Essential Baking Company Review

Jason here. A friend was up visiting recently and we wanted to find some places to eat out for breakfast-something we had yet to do since moving, and ended up giving Essential Baking Company a shot. We visited the location in downtown Bellevue which is located in the University Book Store. We went as early as we could and found the book store still closed, but bakery open, so don’t be scared away if it looks closed from the outside.

We have found it is difficult to find a gluten free breakfast place. Normally, for breakfast you get stuck ordering some eggs and bacon, an opting out of a side of toast. Not exactly something worthy of eating out. On the flip side, the Essential Baking Company stocks multiple gluten free breads to choose from, and can make almost any item gluten free. I recommend checking out their website, for finding which options might be of interest to you.

It was nice to find a place I could order a nice gluten free breakfast sandwich at. I ended up ordering a delicious Prosciutto and Asiago egg sandwich on gluten free bread. It is no small secret that I love cheese, and this sandwich hit the spot. The cheese and particularly the prosciutto gave it a salty taste. There is just something about Asiago cheese that I enjoy, but can’t find the right words for.

Kayleigh here. I agree- this out of the way bakery was an excellent discovery for a quick dining spot! Plenty of free parking underneath the building, plenty of options for the gluten free diner, and even a couple of desserts you can pick up to enjoy later. Of course, they are open until 7PM, with an equally extensive lunch and dinner menu. Or make it there during their happy hour to enjoy a glass of wine and a well-paired snack. How classy! You can also pick up a loaf of their gluten free bread from any café location, as well as many local supermarkets. And boy, is it nice to get some locally baked bread for a change.

Eden B Bakery Review - Revisited!

EDIT- We are very sad to say, but Eden B. Bakery had to close its doors in October 2013. We have high hopes for the owner, Brooke, to continue helping out the gluten intolerant community in some way or another, so we can update this post again with some good news! 

UPDATE- The menu has changed, and changed again since this revisit! Their seasonal rotation provides a wonderful opportunity for us gluten-free lunch-seekers to enjoy sandwiches and sweet treats that really match the mood of the weather outside, and leave us with a better, brighter mood.

Jason here. Last weekend we had the great opportunity to have a sneak peek at Eden B. Bakery’s new fall menu. When our schedules match up, Kayleigh and I like to meet up for a bite to eat at lunch. Since I work nearby, Eden B. Bakery is our favorite place to go. So now that we have frequented the establishment on a fairly frequent basis, and they are unveiling a completely new fall menu, we thought it would be fun do a new review. The staff is still as wonderful as ever, and the shop itself hasn’t changed so we won’t go into detail there. What we will talk about is the delicious new menu.

Let’s jump right in.

I have a new favorite go to item. Out goes the oven roasted turkey. It comes the grilled pepper steak. Those who read the blog may already know that I love food with hot sauce. From the moment they announced the new steak sandwich was going to have franks hot sauce, I couldn’t stop smiling. I knew I had a found a new favorite and it did not disappoint. The grilled pepper steak is fantastic. It has fresh house-made onion rings, arugula, roasted red peppers, and franks red hot aioli. It tastes fantastic. It is slightly reminiscent of buffalo chicken cheese steaks I used to get when I lived near Philadelphia. I can’t wait to get back and enjoy my favorite buffalo taste again.

Kayleigh here. I admit, I might be a bit biased, since fall flavors are my favorite out of the year. But when I heard pumpkin and squash not once, but multiple times, I could not help but get excited! Ranging from the rich, flavorful Butternut Squash Soup, to the little chunks of squash and pumpkin seeds in the Cornucopia salad, to ending with the creamy, decadent Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcake, I don't think it will be hard to form new favorites. The standout to me, though, was the Roasted Autumn Veggie Sandwich. Eden B. Bakery has really outdone themselves, innovating on the classic Eggplant Parmesan tastes with the addition of roasted parsnips, butternut squash, leeks, and spinach. When is the last time you got to have parsnip in your sandwich? Well? It's about time- it just melded so beautifully with the provolone cheese, creating an amazing earthy contrast!

If you are interested, here is a link to our first review.

Eden B. Bakery Review

EDIT- We are very sad to say, but Eden B. Bakery had to close its doors in October 2013. We have high hopes for the owner, Brooke, to continue helping out the gluten intolerant community in some way or another, so we can update this post again with some good news!

UPDATE- The menu has changed, and changed again since this revisit! Their seasonal rotation provides a wonderful opportunity for us gluten-free lunch-seekers to enjoy sandwiches and sweet treats that really match the mood of the weather outside, and leave us with a better, brighter mood.

Jason here. We've had the best luck discovering a bakery that just opened up on 116th Ave called Eden B. Bakery. The entire bakery is gluten free, so absolutely no worries about cross contamination and mislabeled meals. We have gone twice now and enjoyed a variety of their offerings.

Their first time I tried the delicious oven roasted turkey. Now I know what you thinking, “Oh that sounds so plain and boring”, but you would be wrong. First of all the bread was awesome. It was toasted in a Panini press. Second, the sundried tomato pesto, and balsamic added so much flavor to the sandwich.

We also got some delicious cupcakes with our meal. It’s really hard to describe one good cupcake vs another, but I can at least say they stock a variety of dessert items, so you will find something no matter what your dessert tastes are. The second time we ate there I got a philly cheese steak sandwich, which was their daily special.  I’m from the Philadelphia area so I know a good cheesesteak when I taste it.

Kayleigh here. I've got to agree, I don't think they have anything bad on their menu. I've gotten both the grilled and fresh veggie sandwiches, and just love the amount of flavor they packed into each bite. It's not just a pile of sprouts on the bread- they boost it with a mean marinade! And the bread itself is better than I've had in regular bakeries. Particularly the rosemary honey bread- give it a try!

On top of the lovely food, you're not going to find friendlier people than Brooke and Kendall. Even though we've only made it there for lunch a couple of times, they remembered Jason and I, and treated us like a couple of regulars- now that's customer service! And the owner, Brooke, is more than willing to answer any questions about the menu, or give a suggestion if you're stuck on deciding. And believe me- you may have a problem choosing between all the delectable options.

So, if you find yourself around downtown Bellevue, stop by the Chrysler, Jeep, an Dodge dealership. No, seriously, Eden B. Bakery is nestled just inside the front doors of the dealer. In addition to their regular sandwich and salad menu, they carry an amazing variety of cupcakes, cookies, muffins, and various tarts and other baked goodies, as well as a daily special consisting of an unusual soup or creative new sandwich. Check out their facebook page every morning to see their specials, or just drop by and surprise yourself- no matter what, it'll be a flavor-packed experience!

UPDATE- Since this post, their menu has changed to better fit the season. Click here to see our brief update review!