croissants elsewhere that I liked better.

    (5)

  • Chelsea J.

    How have I not reviewed Besalu yet? There is always a line out the door and it is well-deserved. Prices are fair and their pastries are divine. I had the quiche lorraine yesterday. $4.50 for a slice. While it wasn't a big slice it was adequate and when I was done I was satiated. Not much seating so you have to hover and pounce when a table comes available. Great coffee. My simple Americano was excellent. Love it. Worth the trip from anywhere in the city.

    (5)

  • Gabe F.

    We were in town for the weekend and found Cafe Besalu on Yelp, then made a b-line over on a Sunday morning to join the masses to stand in line for butter/flour baked goodies. The almond croissant is outta this world delicious, the egg quiche was so fluffy and baked on a paper thin crispy crust...YUM. We also tried the pear pastry and chased everything we a cappuccino that was also brewed properly. If I owned a foodie tour business in Seattle I would start every tour at Cafe Besalu. The only regret is we have to travel from San Jose to Seattle to return to Cafe Besalu.

    (5)

  • Mike P.

    Saw the good reviews, decided to try it out. My wife was soo appreciative when I came home with yummy pastries for breakfast. We had a plain croissant, a chocolate croissant, an onion & gruyere pastry, and a mocha. They also gave us complimentary strawberry jam for the plain croissant. Everything was great!

    (5)

  • Eric S.

    So, so good. I used to live a block away, and it was hazardous. They have that quintessentially french "just-so-ness", as I like to call it, where it's not (or doesn't need to be) big, punch-you-in-the-face flavor, but is instead just absolutely perfect. Perfectly balanced, perfectly executed, the perfect flake on the pastries, the perfect mouthfeel of the quiche. Watch out for weekend mornings and when they're closed - they're closed or too busy all of the time, it seems, but Besalu is an absolute treasure.

    (5)

  • Tim H.

    Great bakery! We've bought pastry here before, and it is first rate. A couple of days ago, we stopped in for lunch and lattes too, and that was just as good. Seating is pretty cramped and limited, so you have to be lucky to get a seat without a wait. Prices are reasonable and counter service is charming and polite. Parking is on the street and isn't easy. Cafe Besalu is next door to the equally wonderful Tall Grass bakery--home of the best baguettes in America (or at least America west of the Hudson River).

    (4)

  • Annie T.

    I don't really understand the hype regarding Cafe Besalu, it seems to be similar to all other french bakery/cafe, maybe even on the worser side. I came here last Sunday to finally try out the supposedly the best baker/cafe in Seattle. We got lucky with parking about a block away, but I think it will be a lot harder in the summer. The line at the bakery wasn't too long, but after ordering food there was no where to sit. We stood for a while with food in our hand because finding a table. I ordered chocolate croissant, asparagus/ham quiche and a soy latter. Croissant was much greasier and moist compared to usual french bakery croissants. Quiche was suprisingly watery and light, not heavy on the cheese at all. The latte was a total disappointment, very watered down and not much of an espresso taste at all. Overall, I didn't think it was worth my trip across 520 with tolls and gas to go to cafe besalu. There are plenty of cafes and bakeries that make just as good food without the hassel.

    (3)

  • Michael K.

    A Tale of Two Breakfasts Ingested Simultaneously to Reach Tummy Nirvana by Cafe' Besalu Customer Lines. Oh how I hate lines. Who are all these people who honestly believe they should be doing anything before me? Damn lines. They move deceivingly fast but I have things to be and places to do. Who really has the time to wait in line for breakfast? So many options at the grocery store now that have made the breakfast out nearly obsolete. Should I be eating a pop-tart right now? Should I even be awake? "What's going to fill your belly today?" Did she just ask what's going to kill my belly today? Not a good start. "What's better? The quiche or the stuffed croissants?" "What's better? Beer or Wine?" "That was quite the up-sell. I guess I'll be having both then." I pay and take the food to the car - the smell of cheeses and butter fill the confined space and my stomach rumbles. I decide to start eating. I have a little bite of the croissant. It hits my tongue and dissolves into pure, fatty bliss. Another bite and I feel like I'm just taking shot glasses full of butter. I grow excited and take a bite of the quiche. Stupid. Moments later i am stuffing pieces of the quiche into the croissant and eating both like a french hillbilly sandwich. My two breakfasts are gone in under two minutes and I feel a nap coming on. My belly dies... ...and goes to Cafe' Besalu.

    (5)

  • Paul P.

    I absent mindedly allowed my stockpile of farm fresh eggs to disappear. I woke up late and my wife asked me to make her eggs for breakfast. Gadzooks! No eggs! Don't worry dear, "how about we go try that bakery we keep hearing about over in Ballard?" And the rest, they say, it's history. My wife is a picky eater and so i was a little surprised to see her wanting to try EVERYTHING. Smooth, bitter, delicious espresso and warm buttery baked goods. We went to a little place called breakfast heaven. Wowsers! Thank you.

    (5)

  • Shameem A.

    I got the nectarine Danish - amaze. The walnut roll Danish they were pulling out of the oven while I was in line looked incredible but ... Having eaten my way through seattle I had to pick one not both and went with previous yelper reviews. Awesome French vibe, very friendly awesome staff and we just beat the large line growing out the door.

    (5)

  • Nick T.

    So I've tried quite a few croissants here in Seattle as well as the Eastside & after finally sitting down one day & trying a bunch (7 different locations) in one sitting (just the plain butter croissants), one true winner emerged from the pack & that is Cafe Besalu. Their croissants are quite consistently very good, with a appetizing golden caramel color, nice buttery, flaky outer crust which is very evident of the multiple layers of butter that were used to make it that has a very satisfying crunch as you bite into it. The inside has a nice chewy, soft, airy, texture with a very satisfying butter flavor that isn't overpowering. The lines are almost always out the door and this is for good reason. The pastries are all quite tasty (I've also had their pear & apple tarts/galettes or whatever they're called, regardless it's delicious). I have not yet had any of their coffee, but to me I think it's just icing on the cake as their pastries & baked goods are enough to draw anyone in. The inside of the shop is quite small with only room for a few tables inside as well as about 3 small tables outside. In all honesty I'm torn on whether or not I should give them a lower rating so that the lines there might potentially be shorter when I pay a visit, but I think this would be doing this fantastic bakery an injustice.

    (5)

  • Taffany H.

    Pastry is a must! Everything is so flakey dreamy delicious. The quiches are also excellent--eggs and spinach ratio is superb while the egg itself is not overcooked and is still very soft and fluffy. This is my second time visiting Cafe Besalu and my top first stop once landed at SeaTac for a quick breakfast stop!

    (5)

  • Sheryl C.

    My companion and I disagreed a little on this rating. I felt it should be a 2 star and thought it should be a 3 star so I gave a 3 because there were several factors taken onto consideration. The small bakery is warm and inviting especially on a cold fall day. The smell as you enter is delightful and everything in the case looks delicious. Our coffees were very good and service was fine. Out of 3 pastries only 1 was good and eaten. The Stockholm was pretty good. Not great. The hazelnut was dry and bland and the shortbread cookie had no flavor and I normally love shortbread cookies. I would go back for the coffee and try the quiche or something else but I won't rush back.

    (3)

  • Aruna K.

    Cafe Besalu was amazing. The food was great, especially the croissants! The plain croissant is undoubtedly the best I ever had, plus it was served with plum jam. The Almond croissant was okay, a bit to sweet for my liking. We also got several varieties of their quiche, which were all great. I particularly liked the spinach quiche. I loved their ginger biscuit. Never had anything like it before, it was gingerly ginger! So Delish! The cardamom pretzel was very unique flavor, again never had anything like that before. But I think some of the other items are better. They had a solid mocha, not too sweet. Latte was good too. Best part, service was on point despite their being a line. They were very efficient and friendly. Will definitely go back!

    (5)

  • Kristin H.

    The pain au chocolat is a revelation. I tried a chocolate chip cookie and it was nothing special... but this place warrants five stars, no question, on the strength of the croissants alone.

    (5)

  • Jackie V.

    I love this place, the pastries are amazing and beautifully made. Plus the staff is super friendly.

    (5)

  • Sadie G.

    The pastries are super delicious! We got the cardamom pretzel, the nectarine danish, and the hazelnut twist... Yummo! We also got espresso drinks which were only okay (on par w/ Starbucks). Best part about this place: you get to watch the bakers do their thing!

    (4)

  • David K.

    This place is clearly 5 stars. The croissant is divine; the homemade jam is perfect. The only reason I'm writing this review is to balance out the idiots who give this place 3 or less stars.

    (5)

  • Matt C.

    French bakery with epic pastries!!! Not much for hardy breakfast good - I got the ham and Swiss pastry: #delicious

    (5)

  • Lucas H.

    Updated review - after wandering around Ballard on a wistful Sunday, the freedom of the day sliding away while work looms on the morrow, my partner and I found ourselves near Cafe Besalu, and she, with her nostalgic recollections of a life before our child, wondered aloud about a treat. We had, a year or so ago, visited this same spot and shared a treat. With apologies to Richard Linklater, besalu is a bit like the before trilogy for us. A little older, but just as sweet and perfect, and so great to catch up with. This installment: a chocolate croissant. And, there was a lovely violin track playing as we waited in line, which was out the door.

    (5)

  • J L.

    Best bakery!! Flakey, buttery, and awesome! Love the Strawberry Danish! Friendly staff!

    (5)

  • Heidi H.

    I did like the bakery here very much!!! And their coffee latte and mocha were also very good!! Really enjoyed to walk here for weekend morning and had an outside seat to enjoy that great French style breakfast. I certainly will go again and again.

    (5)

  • Stewart T.

    Sure, there's another Seattle bakery with famous almond croissants. But Besalu's Sunday version is another beast, one that let's the dough do the talking and the almond filling is just a complement. Their regular croissants are unmatched. And what's awesome about this place is the staff is kind and courteous, never rushing you even with a line out the door.

    (5)

  • Opal D.

    One bite and I'm hooked... my new favourite local bakery. The Stockholm was mind blowingly delicious, the perfect texture and just a tad sweet. The lemon cookie was bright in flavour, a little crunchy and a little chewy. The apricot danish was flakey, chewy, with a slight crunch in the corners - amazing texture. I cannot wait to come back and try everything in the case!

    (5)

  • K B.

    This place is the best for getting fat. If not the best almond croissant I've ever had, it's certainly on the podium. Hazelnut twist was delish. Opens at 7 Sunday morning and there was a line at 7:03. Always a good sign! Fast, friendly service. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Joy B.

    this is the very best pastry you'll ever have. i have dreams of the stockholm bun, folds of cinnamon sweet strips of pastry with generous sprinklings of walnut goodness. the pan aux raisin is a very close second. happy mornings are guaranteed here!

    (5)

  • Tap Sum B.

    The place is old and my iced americano was served in a old worn out glass. The chairs are super uncomfortable and did not balance. You can fall if you just lean back probably. However, I would sit on a straw mat and drink coffee out of a taco bell plastic cup to eat at this place. The croissants are the best I have had in the States and that really is all there is to it. All the reviews are deserved. You know you are getting a good croissant when the chef looks french and annoyed.

    (5)

  • Chandini S.

    There are a lot of places on Yelp that get high reviews. I sometimes think they are well-deserved, but I often think they are overrated. And so this is what I kept thinking about Cafe Besalu. I tried to go several times, but they were either closed or there was a long line. Whatever. I can go somewhere else. So one day there was no line and it was open. Sure, I'll try the quiche. (She said questioningly, expecting something rubbery and flavorless.) Holy freaking smokes. Was. I. Wrong. The quiche was simply the best I've ever had in this city. It was creamy and luscious and rich and everything that quiche is supposed to be. He had a croissant, and I snuck a bite. Well ... again ... the best croissant in the city. So crumbly and buttery without being greasy. Perfection. That's all that can be said.

    (5)

  • Amanda L.

    I love all sorts of bakeries. And this one is amazing. Everything was super fresh and tasted wonderfully. And the prices were right too.

    (5)

  • John Y.

    I would not murder someone for a single glorious croissant from this amazing, unexpected, hole-in-the-wall bakery. But I would have to think about it pretty hard. And depending who it was, I... I better stop this review.

    (5)

  • Robert D.

    Decent pastries but what a mistake to go there almost always. The wait in my experience is always at least 20 minutes but sometimes longer. No parking, and nearby street parking is sparse.

    (2)

  • Angela B.

    So I kept hearing how great this place is from friends and also on Yelp, and now I know why! Pastries are so amazing that you just don't want to stop eating and you want to savor every morsel. I tried the leek & goat cheese quiche. I don't even like leek, but boy was it so fantastic that I wanted to lick my plate. The goat cheese was an added bonus. And the pain au chocolat. Hmmm mmm good. Sweet, soft, and chocolaty. Place is a bit small and street parking can sometimes be hard to find.

    (4)

  • Peiran S.

    Being claimed for baking best croissant on American continent and nominated 33 on Yelp's 100 best places to eat in US, this little bakery is no bigger than a hole in the wall in a quiet community. It's really not like fancy bakeries where deco and ambience are being heavily invested in. When we manage to get a table from one of the handful there, we enjoy watching the owner flipping doughs just behind the humble counter showcasing the freshly baked pastries. And those pastries are so tempting that I almost always order too much. The croissant is super crispy/flaky on the outside and fluffy inside. They also offer home made jam but I personally enjoy the buttery and lightly sweet flavor of just munching the croissant as it is. Pain au chocolate is a perfect substitute for plain when I'm into more of a sweet taste. Not as crispy and fluffy is the pain au raisin which I happen to order every single time. It's denser and creamier in texture and stronger in the sweet flavor than any of the croissants. Russian tea cookie is a hidden gem there. It's coarser, drier and less sweet on the inside than traditional cookies but is as strong in buttery flavor. I also got to try ham and swiss danish there. As a great complement to all sweet stuff we had, the taste is really beyond my expectation. Other stuff like cheese danish, hazelnut twist and check board shortbread just fall on our radar naturally when they are available. Their quiche seems to be popular and highly praised as well which stays on the top of our list for the next visit. Service tends to be slow here, especially on weekend mornings when the small place is fully packed. Enjoy the free smell of the best croissant while waiting.

    (5)

  • Seattle F.

    I didn't Yelp this place since it's hyped up already, but I have to given the 3 star reviews I see from whiny people driving from the east side. It's a small, european type cafe. It's not a Starbucks. They don't have a parking lot. They have limited seating. They're a small business. That you expect this from something called a Cafe is silly. The food is amazing mostly due to the handmade philo. They're only open 5 days a week and they're cash only. That in Seattle means you know what you're doing and can get away with that. Don't expect to sit at a cafe. it's small. In Europe, you get your espesso and a pastry while walking to work. I know it's America, but it's a small place in a neighborhood in Seattle. Expecting a parking lot and huge swaths of seating is silly.

    (5)

  • Faye Z.

    Pastries here are DIVINE. Almond croissant was the best I've ever had. Perfectly flaky, just the right amount of butter, light and airy on the inside. The sort of croissant that you close your eyes eating and just savor. Nectarine danish was also incredible. The dough is similar to the croissant dough - light, flaky, buttery, fresh - and inside is the fresh fruit filling, a light cream cheese, and a touch of not-too-sweet syrup. The lines out the door speak volumes to the quality of pastry here. Very impressed.

    (5)

  • Tony Y.

    Simply amazing. Cafe Besalu is now one of my favorite cafes in Seattle and it definitely supports its yelp rating. Everything they serve is freshly baked from the croissants to the quiche. I wish I could have tried everything they had to offer, but we couldn't, so we settled on the spinach quiche and the croissant. The quiche was your normal quiche with spinach and caramelized onions! Yum. The croissant was so buttery and flakey, and it came with in house made plum jam! I've never had plum jam, and it was out of this world!! As if that was not enough food, our curiosity had us go back for one more... the chocolate croissant. That decision alone was probably the best decision I've made today. The chocolate croissant was everything I said about the croissant above, plus a good amount of dark chocolate spread in the middle. We will be back try more of their tasty pastries. I strongly reccomend.

    (5)

  • Michel D.

    I want to write this review in nothing but passionate swear words and bright cheery emoticons. I don't know how else to explain how much I love this place. This is my go-to bakery. I've had pastries in France and they were pretty damn good---this place is just as good, if not better. Everytime I come here, I am always that-girl-with-the-twenty-pastries that ends up with crumbs all over my face and hipster scarf. I normally am not a let's-buy-all-the-food kinda gal, but every pastry and item I've had here has been heavenly. YES, the line is long....YES, the place is kinda small....YES---it's hard to find a seat. BUT...the wait, the standing in line is worth it. Just try the ham and swiss croissant or the onion-gruyere croissant---it will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It will make you hi-five your unsuspecting neighbor sitting at the table next to you. You will suddenly find yourself in a musical. I'm only kind of joking. My other favorites are the sage cornmeal cookie, the almond shnecken and ALL the quiches---yes, all of them. Staff is nice, they try to work as fast as they can because the line is long, and it smells damn good in there. Also there are always cute dogs waiting outside for their owners to hurry up and finish their walk. REALLY cute dogs. including my own! ---this is not related to Cafe Besalu, but it adds to the overally experience (if you're a dog person, if not then just scoot past the dogs and come in for the almond schneckens:)...) I can't praise this place enough. I am just glad I moved out of Ballard because for the year that I was living there, I was throwing my money at this place every weekend. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Halee V.

    First thing I noticed was the line out the door. Late on a Wednesday morning. Next I noticed the selection of amazing pastries and had a practically impossible time deciding what to choose. The hazelnut latte was incredible. The cashier and barista were both so nice despite the fact that the cafe was slammed. The quiche (tomato zucchini and feta) was TO DIE FOR. I will never embarrass myself by attempting to make a quiche for myself again. The crust was delicate but not at all soggy. The filling was like silk. Too good. Nectarine Danish impeccable. Makes me wish I lived in Ballard I would be here every morning. If you're in a rush don't try to fight the crowd but otherwise you must go here.

    (5)

  • Tabitha T.

    I really enjoy this little cafe and have been coming here sporadically for about three years. The ham and swiss pastry as well as the Russian tea cookie would have to be my favorites. They also can whip up a real machiotto not the perversion of this drink you find at Starbucks. It tastes like soon since and pure liquid energy on a cup. Yum! I do not dig the long lines or small seating area. I think the clients use this as an excuse to get rowdy and act like jerks. I've seen behavior here that would never happen in a more spacious location. Find examples in other reviews and I'll adjust I've seen this in person. They also have strange hours that make getting in s bit of a hassle sometimes. Overall good and coffee are good, prices fair, but the atmosphere madness eating here kind of obnoxious most days.

    (4)

  • Brian W.

    Delicious little pastries! My fiancee and I had a few minutes of downtime in Ballard so we came here. We ended up sad that we couldn't try everything! The danishes were amazing and the ham and swiss was delicious. Service was fast and the efficient. Despite the constant line we were at the register in less than 5 minutes. Definitely a good place to visit if you want to enjoy your morning.

    (5)

  • Julian S.

    Best pain au chocolate I've ever had. have a hard time believing how nice and crisp they were able to get the exterior. It wasn't by any means the "crisp" you get when you bake a pastry too long because the interior of the pastry was certainly tender and buttery. Though I'm a big chocolate croissant guy, the onion and gruyere really killed it. The pairing of that perfect croissant dough with savory caramelized onions and melted gruyere...there's really no other way to describe it. I'm so sad that I'll be ending my stay in Seattle after this summer. You Seattleites have it so good... :((

    (5)

  • Khadija S.

    Great pastries! Great coffee! Please ask your baristas to put their hair away. I found long curly hair in my bag of pastries twice. It does not encourage repeated visits.

    (3)

  • Krishna S.

    Hands down the greatest croissant in the city. I have eaten croissants at so many bakeries in this city but none even come close to Cafe Besalu. My friends and I drive out to Ballard just to get croissants and we never regret it. I sometimes get quite sad when I realize how far away this bakery is. Even though the restaurant is usually pretty busy all the time people don't stick around too long. If you line up to order and the place is packed 9 out of 10 times by the time you order a table will have freed up. I can't stress enough how incredible the croissants are. Everything else I have eaten at this bakery is also delicious.

    (5)

  • Stuart R.

    Have a Schnecken. Don't know what it is...except excellent. A must visit place...more than once!

    (5)

  • Maximus M.

    Worst French pâtisserie I've been to in the world. Completely overhyped. Pastries are small as well as the selection, and the espresso drinks being made by teenagers are not very good. Croissants taste like they came from QFC.

    (1)

  • Sarah S.

    This is the ONLY reason I will get out of bed before 8 am on a dreary Sunday morning: almond croissants from Besalu! Besalu is a small family business, and notoriously doesn't advertise, but soon after they opened, word of "the best croissants outside of France" spread. Every morning, Wednesday through Sunday, there are still lines out the door - almost without fail. Expect to wait, but expect to be rewarded. Now, I have no distinct memory of a Parisian croissant from my visits as a small kid, but I would stand behind the statement that these pastries MUST be just as good as their French brothers. Seriously, folks - these almond croissants are the stuff of legends. So flaky and buttery, with the perfect soft, chewy interior. The minute you bite into that delicious almond center (and get a taste of the satisfying crunchy sliced almond topping) your morning just got downright decadent. Pair it with a piece of homemade quiche (but note they only set those out at 10 am), and a beautifully crafted latte, and I dare you to be happier that you will be in that moment. Besalu has a beautiful selection of pastries (both sweet and savory), cookies and brioche. But trust me - don't miss the almond croissant. They ONLY make them on Sundays, and they always, unfailingly, run out in the late morning. Hence why I drag myself out of bed to be sure to grab one for myself!

    (5)

  • Valentina N.

    So. Effing. Good. Line out the door is worth the wait. Had four different pastries with my date: hazelnut twist, cheese boule, apple gaullette, and smoked salmon quiche. He had an americano while I got the cappuccino. Everything was amazing. Haven't had pastries this good since I was in NY!

    (5)

  • Stephanie S.

    Cafe Besalu had one of the best croissants I have ever had. It was warm, buttery, and flakey- just right. The cheese brioche was also really tasty. Compared to Le Panier, Cafe Besalu was miles ahead. The only downfall was the terrible brewed coffee.

    (5)

  • Lynn Z.

    The best latte and pastries in Seattle

    (5)

  • John C.

    Ballard's perfect little French bakery. My personal fave in all of Seattle. Cannot go without ordering at least two pastries per person. They have a rotating selection on some pasties with several standards: croissants, danishes, Stockholm bun, gilletes, etc. quiches also amaze.

    (5)

  • Kaiser K.

    Best best best bakery. You come here for the bakery items and not the coffee. Freshest croissants and other delicious goods. Sadly only open Tuesday to Sunday. Avoid weekend mornings as it can get quite busy and the line goes out the door. Great little local spot and I'm so lucky to live in the vicinity. No WiFi, no frills, just great food items.

    (5)

  • Emily R.

    Best croissant outside of France -- and phenomenal coffee! We had one cup and it fueled us for the whole day. We also had the ham and egg pastry as well as the onion gorgonzola. Both were delicious. Get there early -- there was a line at 7:30AM on a Sunday!

    (5)

  • Ushuaia F.

    Cafe Besalu is what it is a cafe sans accent. Although Besalu may have an exotic Catalan resonnance, what you will eat there is homemade seattleite fusion. The Besalu homepage claims to make "croissants and pastries that would rank among the top in Paris." hummm... a stretch that made me smile. If it is taken literally, yes, probably; a croissant on a top floor of a Paris department store such as Printemps or Galleries Lafayette would probably have the same quality and taste. It's made for the tourist. Although Parisians rarely eat their croissant and pain au chocolat there, one can still find a decent croissant in Paris away from the beaten paths (there aren't many anymore, thanks to Rick Steves). The Besalu croissant, much like the ones from Le Panier, Bakery Nouveau, et j'en passe, are the products of Boulangerie industrielle ni plus, ni moins. I realize that the owners are not french, so kudos for trying, but arrêtez de vous mettre le doigt dans l'oeil. In Seattle, the word pastry does not translate into patisserie. Paris is also not a reference; this is probably where you'll find the worst patissiers; why striving to make a good patisserie when your clientèle is mostly tourists? Three stars for the effort. Beyond the Croissant and Pain au Chocolat, the rest is rather banal. De la fusion d'un goût bein americain.

