Café Dear Leon

When I travel I always skip tolls. Not to save money but it takes me off the beaten path and through small towns a s big cities to find great food. In this case I came across Café Dear Leon. Everything was delicious but their Carb Dip Bagel is worth the wait and taking a detour. I bought 2. One for day of and one for breakfast 2 days later. I made an egg sandwich that I added my Fauquier Famous Bomb Sauce!

Happy 5th birthday to Cafe Dear Leon!! What a wonderful place to have in Baltimore. I don't go often, but every time I have gone it has been consistently amazing. This weekend they had a special croissant filled with raspberry and vanilla cream - it was so good. A perfect balance of flavors, great textures. Definitely an indulgent treat, as there was a lot of cream inside the croissant, I split it with a friend. The ham and cheese croissant was also excellent. My friends loved their blueberry lemon ricotta danish and crap dip bagel. The only slight let down was the filling to bread ratio in the coffee bun- the coffee cream inside was great and we wanted more! My iced latte was also great. I will note that we went on a Saturday morning and 9am and waited until 10:15am or so before getting to the front of the line and ordering. It was a pleasant day and I knew we'd be in for the wait, so I didn't mind. Only 6 customers can be inside of the shop at a time and there's one cash register. There is some seating outdoors and there was a water cooler available when we were there, which was nice.

Went there on a Tuesday at 9:00 and only had to wait about 15 minutes to get in. They have a little area that you can wait in so that you can stay out of the rain or out of the sun while you wait. Got very lucky and was able to park right in front of the building. However, if parking wasn't available probably would be more of a pain. We ended up getting a blueberry muffin, a chocolate croissant 2 Chai lattes and two of the crab dip bagels and everything was very very good. Highly recommend the crab dip bagels.

I have been to a lot of bakeries and this might be my favorite out of all of them. We are truly lucky to have a bakery of this caliber in Baltimore. The Crab Dip bagel and Crème Brûlée tart are divine. Get there early and follow the bake schedule listed on their website. They sell out quick!

I am their top loyal customer I will bet. I have tried and even drove hours since graduation. Please try their croissant. Simple taste goes for almond. Their seasonal fruit flavors definitely try it. I like the guava and raspberry ones. Mango is fine. Crème brûlée tart used to be my fav, I think the size becomes smaller and a little too sweet for me now. I like their sandwiches especially the Brie one which is so fresh. But I don’t like the crab bagel which is too salty for me. I like their matcha and hojicha!

This place is truly a hidden gem. It’s a small and charming place with a lovely atmosphere. It’s so popular that people even line up to get in. What impressed me the most is that they offer different types of bread depending on the time of day. They showcase a wide variety of unique baked goods that you can only find here. I highly recommend paying a visit!

Enjoyed every piece we've got. I like the crab tamago sando the best. The crab dip bagel was also delicious while a little bit greasy. For the drinks, we've got the seasonal cherry coke flat white and dirty hojicha. Both are nicely flavored!

Absolutely wonderful little storefront bakery. The line was around the corner from the bakery when I arrived, but it moved steadily, they had everything I wanted when I placed my order. Would that they had a more streamlined method of ordering, but the food was well worth the wait. The Ham and Cheese Croissant was magnificent, as was the Raspberry Croissant Eclair, and my wife had the Crab Dip Bagel.

Ever since this bakery was recommended to me by a friend who used to live in Bmore, I've been dying to try it. He told me it was 100 times better than the best bakery in our city (which is one I adore) so I was super excited to try it. The extremely long lines at this place should be an indication of how good it is. In the past, I've had a few experiences where a long line wasn't warranted, but for this place it totally is. We visited on a Sunday morning so the line was almost wrapped around the block. I didn't time how long we were waiting, but I was with my best friend and we could talk for hours. I recommend either waiting in line with someone time flies by with or listening to a good audiobook because it was a bit of a wait. The bakery itself is super tiny. It can only carry about four customers inside at a time. There wasn't any indoor seating when I visited, but they had quite a few tables outside. My friend had been before and said it best, it's a good idea to order a bunch of things from here because some things are incredible and others are just fine. On my visit I got the matcha red bean bun, pomme turnover, and pain au chocolat. She got a very delicious fig pistachio tart. I adored my pain au chocolat. It was buttery perfection. The matcha red bean bun was very ok, the bun was drier than I had hoped. I absolutely loved the pomme turnover. It was not only delicious, but beautiful too. I'd be excited to return to try the sandwiches. The friend who originally recommended it likes the almond croissants the most. If you have time in your day, I recommend checking out this delicious bakery.