    (3)

  • Michael U.

    Clearly unable to experience as much of Seattle as I wanted with three square meals a day another dozen or so stops consisting of both sweets and savories would round out the schedule along with the Soundgarden Concert, the EMP, and a lot of record store shopping - the first of these stops being Café Besalu, a bakery closed during my prior visit to the city and one that may as well have been closed this time as well given their odd policy on "only baking almond croissants on the weekend because they are so labor intensive" and instead serving overpriced Butter Croissants with a good shell structure but far too dense an interior to warrant a trip to Ballard. Call me crazy, but in my experience it seems that other bakeries both here and abroad are more than capable of baking better butter croissants AND almond croissants daily...

    (2)

  • Amy M.

    One of Seattle's true treasures. I've been a customer for more than a decade and I'm still impressed and delighted with each visit. The ginger biscuits and homemade jam are the stuff of my dreams.

    (5)

  • Caroline E.

    If heaven doesn't serve Cafe Besalu, I'm just not sure I wanna go. My weekend addiction. Apple Danish and Spinach Quiche.... I'm convinced they're made out of the tears of weeping angels who cry tears of joy when a new baby is born.

    (5)

  • Elaine C.

    Forget Bakery Nouveau. Cafe Besalu is the master chef of croissants and danish!

    (5)

  • Cathy C.

    I live in Ballard so a stop at Cafe Besalu has become a weekly tradition. You can't really go wrong with any of their pastries although the quiche and seasonal fruit danishes are probably my favorite. The tarts are delicious too when they have them. Their pastries manage to be light and decadent without being too sweet or heavy. The coffee and other drinks are well made too. The staff are always calm, efficient, and pleasant even on busy weekends when there's a line out the door. Seating is "competitive" and it can be annoying when someone behind you in line saves a table right when they get in the door. This happened to us when today; when we walked in there were still some empty tables but after our food and drinks were ready we turned around to find that all the tables had been "saved" by people who had come in after us. One person had even just left her scarf on the table to hold it. We told the cashier we'd have to get everything to go instead, but they said they would find a table for us. They were able to get a group to squeeze together and move the scarf so we could sit down. We appreciated this since there's no sign or official policy there, just common etiquette that you hope people will follow. We didn't want to cause a scene and were fine taking our goodies elsewhere but the scarf owner actually went to complain to the staff about her perceived unfairness of the situation. The owner/head baker even got involved. It's a shame that people can't understand when they're being inconsiderate and the inconvenience it causes the staff when they have to repackage all your food because the seat you thought was available is suddenly gone. Kudos to Cafe Besalu for not just providing excellent pastries but also great service!

    (5)

  • Amanda R.

    YUM! We had a slice of perfect temperature quiche, a chocolate croissant, and a regular croissant. They were all delish. If I ate meat I would have tried the sandwiches as they look amazing as well. Parking is sucky but worth a bit of a walk if necessary. If you go on Sunday, the Farmers Market is in the parking lot directly behind that shopping center. It's good. Really good. You should go and get me something while you are there.

    (5)

  • Cynthy C.

    Outstanding bakery with some of the best croissants in town! Good service and a great assortment of delicious pastries, tarts, etc. to choose from. Cafe Besalu could become habit forming!

    (5)

  • Tacia C.

    It was a good day to get a croissant! From the smell out the door you can tell this is a good place. We came here on a late Sunday morning in search of some pastries for breakfast and a friend of mine had recommended this place for croissants. There is a line, but it moves fast so don't you worry if you are starving. We ordered a croissant, 2 pain au chocolates, a chocolate chip cookie, and a Gruyere and onion croissant. First off, they asked me if I wanted house made jam with my croissant. Boy, do I? UM YES. I really liked the flavor of the onion and Gruyere...wish I had bought two instead of one. I also wish the pain au chocolats had been a wee bit bigger because I am a greedy bastard and I like to eat. I also REALLY loved that all of the locals were talking to the bakers while they worked behind the counter. They seemed to know a lot of the people who were coming in. I like that. I like the neighborhood bakery feel. It gets me right in the feels.

    (4)

  • Aimee K.

    After several fruitless attempts on weekends, I finally made it to the front counter to hear those magical words, "Can I help you?"at Cafe Besalu. I don't understand how Bakery Nouveau has streamlined their process for speeding through their own everlasting line spilling out the entrance, but I wish they could adopt that system at Besalu. As far as I could make out, they specialize in cookies, pastries and quiche. No breads, pizza, chocolates, cakes or ice cream which could be good meaning they focus on what they're good at but not so good if you want variety. Parking can be tough to find unless you park somewhere in the neighborhood. The size of this bakery would be officially designated "cozy." And again, the line can be both intimidating and slow. There were 3 people ahead of us and we were waiting for 15 minutes. That can also be assessed good because they've stacked customer service over efficiency, but not so good if you're in a hurry. Lesson learned: plan for the wait time! We ordered the pan au chocolat, ginger biscuits and an onion & gruyere pastry. My aunt and uncle live mere blocks from this bakery and they loved the ginger biscuits! (Stated their amazement more than once that they've lived in Ballard for over 30 years and never knew it was there!) I was disappointed not to find any almond croissants to compare them to BN in West Seattle, but some day I'll persevere. I took home the onion pastry and tried it today. It was okay, but nothing I'd order again. I'm a savory-head. BN has more choices for me than CB. But I'll try them again some day for one of those croissants and a piece of their quiche!

    (3)

  • Tabatha J.

    Best french pastries in town. I drag my hubby out of bed to get here when they open before we go to work on Sundays. Warm pastries and GREAT family owned place with awesome customer service. My pastry had something on it once and without a blink one of the owners (with new baby strapped to his back) immediately gave me a fresh warm one.... no questions..customers come first. Other businesses take note. :)

    (5)

  • C M.

    Tastiest quiche in town! What a wonderful little bakery. Superb coffee, friendly counter service and a small, but excellent selection of fantastic pastries, as well as a small, well-prepared array of breakfast and lunch items. No disappointments here, except for the long weekend morning lines to get in.

    (5)

  • Wendy C.

    There is a long line-up in the store, and out the door, this is a good sign. Fairly good croissants a la authentic French style - the "plain" one is buttery, crusty exterior wraps around a soft interior. It doesn't have as many layers nor is the interior as light as a good croissant in Paris, but hey, I don't have to fly across the pond to get this one. The chocolate croissant doesn't appear to contain a lot of chocolate, but it's the rich dark chocolate of high-quality so a little goes a long way. I didn't see any almond croissant when we went, surprised as this is a staple There are also a good selection of pastries with fruit/jam, or fruit-n-cheese, or nut-n-chocolate fillings. The one I'd tried was just pulled out of the oven and artfully decorated by the chef. Yum! Coffee is a-okay, not bad nor outstanding. A small store with limited seating, even if you include the outdoor seating area. Most people do take-away.

    (4)

  • Appy R.

    Best pastries in Seattle! I've been going to La Panier, Crumble & Flake (sells out fast!) and others in Seattle for years and stopped in at Besalu for the first time today. We got a spinach quiche, peach gallete, plum danish and pastry with cheese/onions. YUM. The pastry in all the dishes is well made - light, buttery, and flaky. Onions in all the dishes were cooked well and caramelized. Fruit dishes were light and not too sweet, all the fruit was cooked just right (not mushy). I'll be coming back here.

    (5)

  • Neil W.

    Do we need another 5 star review? Yes I was like a kid in a candy store... I want that and that and that... ohhh, I want that! The pastries were so good. They were light and flaky. The flavors were subtle. I enjoyed every bite. The quiche had this wonderful rich flavor, but it was not heavy. If you can deal with a line, this place is definitely worth the trip to Ballard.

    (5)

  • Patrick S.

    By the time the pastry of your choice actually hits your mouth, the rest of your senses have pretty much assured you that whatever you are eating is gonna be awesome. and then your sense of taste just confirms it. If there was some way to bottle the smell of this bakery to always have it in my apartment, i would do it. Having the luxury of living down the street from this place the last 4 months was indeed a blessing, and perhaps the thing i'll miss the most about living in Ballard.

    (5)

  • Atif I.

    What should you do when you crave REALLY good croissants? Well, if you're a New Yorker, lately the answer would be to get on a plane to Seattle. It's still cheaper than flying to Paris, and Seattleites have much better attitude :) Ok, so I didn't plan my recent trip around you, Besalu, but you were important enough that on my first full day in the city I woke up bright and early to walk into your store at 6:58 am as the first customer - which is the only reliable way I know to beat your long line of admirers. Upon being politely informed that the "Café was not yet open for business", I cooled my heels outside for the next two minutes and saw the arrival of five patrons. All of whom smiled at meeting fellow Cognoscenti of Croissants, people who know that "it's what's on the inside that counts". We know that warmth and freshness are the traits that separate a consistently great croissant from one that is merely good. That consistency is your hallmark, Besalu. It stems from James' (the owner's) attention to detail, while keeping a keen eye on people's reactions. I have certain rituals when it comes to croissants that test the experience in terms of, the golden brown color, crisp exterior, shatter effect, plumpness (layers of dough), taste and smell of butter and wheat, involving all five senses and James smiled at me when I got up from the table. The smile got wider when, impersonating the strong, silent type I only did the Japanese head bow (as opposed to asking for your hand!!) You are the real deal, Besalu even if your Pain Au Chocolat might not be the best in the city (as the search for the fugitive chocolate through the dozens of buttery dough caverns often ends in disappointment), for the plain croissant is possibly the best, certainly the most famous, this side of the Atlantic. I've also loved the light touch and flakiness of the caramelized onion gruyere tart and the sweet and spicy interplay of the warm ginger cookie. While the hazelnut twist and orange brioche have disappointed, the Pear Gallette and lemon cookies have been simply outstanding. The simplicity (you aren't aspiring to be Bakery Nouveau) of execution, obsessiveness of the owner, longstanding clientele of patrons hogging the limited seating while reading the newspaper, all remind me in many ways of the best of Patisserie Claude (before Claude retired) in New York as an amazing neighborhood bakery. Except that you have more room, pleasant staff, and, in Ballard, have a better neighborhood. The only dilemma for me, Besalu, is that I don't believe in long distance relationships. Nor do I believe in the philosophy of having a wife in every port, as sailors do - for that would cheapen my regard for you. So, I guess this review is possibly the longest friend invite message in the history of yelp. Friends? :)

    (5)

  • Scott L.

    Best croissant I've had since Paris. Wow! The coffee was excellent. It was a short trip in, but these guys are not kidding. Wow!

    (5)

  • Paddy M.

    No pretense, just 100% satisfaction! Guaranteed crowd pleaser. Best pastry shop in town (and yes, I've been to Cafe Nouveau and Crumble & Flake!). I recommend the onion/cheese guiyere (sp?), almond schnecken, and any quiche or plum pastry. The owner is always right there with his sleeves rolled up and he's mastered the art of subtle flavoring (most of his crusts have tiny amounts of cardammom or other spices in them).

    (5)

  • Johnny W.

    I haven't been back for over a year, but suddenly dropped in twice this week alone (pregnant woman-like cravings I tell ya). After an amazing frangipane croissant experience several weeks back at SF's Tartine, I started craving it again, and decided to give Besalu another shot. When I showed up earlier this week, I found out to great dismay that their almond croissants were a Sunday-only special, so I ended up leaving with an almond schnecken instead (an okay pastry), swearing I'd come back early Sunday morning. And so I did, just this morning, picking one up for $2.85 and managing to avoid much of the Sunday morning rush while I was at it. I can't say I knew what to expect when I bit into the croissant, because my only prior experience was with Tartine's - and they're definitely not the same. Tartine's frangipane is much more of a dessert pastry, being dense, flaky, sweet, and not something you can (or should) finish in one sitting. Besalu's is more what one would expect from a breakfast croissant - buttery, flaky, light, and filled with almond paste, lending to both a sweet and slightly savory pastry. So, yes Besalu, you've finally won me over with your tasty almond croissants. I'm still going to avoid the schnecken next time around though.

    (4)

  • Steven S.

    As I stepped onto the plane, I was nearly in despair. After spending six weeks in Paris I had purchased my last croissant, and I was convinced that I wouldn't be able to find anything that lived up to the viennoiseries that I had eaten during my month-and-a-half binge. Within days of arriving in Seattle, where I had just moved, I sought out the well-regarded Café Besalu on my birthday in hopes that maybe--just maybe--I could find a taste of Paris in Ballard. A marvelous birthday present it was. Before I explain how I feel about Besalu, I first want to address what I look for in a croissant. In terms of appearance, the croissant should be fully rolled, with the tip tucked underneath--not protruding. It should be golden brown but not overly-doused with egg wash, which will make the brown too dark. It's encouraging to see evidence of flakiness already on the surface on the croissant--the glistening of buttery shards of dough barely clinging to crescent. The interior should be extremely airy, almost hollow. If there is dough all the way through the croissant, it is, in my opinion, too dense. For texture, the moment I touch the croissant, some of those buttery flakes should immediately fall and create a bit of a mess. But when I tug at the side the interior should slightly stretch, giving way gently under the force of my pull. The tips of the croissant should be crisp, but the center of the croissant should be almost chewy. The flavor should be about the closest approximation of edible butter as humanly possible. And I appreciate it when the croissant has just the faintest, most subtle touch of sweetness. In short, a croissant should achieve several paradoxes: simultaneously airy and chewy, tender and crispy, moist and flaky. Besalu delivers on all fronts. It is perfectly shaped, just flaky enough to sprinkle my plate but still tender and soft. And, of course, the flavor is buttery--though lacking on the very slight touch of sweetness. Eating this croissant with jam or any other toppings is sacrilege. It's essentially perfect just the way it is. My only complaint is the size. I've seen more generously-apportioned croissants before. If bakeries in Paris offer a larger croissant for 1 euro, the $2.30 charge for Besalu should merit a more substantive size. Nevertheless, as an occasional luxury, Besalu is absolutely worth the price. I was greatly impressed and look forward to returning.

    (5)

  • Nikki H.

    Delicious! I wanted to review this place a few times after visiting it to make sure I have a good idea of how amazing (or not so amazing) this place is. I was tempted to give it 5 stars, but not everything there is 5 star worthy and that is why im giving it 4. And the stuff that is 5 star worthy is more like 8 star worthy...off the charts wonderful. Here's what I've tried so far: THE OK/DECENT STUFF: Macaroon: Pretty good, but not their best thing there, your basic coconutty pastry, but I've had better (and I really love macaroons so this was kind of a bummer to me) but over all not bad. Checkered Shortbread: Not so great, it looked like just my thing but when I finally got it, it fell flat and wasn't worth the calories for me to finish. Hazelnut twist: Pretty good, had an orange-spicy flavor that surprised me, overall a respectable pastry. THE AMAZING: Croissant: Devine, crispy, buttery, soft and flaky Ham & Swiss Pastry: All I can say is I wish I bought more than one... Simply amazing, I will be back for more. Flaky, savory, soft melt in your mouth goodness. Ginger Biscuit: I am so glad I followed everyone's advice on this one because It really doesn't look or sound that amazing, but it is literally like heaven on your lips, and Im glad, because Im pretty sure I committed all 7 of the deadly sins with this one, but it was so worth it since i got a taste of heaven out of the deal. So soft and fluffy on the inside and buttery, with a balanced sweetness and a very subtle ginger flavor. Caramel Latte: Pretty good, I would give it a 4/5, I would definitely have their coffee again, although I have other favorites that would beat this one out. The verdict: this place will knock your socks off IF you choose wisely, and there are A LOT of options, so it is very easy to get overwhelmed. I suggest scanning the other yelp reviews to know what to go for if you've never been here before. They know what they're talking about.

    (4)

  • Colin Y.

    Best bakery in Seattle! Been going here about once a month and never been disappointed. The Ham and Swiss Croissant is amazing. The regular croissant is nice with their jam. The line gets long but moves fast.

    (5)

  • Quinn I.

    Came here on an early weekend morning when the other half was craving a croissant just like we had a short time ago in Paris. I have to admit, these came pretty close! I had a delicious cup of Chai tea with a buttery, light croissant. My only qualm was that the portion was very small for the price (only a few bites?). Even the pastries I had in Paris were much bigger, so no saying it's a "we're fat Americans and that's how it is in Europe" thing. I'll be back again on another quiet Sunday morning, I'm sure. Definitely the best time to go to avoid the line, which was building up quickly after we arrived.

    (4)

  • Ophelia W.

    Amazing. Why must I live across the street? This is how I get to be Fatty Mc. Fat fat. But I don't care, because Besalu is honestly the best place for all things pastry. + Croissant: a must if you haven't tried + Ginger biscuits: wow + Russian tea cookie: buttery goodness, although still can't compare to home made ones (they're pretty easy to make!) + Seasonal Danish: they have a variety depending on what's in season. Nectarine, blueberry and strawberry is what they have now. Be warned. The line gets pretty long. Leave your house a little earlier if you plan on catching a bus after a Besalu visit. You might just miss that bus.

    (5)

  • Robyn S.

    I first heard about Cafe Besalu from a friend. She told me that the pastries here were really good, so naturally I had to see for myself. I had previously tried to go here 3 times, all attempts were unsuccessful. I was met with closed sign on my first attempt - turns out that the staff here has 'summer break'. Second try - I go there after work one day, again - closed. They close at 3pm daily. Third time - I leave my house early before work last week to see if I can get my coffee and pastry here instead of Starbucks. The line was out the door, I waited for about 5 minutes, and with no sign of movement, I decided to leave. Today, I try again. This time, it's open, with no line...perfect! They have a lot of different pastries to choose from, I chose the Plum Danish. I also get a Chai Latte. My friend picks the Strawberry Danish and a Latte. To be honest, I was little disappointed. I read so many wonderful reviews about Cafe Besalu and with my many failed attempts at eating here, I guess I expected more. The pastry was fine. It was everything you would expect a good pastry to be - flaky, light, not oily or overly sweet...yet, it was just 'OK'. But to be fair - I don't recall ever deeming a pastry as 'amazing'. Maybe pastries aren't my thing...I should stick to muffins and scones. The cafe itself is also nothing special, although it seemed super clean - always a plus when it comes to food establishments.

    (3)

  • Yisell D.

    Ever wondered where to spend a Sunday morning savoring the most scrumptious croissant outside of Paris ? I had, until I found cafe Besalu!! Need I say more ?

    (5)

  • Rudi T.

    Ah Cafe Besalu, you always have that special croissant spot in my heart. I first visited you when it's 0 degree in the pouring rain and the line was 20 minutes long. It felt like a bad idea to wait in line in that kind of weather but that realization came 10 minutes too late. I don't know how many of us in line had the thought of "if these many people are waiting in this weather, it must be good". I am still glad I stuck around with the wait because you made *gulp* the best croissant in the world. Okay, one of the best croissants in the world, I am kind of hungry and I still need to be rational in this review. The first time I laid my hands on your croissant, panic set in because the soft croissant felt apart, flakes crumbled down. I wouldn't have been surprised if the flakes then vaporized into thin air but alas that is not the case. All that prompted the immediate instinct of sucking up the crumbles from the palms of my hands. That would not had been a good scene for anybody to see. Luckily the pouring rain blurred the windows and comedy value was eliminated from reality. I admit. Ballard traffic gets to me. It's the only thing that's been holding me back from visiting more frequently. However, on a fine day when mood and appetite aligned I would be back in your line.

    (5)

  • Will F.

    I lived in France for more than 2 years, and my wife is French, and we agree that their croissants are the most similar to the ones we found in Paris. Hella hella good.

    (5)

  • Char Y.

    came on a week day morning ordered grande cappuccino chocolate croissant ginger cookie amazing authentic croissant and melt in your mouth ginger cookie. will come back!

    (4)

  • Orlene C.

    4 1/2 My friend and I have wanted to try this place for while. In our first two attempts the place was closed. We finally got to try it out last week. The staff was very friendly in helping us decide what to order. We shared 4 items - the quiche Lorraine, the hazelnut pastry, the apple pastry, and the almond pastry. My personal favorite was the quiche Loraine. Best quiche Lorraine in Seattle!

    (4)

  • Shannon H.

    Besalu!! Best bakery in Seattle. There is always a long line out the door, and good luck getting a table, but the pastries (ham and cheese croissant!!) are delicious and worth the wait. I always order more than I should, but I never have any regrets. This place is very popular for good reason.

    (5)

  • Victoria C.

    A generous four stars for this place because the coffee was amazing, but my pastry...not so much. PROS: 1. Almond latte. So almond-y. So creamy. Such good coffee. The best almond latte I've had in my life. Normally lattes aren't sweet enough, so I get soy milk to amp up the sugar, but this was just a plain old almond latte, yet it was deliciously sweet and almond-y. 2. Good location. Right on 24th in Ballard. You walk right by and smell the baked goods baking. Smells like heaven. CONS: 1. Almond schnecken. Not so almond-y like the latte. In fact, there was not an ounce of almond flavor to it. Either the flavor of the latte overpowered the almondness of the pastry, or it was just not really almondy to begin with. 2. Not much room to sit. Need more tables.

    (4)

  • Dianne B.

    My goodness! Best almond croissant I've ever had. Went there really early on a Sunday morning, so the wait wasn't long at all. The line did build up as promised, but I was already enjoying my piece of Heaven by then----so come early if you want to sit inside! But seriously, try the almond croissant. It was buttery and flaky and all sorts of yummy. I also had their blueberry danish and that was delicious as well. Definitely coming back to try more of their stuff!

    (5)

  • Sunny W.

    Sister and I came during our short trip to Seattle and it is as good as it gets. I am reviewing the coffee, chocolate croissant, and Russian tea cake/Mexican wedding cookie. This place is tied with Bakery Nouveau on the BEST DAMN chocolate croissants I have ever had --and I've had my fair share of them. The Mexican wedding cookie (made with pecans) were baked just right and the coffee was also good. I prefer mine on the really strong side but I know not every place serves their drip coffee that way. From the time we arrived to the cafe to the time we left, there was a constant line and nobody left without ordering a pastry or two. One table of parents and their two toddlers ordered 6 chocolate and plain croissants for the four of them, 6! I would definitely come back in a heart beat the next time I'm in the neighborhood.

    (5)

  • Sarah E.

    There isn't really much to write about this place that hasn't been said before. The pastries are sinfully amazing. It is on the 'to do' list for when we have friends and family visiting Seattle. Lines can be awful, especially after 9:30am. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) we get up between 5:30-6:30am with our two babies so going early on the weekend is never an issue for us. Do check in advance that they aren't closed for summer break (usually 10 days or so sometime over the summer). Otherwise you will be sadly disappointed after a trip to Ballard salivating the whole way.

    (5)

  • Jeanna L.

    The line here is always ridiculous. I love the croissants and danishes here - so much buttery and flakey goodness!! I would pass on the quiches here, which are way overpriced for a small slice of pretty mushy and underwhelming disappointment. But their excellent selection of delicious pastries more than make up for the quiches!

    (4)

  • Lala W.

    A perfect croissant tasting straight out of Paris- why haven't I discovered these before. Go with the chocolate croissant- and hope that it is still warm. Mmm mmm goodness.

    (5)

  • Hola A.