Very small, unassuming cafe in canton neighborhood. Parking was easy enough to find on a Sunday afternoon. Yes, you have to wait in line as the shop is THAT small !! But the line moves quickly since all food items are prepared in advance. Around 12:30 there wasn't much pastry items left so I chose the smoked salmon bagel and one of their cookie. Price wise I spent $18 for both. Was it worth it ? The cookie was delish, the sandwich was okay...it was my first time have smoked salmon on a bagel and I wanted more from it (maybe a splash of some of the caper juice? Some hot sauce? Do you put hot sauce on lox? Lol. I digress. There was also an Italian sub option and tomago sandos which kinda felt like a Japanese take on egg salad sandwiches. I think they do pastry well here ! I would recommend grabbing a few of those items to go. The s'mores cookie looked amazing and so did the almond croissant !

I've been hearing a lot about this little cafe so I decided to stop in on a Sunday morning. Despite it being 8:30am there was still a line outside to enter the establishment. They allow 6 people and 1 dog inside at a time. The interior decor is so cute, there is not much room inside hence the people limit. We only waited about 4 minutes to get inside. I ordered the bacon frittata sandwich, ham & cheese croissant, and the seasonal black sesame salted caramel latte. My friend got the pistachio croissant and the breakfast sandwich. I loved the sandwiches, the focaccia bread was crispy and chewy and the croissants were buttery and flakey. The season drink was delicious as well! They have a rolling menu, with new food items coming out every hour or so. There are seats outside if you want to dine-in however it was too cold for us. I'd love to come back and try the egg sando! Definitely stop by if you are in the area!

I have been wanting to try this cafe for a while now. This cute cafe gave me the BEST Chai tea latte I have ever had. I wish I lived right next door to this shop because I would love to try more of there drinks. I am a little sad there isn't any seating inside but I'm sure during the summer there will be more seating for outside. The staff was really kind and understanding that it was my first time and explained and answered any questions I had. This was a cafe of my dreams and I would love to come back soon.

Pros: amazing service, delicious pastries! Cons: not the establishment's fault but the lines are very long and it's hard to get the desserts you want This place is really hyped up and I can see why! I have tried multiple items and they were all delicious, well-presented, and fresh. My favorite has been the smoked salmon bagel. Mmm! The everything bagel has a firm bite and the smoked salmon tastes so fresh. The capers and dill add great texture and flavor. I've also had the crab and tamago sando. The flavor is terrific, but I do find it very small. I think the average person would need to eat two to feel full! For desserts, I loved the Ispahan Danish (this might be a summer only special). The pain au chocolat is also sooo flaky and buttery! Neither dessert is too sweet (perfect for me!) The staff is very friendly. The lines do get long on the weekends; I came on a fall Sunday at 11:40a and got in at 12:30p. Not the establishment's fault, but just be aware. The inside decor is super cute, but know that you can't stay inside. The outdoor seating is basic but fine. Street parking is nearby.

I've heard a lot of great things about this place. Every time I walk my dog down to this area, there's a line around the block. Today I waited for 45 minutes and it looked like I was still going to wait another 45 because they only allow six people in at a time, so I went somewhere else. Talking to the people in line, it's definitely worth thewait, but if you're planning on going here, you need to plan on waiting. Check out the menu on their website. It changes monthly, I think. Everything looks fantastic. There's no doubt these people are doing great and I definitely hope to try something there myself. One day later... the line was a bit shorter today. Possibly because it looks like it might rain... Which really shows you how much people enjoy this place because even the threat of rain still has a line that almost reaches the end of the block. I got a selection of pastries, all of which look absolutely fantastic. Extremely friendly people behind the counter and my items came out with a very minimal wait.