    The lemon tart is divine! Light, flaky crust, perfect balance of sweet and tart...so delicious I ended up getting one more to go. I've been wanting to come here forever now and Cafe Beslau stands out as another bakery gem in Seattle. True, there was a line but don't let that deter you from trying one of the best croissants I've ever tasted. They do run a tight ship which I appreciate. There was always someone cleaning & replenishing the pastry case/platter tray, the barista going down the line asking what you would like to drink so she can start the preparation, someone else starts grabbing the pastry once you tell them your order, & someone ringing you up. And it's pretty cool to see the bakery action taking place behind the counter. The coffee was strong, the lemon tart delicious, the Lorraine quiche was pretty egg-y which I loved, onion gruyere pastry was nomtastic! And the croissant? Buttery and flaky :)They also provide a side of jam with the croissant which was perfect. The only pastry that didn't "wow" me was the hazelnut twist but that's ok because everything else was excellent. Service was friendly and because it's a small space, there isn't a lot of sitting/seating area so keep that in mind. My only wish is that Cafe Beslau was closer to home *sad panda face*

    (5)

  • Tyler L.

    This place is heaven for pastries. The lines are insane, but it's worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Larena H.

    Cafe Besalu's ham & Swiss pastry is the item on the Seattle Foodie 100 list. This is one of those occasions where I go "What were you folks thinking?" I have to say I was thoroughly unimpressed with this item. Even when I took it home and heated it up, it was rather unimpressive. Sure, it was flaky and moist, but ... it's just ham and cheese on croissant bread. Doesn't hot pocket make a croissant pocket just like it?

    (2)

  • Steph C.

    According to Michael K., my visit to Besalu was incomplete due to the unavailability of pear tarts. Still, it was a solid bakery and I'd definitely make good use of it if I lived nearby. After surveying the tantalizing options, we sat down with a spinach and caramelized onion quiche, a lemon tart, and a hazelnut twist. We took a croissant for the road, which was eaten as soon as we got in the car. The quiche was fantastic. It had a hint of sweet onion and lots of spinach couched in egg of just the right firmness, all wrapped in a fragile browned crust. I honestly cannot imagine how it could have been better. Also killer was the croissant, which was among the best I've had. It was super flaky and it pulled apart with buttery ease. The flavor was straightforward and very delicious. It tasted great on its own or with the accompanying strawberry jam. The other two treats were less appealing. The lemon tart was standard, which means pretty good and very edible, just not memorable. It could and should have been brighter and tarter. The hazelnut twist was just not good. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't worth the calories to take more than one bite. It had a rough chalky texture and it tasted boring. On the basis of this one visit, I'd call Besalu hit-or-miss. That said, the hits were outstanding. I'm salivating right now thinking about that quiche and that croissant. The rest of the menu could be Spaghettio cookies and civet pie - Besalu would still be solid in my book.

    (4)

  • Lisa L.

    Get the Almond Schnecken. I don't know how they do it but it's a crispy, crunchy, sticky, sweet, flaky, moist, delicious piece of pastry perfection for a mere $2.50 . The chocolate croissant (~$2.50), apricot tart ($4), and the blueberry danish ($2.85) were also delicious but not as craving-inducing as the taste bud astounding Almond Schnecken. Almond lovers, this is not to be missed!

    (5)

  • Sasan A.

    We tried the coffee, it was worth it.

    (3)

  • Lizzie L.

    Spinach and riccota quiche, olive bread, double baked chocolate croissant and almond croissant. Amazing!! :) The best french bakery since France (Oh, I would kill someone for the bread and pastries we had in France... )!! I wish this place was in LA. *sad* Croissants had an amazing texture, it def met my hubby's requirements (crispy but not dry outside, moist inside and chewy in the middle. My hubby thought the quiche was little too soft for him, but I loved the soft texture, and it tasted really good! Olive bread could've used little more olives but it was still very tasty! I will def go back when I'm in Seattle!

    (5)

  • Arif V.

    I am very surprised I have not reviewed this place. Maybe its because they do it right every time. Leaves you not wondering what they did wrong... Look guys the Service and smiles are key to any place being successful, If I cant stress it any more then this there is a secret book in Seattle of poor service that most places read and commit into their service model Cafe Besalu tore it up and said we will not treat our customers like cattle. Having said that most weekends in the summer there is a line out the door, no one gets upset and everyone is well taken care of all the time. The owner seems to be a very fair guy gives his team Monday and Tuesday off plus in the winter he closes the join for a few weeks. Come on just for that we all should go in and support the type of place and the ethics it has. The food I don't have to say more then what anyone else has said but if you get a chance try the Cardamom pretzel... Its a beautiful treat for any time of the day. Hands down a great place.

    (5)

  • Joshua J.

    I'm going to keep this short and sweet, kinda like my mocha.... I live, maybe, 4 blocks from Besalu, but had avoided it until recently, precisely because of all the buzz. I'm more the "First to Review" type than the "add the 257th review" type. I've always had a bit of an aversion to places with this much hype. Luckily, Besalu lives up to it. Besalu has A-MAZING pastries... Probably up there with the best in the city, maybe in the world. You can read 250 other reviews for the details. I just thought I'd put in my two cents. I didn't find the coffee to be that great, Honore kicks its butt. However, the pastries, oh. my. gosh. Worth standing in line for? Heck yes. If you avoid this place because of the crowds and hype like I did, please, please, think again and treat yourself. Like today. Thanks for listening.

    (5)

  • Anton F.

    Best place for breakfast. Best coffee and pastry in Seattle. Take away or eat inside. Amazing quiche lorraine and wonderful service.

    (5)

  • Jennifer O.

    This place has the best pastries I have ever had! The danishes are so freaking good. The coffee is good too. The only downside is the street parking and the giant line... but so worth it. I wish I could go right now *drool*

    (5)

  • Rachel A.

    OH YES. Cafe Besalu opens at 7 am, making this the PERFECT place for pre-hike breakfast... and picking up a post-hike snack... and maybe also also a post-dinner dessert... $19 bought us six pastries (highlights: the exquisite coconut macaroons and the savory onion/gruyere pastry) and two coffees. So good! I can't wait to find out if it holds up to my francophile parents' pastry expectations.

    (5)

  • Teri S.

    It's good, just not all that it is made out to be. The ginger biscuits are delicious, everything else is good, but nothing else is all that special. I agree about the dry cardamom pretzel, & the checkerboard cookies are tasteless as well. The quiche is good, but the slices are tiny for the price. That said, I do love watching the bakers work behind the counter! So, if you don't see a line, definitely go in & try a ginger biscuit! If you see a line out the door, don't feel bad - it isn't worth waiting in line for.

    (3)

  • Scott M.

    We have been coming here since it opened several years ago. The ONLY negative thing you can say about it is that the lines can now be astounding on nice days. One of the best caps in the city, French pastries to die for, an assortment of quiches. It's just amazing. The croissant are as light, buttery and flaky as can be found anywhere.

    (5)

  • Tim D.

    Given the rave reviews for this place, I figured I'd pop in and give it a try. The coffee was decent, but nothing to rave about. They had nectarine danishes, and as nectarines are my favorite fruit, I figured I'd try one. Now, maybe my expectations were set too high based upon the reviews I'd read here before trying the place... My 'danish' was pretty much just fruit on puff pastry with a scant bit of something resembling a sauce between them. The nectarine pieces could have been a bit more firm. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty overall, but not the ZOMG! NOM NOM NOM that I was hoping for. Larsen's makes a superior danish, and isn't too far up the street. I'll probably give it another try sometime and get something else, but I wasn't impressed, and can't really see myself going out of my way to come here. Oh, and as for the coffee, there's Java Bean not a block away that makes much much better coffee.

    (3)

  • christian k.

    It's very simple, Besalu makes the best parties in Washington State.

    (5)

  • cassie d.

    Fabulous pastries, some of the best we have had in years! If you go on a weekend, be prepared to be patient. Pretend you are in France and Italy and you have time to spare. We found the service to be as quick as was reasonable in what is a small shop. The coffee can take a bit of time as it appeared there was only one woman making the lattes and etc. Don't go thinking you can just run in and out really quick. But the pastries are worth the wait!

    (5)

  • Vi L.

    The 1 star is for the management of clients. The food still deserves 5 stars. Here's the story: A fellow client threw me off my table due to some "rules" of the house about getting tables. I'm 7 months pregnant and can't stand up for long periods of time. This lady came out of the line to tell me to get off my table due to these rules and that I had no business sitting down without food pre-purchased, which I simply ignored. Then, when my friend came over to sit, this lady pushed my friend out of way and sat down at the table in front of me and started eating! I've never even met children this callous and rude much less a 50 year old woman. I can see why she was eating alone. Even the 6 ppl around me were shocked at her rudeness, especially to a pregnant woman. Anyway, rather than cause a scene, we left to go to the coffee place down the street and came back an hour later when the crowd was less. I politely informed the 3 cashiers of the incident and while they apologized, one of them agreed with the rude client and she too walked away in a huff. I'm sorry, but this is pretty unacceptable. I get that this cafe is small but if you let other clients abuse your other regulars, you won't have a customer base on which to rely. And besides, it was a beautiful sunny day and there were empty tables outside. Besalu, I love your food, but make sure your clients are treated right or we won't come back.

    (1)

  • Jamie J.

    Best chocolate croissant that I have ever had... Point blank. The butter that is basically dripping from the thing is so rich, and the chocolate, sweet but not too sweet. After my latte and croissant I thought I was in heaven. The staff are really friendly and will help you pick out something yummy. When there are so many good options, it can be hard to make a decision and they know that! The place is small, so seating can be unlikely if you get there during peak hours. If it's a nice day, you can sit outside. This is Seattle after all, so don't put your money on that either. Stop in here and you won't be disappointed. Move over France, Seattle has a made croissant game...

    (5)

  • Darth V.

    Since my last review, I finally managed to catch these people open after their monthlong "vacation" during one of the heaviest foot-traffic periods of the year in this city. All I heard all month was "Vader, when are you gonna bring us a pastry?" and "Vader, why haven't you eaten the pig?" and "Vader, that helmet makes your head look Cartmanesquely huge!" Finally catching them open, of course, means that I finally got my gloves on the Foodie 100 item, the ham & Swiss pastry. My thoughts? I flew the Deathstar all the way from the East side, through traffic, and through an ungodly amount of sidestreet distance to reach here....to eat something that is essentially just slightly better than a ham & cheese Hot Pocket...or Crossaint Pocket, as it were, if Hot Pockets makes such a thing in their Croissants. Dude, the Deathstar gets like, 4 gallons to the mile! Since they serve this thing at room temperature, and it became obvious after the 1st bite that it would taste better hot, I ended up having to fly all the way back to HQ to toss the thing in the toaster oven. The end result is an item that was not only overrated, but time consuming, to boot. Any other situation, and I'd have given them a 3 and been done with it, but that long closure just lingers for me like a down-on-his-luck houseguest who claims he only needs your couch for a "couple of weeks" and makes you wonder how it is he'll be out that soon since he spends all day eating your Ewok rinds and gashing your furniture as he plays with your lightsaber. 2 Deathstars.

    (2)

  • Mako K.

    OK, if you want some seriuosly good pastries, come here! We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the ham and cheese croissants, and their cookies are delish. The only time I ever go is on my way to my hairdresser and my husband always puts in his order with me before I leave. By the way, their coffee is pretty good too!

    (5)

  • Mr. F.

    The ham and cheese croissant is one of the best things my gf and I have eaten in all of Seattle. A truckload of calories for sure--worth every one of them. I'll wait a month and then go back for another. :)

    (5)

  • Julie S.

    Lo, I have sought the perfect chocolate croissant up and down the West Coast, from Santa Monica, CA to Seattle, WA. And Lo, it has been found: Cafe Besalu is the sword in the stone, the Shangri-La, the Platonic ideal, American Idol of chocolate croissants. Cafe Besalu's chocolate croissant edges out contenders Semifreddi's in Berkeley, and Amandine in Los Angeles. If there is a better chocolate croissant in existence, book me a plane ticket to your alternate universe because I must have it. I came to Besalu because, on my very first ever trip to Seattle, I read another yelper's description of the place as having "earth-shattering croissants." Hmmm... I spent a good hour here sampling and photographing 4 or 5 different baked goods (see photos) and observing the pastry baker hard at work rolling out butter and kneading sheets of the pale yellow stuff between rectangles of white dough. He told me that compared to muffins, croissants are actually low on the butter scale: 20 or 25% of the pastry is butter instead of maybe 40-60% for a muffin. Remember that. Finally I got my croissant and headed to a table to savor it. Oh how I wished that the cafe would have quieted like a cathedral to the pastry gods that it is; instead it was boisterous with mere mortal's enjoyment of this sublime treasure. The chocolate croissant verdict: light and impossibly flaky, resonant with deep dark chocolate, crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth on the inside. And that line which is so often mentioned? It moved quickly thanks to the brusque but efficient counter girl. The baker under the spotlight made for great photos and was friendly to talk to. The atmosphere was lively and crowded with young parents and toddlers, corpulent pastry lovers and lean Seattle foodies, Ballard neighborhood denizens and maybe one or two tourists like me. But nevermind the atmosphere: you come here for the pastry. Come to Seattle, drive 1000 miles if you have to (like I did), eat pastry at Besalu and then then die happy. You can really never eat any pastry again (outside of France). You just have to come back to Besalu!

    (5)

  • Amanda H.

    I was once told that if there's not a line of waiting people, its not worth going to. Well, if that is the measuring stick, this place is on the top of the list of places to go to. There is always a line of at least ten to fifteen hungry, excited folks ready to devour an abundance of delicious buttery, flaky, goodness. This stuff don't come cheap. It's about three to four bucks a pastry. Which isn't crazy, but when you order as much as I do, it adds up! Everything was fantastic and you really can't go wrong with anything you order there. You may want to keep your doctor's number handy though, I could feel my heart filling up with butter as I happily ate the buttery goodness!

    (5)

  • Marisa M.

    The quintessential Seattle coffee & pastry joint (as per this Southern Californian). This place is amazing. The freshest-of-fresh pastries, and the tastiest of all coffees, Cafe Besalu really is a Seattle gem. After gorging ourselves at Trophy Cupcakes, my sister (the local) and I were looking for a good chaser. I jumped on Yelp Mobile and found Cafe Besalu. I am SO GLAD we went. I've never been to a cafe in SoCal that actually makes the pastries in-house, and where the barista/cashier (yes, the same person) makes your drink for you even before you pay. Genius! Great place to people watch. Seattle has such a variety of people, which is so refreshing, coming from a land of conformity (Orange County, ever heard of it?). Thank you, Cafe Besalu, for the awesome coffee experience. Cheers!

    (5)

  • Lei M.

    We were visiting Seattle from the Bay Area, CA and was guided to this carboholic oasis in the middle of the Ballard. Being from Hawai'i, we take our food serious. Thus the 30 min drive from my Belltown hotel to Ballard was not an issue, since a friend highly recommended them. I did not have a lot of expectations when it came to the cafe. In fact, aside from directions and a few photos, I did not do any research on the place. If you are looking for a full breakfast menu this is the wrong place. I would classify this more like a bakery w/ a coffee counter. Street parking is available, but be wary on a weekend, as this place is quite busy and there are several apartments across the street. This place is quite popular with the locals, and several people were there with their K9 companions. From the front door, we could see that every table was packed with people. The line for service was out the door, but the baristas were very quick; delays in service were usually from the wide eyed customers that appeared to be shocked at the plethora of flaky bakery items. When we opened the door, we were simultaneously hit with warmth and the smell of baked goods; and on an early cold Sunday morning, it was an appreciated welcome. I don't drink coffee, but my friend said the latte she had was quite tasty. This was her 3rd coffee beverage and it was only 0920 hours. So to the good stuff . . . the pastries. Really, you can't go wrong. Whether you want something savory or sweet, they have it. All of the baked goods were flaky and freshly baked on site. I must've spent twenty bucks on pastries alone. Pain au Chocolat . . . MMMM the plain croissants . . . were light, buttery and melted in your mouth onion & Gruyere pastry . . . so savory pear pastry . . . like an open faced turnover. had it later that night and it was still tasty. jeez, i love this place.

    (5)

  • Tonya N.

    DDDDvine. I am always on the hunt for the best french food/bakeries in Seattle and here's another one. Seattle food scene getting cooler by the second. Honore vs Cafe Besalu? gosh... a tuffy.... Heres the low down: Both are amazing, Besalu is lively, more room/seating and has a nice ambiance. The Almond Croissant and Pain Au Chocolate are light, airy and soft. Perfect really, I felt i could eat a few easy.... Honore is more crisp, dense, 1 pastry and im done, richer and more complex. All depends on your mood... The service was so friendly, not fake or over the top... pretty cashier with a sweet smile doesnt hurt either. Coffee was decent and i have to give an "ehhh" for the Cardamom Pretzel... not for me, a little strong on the spice. But the croissants? I loved every bite... I did notice most of the patrons ordered the Quiches and they looked really good. Geez, people sure know a good bakery when they seen one... Its packed for a reason.

    (5)

  • Lydia P.

    Seriously, the best pain aux chocolat I've had since being in France... possibly even better. This place is great. The staff is friendly and efficient. Though the selection of pastries isn't as big as other places, it's ALL quality. It's great to find a place that takes such pride in making beautiful product. Everything in the display case is a safe bet, though my personal fave is the pain aux chocolat still warm from the oven.... ahhhh.. it's the next best thing to actually being in Paris.

    (5)

  • Andrew B.

    do me a favor a never go here again. for the best pastries in the world are only for me and i hate waiting in line for them. so we agreed? you never got here again and i'll just buy you share, every sunday, for the rest of my life. and best soy latte in town. GOD DAMN IT WILL KILL PEOPLE IF THIS PLACE EVER GETS KNOCKED DOWN BY A CONDO DEVELOPER. otherwise, don't fool yourself, when you get to the front of that line you better have your shit together and you better get two pastries unless its the last on that i want.

    (5)

  • Julie L.

    I will never forget the first time I had their dark chocolate croissant. Mind you, I had probably not touched a croissant since 7th grade french class. To me, there was no point in eating half bread half butter. WELL, that bite made me a changed woman. The warm, crispy yet soft on the inside with a euphoric dark chocolate secret hidden inside was a-mazing!!! I have tried other high end bakeries to see if theirs would taste as good,...not even close. I had another life changing food moment here when I ordered a quiche the other day from them. I wanted a dk choc croissant but was trying to get something for breakfast that had some protein to it. I believe i had the smoked salmon fennel quiche...I had to tap the baker and tell him that because of them, I now love quiche. This place is a must, it has crazy lines and people don't readily share tables but it's still a must.

    (5)

  • Michael K.

    My girlfriend and I LOVE Besalu! I love their ham and cheese crossant. And their lemon cookie is amazing as well! A definite place to stop by if you're in the area though we make the extra effort! haha

    (5)

  • Kirsten F.

    Very very very good pastries. I really enjoyed the strawberry and nectarine danishes, looking forward to trying the plain croissants. The little tables outside are a nice place to sit on a sunny morning!

    (5)

  • Deanna S.

    Love the Ginger Biscuit. Croissants were okay, but I'm never going to find anything like the ones I had in Paris, so I should probably just get over it. I didn't try their coffee and from the remarks I've read I probably wont. The fresh berry tart I had was very good as well.

    (4)

  • Patrick M.

    I don't live anywhere near Caf Besalu yet I trod across the Ballard Bridge, hunt for parking, and stand in the long line here every weekend because it is thee best bakery in town. My morning ritual is a mocha (they make consistently good espresso too) and either a ham and swiss pastry, or if they've just come from the oven, a slice of quiche. They also make a great ginger scone-like biscuit thing... everything in the case is baked perfection. The people behind the counter are all very nice and do a good job of moving the line quickly. This place rocks.

    (5)

  • Céline C.

    Best boulangerie in town!

    (5)

  • Nana I.

    (More of a 3.5) Although one of yelp's top bakeries I just don't think Besalu lives up to all the hype. Both times I've gone there hasn't been anything that has been super memorable. Don't get me wrong the pastries are delicious (I recommend the galettes) but I'm the type of food lover that craves for new, unique flavors & nothing really pops out at this bakery.

    (3)

  • Peter C.

    I have found the best croissant in Seattle and it is at Cafe Besalu. After suffering through croissant-like pastries that are bready, fluffy and soft, a friend recommended Besalu. Arriving there early, I am treated to a still-warm, fresh-from-the-oven, flaky-exterior, terrifically-textured, melt-in-your mouth delight. Their croissants are decently sized too, meaning not too big and just right for a normal, human-scale breakfast (along with a cafe au lait). Couple this with some fresh apricot confiture and you can close your eyes and imagine you are somewhere in the fourth arrondissement on a lazy Sunday morning.

    (5)

  • Ddd B.

    Best French pastry shop in town. The ham and swiss pastry is stunning. Get there early or you'll wait!

    (5)

  • Eric L.

    surprisingly nicely done croissant, flaky and light on the outside, buttery and chewy, airy on the inside. cute cafe/bakery in ballard. its a great neighborhood spot.

    (4)

  • Chris B.

    Come here after the lines have died down a little, in the early afternoon. And if you know anybody who thinks that a croissant is what they buy in 12 packs from Costco, do them a favor and bring them along.

    (5)

  • Heather J.

    As I am flying into SEA-TAC from MSP (3 1/2 hours) I have slept a little, watched the onboard movie, played on my iphone...bored what to do? Well I picked up the deltaskymag in my seat pocket and stumbled upon the article on page 79 from Seattle's very own Tom Douglas. Tom gives his preference of the 3 best bakeries he knows of and low and behold 'Cafe Besalu' is listed as one. So ya know I gotta try it. I concur. Delicious pastries in an uncomplicated, cozy atmosphere. Located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle find this quiet, delicious treat. I picked up a pain au chocolat and lemon cookie...the butter, the flavor...excellant. For anyone interested in the February 2010 go to this site: deltaskymag.delta.com

    (4)

  • Sarah Alli B.

    Ok. So, Cafe Besalu. I'm not going to rave about how this is likely the best bakery that I've ever been to (even though it is) or warn you about the city-block sized lines (dress for the weather!) because even if you've never been there... you know all that. The reviews here speak for themselves. You see, even though I love Cafe Besalu, and would eat here every day if I could afford it, there is one thing that drives me absolutely batty about this place. Although the employees and staff are friendly and helpful, Cafe Besalu boasts what is quite possibly the RUDEST clientele I have ever seen in my life. The first time we came in we were right up at the counter when a table cleared out. Serendipity! There's only like six tables and a line around the block... you do the math. So we order our food but then I turn around to see someone who has JUST entered walk over to "our" table, put her purse on it, then join the end of the line. WHAT? I was so surprised and then supremely angry at the blatant rudeness of this individual, I couldn't even confront her because I knew I'd lose my cool. So, we stood for about ten minutes, with our food getting cold, waiting for someone else to clear out. I wish I could say this was a one off, but it's not. It happened the second (and most recent) time we went as well. In addition to this completely immature behavior, it's also very common for people who have finished their coffee and food to just continue to occupy their table, even when there are people with plates full of food standing there waiting. In a nutshell: food = amazing, staff = super nice, customers = self-absorbed immature jerks. Best take your food to go in order to preserve your low blood pressure.

    (5)

  • Stinky P.

    I love this place so very much. We found out about it because my mom was at Seatac waiting for her flight home to Honolulu and she saw her dentist in the boarding area with 2 big pastry boxes. She asked him what he was taking home and he told her about Besalu and their AMAZING croissants. We took the kids one Saturday at the end of summer, picked up a big box assorted pastries and headed over to the Ballard locks to enjoy the sun and see the salmon jumping. Nothing in the world makes me happier than sunshine, my kids laughing and playing, and really good food. I was in HEAVEN. If you want to know what's good at Besalu, I'd say EVERYTHING! Their savory pastries are great, their fruit tarts(gallete) are wonderful, all the quiches are super tasty, cookies are delish, espresso drinks are beautifully crafted(they do that fancy thing with the foam, just lovely!), and of course their pain au chocolat is to die for! Of course if you go there on the weekend you have to wait in a pretty long line. But it's so worth it. The service there is great. Everyone is so very friendly, but to be honest they could all be a bunch of rude assholes running the joint and I'd gladly take the abuse to get my fill of pastries there.

    (5)

  • kevin z.

    they make the best quiche and crossaints in town!

    (5)

  • C S.

    James is an artist. amazing, i dream of these pastries.

    (5)

  • Latife N.

    The pastries and quiches are wonderful-- people line up out the door every weekend morning. Choose either savory or sweet, it's all yummy. More than once I have heard strangers raving about Besalu's croissants. (They say things like "So European!", ugh.) If the space were more comfortable for chatting/reading and eating, it would definitely earn all five stars.

    (4)

  • Okku K.

    Delicious chai, lightly spiced. Tasty quiches and quince tart. What's not to like? (Well maybe the cheese brioche, which is lacking in the cheese department). Their rating is well earned.

    (5)

  • Heather W.

    Besalu is absolute French bakery perfection. Beware of their hours: 7am-3pm and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. I always seem to crave pain au chocolat on the first two work days of the week and around 8pm Wed-Sun. Woe is me :( Order a pastry AND espresso. The espresso is on par with the quality of the pastries which speaks volumes considering the amount of detail that is poured into each baked good. I'm a sucker for the leek/goat cheese quiche and a soy latte. Weekends are insanely busy, try Thursday around 12:30pm. :) As a human on planet earth you are doing yourself an eternal disservice by not giving yourself Cafe Besalu at least once. Remedy that today! PS-if on diet or afraid of sugar/wheat/carbs, STFU and go work out afterwards.

    (5)

  • Jacob C.

    I do not recommend that you go to Cafe Besalu....ever. You will probably encounter a substantial line and if you go will probably be in front of me in said line. I would concern myself that you might get the last pastry that I wanted but I have yet to see them run out. I started my Besalu addiction on an apricot tart (the gateway pastry) and moved on to other delights such as Gruyere and onion and ham and Swiss tart. The Russian tea cakes are the best found in this city...many bakeries seem to over look the fact that ground nuts are an integral part of the recipe not to be substituted with flour, ever. My current addiction is with the plain croissant. The buttery flavor is such that while on an inferior croissant (a pastry I generally dismiss) I might apply a good deal of butter to make it palatable this version merely requires that I am alone so that my beastly manners in ingesting this wonder of flavor not horrify small children or persons with delicate sensibilities or manners of any sort. I have it on the word of several trusted palates of the female persuasion that the Pain Au Chocolat is outstanding, but being a savory person I have never tried the chocolate delight myself. Additionally Besalu utilizes Light House Coffee of which I am a big fan and actually sells a pound of beans for less than light house. I have only one complaint and that is that being closed on Monday I cannot enjoy this wonder on my day off. I have taken to fasting on Monday's and may go on a hunger strike in front of the store in protest....although I believe that an artisan of this level or persons making such pure and honest contributions to humanity do deserve days off.....maybe I could buy all of the leftover pastries on Sunday after noon?

    (5)

  • Jason C.

    I couldn't wait to try the coffee that I sipped it too quickly and burnt my tongue. The mocha was great, but I'd prefer if the recipe had more sugar. I also like the pastries filled with C.R.E.A.M.

    (5)

  • Laural B.

    Tasty pastries and coffee, quick and simple.

    (4)

  • Hitomi L.

    Hands down for best bakery...I LOVE bakery nouveau, but this place totally beats its croissant. I'd go to bakery nouveau for more variety but def here for croissant and their home-made jam!

    (5)

  • K G.

    Definitely the best chocolate croissants in Seattle. Taste like a bit a Paris...in Ballard! Their quiche is excellent. The atmosphere is great--nice mellow vibe. The owners are usually in the kitchen, which is open so you can see them working.

    (5)

  • adrian e.

    i like the owners and the pastries equally. but, i like the jam better than either of those.

    (5)

  • Y C.

    This place is simply amazing. The baked goods and the quiches are both delicious and worth the long line out the door you usually see. HIGHLY recommended and worth the drive from other areas.

    (5)

  • Daniel Y.

    butter, and lots of it. the best pastry shop in seattle. absolutely no comparison.

    (5)

  • Katie R.

    The line is worth it! Make sure to bring a napkin though, you might find yourself drooling as you stand in line deciding which pastry to savor.

    (5)

  • ann f.

    if you ever happen to be in Besalu when those knee-quivering chocolate croissants come right out of the oven, there is nothing more euphoric. you can die a happy person.

    (5)

  • Daranee O.

    I hate to be the first person to give this a sub par review, but truly this place is not worth the lines. I can wait 30 minutes in line for a to die for lunch or dinner, but for a pastry? It just isn't worth it. If Cafe Besalu ever expands then I'll be happy to go. The pastries are good, but not as good as Belle Epicurean downtown and not as good as similar place in West Seattle. Can't remember the name.

    (3)

  • Nettie B.

    Great pastries, delicious quiche, yummy coffee...you feel like you've been swept away to a Parisian bakery...

    (5)

  • Mark B.

    Cafe Besalu makes the finest viennoiserie (croissants and the like) that I have had anywhere in the US and rivaling any that I had in (my very limited experience in) France. The Ham and Swiss pastry is just about perfect and the quiches are exceptional.

    (5)

  • Cliff T.

    Wow...! I got a Nutella pastry and a glass of mocha. They were both excellent! I ordered them around the time they were about to close but the service was still excellent. They didn't rush me to finish my food soon or frowned when I said I'd like to drink my coffee on the cafe. It was such a wonderful experience. I'm a bit picky with my baked goods after spending a summer being pampered with Parisian bakeries. And being able to drink the great Blue Bottle Coffee, I have a higher standard for coffee. But I was blown away by Cafe Besalu! Will definitely be back if I'm around

    (4)

  • Deja S.

    I love you Besalu. Will you please come open a bakery on Vashon Island. We need you! xo

    (5)

  • Tali H.

    Amazing pastries and coffee! There's almost always a long line in the morning, but it's worth the wait. Would definitely recommend the fruit danishes and the chocolate croissants. Delish!

    (5)

  • Sonya L.

    Oh, this place is love. Total and complete love. My first experience could not have been better: an amazingly delicious orange brioche teamed with the best vanilla soy latte I have ever had. This combination made for a lovely morning breakfast before my date with myself at the Seattle Art Museum. This has become my new weekend breakfast spot.

    (5)

  • A B.

    Snotty California attitude - I found some things pretty good, others bland (the ginger biscuits that everyone seemed to be raving about were not good). Those are the two main turnoffs. The crowds can be annoying as can be a couple of the "regulars" who don't seem to have a life. PS - any idiot can make puff pastry. it does not make you "special", people - get over yourselves.

    (2)

  • Minnie K.

    The pear galette, pain au chocolat were good. Prices are about average for what we should be paying in the US, they are equivalent to what you pay in France. The chocolate-chocolate cookie tasted like nothing. I wasn't wowed the way I expected based on all of the overwhelming reviews. See my review for Petite Provence; wrong city but mind-blowing pastries. Had a hard time understanding this: 3pm Sunday's they will keep their doors open but will tell every single customer who walks in "we close at 3" and proceed to serve them with a sour face. We arrived at 3 & were told by the two chicks working the register/coffee bar that we could only have paper coffee cups because they didn't want to do dishes. Huh? We sat at the table closest to the register and had to listen to their 3pm spiel for 30 minutes straight. Hey Besalu: either close your doors at 3 and don't serve or keep the doors open AND BE GRATEFUL FOR THE BUSINESS.

    (3)

  • Dave B.

    Going to Besalu is like getting a really big warm hug in the morning. Of course, that'd only be true if you were accustomed to waiting in a very long line to get that big warm hug. The food is worth the wait. From croissants tot he quiches, this place is just great. The designs in their coffee are also notable. I don't mind waiting if what you're waiting for is worth it. Cafe Besalu is completely worth the wait. It's delicious. When I'm in Ballard, you'll find me here on Sunday mornings.

    (5)

  • robbit p.

    This place is off the chain! The lines can be long, finding a table can be stressful, and my waistline will never be the same but this place is worth it all. All of their pastries are so tasty. My favorites are the Pear Galette, the Almond Schnecken, any of their danishes, all of their quiches, the croissants...okay...pretty much everything. This place is the JAM!

    (5)

  • Annie F.

    Best croissants I have ever tasted hands down! I searched for French bakeries in Seattle and decided to try this place out. It had a line just like all the other reviews said so we were prepared to wait. The cafe had several tables but all were full. Once someone left, it was immediately snatched up. We ordered some Almond Croissants and regular ones with jam. They were flaky and moist just like they're supposed to be and full of sweet goodness flavor, my mouth was in heaven. Parking is a bit of a hassle since it is street parking but they do take cards. The staff work extra hard to get orders fast, just don't be one of those customers who take their sweet time ordering because you don't know what to get. Next time I think we'll try their quiche and savory looking tarts.

    (5)

  • Thomas J.

    3 years in, and nothing has changed. It's still the best bakery in Ballard, Puget Sound, west coast, you name it. It's all great, and we're lucky to have it here.

    (5)

  • Errin B.

    Mmmm...best croissant's in Seattle by far. My daughter loves their checkerboard cookies so much she literally talks about them randomly. Of course, I love the ham & cheese croissant - I've lived in France and this place is one of the few that lives up to its namesake...Great job! Great! It's small and there is usually a wait and forget about sitting down but it is still worth it! :)

    (5)

  • Brooke Q.

    I had a dream about Besalu last night. This is huge considering I don't normally remember my dreams but this dream was vivid. I made it there just before closing and they had everything I wanted fresh and fantastically prepared. This is a true gem for the neighborhood, the smell, the people, the generous amounts of baked deliciousness speaks to the soul. I am totally and completely in love with the lemon ginger scones. Seriously the best scone I have ever had. The texture, the creaminess along with the intricate balance of flavor is unparallel. I applaud the perfection! The variety is pretty fantastic and let me tell you what I discovered...when ordering a croissant the last time I was in there...they offered me a side of homemade strawberry jam...I am not huge on strawberry jam but obviously when they said they make it inhouse I couldn't resist! It was amazing and the croissant was a buttery delight of layers of flaky goodness. Oh wow! Oh and the apple cake and cheese brioche are pretty choice! Yes, there will always be a line but they are real good about keeping things stocked and it's awesome to be able to see them working on preparing the baked goods right behind the display case. I could sit there all day and watch...if only there were more seats. It's hit or miss if you can get a seat so if you want a place to sit and sip coffee and focus on the baked goods...it's a gamble. Be prepared to take it to go or expect a wait if you want to nab a table.

    (5)

  • Natalie W.

    Cafe Besalu is my favorite spot in Ballard for a morning pastry. It is hard to be in the area without stopping in for a croissant, Danish, or French/Scandinavian treat. Many happy memories involve friends, Ballard, and Cafe Besalu. This bakery is established, skilled, and top rated. I find that the pastries with fresh seasonal fruit are my favorites... + any cookie! FYI's~ * Lines usually are out the door on the weekends or mornings- but move very fast * People tend to also love the coffee * Their croissants are top 3 in Seattle per my experience * Only a few tables * Lives up to the hype :)

    (5)

  • Joel Z.

    Get the awesome croissants!!! For what it is (French bakery) it is top notch. The quality is superb and you can tell that the products are special as soon as you have them in your hand.

    (5)

  • Jessica T.

    As a pastry student I can feel pretty safe saying that these guys know what they are doing! Best croissants in town!

    (5)

  • Nerick M.

    I finally made it out to the much hyped Cafe Besalu, and I'm happy to say I was very pleased with my experience. The line was long, which usually means it's a good spot. They offer all different types of quiches and croissants.....the usual French baked goods. It's a fast moving, popular cafe with friendly service and delectable treats.

    (4)

  • Ben D.

    Probably the best pastries I've had in Seattle... when warm and fresh. This is key. The lines at Besalu can be very long, so your best bet is to come very early in the morning and grab 'em while they're fresh and waiting. . Not a great place to eat in (crowded when there is a line and not much seating), so stop by and take a few home with you. I like to take the buttery, flakey wonderfulness home to those who have yet to wake up. Surprisingly reasonable prices for such excellent items baked on site. They range from $2-3.50 or there abouts. No different from the shipped in stuff you might get from a grocery store or chain coffeeshop in this regard, but WAY more delicious, of course. The hazelnut and apple options are personal favorites and you can't go wrong with a pan au chocolat or almond croissant, of course.

    (5)

  • Victoria A.

    YUM! Ok, there's a reason why there is always a line when I go by this place. There is no reason why it took me so long to finally go in there! Everyone was pleasant, the line moved quickly, the coffee was perfect and the pastries.... GOD THE PASTRIES!!! I had the onion and gruyere pastry and had to return immediately for the hazelnut twist, both of which I dreamt about for the remainder of the day. My friend had a slice of quiche and a danish, she was just as happy as I was. This is definitely the way I would like to begin all of my days off!

    (5)

  • Food L.

    4 stars was to the Rhubarb tart only! Went there a couple weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon. My husband and I are not a fan of Rhubarb, but we both liked their Rhubarb tart! Orange brioche was quite nice too. I don't like the Apricot tart as it was very sour (expecting some sweetness and tartness from apricot, not only sour). The other twist pastry was nothing special.

    (4)

  • Kathleen L.

    The lattes are excellent, the quiche is great, but it is the superior pastries that bring me back. Sometimes the long lines are discouraging, but the staff handles each customer with unfailing courteous attention. And it doesn't hurt to be next to Tall Grass Bakery - two winning establishments with excellent baked goods in one trip!

    (5)

  • Michael E.

    This place is fantastic and if it weren't for Bakery Nouveau in West Seattle it would be the best in the city. We had a extremely healthy breakfast of a slice of quiche and a chocolate croissant. Both excellent. I think next time I'd very much like to try one of the fruit based pastries for comparison's sake. Expect a long line. Good pastries have that effect for some reasons.

    (5)

  • Kathy A.

    Almond Croissants how I love thee! Cafe Besalu thank you for feeding my almond croissant obsession. This place isn't exactly close to me; yet, I will make sure to make a trip over to Ballard to grab some yummy pastries on the weekends. The coffee here is awesome too. This is just a small little cafe and can get busy so don't be surprised if it's packed especially on the weekends.

    (4)

  • J Y.

    Great pastries. Among all croissant (the basic) is the best. Don't know if it is worth traveling from Bellevue every day/week but a must try if you are near.

    (5)

  • Amanda A.

    Lets say you were going to stage a magical dream sequence where you danced with a croissant while a string of show girls swirled around you tossing little plastic containers of tangerine jam into your glee-filled face. You step away from the pastry, coated in a sheen of butter, unraveling its flaky layers until you discover---*gasp*---it's a pain au chocolat. And the best one you've ever eaten. Then you go whole hog, gorging on an almond croissant, and a ginger biscuit, taking sweet swizzles of a chai latte with a smooth honey after-taste...then you force your friend to walk through a Sunday market in hopes of working up enough of an appetite to return to Besalu that afternoon since they're closed Monday and Tuesday...and you're flying out at midnight Wednesday morning. Who cares that the inside has as much atmosphere as a thimble? That you may have to wait (briefly) in the rain for the line to shrink enough for you to step inside? That your clothing will harbor the smell of butter for the next few hours? Minor, joyous details.

    (5)

  • Julien B.

    This is one of my favorite places in Ballard. I always get the chocolate croissant (which should really be called "pain au chocolat"), no matter what. It's delicious, especially with an americano. I also recommend the almond croissant. It's rare, but when they have it you should snap it up! The staff is friendly, and the pastries delicious. It is on the expensive side, but great! The only thing I'll warn people about is their table policy. They have a reasonable policy of not letting people "squat" tables -- you can only get a table AFTER you've made your order. This is a great policy, and it stops people from taking tables out of turn. However, they are inconsistent about informing/enforcing this. I've seen people walk in and sit down at a table while others are in line, with the staff doing nothing. Other times, I've seen the staff ask those people to leave the table. They could improve this by putting up signs and/or being more consistent about not letting people do that!

    (4)

  • Joyce J.

    Very good croissants. Not sure if they are world's best as claimed but truly good.

    (4)

  • David L.

    Even in Paris this would get five stars.

    (5)

  • Corinne W.

    Be nice to someone you know and do an early morning besalu run--then surprise them at home with a pastry buffet. They will love you forever. Best pastry I've ever eaten and I eat a lot of pastry. Prepare to wait in line for a while but don't fret. The line is pleasant with the cozy hum of people eagerly anticipating their delicious treats.

    (5)

  • Casey C.

    Favorite bakery in Seattle. Amazing! Ham and Swiss and onion gruyere pastries were incredibly buttery flaky and delicious. Showed up on a weekday around 11am and line was about 5 deep.

    (5)

  • Mattie C.

    Great Pastries but I was not fond of my tea. Also my cashier was not warm.

    (3)

  • Kira A.

    This place is so worth the drive to Ballard and standing in line for 30 minutes to get the best croissant in town. Besalu is undoubtedly one of the best pastry shops in Seattle. This morning I chose my favorite: a fresh, still-warm butter croissant which was perfectly baked: soft, warm, melt-in-your-mouth center with a very light flake in the crust and delightfully buttery. Absolutely delicious! However, when you go to Besalu, it's impossible to eat only one pastry. So I went for two cookies to take home: a snickerdoodle and a chocolate chip. The snickerdoodle was just okay in flavor and texture was a bit too crunchy for my liking. Crumbs got everywhere. On the other hand, the chocolate chip cookie was addicting. I wish I got ten! The flavors of the dough and the chocolate played nicely together: not too sweet or chocolaty. The consistency is spot on for what you want in a chocolate chip cookie; the texture was almost creamy. Delicious!

    (4)

  • Nina N.

    A long overdue review. fruit danishes, and croissants galore!!!! I do not care for sweets, but this is just damn delicious!!!! Go if you're in ballard!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Chris T.

    I struggled to get up bright and early 6 am on a Saturday - an ungodly hour for any day. All for the glory of waiting in line for a fresh batch of heavenly Besalu croissants. It was so worth it and then some.

    (5)

  • Michelle Z.

    I've been doing my research, attempting to find the best croissant in Seattle. I read it came down to the Top 2: Le Fournil on Eastlake and Ballard's Cafe Besalu. When I sampled Le Fournil's goods and wasn't blown away, I hoped and prayed that I'd find the true croissant experience I was looking for at Cafe Besalu... I did. Upon arrival, I was instantly impressed. First of all, the 10-person line spiraling out the door was a good indicator I'd found the real deal. In addition, the fragrant, sweet bakery smells that just make your stomach ache with hunger. And then, the actual taste test. OMG, Cafe Besalu's croissants are utterly, buttery-flaking, melt-in-your-mouth AMAZING. I was instantly transported back to the bustling streets of Paris. I was so wowed by the line, the scents, everything I bought 2 - gruyere & onion and a regular butter croissant. Pure gustatory bliss. I'm in heaven. Besalu is officially my new fave.

    (5)

  • Amanda K.

    I am in love, my love has not ended since the first bite, it has only grown stronger and more intense. I crave these amazing pastries to the point that after two years of living in Ballard, and down the street, I would still trek there to wait in a line that goes around the block, and still give it a huge 5 star ratings. It really is that good! The amazing pastries, buttery and delicious! They are all so so good...I love the tarts, strawberry (yum!), apricot (wow!) , plum (yum yum), and the list goes on, oh and don't forget that pain au chocolate it's absolutely unbelievable! Oh and the quches, yum, they are delicious too, it's no wonder it's hard for me to get only one item, at least I can jog in place while in line and maybe justify the calories in these amazing concoctions, right?

    (5)

  • Amy L.

    Great buttery, flakey pastries! The coffee is pretty good as well. The line was fairly long on an early Sunday morning, but there were enough seats to sit and enjoy your breakfast :)

    (4)

  • L V.

    Darn good PLAIN and CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS, go try them. I would deduct a star for their non-flexible hours and the fact that if you show up later, they do run out of their plain or chocolate croissants!!!

    (5)

  • Ajay K.

    Seattle's best Coffee.

    (5)

  • Amaryllis S.

    Delicious French pastries and quiches and best croissants in town that are always served with homemade jam. I especially appreciate the Swiss specialty baked goods around the Holidays (Lebkuchen etc. -- really, really good!). In my opinion, besides the little coffee stand at the Lockspot, they serve the best espresso in Ballard. When Besalu is closed I don't even bother going anywhere else for coffee. Worth the wait!

    (5)

  • Garrett S.

    Long lines out the door from recent magazine review. The chocolate croissant was very tasty at $2.85. Unfortunately, the hot cocoa was syrup poured into warm milk and thus a waste of my money and time. My girlfriend's cheese brioche was so so.

    (3)

  • Blaz B.

    My wife and I have hit up every french bakery and Cafe Besalu never disappoints us. The bakers here really know how to make a good pastry, with just the right balance of crispy outside, chewiness, and flakiness. Everything else they make is exceptional, but the pain au chocolat is outstanding.

    (5)

  • Eric H.

    Without a doubt, the best croissants and pains au chocolat in Seattle (and yes, I've tried Nouveau's). My girlfriend and I have spent a total of nine weeks in France, and just about every morning I ordered a pain au chocolat and a croissant from the best bakery I could find in whatever town we happened to be in. I had some that were as good as Besalu's, but none that were better. The other pastries here are good, too, but the real reason to come to Besalu is for the feuilletage. James, the owner, seems to spend just about all of his time making it, leaving the rest of the café work to other staff. (Curiously, we have met several people who claim to have dated him.) There is typically a five or ten minute wait to get your pastries, which isn't too bad considering how good they are. What IS frustrating, though, is how some patrons camp out in the tiny seating area rather than making room for others. Seriously, people - take your time with your pastries and coffee, but once you have finished, don't just sit there and read the newspaper! If you see lots of people waiting for a table, be considerate and let someone else have your seat!

    (5)

  • David Z.

    Heard about the croissants and went to try them early on a Sunday morning. Had a delicious almond one and a ham/cheese savory one. YUM! have been looking for a good french bakery in Seattle (besides the excellent Le Panier in Pike Place) and this one fits the bill. Will definitely be going back to try more.

    (4)

  • Victoria W.

    One of the best CROISSANTS I've had. Their CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS were fantastic too. Super flaky on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. These are croissants done right. The bakery is fairly small and not a lot of tables to sit and enjoy your goodies but the people waiting in the long lines obviously don't mind.

    (5)

  • Yvonne C.

    Cafe Besalu has hands down the best croissants and pastries in Seattle. No doubt about it. I've tried all the other french bakeries in the area and nothing compares to a plain croissant, chocolate croissant, or onion greuyere pastry at Cafe Besalu. Be prepared for a 10-30 minute wait on weekends, but it's well worth it. And their quiche is amazing, too.

    (5)

  • Andy R.

    BEST. CROISSANTS. EVER. !!!!!!! Cappuccino was incredible too!!! Best pace I have found outside of Italy, and I'm not going to lie, the almond croissant I would rather have than anything I had in Italy!!! Great fast and friendly service on top of it!

    (5)

  • peiting l.

    Yum yum yum ~~ love their quiche!!!! So soft ~~~

    (4)

  • Alisa B.

    Quiche made with a puff pastry crust and not icky savory pie dough? Awesome, happy, good, fun times all over the inside of my mouth! Yay! I haven't been to this place many times but they've always been awesome for the devastating hangovers I seem to have when I visit. Their work space is truly tiny, one large work table right behind the counter you order at where you can watch the bakers work their major magic. The guys and gals behind the counter are really quite sweet and helpful, they try to keep the line moving quickly but will take a few seconds to describe whatever pastry you may have a question about.

    (5)

  • Catherine J.