The best baked goods in Baltimore. 10/10 for the food, and their coffee is really good. A must try place. Be warned that if you go on the weekend, be prepared to wait in line outside for close to an hour, especially around late morning mid afternoon. But the wait is SO worth it. They bake their stuff by the hour, and what they make that day is what you get, so sometimes you might miss out on what you want if someone gets it before you. But all the more reason to come back. I got a dirty matcha, SO GOOD, and the crab sandwich made my mouth water. Inside is super cute, and clean, but it can get a little cramped when 6 people are inside. ALSO, they allow one dog inside while ordering, which is a huge plus.

Finally made it to Cafe Dear Leon after so many people recommended it. I was wondering if it would be possible for it to live up to it's reputation (who has a 4.8 average on Yelp?). Well, it did. Wow! The staff were patient and kind and explained the options and I ended up going with the crazy looking croissant hot dog, the pan au chocolate, the creme brulee tort, and the almond croissant. Everything was so so good. Believe it or not the hot dog was my favorite. It was absolutely bursting with flavor. It had an onion relish, a couple of sauces, and absolutely blew my mind. The croissants and creme brulee tort were also stellar. I can't wait to go back!

Small pastry/sando shop with seating outside and super close by Canton waterfront park. Highly recommend pre-ordering 1 week ahead, as there's usually a line. + Mango Passionfruit Tart/Danish ($8.50): mindblown by the sweetness and juiciness of the mango, there's a cream inside too, and topped with coconut flakes and tajin. But I love that the mango flavor shines the most (9/10) + BLT Sando ($10): thick cross section with iceberg lettuce, arugula, bacon, tomato, and onion-fig like jam and aioli. Lots of flavors! (8/10) + Crab Tamago Sando ($14): lighter side, but the crab was a bit saltier than I'd like (7/10) + Burrata Caprese ($13): tomatoes were really sweet, yummy w the pesto and cheese (7.2/10) + Ham and Cheese Croissant ($6.5): interesting look w the cheese hardened on top, wish it was flakier (6.5/10)

Where has this place been my whole life? Cafe Dear Leon is this small cafe tucked into the side of Baltimore, but teeming with delicious smells and food. People told me that there's always lines for this place, and be prepared to be amazed by their food! I can see why. There's only 6 people allowed inside at a time (and one dog). It's small inside. It's cozy. It's not too cramped. But the smells are divine, and the vibes are immaculate. There's a spot to get some water while waiting for food to be heated up, but you can also see their schedule online when things are brought out to be sold. I tried my best to get there right when the maritozzis were brought out, but many people had the same thing in mind and they were sold out quickly. Luckily, there were some other things my boyfriend and I were interested in getting such as the: - Tamago Sando - Crab Tamago Sando - Creme Brulee Egg Tart - Pepperoni Pizza All were divineeeeeeeeeeeeee. My boyfriend and I inhaled these things so quickly!!! It was definitely worth the drive to Baltimore (it was a pit stop on the way to Pennsylvania). I'd definitely make the drive back here again if given the opportunity! I would love to try so many of their other pastries and treats here. :)

This place sells out everyday for good reason. I've never had anything bad here, or even mediocre; everything exceeds expectations. The burrata caprese sandwich is on the lightest, crispiest focaccia and has a bit of sweetness from some very ripe roasted peppers. It is truly perfect. The egg sandwich and crab egg sandwich are equally good. They have standard pastries (croissants, danish), but also a rotating cast of things I've never heard of before - all have been excellent. The website tells you at what time each day they start selling certain items, so be sure to check that before you go. Also, on weekends you're probably gonna have to wait on line, which sometimes wraps around the block. It's well worth it, though.