    This is the best French Pastry I have had outside of France. Love it!

    (5)

  • Chris P.

    Ginger biscuits. I had them once a few years ago and I remembered them being amazing. Came back years later and got them again and they were still just as good.

    (5)

  • Christie P.

    This place is an act of God. They should have it listed on limited warranty paperwork; "Warranty does not cover damage due to acts of God like flood, earthquake, tornado... and/or eating a pastry from Cafe Besalu." Don't confuse what I'm saying here. Cafe Besalu's multitude of heavenly baked goods won't "rock you like a hurricane". Instead, they are the shade of a tree and a cool breeze on a hot day. You will not have words to explain why it is what it is. But you'll know you've got it good. At least, for a couple more bites, then your taste buds will be crying for more. Don't say I didn't warn you.

    (5)

  • Elaine K.

    This is my weekend treat, my go-to bakery that will satisfy any pastry craving, my neighborhood joint for a fabulously amazing cup of spicy chai latte. My bf loves their pain au chocolat while I will go for anything that's fruity. Their quiches are worth a try as well. I would definitely come here more if the line up wasn't so long on the weekend!

    (5)

  • Anna R.

    It is worth the wait in line in the rain and the cold. A friend turned me on to this place and every time I have been it is amazing, the croissants are buttery and flakey, the cookies are devine, the patries are perfection, and everything is reasonably priced. The only downside is that they aren't open seven days a week...c'est la vie.

    (5)

  • Theresa D.

    Oh Cafe Besalu. I love you, I love you, I love you. Oh and congratulations to James Miller for your nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef for the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards. It's well deserved. Not only are your croissants worth waiting 20 minutes outside on an early Saturday morning for, but so is the jam, and the rest of your delightful pastries. If you haven't uncovered the magic of the Besalu croissant, you must. Seriously. P.S. Parking can be a pain.

    (5)

  • Jeff S.

    This place is dangerous. Oh, the croissants... plain, almond, chocolate. All so good. Line out the door every morning, and rightfully so.

    (5)

  • Belinda N.

    OH. BOY! The quiches were OUTSTANDING as was the apple danish who's pastry was perfect, crips on the outside, soft on the inside and PERFECTION dipped in coffee. The lemon cookie had a fantastic glaze on it as well. Both of my trips there have been scrumptious.

    (5)

  • Laurie R.

    Ohhhh Besalu, I love yooooou. When were apart, I miss you, I crave you and often think about when we can be together again. Seriously. It's kept me up at night. (No, Mom... THIS is about a bakery) What can I say, they so had me the first date. I think it was the flaky french perfection of the pear galette that made me swoon and declare Besalu hung the moon. Note to new true love Besalu - As a general rule, I don't line up. But for you, Besalu I will stand in line in the street on a chilly morning awaiting my turn to order some bakery bliss and a warm cup of joe in hopes of landing one of the few tables inside.

    (5)

  • Sarah R.

    Everything I've had from this cafe is amazing. I would recommend visiting on Sundays as they offer their almond croissant, which is perhaps the best pastry I've ever had. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is comfy. You will not be disappointed!!

    (5)

  • Cassandra L.

    MmmmmmMMmmMMMMMmmmm That's all I could say because I was busy stuffing my face with these beautiful buttery pieces of GOODNESS. I had the plain croissants - PERFECTLY flaky and buttery - I could taste the butter in each bite. The chocolate croissants - these were good, but I wished the chocolate was melted into the croissants rather than it being a chunk.

    (4)

  • Shera G.

    I was so excited. It was my first time visiting. I got plain crossaint w/ strawberry sauce. The croissant literally melted in my mouth. Line was 15 people long, but went quick. I ordered a piece of spinach and carmelized onion quice and was pleasantly surprised by the large portion. It was so fresh and rich. Best quiche I have tasted from a bakery.

    (5)

  • Ani D.

    Spectacular. Just spectacular. Croissants--the most basic in bakery offerings, and yet so horribly trashed usually. Cafe Besalu, I adore you, I respect you, in your product and how you conduct your day to day business. Your croissants are delicate, flaky and yet soft and smile worthy inside, paired with seasonal jam. Pain au chocolat--rich beyond reason, but so wonderful. Your pastries are seasonal, rich, and can make people's fluttering hearts crazy at thought of not getting a table to sit down and properly enjoy all the butter. Never change--you're stunning. Pastries, chai, staff, bakers, front kitchen lay out--it's wonderful. No need to say more.

    (5)

  • komodo d.

    I really rate this place with 5 stars: "woo hoo as good as it gets!" but the last time I rated a place that way my review was "filtered" so most people will never read the things I took time to think about and report upon. ANYHOW...I love this place. The baristas and bakers are clearly skilled in their crafts producing beautiful and tasty drink and food. I could write about all of the things I have tried and liked here, but instead I will tell you about one item: The CROISSANT. This is really one of or maybe the best to be had outside of France. Recently a review in the Seattle Times gave Honore's croissant top marks. The baker/owner is quite photogenic and his croissants are tasty, but I strongly feel that Besalu's croissant tops them for taste, texture, mouthfeel, and visual appeal. Besalu's home-made jam beautifully compliments the delectable flaky butteriness of this rich delight. I doubt you will be disappointed by the other fare offered at Besalu unless you are not a fan of aromatic coffee and tea drinks or rich and flavorful pastries, quiche, and cookies.

    (4)

  • Sarah M.

    I haven't had a pain au chocolat or a ham/cheese croissant this good since I lived in Paris. The coffee was also amazingly tasty as well. We were lucky and arrived right when the long line started to form and we were also able to snag a table quickly. They had so many things to try that I definitely need to make sure that I take a couple more trips to Besalu in the next couple weeks. I MUST try all of their deliciously gorgeous pastries. The only thing that I wasn't the hugest fan of was the shortbread cookie. It was very dry even when dipped in coffee. Other than that, AMAZING :)

    (5)

  • Iris M.

    I love the buttery flaky pastries at Cafe Besalu. After my friend and neighbor said that, "they say their croissants are better than those in France," I was intrigued and decided to try it out for myself. First of all, every table was taken and there was a line. This was a great sign to me so I tried their Chanterelle Quiche and their Gruyere and caramelized onion pastry. Both were excellent. The service was fast. Today, my husband grabbed us some more pastries and quiche. I really loved the Quiche Lorraine and the Plum Pastry was also very delicious.

    (5)

  • Kayla C.

    This cafe has the best croissant I've had since I was in Paris. The texture was divine. The place could ride on that alone, but I've also had a ginger biscuit or scone type thing there, which was excellent, and I dig their coffee.

    (5)

  • Ponarett X.

    What a cute cafe in Ballard! The pastries are to-die-for! My favorites are the savory pastries - the ham & cheese and the onion & gruyere. The nectarine pastry is also note-worthy. You can just tell that everything is made fresh. The best is getting there right when they open in the morning; everything is just that much better.

    (5)

  • Linda C.

    Holy Batman. You haven't really had a croissant (or its cousins) until you've tried one here. Amazing crispy flakiness on the outside but melt in your mouth, soft goodness on the inside. Who are these magic makers?! Besalu, you had me at hello...

    (5)

  • Lily S.

    We decided to venture to Besalu after a friend raved about their mochas. I wasn't all that impressed w/ their coffee - then I realized they use Lighthouse beans and I'm not a fan of Lighthouse, hence the funky taste of coffee and Lily's dislike. Good thing I got a short single shot. The one thing I will say is that their pastries are kick ass. My piece of shortbread made me want to melt. I guess that made up for my less-than-stellar mocha.

    (3)

  • Sarah B.

    Delicious almond croissants. They have a nice filling of almond but not quite as decadant as Nouveau or Panier. The croissant dough is nice and perfectly fluffy and crusty. Yum!! Don't come here in a hurry on a Sunday morning...you will only make yourself grumpy. Be prepared to wait a few minutes but that is the perfect time to stare at all the delicious goodies in the case and decide what you want to start your day with!

    (4)

  • Mirco P.

    My favorite Cappuccino and Pastry in Ballard!! Friendly staff and excellent food , super fresh and very tasty!! Feels like an European cafe, love it!! Limited seating, long lines at times but worth the wait!

    (5)

  • cindy w.

    The best pick-me-up pastries/brunch you'll find in Seattle.I can say that Cafe Besalu is the Tartine of Seattle. In foodie speak, Tartine is the best damn bakery in the United States (even Oprah agrees with me). Cafe Besalu excels in its quiche and bread pastries. Get here relatively early on a Saturday morning to avoid the lines. Mmmm...with its scenic window seats, you'll feel transported to some quaint bakery in Europe (maybe). It's worth it to try so you can compare other Seattle bakeries against.

    (4)

  • Cristina C.

    I REALLY love the pastries here and the coffee is pretty damn good too. But seriously, the pastries are awesome. Be warned that you will most likely encounter a line (I'm talking out the door) at Besalu but it usually moves pretty quickly. If you have a little patience and a little time I definitely recommend coming here. Sooo good.

    (5)

  • Cindy S.

    I came here as sort of a "last supper" before beginning a gluten-free diet. Amazing pastry- buttery, crisp, and baked to perfection. A great high note to a long and tempestuous relationship with wheat!

    (4)

  • Jen S.

    Dear Cafe Besalu, You are the only one for me. I know I have said that to other bakeries ... to other lattes ... to other purveyors of puff pastry. But this time I mean it. This time it's Real. All that other puff was only meaningful in the sense that it taught me what to look for in a bakery. I need look no further. I need go no where else. I only have eyes for your pain au chocolat with its perfectly crunchy and carmelized crust, its quintessence of soft and supple chocolate. And your and apple pastry, with its wonderfully toothsome, sweet, and cinnamony fruit and perfect puff. I only want to watch your chefs chop leeks, fold puff dough, and caress croissants with a pastry brush. I only want you, Cafe Besalu.

    (5)

  • MaMa Spatula H.

    The croissants and pain au chocolat are easily in my top 10 memorable bites of food I've taken. Of course it should be consumed as soon as it's been purchased for the full effect. The chocolate soft and warm to the tongue and I swear I could sense each and every buttery flaky layer of the perfectly flaky croissant. So, so delicious. I've tried croissants all over the world and I have to say that Cafe Besalu truly has one of the best croissants I've allowed into my senses. Made with loving care and I love the fact that this is some small neighborhood cafe that's not gotten too big for it's britches. Bon Appetit!

    (5)

  • Kirsten H.

    It must be gratifying to be the baker man at Cafe Besalu. He works there, rolling pastry just behind the display case of his heavenly handiwork, where he can watch the patrons melt , just like his buttery croissants in your mouth. He always has a very satisfied smile on his face, that says: "You like that, baby? Who's your daddy?" I go for the perfect, flaky pain au chocolate, but I can never get away without taking something else to go. He always has a danish with seasonal fruit that is to die for. This isn't some sickening sweet mushy pastry with fruit jelly, honey. This is flaky on the outside, soft and just chewy on the inside and fresh fruit, with just enough glaze to bring out the natural sweetness of the ingredients...whooo... I need a cigarette.

    (5)

  • Rajesh S.

    SImply THE best chocolate croissant, but don't stop there when sampling. The homemade nectarine jam with a plain croissant is unparalleled. For a heartier choice, try the gruyere and onion pastry. Absolutely delicious. Great cappuccino too! I only wish I had a place like this in the Bay Area.

    (5)

  • Henry S.

    Hmmm... Another visit to this bakery and this time I ordered the Onion & Gruyere Pastry and their Quiche Lorraine. Oh man.. These two items are perhaps the best I've ever tasted. The pastry is out of this world and the quiche is flavorful. I also ordered their choc chip cookie and orange brioche but they didn't impress. To satisfy my thirst, I ordered a glass of orange juice. However, it's not a freshly hand-squeezed orange juice like I had imagined. In Honore Artisan Bakery, you get a hand-squeezed orange juice for the same price! Nevertheless, their onion and gruyere pastry and quiches are worth a visit.

    (4)

  • Sara T.

    I'm a huge huge huge huge fan of their ginger biscuits. Go and get one. I dare you to not go back in and get another one. Flakey, gingery, the right amount of crystaly sweet sugary. amazing. The leek and goat cheese quiche should be the poster child for scrumptious. Gruyere and onion tart? What-EVER!!! So good you'll flip. I agree the checkerboard cookies are quite bland alone, but are great with a mocha. The coffee is nothing to write home about.. but fits in in the goodness of most coffee shops, imho.

    (4)

  • Aaron E.

    After getting back in town at about 6:30 a.m. I figure.... what now? I have plans in a few hours.... can't really go back to sleep..... what to do, what to do?? Duh, EAT! Perfect time to try out Cafe Besalu, which I've heard such good things about! I even figured, hey, it's so early I bet this famed bakery won't have a line. Yeah, I was wrong about the whole line thing. It was practically out the door by the time I arrived. Who is up at this hour on a Saturday? Y'all are crazy. Despite there only being about 6 people ahead of me in line, the wait was ridiculous. The staff was incredibly slow and the patrons even slower. I feel like if you've been waiting in line for 10+ minutes, drooling over the pastry case you might have an idea of what you want. I know I did, and after nearly 20 minutes of waiting I knew I wanted: An onion/gruyere pastry, a pain au chocolat and an orange brioche. To go, please. On the drive home they filled my car up with the aroma of flaky pastry and butter! It was amazing. When I finally got home I split each pastry in half..... such willpower, as I really just wanted to scarf them all down. Out of all the pastries the Orange Brioche looked the best, so I took a bite..... ICK! The pastry was kind of gummy and chewy and the glaze was sickly sweet. Gross. I had low expectations of the following pastries, but DANG! The others were so good. Both were incredibly buttery and flaky and while the Pain au Chocolat could have used about 3x more chocolate, it was delicious. The Onion and Gruyere was cheesy, well-seasoned and full of onion flavor and best of all was still warm from being so freshly made! The flawless, light, crispy texture and the buttery taste made the Pain au Chocolat and the Onion and Gruyere pastries exceed my expectations, but I was pretty disappointed in the maybe three drops of chocolate in the Pain au Chocolat and incredibly disappointed in the chewy, processed-tasting orange brioche. Add in slow employees that created an insanely long wait for a relatively short line and I wasn't a happy camper. I did enjoy the pastries enough to come back though, they're some of the best I've had outside of France.

    (3)

  • Amy H.

    Delicious, authentic French pastries. The toughest decision you'll have to make here is between sweet or savory. Or why not both? I love this place! The line may be long, but it is worth it. And if you follow the rules and wait in line the whole time and not try to grab a table before it's your turn, it'll all work out. Trust me. Go here.

    (5)

  • Jen K.

    I am a bakery fanatic and I've searched high and low greater Seattle for the best bakery with the best coffee. Cafe Besalu in Ballard is BY FAR THE BEST PASTRY BAKERY IN SEATTLE. They serve French style pastries such as croissants, quiche etc. I went to Paris 2 years ago and I was SO excited to try some real French pastries and great espresso. I spent the whole time going bakery to bakery and never found a place even close to the amazing pastries at Besalu. My favorite is the ham and cheese croissant...wow. After you eat this it will be the highlight of your day, the only thing even close to as exciting will be if you are lucky enough to dislodge a stray particle of the pastry from your teeth and re-live even a hint of the flavor-- as weird as it may sound.

    (5)

  • Amanda Y.

    I am not a croissant eater, by any means. The last croissant I ate was in a small town, on my last day in Italy almost two years ago, That just shows you how often I have them, but recently I woke up with a craving for a croissant that just couldn't be killed without that delicious, buttery, flaky baked treat. So I headed to Cafe Besalu. The line was out the door on a Thursday morning about 10:00, but it moved relatively quickly. I eyed the case of baked goodies and spied a good variety of treats from cookies to pastries, at a fairly decent price. I snagged up a tall vanilla latte, which ended up being relatively mediocre, but not too bad, a croissant for myself, and one for my boss. The girl at the counter offered strawberry jam to go with them, and I took her up on it, just to try it out. I'm glad I did, the jam really hit the spot, and the croissant was perfectly flaky, buttery and delicious. The inside of the cafe is reminiscent of a cafe in France, or at least it seems like it's trying to be. It's almost like an Americanized version of a french cafe, that actually doesn't do that poor of a job pulling off the look and atmosphere. The girl at the counter, and the gentleman who made my coffee were both very pleasant and helped up Cafe Besalu's star count by at least one star. I can't say that I will be a regular here (who's tummy can afford those calories?) but I will definitely make a bee-line here next time that croissant craving comes rolling in, which may be sooner than later now that I've tried one from here!

    (4)

  • Laura G.

    I'm the first to admit that I'm prone to hyperbole and I'm also totally biased (I live a few blocks from this place), but I honestly think that Besalu serves the best pastries in the world. They're like buttah... well, they're not like buttah. They are buttah - almost pure buttah. They are the best. I take as many friends and family members here as possible. No one has been disappointed yet. This place is so good that I don't even mind waiting in the 20-minute line that sometimes flows out the door. The anticipation just makes it that much better. One incredible thing is that this little cafe seems to have exactly the right number of tables. No matter how crowded it is and how hopeless your quest for a table seems, it always works out. Just when you get your pastry and coffee and you're ready to sit down, someone miraculously stands up and a table is yours. To top it all off, the people who work here are ridiculously friendly. What could be better?

    (5)

  • Erik 8.

    If you're looking for happiness, this is where you'll find it. The crossants are better than any I've ever tasted in Paris. I'm not exagerating. The best. Oh, and the coffee will rock your socks off too. Frankly, everything ive tried here so far is amazing!

    (5)

  • Alex M.

    I've worked in what seems like a million bakeries so I feel like an expert in judging baked goods. These bakers make some delicious goods. Plenty of people have sung the praises of Besalu so I won't even bother but if you're in Ballard this is the place to go on a cosy Sunday morning. The only drawback is that everyone knows this place is delish so expect a long line.

    (4)

  • Jeanhee K.

    One bite. Believe you me. That's all it takes. One bite of that croissant. One bite of that quiche (chanterelle gruyere quiche to be exact). You'll know what everybody is talking about, raving about, yelping about, drooling about, obsessing about, dreaming about... One bite.

    (5)

  • P S.

    This it what fresh baked goods taste like in Europe. Perfect croissant. The La Marzocco is a welcome bonus!

    (5)

  • Shirley Y.

    Just finished up at Ballard Locks, tummy is getting a grumbly, so what do I do? YELP IT! Cafe Besalu came up as having some tastiliciously awesome pastries and they were right! We ordered a savory (onion gruyere pastry) and a sweet (apricot tart) and they were sooooo good. Add in a couple flavored lattes and I'm a happy camper.

    (5)

  • NANCY H.

    I love pain au chocolate. I have had many from other bakeries. This one is quite delicious. It is even better than Tartine's croissant in San Fran. Yes...I think Tartine's is a little burnt tasting. This place is perfect for a cup of coffee and a pastry with a chat with friend. It does get crowded most of the time, but worth the wait.

    (4)

  • Ryan G.

    I could rave like a fanatic for this place, so I'll try to keep it simple: 1) Small batches. Don't let the size of the pastry case fool you, this ain't no afterthought treat-with-your-coffee deal you'll see at coffeeshops, they simply don't bake more than about two dozen of a given pastry at a time. They're fresh all day. I can guarantee if you're in line for more than ten minutes (which can be likely on busy weekend mornings) there will be at least one thing that you watch come out of the oven. 2) Speedy baristas Every time we've come here, the super-friendly barista gets our drinks started while we're still several folks back in the ever-present pastry line. Oh, and it's good. 3) Just Plain Good Oh, did I mention they're terrific? The type of French-Artisinal quality Besalu achieves is practically unheard of in this country, not just Seattle. Simply put, it's how puff pastries are meant to taste. In short, believe the hype.

    (5)

  • Mol C.

    The best puff pastry in town. The dough is mixed, folded, proofed, and baked just right. So buttery sweet and oh so flaky! You just can't go wrong with pain au chocolat and the simple yet amazing croissant with the house-made apricot jam!

    (4)

  • Q I.

    Best quich & pastries in town. Coffee is just ok.

    (4)

  • Enriquito A.

    Heaven has a new name, and it is Cafe Besalu. Besalu, Besalu, Besalu...the name rolls off the tongue like an otherworldly morsel of buttery deliciousness. Perhaps, in some foreign language, 'Besalu' literally means 'nexus of hot flaky gastronomic perfection' or 'purest pastry-gasm' or perhaps 'ultimate home of the perfect croissant'. If not, it should. On my first time here, the line out the door suggested that good things were in store. Then I waited 20 minutes in line only to discover they were out of croissants. Noooo! Never fear, said Register Man - the next batch is coming up in a minute; sit tight and I'll bring you a fresh one. So, I pre-paid and sat down...and sure enough, within about thirty seconds there magically appeared before me a STEAMING HOT, FRESH OUT OF THE OVEN, golden-hued vision of mouth melting perfection. When I tore off the very first piece of croissant, a fragrant little puff of steam wafted out from its warm, flaky, cavelike interior. Mmmmm. When I took my first bite, all those flaky layers of just-baked pastry literally MELTED IN MY MOUTH. I am serious. Dozens (or hundreds) of impossibly thin gossamer sheets of buttery goodness spontaneously sublimated from solid to liquid, dancing on my tongue, mainlining an electric blast of gustatory pleasure directly into my taste buds and throughout my nervous system. I think I might have actually blacked out for a second or two. All this from a single bite of pastry. My medulla oblongata quivers at the memory. And it's right here in Ballard...THANK YOU GOD. And now, a couple of practical notes for would-be Besalu visitors. Having been back a number of times since that first visit, I will say this: TIMING IS EVERYTHING. I haven't yet mastered the art of predicting the ebbs and flows in line length, and cross-indexing with the baking cycle - but on a number of occasions I have been able to sneak in when there is barely any line and the pastries are STILL HOT. Ohhh yeah. Also, while the rest of the repertoire is good (the ginger biscuit and ham-n-cheese pastries come to mind) - nothing, in my opinion, beats the simple perfection of the Besalu croissant. Every time I sample the other menu items, I keep coming back to it. That's just me, your mileage may vary. Lastly: what's this about Besalu being up for the James Beard award for Best Pastry Chef? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Hometown love, people.

    (5)

  • Jamie K.

    Why, you ask, would one bother writing a positive review to add to the sea of hundreds of other positive reviews? Oh, because this place is just that good. Yes indeed. I could conceive of possibly marking it down a star due to the impossibly long line one must wait in in order to partake of the wonder that is Cafe Besalu, but I just can't bring myself to give it any less than the absolute best! The line is worth every second of waiting. I have never had anything here that was not completely and utterly melt-your-face-off-delicious. I will continue whittling away my money on frequent Besalu treats as long as they are in business, and would gladly sign a petition to keep them in business should they ever decide to close.

    (5)

  • Mary F.

    We have been here three times now. The only thing that was really unimpressive compared so far was the Pain Au Chocolate. I don't recall the coffee.

    (4)

  • Meri S.

    My 5 star review is based solely on the vanilla latte I am currently nursing. Best vanilla latte ever. And it looked almost too pretty to drink. Almost the operative word. I'm visiting from NYC for four days. Hope to get back here before I leave.

    (5)

  • Erin W.

    I ended up here with a friend after an unsuccessful attempt to try Honore a few blocks away. I overheard two people behind me chatting and learned that they'd done the same (which makes me think I really do need to try Honore if they went there first as well). I would have liked to see a bit more variety in the cases at this cafe, but perhaps it looked a bit monotonous in there because the place sticks solely the traditional French baked goods. I looked in and saw different plates dotted with the same shade of brown on each one. Honestly, nothing in the case especially called to me. Hmm... I bought two cookies, lemon and sage cornmeal, with the intention of eating half of each and saving the rest for later. The lemon was divine. Chewy, sweet and a delicious (and pretty) glaze in the center. Okay, so maybe I ate two thirds of that one instead of the planned half. As for the other cookie, the sage flavor was completely lost. The cornmeal had a nice natural sweetness but also contributed to a texture that required so much gnawing that I would be afraid of a sore jaw if I hadn't stopped after a few bites. For this reason, I'd say they should come in a bite-size portion rather than a large. It would be nice as a little tea cookie. My friend loaded up a on a few things to take home to her lucky BF, and got a pear galette for herself. It was scrumptious to look at - our salivary glands were working overtime as she pulled it out of her box - and she was quite pleased with the flavor too. It was sweet and gooey, and the crust tasted extremely fresh.

    (3)

  • Cameron W.

    Everyone talks about their awesome pastries. I don't have anything to add that people haven't already said a million times - they are fantasticly flaky and moist - go now and try a croissant there. What this review is all about is their service. I've been there a few times now and each time the baristas and the cashiers are always so nice. They seem so sincere and the place just has such a great relaxed, casual atmosphere. Places like Cafe Vivace w/ their 'Soup Nazi' style baristas should stop by Besalu to see how to treat their customers. I also love that the bakery doesn't feel pretentious at all. It's a great place to spend a Sunday morning. Another favorite...for some reason I just love looking at the Besalu postcard taped to the back of the espresso machine.

    (5)

  • Brooke E.

    Wonderful pastries! We had a nectarine pastry, that was the best one we ordered. The chocolate croissant was so flaky it practically shattered. Yum. They have quiche too but the slices are small. Good place for something light but won't fill you up. Long line but worth it!

    (5)

  • Anderson Q.

    This place simply has amazing French pastries outside of France. Without fail, there's always a line-up that will nearly wrap around the block on the weekends. They serve outstanding plain croissants, pain au chocolat, almond croissants, and quiches. Café Besalu will change your expectations in of what a croissant should be - buttery, yet light and flakey.

    (5)

  • Valentina V.

    My lovely man has a Sunday motto: "Cafe Besalu and then The Ballard Market--an ideal way to spend Sundays with La Chica." I'm a little less romantic when it comes to breakfast time, because I'm one of those who, upon waking up in the morning, gets the "knock-knock, feed me!" from her stomach. That said, this means that every time we get to Besalu, I'm literally wrestling with my gastronomic muscle. It gets really dramatic when I breathe in the buttery aroma that welcomes you into Besalu. Little, delicious torture, it comes to tickle me in the belly. My "inner-self" then roars in painful pleasure. "What can I get for you guys?" "One cheese brioche, one soy latte and a bottle of puff pastry perfume, please. Oh, and that bottle is to go." The Dude is a man of rituals so he sticks to his Americano and a plain croissant and, occasionally, he falls for the Apple Danish. Me, "Miss Arr-arr-gimme-pastries", stay faithful to the mission of trying a different item every Sunday. So far, the Leek Quiche, Cheese Brioche, Apple Danish, Almond Croissant and the Ham and Cheese Danish have made my heart glow. They help me make peace with my precious, demanding stomach. The Pain Au Chocolate is a personal favorite...it is the one that makes me go mmmmm. A word of advice: always say yes to the homemade jams. They are dollops of delight! Savoring pastries and coffee around some first-time daters (proximity makes you overhear very interesting conversations), families, lone readers, dog owners and some times, with great friends, is the utmost pleasing Sunday morning experience. Chilean poet Pablo Neruda said, on his poem "Ode to Salt", these words: "Dust of the sea, in you the tongue receives a kiss from ocean night..." I would say (no plagiarism intended): "Besalu, in your patisserie, the tongue receives a kiss from butter and croissants..."

    (5)

  • Carol I.

    Good pain au chocolate! Flaky layers and nice chocolate. I like that they have a small dining area for brunch. You can get a seat if it's not one of the crowded days. Right next door to the Tall Grass Bakery.

    (3)

  • Erika O.

    The pastries are so delectable here, I finally abandoned all pretense of restraint and ordered two the last time I stopped in. If you see anything come out of the oven while you're there, GET IT. It doesn't matter what it is. I lucked out and got a beautifully warm, flaky, buttery ham and cheese pastry straight out of the oven. Best thing I've had for breakfast in a long time. Don't forget to get some coffee as well; you won't be sorry.

    (5)

  • E D.

    Food- 4 stars Service- (-2 stars) Rating=1 stars After spending $11 for a modest breakfast, I sat down in a mostly empty Besalu. The big rush came when the quiches came out and the place was packed. I was finished in 15 minutes and wanted to finish a paper on my laptop. After 5 minutes, was asked to leave since they were so busy. What? I guess you should eat slower here??? Other visits have been a typical wait of 10-20 minutes on weekends. Maybe they should service coffee separately from those just wanting pastries? How about a ticket to get a table, it's truly ridiculous waits...

    (1)

  • tonya h.

    Yum! Perfect pastries and my favorites- ginger scone and dont forget the quiche!

    (4)

  • christopher r.

    If you've heard of Cafe' Besalu and wondered if it's worth all the hype, the answer is simple: Leapin' Lizards Hell yes! There is always a line out the door and seating is sparse, so my recommendation is to get your scrumptious goodies to go and settle in somewhere comfortable to you, either at the nearby skate park (behind QFC) or Ballard Park (head west on 60th and you'll see it at 26th. You'll need to walk, 60th dead ends before you reach the park). They have a modest assortment of pastries and quiche and a full espresso bar. I brought home quiche Lorraine, a ham & cheese pastry, and an apricot pastry. All three were sublime. The quiche was fluffy and moist, not dry or watery. The flavors were spectacular but not overwhelming. Definitely the best quiche I've had in ages. The ham in the pastry was heavenly. My wife's eyes popped out of her head on the first bite. The pastry was flaky and appropriately yielding, not tough and overly chewy. Both the quiche and the ham & cheese had enough umami to make my mouth water while writing this review hours later! The apricot pastry was the same, but with a perfect balance of sweet and tart, none of the cloying sweetness here that you might expect to see in a lesser creation. As a bonus prize, ours was still warm. That didn't hurt one bit. No sir. We will be visiting Besalu again for sure. I can't wait to work my way through all of their sweet and savory creations. I'll even stand in line for it, which isn't something I'll normally do.

    (4)

  • Tiffany S.

    Arrived int he early afternoon on Sunday. Only a few people in line when we got there. Oh the pastries, yes, the pastries. We shared the Plum Danish (Which had there croissant dough as the base and one of the most delightful treats I have had in a long time) and the peach tart, which the peaches were flavourful and not over sugared and the crust was buttery and crumbly). Service was friendly even though by the time we finally sat down to eat, the line was getting long. I could see how this place could easily turn into a mad house in a matter of minutes. But if you are able to get there and happen to catch a short line, please go here and treat yourself :)

    (4)

  • Marcus F.

    A very good croissant and a pretty good quiche. This small shop focuses on a few dishes. It unfortunately makes a terrible cookie. Hard almost biscotti like, but as a cookie that did not work. If you are in the area and want a good croissant you should certainly stop by. Otherwise make the drive over to Bakery Nouveau.

    (3)

  • John C.

    Wow, fantastic artisan bakery. Yes, as good as everyone says. Went on a Saturday morning, waited 10 minutes in line, well worth the drive across town. Had a croissant, chocolate cookie, americano, and took a bag of croissants home. Damn good.

    (5)

  • Linda L.

    Overall: A cafe full of character, with a small but decent selection of pastries I've bookmarked Cafe Besalu, like forever! S. and I managed to make it in on a Thursday morning. On arriving, the place looked disorganized, but had character. There were no lines (or very small ones consisting of 2-3 people) and there's limited seating. The display of pastries was small, but appetizing. The pastries on the whole were still larger than the European sized counterparts and we had mixed reviews on the ones we tried: Hazelnut twist - dry and didn't taste of hazelnuts. It somewhat represented a brioche in consistency, but did not have the sweet and buttery softness (1/5) Plum Danish - very tasty! It was fruity, flaky and more-ishly good! (4/5) Leek and goats cheese quiche - very good! Pastry was light, filling was creamy, delicious and flavorful. (5/5) Pain au chocolat - wasn't buttery as I'd hoped. It was soft and tender inside but the amount of chocolate filling was so small, that if you blinked you'd miss it. (2/5) Apple Danish - quite good. Fruity, flaky and not overly sweet. (3.5/5) Pear and Almond tart - pastry was good, but it was overly sweet (2.5/5) As we sat there for a while chatting over our pastries, we smelt the delicious aroma of roasting almonds and cheese (from the quiches) emanating from their back kitchen - yum! This is a nice little place to sit and chat over a coffee and a croissant, but it's too much of a hassle for me to visit Ballard to get my French-style pastry fix. I'm afraid that Bakery Nouveau still gets my patronage.

    (4)

  • Ray Z.

    I think that we pay a bit more for our goodies at Besalu than most of the clientele. Why? Because we don't live even remotely close. But where else in town are you going to get such warm, soft, buttery, flakey croissants? With homemade jam (if you desire), I might add! The quiches are also nice - firm but soft, and rich and eggy; this foundation is usually nicely complemented by the flavours introduced by the other ingredients. The coffee is smooth but a little lighter than I prefer. This is a small concession, I think. People complain about the long lines and the lack of seating. It used to annoy me too, but I think I've figured it out - by the time you get to the front of the line, there's usually a table or two available. Except when it's one of those mornings when you have the odd clueless/inconsiderate group. Essential Baking? Macrina? Pah! 5 Stars - I love eating there.

    (5)

  • Shelley G.

    My mouth watered looking at the pastry case. Cardamom pretzel? Spinach quiche? Plum pastry? How can I be forced to choose??? Well, I finally did choose, but I have a feeling anything would've been good. I went with the plum pastry. Delish. The golden outer ring was sweet, buttery and flaky (as any good pastry SHOULD be), and the glazed plums nestled in the center burst with sweetness in my mouth. Need I say more? The only complaint is there weren't enough tables and chairs. I went on a Friday morning and it was packed, so I can only imagine how it is on weekends.

    (4)

  • Andra Z.

    This place is as close to a Parisian bakery as you can get in at least 10 US states. The owner rolls the pastry dough all day calmly and happily every single day. The atmosphere is casual, but the pastries are as serious as it gets. Every single thing I had, was fantastic and the coffee is a great accompaniment to the flawless baked goods. Every time we visit Seattle we visit Cafe Besalu more than once. It is a treat and should not be missed.

    (5)

  • Andrea K.

    Wow. I'm still dusting off the flakes of deliciousness off my clothes hours afterwards and I am so so content. Go. with. some. friends. Not just because if you don't, you'll be the only person there on a Sunday morning without a bf/gf waiting in line with you, but also because it is so overwhelming deciding which delightful pastries to get that you need at least one other person to help you try multiple things. Went with 3 people, and we got the pain au chocolat, almond croissant, plain brioche, hazlenut twist, nectarine danish, and blueberry danish. All were incredible. The croissants were perfectly moist and flaky; the danishes were fresh and delicious; the brioche was warm and perfect when dipped in the apricot jam they provided; and the hazlenut twist was melt-in-your mouth good--there was a hint of orange in there too which was perfect. I want to go back asap to try the pear gallette, cardamom pretzel, almond schnecken, and so many more delightful things. Pastries were in the 2.00-4.50 range, but most things were in the 3.50 range. Pricey? a bit, but absolutely worth it. Their coffee was fantastic as well. Perfect high foam on the cappuccino, they had delightful milk art in the hot cocoa my friend ordered. Expect a line that isn't the fastest thing ever (15-20 minutes on a sunday morning at 10-ish), and expect to feel overwhelmed when everyone else standing in line is holding hands, all doey-eyed in love with their couply french cafe-going ness, but ultimately expect to be extremely happy and full.

    (5)

  • J D.

    Excellent. Stand out? Cardamom pretzel. Get two. If they ditched the Papyrus font in their name, they'd get 6 stars.

    (5)

  • Rachel K.

    I love a good French pastry, but when in the states, such indulgences were, until recently, reserved for trips to Tartine when in San Francisco. That was until I relented and went to Besalu. Some news about me: I will not get a house cleaner because I know I'll love it and will never turn back. I don't buy Egyptian Cotton, even on sale, because I'll get addicted. I believe that if you feed a squirrel an apple you have just killed him because he will never eat anything but. This is why I never went to Besalu. Until I did. And it was divine. Substantial, flaky croissant. Yum, pain au chocolat. Interesting, fascinating, ginger cookie! And all-day variety for the days when I resist the butter croissant in favor of something that won't leave me hungry in an hour like quiche. (My only knock is that they do a horrible job of brewing what is otherwise fabulously roasted coffee. Maybe this changes from time to time?)

    (5)

  • Thomas M.

    So unbelievably good I actually considered posting a negative review to try and combat the endless lines and brutal parking situation. Pathetic, I know. Yes I am serious.

    (5)

  • Julie B.

    I think the line-causing delay is just a business ploy. The longer you're in line, the more you inhale the heavenly smell that welcomes you when you walk in the door of Cafe Besalu. It's the light, buttery scent of temptation. I had a hard time deciding between the croissants, quiches and other pastries. They were all posing in the bakery case, competing for my attention. Sweet or savory? Flaky or eggy? In the end I chose an apple pastry, which was delicately flaky with a light shellacking of sweetness. They serve lighthouse coffee, and my cappo was delish. But coffee was secondary to the whole experience. Besalu is all about the butter...

    (4)

  • Pea J.

    I have a thing for ham and cheese croissants. Unfortunately not many people in town make them. My long term source ended selling her shop and retiring. So I googled "best ham and cheese croissant in Ballard" and this place was tops in the search results. I stopped by last week and bought one from them and it was a life changing experience. Easily the best I have ever had. And that is just one of the many pastries they sell. The pastries themselves are a work of art simply from a visual standpoint, screaming out just how flaky, buttery, and filled with succulence they are. There is almost no way to describe how good these pastries are. One reviewer on here says they are the best in Seattle, I say the best in America. They are absolutely unreal. I actually have to use the word, "magical"..

    (5)

  • NWMark N.

    Ballard has a wealth of cafes and coffee shops that can serve you your cuppa joe. Cafe Besalu stands apart from the rest in three respects. It's away from the Market Street noise but not too far away. The coffee is served with a smile. And, in one word, croissants. A bad croissant is a sad, lifeless lump of greasy dough. A good croissant is light, flaky, buttery and makes you say, "Thanks croissant, that's just what I needed!" Besalu serves a good croissant, and it comes with an apricot preserve that perfectly complemented its' buttery bite.

    (4)

  • J J.

    Best pastries. Cafe Besalu is my favorite bakery in Seattle. We love everything we tried. There can be long lines at times, but it's worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Aidana L.

    I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! I try to limit how often I go because everything taste so GREAT. It is an amazing place to just sit outside on a good sunny day and eat Delicious croissants and drink yummy Latte. Definitively check this place out. You WILL Love this place. And the people who work there are soooo nice!

    (5)

  • Aaron I.

    4.5 Simply amazing bakery. Being a newbie to this bakery, i asked the barista if you had to choose the one pastry to have before you died which would it be? He chose some ginger cookie type pastry. I not a fan of ginger, it was very mmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!! Tall Grass and Besalu are great compliments to each other, breads and pastries, super mmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!! yelp.com/biz/tall-grass-…

    (5)

  • L L.

    I had an Irish cream latte, which was super-creamy and perfect. They also had plenty of other fancy syrup flavors (in plain sight) to add to the drinks, which I love. The pastries were really tasty too. Best coffee I think I've had in Seattle! Service was fast and good, despite a huge line. Also, they had our drinks ready by the time we got to the register and got our correct (to-go) food items to us even though potential for mix ups seemed likely with so many customers. I withheld the 5th star only because it didn't have a huge interior or a lot of seating room inside. This made for a tight line/small personal space, and no option to hang out or internet for any length of time. Also, they didn't have their own parking lot, though there was plenty of street parking as well as residential parking within an easy walking distance.

    (4)

  • Elnora H.

    I read about Cafe Besalu on a Ballard neighborhood website shortly after I moved to the area, but never got around to visiting until a few weeks ago. Boy, do I wish I'd gone sooner! It's slightly off the "main strip" in Ballard, so it might go unnoticed to those who visit for the Sunday market, the locks, or on their way to Golden Gardens. But if you live in the area, surely you've walked up 24th and ducked into this tiny (and I mean it when I say it) and quaint cafe. I was thoroughly impressed with their pastry selection, and the quality and authenticity are beyond anything I've tasted in the U.S. to date. I have been to a lot of places claiming to be "authentic French bakeries" but none hold a candle to Besalu. It's tempting to order more pastries than you can eat in one sitting, but I'd recommend only buying what you can eat on the spot, as freshness is a key factor in the quality of these scrumptious goodies. Be advised that their plan croissants are to DIE for, even though they may not look as mouth-wateringly delicious as the other fruit and chocolate-laden things. The croissant has the perfect buttery, flaky exterior to match it's fluffy and slightly chewy inside. Even my sister's Swiss boyfriend said he'd never had a better croissant anywhere in Europe. Now that's a rave review. I've had a few of their quiches as well, which are all fabulous, especially if you crave a savory breakfast. Make sure to have them heat it up in the oven for you - as long as they have room - and eat it there on a plate, so it doesn't get soggy. The quiche with leeks is amazing, and when they are chopping and cooknig leeks in the visible kitchen right behind the pastry case, the comforting smell fills the cafe. I could go on and on about all of the different pastries I've enjoyed here, but I think you should go there and try them for yourself. You can't go wrong with any of them. Beware though, that the tiny shop does have funky hours, so be sure to check if they're open before venturing over there....but, alas, even the odd hours can't take away one of the 5 stars I'm giving Cafe Besalu!

    (5)

  • Anne B.

    Heavenly in every way. Except, let's be honest, the inevitable line that forms from the counter and creeps outside the doorway, and the accompanying demand for limited tables, but I deem those things marks of its quality. Every pastry I've had here is flaky-French perfection. The lattes are silky and served in big mugs. I love that, while you're in there, you can see the bakers using some delightful contraption to manhandle the croissant dough. I love that when I approached this area before exiting the bakery, my belly full of buttery sweetness, the baker didn't think I was strange for confirming whether that slight spiciness I detected in my plum danish was, indeed, cardamom. I love that I felt palpable excitement when one of the bakers put out not just one, but two, fresh-out-of-the-oven quiches when I was only two line-standers away from the register. Because Besalu is. that. good.

    (5)

  • Jen T.

    Café Besalu is undoubtedly my favorite place to go for not-so-good-for-you goodness!! I haven't even been there in several months (unfortunately, it's pretty far from where I live and their hours of operation allow me to go only on the weekends which fill up pretty quickly). But I just had a hankering for something flakey, buttery, sweet and savory all of the sudden and a little voice in my head was whispering "beesaaaluuu". Quite haunting actually.. and a testament to how long your last visit there will stick with you! Their salmon quiche is excellent, fluffy eggs with just the right amount of smokey flavor - I never want to share with my husband when we order it. I'm not a huge croissant person but I could inhale about half a dozen of theirs in one sitting. But truly, the satiation of my hankering for their pastries will be the death of me. Pear galette, come to me!

    (5)

  • Food G.

    I love how they had a good variety of fruity and savoury pastries. As you wait in line, the sweet smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastries coming out of the oven... Yum! I went to Honore that same morning to do a comparison and found it very difficult to decide which was better over the other. Both did something exceptionally well. Strangely, it wasn't the pastries that stood out for me, but it was the creamy Chai Tea Latte that keeps me going back for more. Overall, it was a great experience.

    (4)

  • Jason T.

    One of the places that makes me miss being close to Ballard. I lived in Fremont for five years and made special trips here rather than the slightly more convenient Essential Bakery. Essential Bakery of Madison Park is a short walk from my new digs, but anything laminated (croissants, etc) is much better at Besalu. They have respectable brioche, and the orange brioche is great if you are in a sweet mood. I usually crave the onion and Gruyere pastry, but I often grab a slice of leek and goat cheese "quiche" (tarte, really) and get one of the fruit-based laminated pastries and a latte. It's all of the dairy products you need for a week, but I'm ok with that, and you should be too. Butter. Really it's all about butter here. And their egg tartes (quiches), which are also made with a buttery crust. You won't regret the calories.

    (4)

  • Cindy C.

    Drove in from Arlington today and visited Cafe Besalu while my daughter was getting beautiful at Tart Beauty Studio (see review for more on that).Went here because of Yelper raves, and good Lord, I was not disappointed! PERFECT coffee, insanely good fresh pastries (we had the almond schnecken and a croissant.... (MORE PLEASE)... and premier service - fast and super friendly - even though every seat in the house was full and the line was out the door. All this for about $11. I predict cravings that force me to make the hour drive. Seriously.

    (5)

  • kim h.

    this is a pretty nice cafe. i feel its a little over hyped for what it is. i have high expectations in the world of pastries new orleans spoiled me in many ways :) its a little pricey for the size of the pastries. the croissant is one of the best things i have had so far, buttery and flaky and true. the quiche was the real let down... how can ham asparagus and manchego be so bland! the only thing that really wowed me was the coffee. that is one hell of a latte. nothing added and honestly i crave the coffee more than the pastries... sadly its no petite provence...

    (3)

  • Stina T.

    Admit it. The summer's over. But guess what sweater weather means? More pastries! Yes, it's true, because you need to protect your body with a thin layer of pastry dough to ward off any threat of hypothermia. Not every Yelp review can win you the badge of *First to review*. I realize that I'm review #150 extolling the virtues of Besalu's pain au chocolat...but mon dieu! It's a thing of beauty. Here's where I toot my own horn and talk about how I studied abroad in France and sampled beaucoup de pain au chocolats...and the French paradox worked for me because I somehow lost weight while living there! But lucky you, Ballard, you don't have to cross the pond for honest-to-goodness goodness. Bleary-eyed and mildly hung over, there's nothing better than waiting in Besalu's line, absorbing the soft white light emanating from the pastry case, and ruminating on the miraculous when flour, butter, salt, and sugar combine. The staff is sweet as tarte de pommes and there's even some outdoor seating if you remembered your scarf and hat.

    (5)

  • Giorgio P.

    Wow! This is a bakery cafe' that does it right. From scratch pastry dough (no frozen base like many do). The best croissants in Seattle. Period. It will explode in buttery flaky deliciousness on your first bite. The best time to go is actually when it's the busiest. That's when you can be guaranteed that you'll get croissants still hot off the oven. Also one of the best Caffe' Lattes in town. Barista Corinne is a master! A note about the prices too. Very reasonable! Especially considering the top quality and wormanship. Thank you!

    (5)

  • Carly L.

    I hadn't been to Besalu in at least a year, so the brilliant plan was concocted last night while drinking wine to get up at the buttcrack and meet up for Besalu goodness. The good: coffee.... ham and swiss pastry. The bad: going to Besalu while still possibly buzzed. The solution: eat delicious food, stumble up street, and go back to bed.

    (5)

  • Karen H.

    I heart Cafe Besalu! So few bakeries get French pastry right. It's flaky not bready!!! The quiches are great too, the ham and gruyere, the spinach and carmelized onion and the leek. I don't eat them much anymore since I reduced eggs in my diet but YUMMM. Anytime I'm near the west side of Ballard my eyes start glazing over and my car goes on auto-pilot.

    (5)

  • Clive P.

    If you tell me there's a better bakery than this in Seattle, you're a goddamned liar.

    (5)

  • Meagan K.

    How to put into words my love of this place.... I think the worst thing about Besalu is having to chose which pastries to get. They're ALL DELICIOUS! I pretty much always get a ginger cookie and some sort of croissant. Sometimes the quiche, which is light and fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth, salivation-inducingly good (and I don't even like quiche!). The coffee could be better, but honestly, I just get it out of habit and the need to have something to wash down the boatloads of pastries I eat. I usually just get some sort of latte to dilute the espresso a little bit and it's just fine. Back to pastries. Just get them! You won't regret it. And it's worth the wait, though I recommend going on a weekday for a reduced line. I'd give this cafe a million stars if I could, but alas, there are only 5.