Sigh, yes this is the best bakery in Baltimore... honestly competes with some of the best bakeries in NYC. Cafe Dear Leon is so consistently top tier, innovative and exciting! Their pastries have some really creative flavors with asian influence such as matcha coffee cake or lychee croissants. The tamago egg sandwich is so good I crave it and brave the sometime half hour line to get it! Don't skip out on the drinks, their lattes are fire, especially the baklava latte I tried a few days ago!

Cafe dear leon is my favorite pastry shop of all time. period. hands down. no discussion. never have i ever been so consistently astounded by the incredible quality, taste, and creativity of a restaurant, much less a cafe. With a monthly bake schedule that is constantly changing with the seasons, there's something exciting to keep me coming back every month in anticipation. a very cute shop with unfortunately no indoor seating, the amazing goods will always make up for the small store front and long lines. Service is fast and welcoming, but pro tip, get to the shop 30min to an hour prior to what the bake schedule says something is coming out to ensure you get the freshest batch. there's consistently a line for this place and once you take your first bite, you'll know why. some staples to try are any of their sandwiches, their ham and cheese croissant, and danish loaf. honestly though, you can't go wrong with any of their menu which you can find online or on their instagram!

I was unimpressed by the hype this place gets. I did like the tomago sandwich, but it's nothing I'll crave and can't wait to have again. The pastries were underwhelming, and I'm slightly bitter because I think I was charged more than what I received. I think we paid twice for the tomago sandwich because when they first gave me my order, there was a wrong pastry in there and no sandwich, they gave me the pastry I was supposed to get and then I said I also wanted to order the tomago sandwich in case they missed ringing me up for it, but I think they took it as I wanted to order another one so I was charged for the new one I got. After leaving, I realized we paid $50 and only got two drinks, one sandwich, 2 cookies and a cheesecake. I sat down and did the math and all that definitely shouldn't have cost $50. So already I was bitter towards the food. The pastries are a little unique, but I wish they had an option to warm it up for you because since they make it so early in the day, none of it is straight out of the oven, so the cookies were hard and not what I expected after waiting in line for over 30 minutes anticipating why people love this place so much. They only allow 6 people and 1 dog in at a time, so you don't even know if they'll have anything you want by the time you get in there. But you've waited in line for so long you end up buying something anyway to make it worth it. That's what happened with me, the pastries still available were nothing I couldn't wait to try, but I ordered things anyway because if I was going to wait outside in the cold for that long and see that people actually line up for this place, then I was determined to get something out of it. I'm glad to have gotten this off my list of places to try, but I won't be going here again.

I've heard so much about this place and it lives up to its glowing reputation! There's not really a place to sit, so just a heads up that it's more of a grab and go bakery. They do have a little canopy tent in front, which is great for eating your goodies standing up. My girlfriend ordered the black sesame salt caramel latte...it may sound a little strange, but it was tasty!! I can't even begin to explain how delicious all of their pastries were. Anything you get will be great. I had the crème brûlée tart, and oh my god!! The financier is incredible too! It's soft and delicious, and has an outer coating (crunchy) of sugar. Also tried a Korean rib croissant and again, just out of this world. Can't go wrong!

Today I had the opportunity to try out cafe dear Leon which is a bakery located in canton with an Asian French inspired taste. We came around 11 to try their time sensitive menu where they only have certain foods at specific times. We came a couple of minutes before 11am and there was a line to walk into the store. The store is pretty small and can get crowded fast so It makes sense when it's busy. When It was my turn I was greeted with smells of cookies coffee and croissants that they had on display. I ordered the crab and tamago Sando for $14 The sandwich was good but I could barely taste the crab it's more of an egg sandwich than crab. The bread was nice and toasted and the flavors blended well for the sandwich. I don't think I would order It again but I'm now curious to try the tamago sandwich to compare.