    (5)

  • Emily T.

    What can I say that no one else has said yet? Well, "I hate Cafe Besalu!!!" I guess... But that would be a lie, because I love it. Just like everyone else. Doesn't hurt to say it again, though. PS: The spinach & caramelized onion quiche is my favorite.

    (5)

  • Charisma G.

    As good as it gets for pastries - sweet and savory. If you live in Seattle, if you're visiting Seattle this place is a MUST.

    (5)

  • Lisa G.

    I've tried a lot of their pastries, and they are yummy. The quiches are good too. Warning, there's often a line!

    (5)

  • James R.

    This place is amazing. I always bring out of town guests here for coffee and breakfast. Fresh quiche usually comes out around 10:30, so don't get there too early.

    (5)

  • Joelle A.

    I really enjoyed the breakfast pastries here. I split an onion and cheese croissant and a pain au chocolat with my mother when she was in town, and I remember enjoying them both thoroughly. I'm hoping to plan a head-to-head pain au chocolat tasting with theirs and my other favorite bakery to settle it once and for all as to which will take the cake (ha ha, I crack even myself up sometimes).

    (5)

  • Patrick K.

    I love croissants. If I ever open my own bakery (if= probably never), then I'd make sure it's certified Halal/ Kosher and build a minaret and stick the croissant on top, (I know, adorable.) And then, every morning, when we open, I'd climb to the top of the minaret and chant in Arabic for people to come and buy my delicious croissants. Of course, nobody would come, so then I'd cry for a little while, and then come here, wait in line, and eat my sorrows away in delights like Almond Croissants, Chocolate Croissants, and even plain ones. The buttery, flaky goodness will surely make you exclaim "ALLAH HU AKBAR!" Well, for me it did, only I thought it instead, cause yelling "ALLAH HU AKBAR" in a bakery on Sunday morning is a little odd, even for me. Also, if you don't like this place, then that's basically denying the Holocaust. What?

    (5)

  • Sarom M.

    We went to this bakery on a Sunday, and the place was packed. I ordered the apple danish, and savor every bits of it. It was delicious. My hubby ordered a cheese brioche and another pastry that we both thought was "meh". Overall, the service was fast and we look forward to going there again.

    (4)

  • Safa S.

    Excellent, flakey pastries...My favorite pastry place in the world (better than even Paris) Ordered: - Onion & gruyere pastry...flakey, nummy... - Apricot gallete...BEST OUT OF ALL OF THEM -Spinach and onion quiche....Good, light quiche.. - Leek and goat cheese quiche....same - Smoked salmon and fennel and onion quiche..My favorite quiche - Apple Danish....just okay - Apple tart...better than the danish - Pear gallete....second favorite

    (5)

  • Kerry G.

    Yum! My uncle introduced this place to me years ago and now I make a point to come here every time I'm in Seattle. Daily, if possible! I always get either the croissants or the pain au chocolate and they are as close to perfect as you can get outside of France - rich and buttery and fabulous. I don't drink coffee, but the hot chocolate is also excellent. Only problem is the long lines and severely inadequate seating during peak times.

    (5)

  • Vi N.

    For me, giving away 5 stars generally means that while I was still eating whatever was on the plate in front of me I was already contemplating when I could come back and try the next piece of edible heaven. This place is definitely one of those places! While biting into my amazing ham and swiss pastry and having a great cup of hot chocolate I was already thinking about when I would be back and eyeing what I would next order in the pastry case. I'd read other reviews that talk about the long lines and I must have hit the sweet spot because I was in and at the only empty table in under 5 minutes. The selection isn't huge, but what they have available (my boyfriend and I tried 3 different and equalling delightful pastries, he had the espresso and I the hot chocolate as previously mentioned) is homemade deliciousness.

    (5)

  • Michael K.

    Fantastic Patisserie, sub-mediocre coffee. I hate to say it, as much as I adore the (five star) pastries at Besalu, the coffee program needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. After getting several poor cappuccinos and macchiatos, I decided to try an espresso to better understand the root of the problem. Well, I did last week (January 2009) and it was the worst espresso I've had in months. Although they start with a good blend (Lighthouse), the way they brew it leaves it with the bitterness characteristic of an over-extracted shot from a skanky portafilter. It was hard to get the taste out of my mouth. They really need an (espresso) intervention. Send the barista to coffee school and have the machine checked for water purity, temperature control, and built up dirt. It hurts me to say all this because I like every other aspect of the place so much. On the other hand, the coffee issue is likely easy to fix.

    (3)

  • Marisa B.

    I have really tried to get into the swing of Cafe Besalu, but the line is always out the door and I never feel like it was 100% worth it by the time I get my order. My quiche today was runny so that just solidified the fact that all I will ever feel for this place is just... meh.

    (3)

  • J C.

    Pastries are amazing!!! Croissants were to die for - melted in your mouth, flaky, and just YUM!!! We had the chocolate croissant, almond croissant, quiche Lorraine, apricot tart, orange brioche, apricot sage cornmeal cookie, latte, and a drip coffee. There was a small line on a late Wed morning. Would DEFINITELY go back if ever in the area!!!

    (5)

  • Tim O.

    Me before Cafe Besalu entered my life: o /|\ / \ And afterwards: o /O\ /\ What you can't see in my second ASCII person is a gigantic smile with chocolate smeared on my teeth from my pain au chocolat. That's right, it's a croissant filled with chocolate. Now, I don't need to die to go to heaven, but with that much butter, I'm one step closer.

    (5)

  • Jeff F.

    Get one of everything....except the Hazelnut Twist! If you catch the almond croissant (only on Sunday) fresh out of the oven you will believe in heaven. Line can be terrible so show up after 11am on a weekday for a more relaxed experience.

    (5)

  • Ioanna M.

    The pastries we tried were awesome. I loved the chocolate croissant. The chai latte with a taste of lemon is just unique!

    (5)

  • Anne O.

    One word: GO! Better yet, have someone else go and have them bring you a box of goodies back. I agree - this place has the BEST chocolate and better yet PLAIN croissants outside of Paris - HANDS DOWN. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Arnnie S.

    This place has probably the best croissants I've ever tasted, but that's not news. It's more of a fact. The chocolate croissants are good too. I like when you bite into these two delicious piece of heaven that butter oozes out. It's a good thing because with that amount of butter, the croissants become flaky and airy. I wouldn't be surprised if there was more butter than flour in the pastries. Don't settle for Kirkland brand croissants, check this place out and you won't ever want any other croissant, but Besalu's.

    (5)

  • Heidi K.

    I've been here twice and do not understand the high ratings. The selection was limited each time I went. Doesn't seem like a great place to go for a chocolate lover. First visit I got a cardamom pretzel. There did not seem to be even a whisper of cardamom and it was too buttery. I gave half to my dog. The second visit, I got the pain au chocolat. It was fine, but far from the best I've had. Pleasant service, cute space that was not the least bit relaxing because it was so noisy. I won't be returning.

    (2)

  • Dana E.

    Just went to grab some items after reading about this shop in the Delta Mag. I am from Detroit, and happen to be in Seattle for work. Brought a mix of items into the office, I have already had 3 requests for the name and address citing these as the BESTever. We also picked up a couple macaroons to eat later, but after taking a small nibble, they had to be eaten. AWESOME. This will be a regular stop when I am in town.

    (5)

  • Ned F.

    Really the best croissant I've ever had outside Paris (and even beat most of the ones I've had in Paris). My other faves are their quiches (out after 10am on weekends) and the "Gruyere and Onion tart". I take every out of town guest here for the remarkable culinary experience. My only complaint is that they won't raise their prices. I'd happily pay twice as much if it meant I only had to wait half as long for all that deliciousness. I've told them so but alas, no luck. In fairness, the line moves pretty quickly and they're super efficient, so I should just enjoy the deal while it lasts.

    (5)

  • David J.

    Besalu has a friendly staff and good food. The pastries remind me of the amazing pastries at a cafe called "Pomme" in Gijon, Spain. The downside is it's a bit small. It feels a bit exposed to sit down and eat here.

    (3)

  • Michael S.

    Seating was tough at 10:30 on a Saturday, but as other's have commented, these pastries are buttery, flaky, tender, and crisp all at the same time. Some of the best I've had!

    (5)

  • Alary M.

    Oh my god....I think I just had a mouth-gasm *blush*

    (5)

  • shala d.

    Ginger Biscuit's from Besalu are a bit of the divine! Buttery, Gingery and melt in your mouth good with a hint of a crispiness. I love, love and crave them. I live near and my car just wants to pull in when I drive by and I have to fight with the steering wheel so that I don't get to fat! Get some if you haven't tried them and share them with your friends. They will love you forever....

    (4)

  • Buck H.

    have a pretzel and a coffee...you won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Becca C.

    All I have to say is 'Ginger Biscuit.' Well, I have more to say, but that's the important part. Besalu has AMAZING French pastries. This place is such a treat. Great quiche, brioche, pan au chocolat...need I say more? The crowd tends to be 'small family with dog' style, but I like that sort of thing. It's a good place for a breakfast date (light fare with interesting people).

    (5)

  • Mac J.

    I hate this place!!! My wife is in love with the ham&cheese pastry and makes me get it for her all the time!! That means I have to endure that friggin line out the door!! As soon as they figure out how to get people in & out quicker they will get my 5th star!! The counter staff could at least look like they are trying to hurry!! oh well, the line out the door should tell you how good the food is...just make someone else go get it for ya!!

    (4)

  • Karen D.

    Just mentioning the name Besalu, makes all of my tastebud cells melt into a buttery fantasy-dream of what may come to them. In other words, it makes me salivate. "Pain au chocolate, please?" I can hardly stand in front of the barista without letting those words pass my lips. All of their classics fulfill my desire for butter and sugar: ham and swiss pastry, almond schnecken (yikes--I love that one!), plain croissant with homemade jam, and quiche on their flaky crust. I'll agree that the weekends are so busy, I usually don't even bother to go, or show up later in the am. I would prefer to go weekdays when I know I can get a seat and peaceful buzz to enjoy my goodies. There are so many regulars at this place, I always manage to run into someone I know. My only complaint: closed Monday and Tuesday. Since when do bakers need a weekend?!? (These bakers deserve those days for all of the goodness they provide the rest of the week.)

    (5)

  • Christine D.

    I love this place! Their quiche is to die for. Everything is worthy of trying even their ginger biscuits and I'm not a fan of ginger. If this place didn't require me to trek across town, I would be there everyday. But maybe that's a good thing 'cause then I wouldn't have to worry about gaining a few. They definitely don't skimp out on butter, they use blocks of it, BLOCKS I tell you. That's why everything tastes so damn good.

    (5)

  • ryan j.

    I've never had anything here that wasn't absolutely delicious. The only downside is the long lines that appear on the weekends.

    (5)

  • Diana F.

    the onion gruyere pastry is to die for. so are the ginger biscuits, pan au chocolats and apple danishes. pretty much everything i've had at Besalu is incredible (except the brioche which is very bready and lacks punch). I have so many "must-haves" that it has become really difficult to order. they always have charming music playing. i'm in love with the pastry chef. this place is just amazing!

    (5)

  • Sean S.

    Tasty beyond tasty. Some of the pastries here are better than ones I've had in Paris and that's saying something. Coffee is not the best around, but good enough. The staff is super friendly and work hard to keep the line moving along. Well worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Megan B.

    Another reason I'm so glad I live here. 2 blocks away! Of course the day I tried this place I found out they would be closed for 2 weeks! So cruel! I'm counting the days until the onion and gruyere pastry touches my lips again. And that ginger biscuit!!! I actually cried when I tasted it. Too fucking good. I'm glad I have to walk here so that I don't gain too much weight. Besalu... Besalu mucho....

    (5)

  • Kat B.

    I don't mind waiting in line here and I'd be worried if I was the only one in the place. The atmosphere at Besalu is cozy and comforting on a dreary, winter day, and the outdoor tables are perfect for enjoying your pastries during the summer months. The danishes and ginger biscuits are outstanding, and watching the owners work in the open kitchen adds to the warm environment. This place could easily become my second home on the weekends, but with the tables in this place being such hot commodities I stay only as long as it takes to sit and savor every last crumb on my plate. I'm also generous enough to leave some pastries in the case for all of the late risers.

    (5)

  • JS U.

    I have eaten my fair share of world class, made with best ingredients, traditional European style pastries and Cafe Besalu gives all those places a run for their money. To the point, they make exceptional tasting pastries using only the finest ingredients. I'd venture to say their number one seller is the almond croissant (I could be wrong) but if you want one, come early because they're gone before the morning dew has left the grass! The fresh strawberry Danish is intensely and wonderfully infused with the taste of ripe berries. The pain au chocolate is decadently delicious. And for me, the almond schnecken does beckon. I have yet to try any of their savory pastries, all of which look just as tempting as the sweet goodies. Service is excellent and while I think their coffee beverages are just passable, that's not really why you go to Cafe Besalu, is it? Their following is religiously there at the same time every Sunday morning, as if having come to worship at the Pacific NW Cathedral of Buttery Pastries, so you will see many of the same faces when you become a regular (notice I didn't say "if"). Try CB and you'll convert to the Church of Buttery Pastries too!

    (5)

  • Kris C.

    The ginger biscuits. Yes. Worth the wait. And the folks behind the counter? Always so nice, considering the never-ending line always snakes out the door.

    (5)

  • Claire D.

    Chocolate croissants! Probably my favorite delicacy ever, and they have some of the best! I'll admit...I haven't tried much else, even when I intend to. It's just that when I finally get there, I don't want to spoil my chance at flaky, chocolate-filled goodness.

    (5)

  • bryce p.

    Simply the best. Best in Seattle, best in the US and best in France...from my experiences. I spent time last summer with my wife in Paris and we love pastries. Of course we found a ton of great places and I can't say that we had anything but great pastries. That said, Besa Lu is still the best I've ever had and it's hard to imagine how it could get better. It's incredibly consistent and over the last year or so the coffee has also stepped up to a top tier level. My wife are once-a-weekers and usually order the Nectarine Danish and/or the Pear Gallette. You really can't go wrong but don't go if you are afraid that it will forever taint your experience when you buy a pastry anywhere else.

    (5)

  • Calyn M.

    Cafe Besalu is wonderful. Butter, butter, BUTTAH is the word here. It smells like butter, tastes like butter, and my cholesterol numbers have confirmed--they use lots of real butter! The arrangement of the place stinks, but I'm not going to ding them for that. I hate waiting in line, but it's worth it to get to the front of the line and get my grubby paws on a delicious ham and *insert tasty accompaniment here la la* plus anything with fruit. Yum, it reminds me of snacking next to the Seine in Paris. Just as good.

    (5)

  • Aaron M.

    Seriously who thought of putting meat and cheese in a pastry? Whoever it is they are a genius. They do it at Besalu and I love them for it. My heart and arteries are still hurting from all the butter, cheese and meat that are now crusted inside them. Oh so good. Unfortunately I didn't get to try the quiche which is supposed to be amazing but everything else I had was well worth the wait and cramped quarters. And to think I never used to like pastries.

    (5)

  • Hana B.

    delicious. I'd come back here for sure. with the sun shining in the window on a cold winter day as I enjoyed my pastry and latte, I felt strangely like I was in a foreign country. the world would be a better place if there were more little cafes like this.

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    So I saw Cafe Besalu in my "Eat. Shop. Seattle." book and have been itching to go there. They said that they had better pastries than in France. "psshh, pfff, hahaha, yeah right" I think to myself . . .Well after finally trying this delectable little hot spot - sweet sassy molassy they sure do!!! Coffee is great, love the music and toasty warm atmosphere (but seriously it is warm in here the windows are fogged sometimes.) Another perk to this place is that unlike my usual Capitol Hill cafe experiences, the workers here are freindly and as sweet as their almond schneckens!

    (5)

  • Kimberley D.

    Many thanks to Laurel for this recommendation. Absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the glazed onion puffy pastry. I forget what else was in it... maybe gruyere. So. Good. Everything else was fantastic too. I don't typically enjoy a danish but this one rocked. Definitely worth the trek. I do agree that I didn't really find the space that comfortable for hanging out, but I wouldn't let that stop me from returning. I'll probably just order to go next time.

    (5)

  • Joel C.

    This place rocks. Simple as that. It gets very busy on the weekends, as others have noted, but the wait is worthwhile. I'd recommend the cardamom pretzel or the ginger biscuit. In fact, do yourself a favor and get both.

    (5)

  • Kate S.

    Went on a Sunday afternoon and had a very long wait (line out the door) for a very nice croissant with jam.

    (3)

  • Adam M.

    Ballard is pure bliss, folks, and if you don't believe me, try cafe besalu. $2 for a croissant (order 2 with jam), $2 for coffee (LIGHTHOUSE, 25c refills) and $4 for quiche, all of which culminate the fluffy love that brings me to write this review.

    (5)

  • Jana H.

    I had to write a review... Yes, the food and pastries are super tasty! The coffee is okay (I like Bambino better, but I don't live within walking distance of that anymore), not bad, but not crazy. The line is incredibly annoying! Usually, the line will be out the door or wrapping around inside the store. If you have time to kill, go ahead, wait in line. You will most likely at least be entertained by kids, animals outside, or other people being amazed at the line while you are waiting. At least I get free dog treats for my pup waiting outside for me.

    (4)

  • Kris P.

    This place is amazing. I live just far enough away that it's a pain to get there, but whenever we do go by, we end up getting more than we meant to because it all looks good. Tip: if something is coming out of the oven just as you get to the counter, ORDER IT. We got a tart--it had custard, a layer of almond paste, apricots... I feel like I'm forgetting something, but it was the best piece of food I've ever had. No joke. Pastry from other places seems sad by comparison. It's buttery and flaky, light and tasty. The cardamom pretzel is delicious. (I saw another reviewer didn't care for it, and I have to say, what? Cardamom is my favorite spice, and they nailed it.) The cookies are good, but not as good as the pastry. I keep meaning to try the savory things and failing to. My favorite pastry place, hands down. Gets crazy busy on weekend mornings, so plan on waiting in line, and the place is packed, so I'd suggest eating elsewhere unless you plan on wrestling someone for a table. (But not too far away--it's best when things are still warm.)

    (5)

  • Jeff S.

    I just don't get to go to Cafe Besalu enough. Once I get to the front of the line (usually long), I pick something with fresh fruit, and it's always worth the wait. Bliss. The cafe smells great and has an excellent vibe. I'd love it if they were open everyday.

    (5)

  • John P.

    Yummy pastries at reasonable prices.

    (4)

  • tracy m.

    I recently ate at a local breakfast joint that has a lot of Yelp hype. While it was a good breakfast, it was nothing special. Cafe Besalu easily meets the hype. I saw colors as I ate my strawberry danish. My mocha was very good as well. Well worth the wait in line on a Saturday.

    (5)

  • Chani B.

    Yum, someone this morning at the Eggapalooza breakfast brought these delightful creations of perfection. They had apples in them and although I have not gone to the brick and mortar, I shall seek this place out. The food simply melted in my cakehole. I wished I could have stuffed more in my mouth,but contrary to what others have said about me;my mouth isn't that big after all!

    (4)

  • Megan R.

    OMG OMG OMG is all I can say- Went on a Saturday at 10:30 AM after running 7 miles. All I wanted was a tasty pastry and a delicious cup of coffee. I managed BOTH. After waiting in line for 10 minutes (a few of those outside) I made my approach on the pasty case. I stared wide eyed for a good 2 minutes just taking in the sights and smells of what was in front of me. I wanted to get one of everything unfortunately, that wasn't in the cards. They have a good selection of sweet and savory - I opted for the pear gallete that I saw was just coming out of the oven and a plum roll for my roommate. The coffee was creamy and delicious - not too strong either. I love places that automatically give you two shots in your tall latte. I drove home excitedly (didn't want to stay and sit - just too crowded) and opened my box of buttery pear goodness. It was still warm and I cannot even describe how amazing it was. The crust was so buttery and soft tasting, yet flaky at the same time. I want to go back for a croissant. According to my roommate, the plum roll was also quite good. Don't be scared of the long lines, it is MORE than worth it. Hell if the lines were twice as long I'd be willing to wait!

    (5)

  • Nadine W.

    Best croissants in Seattle/West Coast/Outside of France!!! This bakery is small with just a dozen or so offerings but those baked offerings are unparalleled!! The chocolate croissants are soft, buttery and flaky while the melty chocolate within them is sooooo good! Their other croissants are just as yummy! You can actually taste the ham and cheese in their savory croissant. I haven't had the quiche here yet but I've heard that even non quiche eaters will LOVE it. Don't miss this place!!!!

    (5)

  • John S.

    Besalu is where we bring all of our out of town guests, yes all of them. This is simply the finest pastry outside of France and Italy (and better than many establishments in those countries). Their croissant dough is perfection. Most items in their pastry case are this phenomenal dough in some form or another, and I highly recommend all of them. You will not be disappointed, no matter how far you drive or if you have to wait in line. Oh, and the quiche is also second to none.

    (5)

  • laura m.

    I would definitely NOT drive across town to go to cafe Besalu, as many reviews say. My husband and I went there today. To begin with, the place is pretentious, as their webpage it states that Besalu is "the best croissant bakery on the entire American continent". Really? have you traveled to countries like Argentina or Brazil where pastries and croissants are simply delicious in any corner of the city to say this? The American continent goes well beyond Ballard. Regarding the food, the croissants and pains au chocolat are good, they have too much butter to my taste, but are definitely very nicely done. This being said, I can think of other places in Seattle with the same quality. The problem is with the rest of the pastries: they put cardamom to the dough. And they don't tell you. So be aware that ALL the pastries will have cardamom, which is very unusual. In my opinion, it is a waste to put cardamom in such a delicious and well done pastry. Their coffee is pretty tasteless so I would recommend you taking your croissants to go and have coffee somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Amy F.

    The pain au chocolat is absolute perfection!! The most amazing pastries and the mocha is delectable too! A must stop in Ballard. Just adds to an amazing vacation in the great city of Seattle.

    (5)

  • Mandy C.

    This place is a very cool Ballard coffee shop that I'd driven by a million times. Right next door to a nice little bakery (Tall Grass Bakery), Cafe Besalu had an impressive assortment of freshly made pastries that all look delicious. The baker was whipping them up as they went out the door on a busy Saturday afternoon. I must keep coming back here because I want to try each & every one of those pastries. The service was friendly and I'd recommend this place to others over a place like Starbucks or Tully's any day!

    (5)

  • K S.

    Cafe Besalu is justifiably famous now for handmade pastries of the highest quality. In my travels I have never had a better pain au chocolate (I will be going to West Seattle this week to try Bakery Nouveau after reading that William Leahman won the Cup du Monde de Boulangerie but I fully expect that James will take him). Watch James, the chef and owner, work and you will know why. He is meticulous in creating buttery layers in his dough. The fun of Besalu is really in coming at different times during the day to see what is in the case. James is always in the shop and is constantly putting out fresh pastries. Usually at 7am or shortly thereafter you can get an assortment of cookies, the ginger biscuit, the onion and the gruyere tart or ham and cheese croissant, the orange brioce, and a few other choices. By 7:30-7:45 the fruit danishes and pain au chocolate will hit the shelves. A bit later look for selections such as fruit tarts, gallettes and quiches. For a cafe where the food is so front and center it could have been too easy for the owners to put minimal effort into style but Besalu has that too ... in abundance. From the view of James working in the kitchen to the transome windows and very Parisian tile floor, the cafe exudes old-world charm but the steel-top tables, world music, and rotating local photography add a modern edge. The cafe is small, about 20 seats inside and close to the same number outside at an assortment of tables and benches. Getting a table is not always easy. This can be a frustration. However notwithstanding the crowds of adoring fans there are often seats to be had and many will share a table. Again, eating at the cafe is half of the fun: the music, the sound of pastries being made, the whir of the espresso machines, the people watching and of course the amazing smells constarntly emanating from the ovens. A word on the coffee. In a neighborhood chock full of high quality coffee bars I find that Besalu's lattes really stand out, both in terms of quality of cofee and skill of the baristas. I love the lighthouse roast. The baristas never burn the coffee. They are adept at perfectly frothing milk. When you stay for your coffee your cup is always perfectly warmed. Besalu is a new Seattle food institution. I think every pastry lover living here or visiting Seattle owes it a visit.