Pastries were interesting and executed well. Love the fruit inspired pieces. Worth the wait even on a chilly spring Saturday morning. Popular spot as you'll be in line 5-10 minutes agter opening. But quick service so no complaints. Happy that I experienced it and would recommend if you're longing for those niche, small but great find cafes.

If I could visit here everyday for breakfast I would! This place absolutely deserves all the hype, it has probably the best pastries I've had in the US. From the presentation to the taste, everything is absolutely perfect. I will suggest getting here early though.. we arrived around 9am and had to wait for a bit in the rain before being able to get inside. The storefront itself is quaint and adorable and the staff here were very friendly. We took a look at their beautiful display case and ended up ordering a ham and cheese croissant and a blueberry galette. Because there were no tables to eat at inside, we took the order to-go. I wasn't expecting the ham and cheese croissant to be as excellent as it was. It sounds and looks a little bit basic but it was anything but. The croissant is so fresh and warm with some crispiness to it (but not too much) which was absolutely perfect for me. The gooey cheesy inside was paired perfectly with the ham. The blueberry galette though was probably my favorite. It just felt so fresh and decadent, and each element in this pastry felt perfected. I so wish I could've tried everything here! You can't go wrong with Cafe Dear Leon.

There's always a line out the door for a reason! Cafe Dear Leon bakes creative and inventive pastries and sandwiches that drop at various times throughout the morning. Their menu is seasonal but some favorites always remain - check their instagram page before you visit to plan out what you want!!

I've never been so obsessed with a bakery until now! I've been here countless times, they really know how to get you to keep coming back with their monthly rotating menus. Love their fruit pastries and sandwiches - everything is good! If you don't want to wait in line forever, be sure to come on a week day. Follow their insta for their monthly pastry release!

Updating this review since I recently was able to check it out again - this is still my favorite cafe to this day in the Maryland area! We went on Sunday morning so there was definitely a line ahead of us but it pretty quickly. We didn't feel like we were there for too long. As for the vibes, love all the plants & minimalist environment. It was a chilly day some indoor seating would have been nice but we enjoyed the outdoor seating as well! Things definitely sell out quickly - went we got inside, we were eyeing the tiramisu croissant but it got sold out as we were waiting so we opted for the green brûlée tart & ispahan danish w/ a matcha latte & mocha w oat milk. Both were very good! The creme brûlée tart was creamy & crisp while the ispahan danish was light, tart, & sweet. We loved the baked goods & drinks were ok but would definitely return on a warmer day!

round 2! I came around 9 am again, this time on a Saturday morning and while there was a line out the door today it actually went by super fast and none of the items I wanted to try were sold out! Breakfast sando (vegetarian) 5/5 The egg was light and fluffy, the veggies were fresh and their juices were crisp! It was well seasoned with just a hint of spice. I will be coming back for this! (see photos for inside sandwich details) Matcha latte w/ full level of sweetener and whole milk (hot) 5/5!! Last time I tried their matcha with no sweetener and it was a standard bitter matcha. I wanted to see how I liked it with sweetener this time and it was excellent! This is how I will be ordering my matcha from here moving forward and it also brings Café Dear Leon to tie with what I consider the city's top rated matcha!! Tiramisu Croissant: 3.75/5 Its a croissant that has had the majority of its inner soft croissant parts scooped out and replaced with tiramisu coffee filling, then has a traditional tiramisu cocoa powder top with melted chocolate on the exterior sides of the croissant. The tiramisu inside is PACKED full; if you bite into this unaware there's a high probability of it spilling out and onto your surroundings/clothes. I used a spoon to open it up from the top and eat enough filling that I could start biting down without such a spill. I did really enjoy the soft parts of the inner croissant that were left as well as the inside coffee flavoring. I didn't like the melted chocolate exterior parts and they were a little funky to try and bite through to eat the croissant. It is very coffee flavored, if you're not a tiramisu person this isn't for you, but overall it was enjoyable. (see photos for inside tiramisu details)

Worth the 25 min wait in line. The shop only allows 6 people total so it can take a while. But, once inside the service is fast and efficient. It's quite small inside so it makes sense why there's a wait. The coffee and pastries made the wait definitely worth it. Sadly you can only get max 2 pastries for each type you get. So, I got 2 Crème Brûlée Tarts, 2 Ispahan Danishes, and 1 Tiramisu Croissant with the seasonal, Rosemary Nutmeg Latte (Iced.) The Crème Brûlée tart was my favorite. Perfect amount of cinnamon-vanilla custard with a nice crunch from the pastry. Usually I prefer pastries with fruity or eastern flavors, but this classic custard was phenomenal. I came for the Ispahan Danish. It was delicious; crunchy with flavors of raspberry, rose, thyme garnishes, and lychees. This is more of a pastry I lean towards. The thyme added a fresh, delicious component when paired with the floral-fruity notes. Great staple to have at the bakery. Keep in mind, this isn't a cheese danish, but instead more of a raspberry jam/sauce as the base. The Tiramisu Croissant was loaded with a tasty coffee filling. It's honestly quite massive so 1 was enough. Great for coffee and chocolate lovers. It was good, but it didn't wow me like the other two pastries. Last but not least, the Rosemary Nutmeg coffee was a pairing I never heard of before. It was very sweet but delicious. My mother who hates coffee even enjoyed it due to its sweetness and flavor. I honestly expected a strong Rosemary Nutmeg flavor, but you couldn't really taste it much. Next time I hope to try the Hojicha Latte. Overall, I see the hype. No one makes great pastries like this in the area I feel. Would I come again? Sure, but sadly not as often due to lines and it being out of the way for me. I'd come back for the Crème Brûlée tart for sure

Always a line out the door, especially for their lunch and morning bake schedule! It's totally worth it. The staff is incredibly friendly and are quick to turn the food and drinks around. It's one of my fave spots to get an iced matcha as well. The rotation of flavors and food is great. I do wish there were a bit more veggie sandwich options but the current tomato and cheese is good too. Nothing mind blowing but good. It's a cute little shop, not much room inside which makes sense why there's always a line. There's some sitting room outside with little tables and chairs and a covered area, so there's definitely a chance to sit and eat. Otherwise there's also canton park about 5 min walking distance where you can go sit and eat at.

This place is a staple of the community! Odds are if you ask anyone around the Canton or Fells point areas, they'll tell you that Cafe Dear Leon is a great place to get coffee, food, and delicious pastries! This place definitely can get crowded because it's super quaint and small and on warmer days you will see a line forming out the door (it's quite popular!). Since they release food on a baking schedule, You have to carefully time when you're going to go (peak busy is around 10-12noon). They open quite early, so if you're able to come for the first release of pastries and baked goods, you likely won't see a line at all. My favorite drink from here is the dark mocha (10/10, creamy, not too hot when served, and sweet but not overly sweetened..I would wait in line for this any day!) They have so many seasonal beverages and pastries on a rotating schedule, which makes it fun to visit because you never know what you may get to try that day (or month)! Since moving here from Los Angeles , I believe that Café dear Leon is a place that reminds me a lot of the LA coffee shops that I used to frequent, but with a more quaint and cozy vibe. This is currently my favorite café in the area, I even have their tote bag and sweatshirt if you have friends or family visiting the area, take them here it does not disappoint!