    (5)

  • Kim C.

    I love this place! Both food and coffee are great and the employees are very fun and talkative.

    (5)

  • Carol A.

    If Sophie Marceau became a croissant, she would taste like this. Thank you, France, for giving the world your pastries. And thank you, Cafe Besalu, for delivering them to Ballard. I have been to Besalu so many times I have lost count, and the pastries here are consistently fresh and delicious. Yes, that long line out the door is full of folks who know what a good croissant should taste like, and know that this is the best place in Seattle to find it. Want some jam on the side? That cute barista who is channeling Kirsten Dunst can help you with that, and deliver up a perfect cafe americano too.

    (5)

  • Kal A.

    Not that this place needs more rave reviews, but this place is amazing all around. All the pastries are awesome. Love the macaroons. Their chai is great (home made).

    (5)

  • Nicole S.

    Sometimes I get a craving for a warm, flaky, buttery croissant. They sell them at my workplace and at coffee shops around the city, and part of me is always tempted. But since going to Besalu for the first time, I always wait now until the next time I happen by there for breakfast. The wait is a little tedious, but totally and completely worth it. Their quiches are also wonderful. Its nice to go with a friend so you can share an assortment between you, as the choice is hard to make between all the wonderful-looking pastries. A great place to be a glutton, though perhaps not the most nutrient-dense menu. Plan a little exercise for later so you can enjoy without feeling guilty.

    (5)

  • Stacy Y.

    Been there twice and both visit were wonderful. Frank and I just came back from Paris so we were looking for a bakery that makes great croissant - soft inside but not soaked in butter, and crispy and airy on the outside. Besalu's croissant was just like that. On one of the trip we visited Honore (on NW 70th St.) first and got a croissant to compare, but it's just not as crispy and rich as Besalu's. Frank tried the plain brioche, they were soft and aromatic, great with their jam. Coffee was also great, good complement to the pastries. Price is not cheap 2.25 for a croissant but I don't care, they were awesome. The only thing that bothers me a little is the speed of the service. If you go there during rush hour (like Saturday morning), the line is out of the door and you probably need to wait for 20-25 mins.

    (4)

  • Frank V.

    Funny that, having lived here for what seems like forever, it took a past girlfriend who happens to be French to introduce me to Besalu. Thank goodness she did. Sublime, comes to mind, when thinking back upon my first croissant encounter there. She was a croissant snob and insisted Besalu bakes the most authentic, at least when compared to other Seattle bakeries. Who am I to argue? I especially like the orange marmalade they serve along with their croissants. Yum! In fact, I think I'll go fetch one right now...

    (5)

  • jana s.

    Want your private piece of heaven? Go to Cafe Besalu and get a croissant. And then slowly peel it apart, dip it in their home-made jam and savor.

    (5)

  • Ryan D.

    Off the beaten path, worth the trip. This Parisian-style cafe serves up fantastic coffee and bakes a mean pain au chocolat. The quiche is jaw-dropping and heart-stopping. As savory smells waft out the open door, visions of the City of Light dance in your head. Truly a Ballard gem.

    (5)

  • Stacy L.

    The best! All of the pastries are stunning. Coffee is superb. Quiches are buttery and custardy goodness. James knows his way around the bakery and finds the best ingredients.

    (5)

  • Adriana K.

    Oh,... my mouth waters thinking about those flaky pastries and delicious coffee. If only there were better hours and more days it was open. That and the lines...30 minutes of waiting and more than once have I had some crazy in the line that either cuts or snaps at someone for standing too close or taking too much time...I know I can't judge a place by the customers....that coupled with high prices keeps me from the additional star - but by far this is the best place i have found in Seattle for delicious buttery pastries - if only I could have this place to myself.

    (4)

  • Sara N.

    After reading all of the reviews of Besalu, I find myself hard-pressed to come up with something original. Living mere blocks from Besalu I have, a few times, had the rare pleasure of being able to get my coffee and pastry to stay, sit awhile and enjoy the cozy little space, watch the drizzle whilst pleasant conversations go on around me. My first few visits were casual, coffee-only affairs... no pastries. The plum roll was what hooked me, and I saw no one mention it, nor have I actually seen it in the case for a little while... which makes me sad. Next was the amazingness that is the CORNMEAL APRICOT SAGE cookie, a completely underestimated cookie I didn't even realize existed until someone ahead of me in line ordered it. Whoever thought of such a combination is brilliant. Finally, I had my first experience with the famed croissants one early morning last week and I'm pretty sure my mind was blown by how fresh and delicious and perfect they were for 7:45am. I already knew Yelp loved Besalu -- a sticker boasts it in their window -- but I had to come and gush as well. I am well on my way to becoming a regular.

    (5)

  • Kristin C.

    Absolutely delicious pastries and quiche! I am so glad I moved within walking distance. The pastry is flaky and perfect. Some of the best croissants I've had outside of France and quiche I could happily eat every day for the rest of my life (er...if that weren't a recipe for a heart attack). Great for Sunday morning coffee and paper!

    (5)

  • mireille w.

    5 star ginger biscuits.

    (5)

  • Norma M.

    Two words. GINGER BISCUITS. Thank God they are not in my neighborhood. That would be very, very, bad. I do believe they have the best pastries in Seattle. Sometimes long lines, but worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Sarah C.

    I love Ballard- and I finally got the chance to make it to this cafe Ive heard so much about. It went Sunday around 11am- the line was almost out the door in this quaint cafe. Moms with their young kids drinking hot chocolate & crossaints. The workers were extremely friendly- geniune. Probably one the best crossaints from scratch...it was straight out of the oven- steam coming out of it- Fluffy, buttery goodness. They had other assortments of pastries & cookies baked there in the cafe. Definetely stopping in around on a work free weekend to unwind. :)

    (4)

  • Tina H.

    holy hell, the most mouth-watering croissants you'll ever eat. best eaten with their plum jam. i now turn my nose in disgust when i come across non-besalu croissants. if you ever catch me at besalu, do not disturb me until i am done making love to my croissant. UPDATE: i have been told several times that their ginger biscuits were great, but something about ginger in something that looked like a buttermilk biscuit never sounded appetizing. on my 2,396th trip to besalu i went out on a limb and sampled one. why did i not listen to these people's recommendations sooner?!! THE GINGER BISCUIT IS NOW ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE PASTRIES.

    (5)

  • Hilary L.

    Ohhhh...Damn you Cafe Besalu and your over the top delicious pastries from my ultimate food fantasies!!! The buttery goodness that is folded in with love is tasted with each bite. I am always seduced by those damn savory croissants......mmmm....ham and cheese....mmmm...onion and Gruyere ....(said in my best Homer J. Simpson voice). Oh and then there's the army of sweet treats starting at me through their little windows at the counter, screaming "Eat me, eat me! !More fat in your ass! More suger inserted into your thighs!!!" I get so excited and have so much anxiety about WHICH one I will buy ....and I scream at myself say, "OKAY! I will eat you! you wonderful baked good!!!"

    (5)

  • Seatownscience G.

    erhmahgerd!!!

    (5)

  • Jennifer M.

    Yes, the croissant are flaky and the cardamom twists are melt in your mouth but take a moment to savor the quiet, unassuming Ginger Biscuit. You'll marvel at the tenderness. You'll swoon at the jitteriness. But above all, you'll never forget the sparkly bits of candied ginger. If you love Ginger, you will crave these bundles of heaven the rest of your days. You can thank me later.

    (5)

  • Derek B.

    I've lived in Ballard three years, and I've been visiting Besalu for all three. James puts out the best pastries I've had outside of Europe. Maybe even better. The pain au chocolat is excellent, particularly with an americano, but my favorite is a ginger biscuit, regardless of what I have it with. The employees are friendly, efficient, and sometimes quirky. The coffee is okay, sometimes good -- but I didn't rate it based on coffee, because I really only go there for the pastries. Edit 2/14/07 : I'm in France now, and I can honestly say that I PREFER Besalu's croissants to the ones I can get here. They're fresher, and in my opinion, tastier.

    (5)

  • K P.

    I can't say anything new about Cafe Besalu. I haven't found a better place in Seattle for a pastry and a cup of coffee, and the lines out the door means other people agree with me. I'm a fan of the apricot pastries, and an Americano. The menu is short, so don't expect to go in and have a supermarket selection, but DO expect that ANYTHING you get is going to be perfectly prepared. Also be prepared to be a Besalu addict, craving your next fix.

    (5)

  • Aaaarrrgg h.

    Parking is fine, never had to walk more than ~2 blocks. The queue out the door is legendary - and totally worth it....actually wtf am I saying...I don't want to wait longer for those delicious pastries and quiches....ummm, this place sucks, it's terrible and overrated, those frozen croissants at Safeway are much better and deserving of your attention...whatever you do don't go here! Whew that was close!

    (5)

  • Megan A.

    This place is legit! BEST FRENCH PASTRIES in Seattle. Everything is so perfectly rich & buttery but delicate at the same time. I had the Pain au Chocolat, Pear Galette, & Quiche Lorraine. I love watching them roll dough & create the flaky masterpieces behind the counter also :)

    (5)

  • Unjeela G.

    Environment is nice, espresso is a little acidic. Good selection of quality pastries.

    (3)

  • Dan P.

    Tasty! Love the sacristan. Showed up w croissants coming out of the oven. Service is a little slow but the pastries almost make you forget you were waiting in line.

    (4)

  • Amy A.

    Another favorite destination when I visit my brother in Ballard. It is great to see passionate bakers being successful pursuing their craft. The line can be 10 deep, but that gives you plenty of time to prepare yourself for your selection. It is fun to watch them rolling and twisting the dough in the open kitchen, plus they display the little beauties in a small glass case at the counter. Mmmm...what will it be today? The almond snail (forgive me, I forget the official name...almond schnuken?? please help me out here regulars!), orange brioche, pain au chocolate, or one of their retro checkerboard shortbread cookies? Maybe I'll take some home in a bag for the family. Yeah, the family. Think of the family. They have excellent quiches too. My brother chowed on a quiche lorraine once when we scored a table. I don't think he said a word during the experience, but he looked happy. mmmm- good!

    (4)

  • Matt P.

    Cafe Besalu's pastries are to die for! I split the pain au chocolat and an apple-filled pastry with a friend. I loved both! The pain au chocolat was seriously as good as anything I've had in Paris. The coffee was good, but not amazing. It was smooth, but a bit lacking in flavor. Cafe Besalu is set within the confines of a rather small space creating a warm, cozy and crowded atmosphere filled with the wafting sugary scents created by the busy-as-bees bakers. I visited Cafe Besalu on a Saturday morning and watched the bakers as they sculpted their creations from the dough; that was great!

    (4)

  • Jill T.

    Delicious, buttery & flaky croissants...the best I've ever had! The smell of everything baking when you walk in makes you want to buy one of each pastry in the case!

    (5)

  • Sophie J.

    One thing I love about Besalu is that they don't just bake one big batch in the morning and call it a day, their pastries are coming out fresh in small batches all day. They are constantly refilling the pastry case with fresh, warm goodies. The ginger biscuit is something special, I've never had anything like it...an explosion of fresh ginger in a pillow of light and soft dough, okay I really don't know how to explain it, it's just damn good. Smoked salmon quiche is very good too. For some reason I think their danish is sub-par, maybe too buttery? Edit 11/11/07: As another poster mentioned, a table seems to magically open up when you are done ordering. So don't "save" yourself a table, because you are keeping other people from sitting while you wait in line.

    (4)

  • sarah b.

    YUM! Their croissants are dangerously good as well as any of their danishes (LOVE THE NECTARINE). It's not good for my health that I live so close to this place because it is very difficult to resist the temptation every weekend.

    (5)

  • Linda K.

    Great pastries! Great coffee. In general A nice funky little neighborhood coffee shop.

    (4)

  • Josh D.

    Do you really need me to tell you that You have to eat here. This is were pastries go when they die. Worth the wait in line but make sure you have somewhere to go after you order because seating is hard to come by. I'm glad I live nowhere near this place because I would be there often.

    (5)

  • Jonathan B.

    The pear tart was beyond tasty....and I dont even like baked goods. We lived in Ballard for two years...had a ton of friends tell us to go there, and we went on the day we moved. We regret not going sooner. You may wait a little bit no matter what time of day, or day you go. Watch out on weekends. This place is fantastic.

    (5)

  • James Z.

    I would rate this place 6 stars if I could. Darn its 2.55pm, I'll just have to go tomorrow :P

    (5)

  • Sara S.

    I love the smell of fresh pastries...and it hit me when my niece and I walked in. Our selections....a plum danish for my niece and a hazelnut twist for me...were great but I must admit I was coveting my niece's choice. I ordered a soy latte that was beautifully decorated with a design on the foam. Seating wasn't ideal and it was really noisy but I would definitely return.

    (4)

  • Annika F.

    Cafe Besalu has the best Chai in Seattle, as well as amazing pastries! The baristas are friendly and always remember the drinks that my husband and I get. I consider myself lucky to live within a couple blocks of Cafe Besalu!

    (5)

  • M L.

    For a bakery, it's pretty great. I realize that most everything I'm reviewing are 4 stars, but seriously this is legit. Compared to say, a 2-stars for Au Bon Pain or DeliFrance. The quiche is yum and I don't even like quiche. The croissants are delish without the over-buttering of most pastries. Chocolate croissant and almond croissant - thumbs up and the ham/cheese pastry was good too. This place holds its own compared to Tartine in SF, although it lacks the dessert/tarts of that particular establishment. Didn't try the coffee - it's from Lighthouse which I hear is so-so.

    (4)

  • Apoorva M.

    In a quaint corner of Ballard, amongst a row of shops sits Cafe Besalu. A cozy, little coffee shop that serves up wonderful pastries. I enjoyed the pain au chocolat and the apple turnover. Both were fantastic. The pain au chocolat reminded me of mornings in Paris. I must say that the coffee was mildly disappointing. The latte was smooth but lacked flavor. The place is very nice. A few tables are crowded into a small area at the front of the shop. One great thing is that the kitchen area is open so you can see the bakers perfecting their craft. Overall, a very good experience, a fun activity for a weekend morning.

    (4)

  • Burgundy I.

    LIGHT, BUTTERY, CRISP. I never knew you could get pastries like these outside of France until I went to Besalu. I've been known to leave with dozens to take home with me. They use fresh ingredients, and their creations are perfection; flaky, crusty, light, buttery (but never heavy), and ideally fresh out of the oven! My favorite items (if one can have them) are the gruyere and carmelized onion pastry, as well as their fresh fruit pastries (fruit types change on a daily basis, ranging from strawberry, rhubarb, to raspberry). The staff is wonderful, as is the relaxed homey ambiance.

    (5)

  • Kfaye K.

    Most amazing croissants ever. I love that the owner is behind the counters making treats every morning. It's just an adorable and delicious experience.

    (5)

  • Gnat S.

    Average bakery and cafe with French pretensions. The pastries are not oversweet nor supersized nor overstuffed so, for Seattle, it is good. You can get better French pastries than this in Japan. For those of you that think this is the cat's meow of French baking, get a passport.

    (4)

  • Anna A.

    It is difficult to find a good chocolate croissant but fear no more as they got it. The pastry is great, the choc is good, a key piece that many bad choc croissants ignore. Also the blue/strawberry danish were super and the cinnamon pretzel was awesome! I love bakeries , I always search a good bakery in each city. This one is top notch. Maybe few more salty options and it would get 5 :)

    (4)

  • J K.

    Perfect, simple, friendly, pastries, coffee, little, popular, yum.

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    I wish the rating system could adequately explain how I feel about Besalu as this bakery is my new crack. Five stars are simply not enough to articulate how I feel about this magical place. I get the "shakes" on Mondays and Tuesdays when they are closed and am as giddy as a little girl on Christmas Eve on Tuesday nights, in anticipation of their Wednesday store opening at 7am. I crave their onion and Gruyere pastry when I am in a savory mood and am always excited to see the sweet treats the husband and wife baker duo have concocted. The seasonal nectarine danish and quince tart are two of my favorite sweet treats. When I am feeling standard, I go for the plain croissant paired with their homemade jam. The coffe drinks are flawless and the staff is delightful. Besalu = Euphoria!

    (5)

  • nausicaa i.

    love the croissants .. just feed me a croissant a day i will be happy for life

    (5)

  • Katie S.

    We apparently have a much coveted pastry chef in our midst...and I've driven by it so many times I can't tell you. I so have a crush on Mr Miller, hands in dough, always smiling, weilding his godlike skills right in front of everyone. I thought I liked croissants...but I never really got them. I couldn't understand what was so great about them. Until today. I had a coffee and a croissant with a little cup of nectarine jam and thought that if I win the lottery I'll sit up in the fanciest hotel and pay someone to bring me these croissants as I sit on my view deck drinking a french press pot of coffee and watching everyone else rush around down below. I tore off the point and when I bit it just shattered like the finest glass and within was the most delicate, buttery moist flakes you can imagine. It almost seemed a crime to dip it in the jam...but I did. I just couldn't get over the texture. Amazing. I saw a guy eating three different things while I lingered, and thought, "Oh my god, you can get more than ONE THING???" I'm not sure I could handle more than one item of french pastry perfection at one sitting. I just might sell my house and move into that hotel until the money runs out... Run, don't walk, and check out this guy before some other state or country kidnaps him.

    (5)

  • luvtotravel J.

    This is the only place that has come closest to the delicious pastries I had in Paris. Thank goodness I gave this place a second chance because Besalu has redeemed itself! I initally made the mistake of coming on a busy Sunday at 10 and it was packed with a LOOOOOng line with everything disappearing before my eyes. Never made that mistake again. Their onion and gruyere pasty is SO WORTH the calories and so is their ginger biscuit. My friend lurves their chocolate croissants. Besalu is a bit off from busy Market in Ballard so usually you can find parking on the side streets.

    (5)

  • Debs L.

    Living right around the corner from this authentic French cafe is as lucky as can be. My favorite item is the goat cheese, fennel, and smoked salmon quiche. They also have delicious pastries and strong coffee.

    (5)

  • Kristina S.

    So delicious! I went 3x in one week after my first visit because it was so surprisingly outstanding. I thought one chocolate croissant was as good as the next - until I went to Besalu. They bake the goodies right in front of you so everything is fresh, flaky, and melts in your mouth. It seems like the line up is always there, but moves fast and is always worth the wait. I haven't tried a bad pastry yet. The coffee is top notch as well! Can't think of one complaint.

    (5)

  • Kelly Z.

    Good pastries and rich lattes. Pretty pricey.

    (4)

  • Rolando L.

    Wa,wha,wee,waaa...cafe besalu is true to its amazing croissants. I have not had anything bad there. Granted that I have only had the plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, gruyerre and onion, but they have all been fantastically flaky, crispy and buttery on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside! Its pretty impressive what these skilled bakers can do. The only possible drawback from visiting cafe Besalu is waiting in line and knowing that these masterpieces will eventually meet their ultimate fate...a fleeting ravenous mastication.

    (5)

  • Martine W.

    I am making a croissant survey of Seattle. The votes are in and Besalu is officially the BEST croissant in Seattle. Yes, its true. I heard a rumor that they let them age for 24 hours so the flavors in the butter can develop correctly. (Of course, I'm known for spreading the rumor that the Buena Vista Social Club played in my basement in the 80's, which my un-mother-in-law testily disproved by pointing out they've been in exile in Cuba the whole time.) Cuba aside, Besalu's croissants are truly amazing. My boyfriend once won my heart by slipping out of bed and driving across town to bring home fresh (still hot!) Besalu croissants. If my mouth hadn't been so inelegantly full of croissant, I would have proposed right then and there. They're that worth it, so go! Run, do not walk to Besalu!

    (5)

  • Maria L.

    If you must have carbs and empty calories, and you're in Ballard, have them here. Their baked goods are very good. But get your caffeine fix elsewhere. Coffee and espresso is more of an afterthought for them. I once snuck in an americano from Monorail.

    (3)

  • Peter H.

    The pastries here are to die for and worth the wait in line (there always seems to be one, hmmm). My favourite, the pain au chocolat , has the perfect buttery smell, great flaky texture, and the sound when you bite into it is pure heaven. The taste - as authentic as if you were at a good patissier in France. There's only one other place I consider as good in the area and it's on Granville Island in Vancouver, BC - and also run by people from Quebec. Not sure who runs Besalu but it's simply incredible for kids, adults, or anyone who likes pastries or quiche.

    (5)

  • Bert S.

    This is one of the best bakeries in Seattle. I eat lunch here once or twice a week, and would probably go more except that they're closed mon & tues. The quiche is great, 3 or 4 different kinds, my favorite is Lorraine. And, they have great chai - I'm not a chai expert but their chai puts starbucks and tullys to shame. Then, the pastries are just incredible. The croissants, tarts, biscuits, danishes, coconut macaroons, etc. are all excellent! 5 stars!

    (5)

  • Edna B.

    This is the real thing - fabulous everything - the real test for me is the chocolate croissants and they are flaky as they melt in your mouth. They also serve good coffee and have friendly help which makes the experience a totally satisfying one.

    (5)

  • Miya T.

    It took me way too long to try this place! There are so many great cafes/restaurants in Ballard, I'm so disappointed in myself for not coming here more often! Besalu is amazing! The minute you walk into this cute little cafe/bakery, the aromas instantly wrap you up with their rich and buttery smells, swaddling you like a baby. Ok, that may be a little exaggerated, but the smell of baked goods definitely is nostalgic of me coming home to my momma baking in the kitchen. We arrived close to 8 am on a Sunday morning, not more than 10 minutes later, the line was out the door, and then some! Ordered myself a ham and cheese pastry and a vanilla latte for here and a peach gallete to go. The ham and cheese pastry was so flaky and savory. There was just the right amount of ham and cheese, and it complimented the buttery, flaky crust nicely, didn't over power it. Everything in their case looked absolutely scrumptious. I will definitely be back again to try more!

    (5)

  • Jonathan S.

    HAIKU REVIEW Oh, why did I wait? I'll visit this place daily. Five times a day, tops.

    (5)

  • Sheena L.

    The smells from inside will have you mesmerized. My brother, his wife, and I came down here on a Sunday and the line was really long. The wait was worth it though. The pastries and the coffee are tasty. On my next visit, I'm going to try their seasonal quiche. If you're in Ballard, make your way to Cafe Besalu, the friendly atmosphere as well as their pastries are something to write home about.

    (4)

  • Hot Tub J.

    800lbs of badassery annd awesoneness. Do not go here if you like hot pockets, microwave breakfast burritos and burn coffee. This is tha REAL DEAL and they don't bone you with the prices either. Snobby foods served by NON snobby folks who are super good at what they do!

    (4)

  • Sarah P.

    Love love love! My friend and I ordered their spinach quiche, another quiche with scallions, ham, THE croissant, latte, drip coffee, and strawberry Danish to top it off. We killed everything and loved every bite. For the croissant... It was very very delicious BUT I personally think the twice baked almond croissant from bakery nouveau is a tid bit better. But don't get me wrong, the croissant from caffe besalu is the place to go if you want a simple croisssant that won't leave you feeling heavy afterwards! There's beauty in simplicity! :-)

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Breakfast
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : No
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : No

Café Besalu

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