The first thing that came to mind when I decided to visit Baltimore for a music festival wasn't the flight or the lineup or how I'd recover financially ... it was the chance to reunite with my beloved CDL. Yes, we call it CDL in my circles. When you talk about it as often as we do, it becomes a mouthful. Our weekend CDL runs were probably the only thing that motivated me and my two brain cells through grad school. CDL has rightfully become part of my personality and I'm not ashamed of it. After having been in CDL withdrawal since my move to California (haven't found an equivalent in SoCal), I figured I'd try the August menu and also share a few more tips! WHAT WE GOT: Banana pudding Frozen mango bowl Brazilian lemonade Matcha yuzuade FOOD + DRINK: Absolutely amazing. They never miss. The banana pudding I'd say was similar to what you'd get at Magnolia Bakery, but perhaps a little bit less sweet, which I enjoyed. The frozen mango bowl was what GOT me though. It's not shaved ice, like we assumed; it's actual blended mango. The chunks of mochi were delightful, but can we talk about that mascarpone cream??? Do me a favor and make sure there's cream in every bite you take of this bowl. The Brazilian lemonade was also a pleasant surprise - it was blended/frozen. So refreshing during a hot and humid Bmore summer. The matcha yuzuade also hit the spot. Perhaps sounds odd if you're used to matcha only being in oatmilk, but trust me, this is it. OTHER TIPS: * You generally don't have to worry too too much about parking - we've generally been able to find a space on the small streets closer to Dangerously Delicious Pies. Worst comes to worst, you'd have to wander around the area but never more than a 5-10 minute walk away. * Be sure to familiarize yourself with the bake schedule, on the website, so you know when your desired item drops. Important - follow the Instagram too in case they drop any fun special treats that aren't on the bake schedule. That's how we knew about the mango bowl. * Now that you have your eye on a menu item, come about 15 minutes before the drop. That way once you get to the front of the line you'll be on time before it sells out!

This place will ALWAYS be a 10/10! Locals know it and love it, and those who visit Baltimore should go out of their way to try it. Pro tip for those who aren't familiar - visit their website to view the bake schedule (shows when different pastries and sandwiches are made available). They are a small bake shop so it's first come first serve. In my experience, you'll want to get there right on time if you're eyeing a specific item! Here are my ratings for items I've tried: - Almond Croissant (8/10) - Tiramisu Croissant (9/10) - Creme Brulee Tart (10/10) - Blueberry Galette (10/10) - Ham & Cheese Croissant (10/10) - Egg Sando (10/10) - Breakfast Frittata Sandwich (10/10) If you could only get two things, I suggest the Creme Brulee Tart for sweet and Ham & Cheese Croissant for savory. These two are always perfection, but really so is the whole menu. Love this small business!

Visited this café on a rainy afternoon, and it was the perfect escape. The warm lighting, spotless tables, and friendly staff made me feel instantly comfortable. My hot chocolate was rich and smooth.

Best bakery in baltimore, Maryland, the entire U.S., the north America and this planet all together. Thanks for keeping the quality your top priority and not commercializing it like most places that start good but become subpar after a while due to greed.

Very fresh very unique and well prepared I highly recommend but must come early there's a line and pastries are prepared at different times. Also seasonal items are 2 per customer

High quality bakery in a really nice location in Baltimore walking distance to the waterfront and water taxi. Croissants are great as well as the butternut squash tart. No seating inside but has a nice outdoor seating area.

I ordered an iced oat milk latte and decided to try the cardamom maple syrup since it was house made. It was delicious! Plus, the barista was super friendly. They use oatly barista oat milk and ceremony coffee, which I love. For a plain latte it's $5.5 and once you add the non dairy milk ($1), flavor ($1), and tax ( .45) it ended up being $7.95. Just to note- I went at 2:30pm (pro- there was no line, con- there were few pastries left). I will definitely be returning and getting there earlier to try a croissant!

Everything was great! Our favorite between the savory items was definitely the crab and egg sandwich. The crookie was delicious! It really was an incredible cross between a flaky croissant and a chocolate chip cookie. We also got the Japanese ice coffee which was great, but I definitely loved the peach and elderflower green tea so much! The jelly in it was just perfect and it was extremely refreshing on a hot summer day. The cafe looked very cute on the inside, and the baristas were quite helpful in picking what we should get! Overall just a great experience!!

I love CDL! I go at least a few times a month to get their coffees, baked goods, and sandwiches! My favorites recently are the butternut squash sandwich, the black seasame latte, and the almond croissant is an all time fave! The line gets long on weekends, but go early and it's worth the line!!

Yes, there will be a line here. Embrace it! It's part of the experience. Crab and egg sando--I enjoyed this. Did I think it was the best sandwich in the world like another review said? No. Were all parts great, including the bread? Yes. I would personally go with the tamago next time as I don't love celery and am interested in the unique runny egg concept (which is not a part of the crab sando as far as I can tell) Pear Almond Danish--very glad we ordered this. The pear sat on top of the almond paste. The pastry was perfectly flaky. Scone--I haven't had many of these before but my boyfriend said it was "perfect". Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside without being pillow-y. Americano--very good If you are eating on the go (we did by walking to the canton waterfront park and sitting on a bench--plus you get to see so many puppies!), make sure to grab a few napkins on the way out. The Scone comes with butter and jam but we didn't have a knife to spread it, so keep that in mind too!

So impressed! Every dish was a treat for the senses, and the service was impeccable. Warm, inviting, and full of flavor. A perfect dining experience!

I can't say enough good things about Cafe Dear Leon-- the pastries are all SO good. The creme brulee tart is very popular (for good reason) and I'd absolutely recommend it for first timers. The Ispahan danish comes in second-- raspberry, lychee, and rose all feature prominently in this pastry with perfectly crunchy dough and creamy filling. The croissants are a must-try (for your second or third trip) too. My least favorite pastry was the pan de coco-- but that's probably because I stuffed my face with really flavorful pastries first. This one clearly is a high quality pastry, but meant to be kind of plain to accompany coffee. We also ordered each of their frittata sandwiches: bacon, and spinach & leek. Both were amazing, and humongous. Definitely make for a good breakfast with leftovers. I personally preferred the nuance of flavors in the spinach and leek option more, but the bacon one is by no means a bad choice. To drink we got their current specialty iced latte which has house-made hojicha syrup. The espresso and tea flavors complement each other really well. The cafe itself is really cute, but small-- you won't spend much time there; just order and head out. We arrived around 8:30AM on a weekday and waited in line until about 9 to order. Once ordered, it came out very quickly. They stagger releasing different items throughout the day, so make sure you check their website to time stopping in for what you want!

Not shocked to see that this cafe has a solid 5-star rating by many, many other people. Came here for the first time recently and am super sad that I haven't discovered this gem sooner! The aesthetic of the inside is super cute. The pastries look delicious (my partner thoroughly enjoyed his), and they occasionally offer gluten-free ones, which is a start at least! Most importantly, to me, the coffee was divine. I don't know if this makes sense, but it tasted "real" (trust me, I love starbucks, but it doesn't always feel like "real" coffee - perhaps due to all the sugar and preservatives?).

Great food, friendly staff in a very intimate space. There is outdoor seating available. On weekends, there's usually a very long line that goes down the block. You never know if they'll have what you want by the time you get inside because the chances are it'll be sold out. So get there on time based on their bake schedule. You can find this on their website or follow them on Instagram. They serve Ceremony coffee for all the coffee lovers. Just happy to have a place in the city that serves Japanese inspired food.

I really love this place. They get crowded on weekends with a line out of the door, but it moves fast. The white chocolate mocha latte is the best latte in this area and the top 5 I've ever had. The food changes but is always worth a try. I come here every time I visit Baltimore. I really wish they were open on the weekdays!!!

A truly 10/10 bakery experience. Came in to snag a tamago sandwich and was impressed with literally everything about this bakery. The spot itself is super cute but very small, so don't expect any seating inside! Service was friendly and fast, especially since the line was out the door. I recommend coming in early like their posted times suggest. Things run out here super fast. We got two lattes, two pastries, and two tamago sandwiches. The salted caramel sesame latte was delicious, as well as the pumpkin chai. The pastries were incredible! The pecan pie was rich and flavorful, and the cream cheese frosting was lighter than expected to make for a great pairing. The almond croissant was fresh, crunchy, and the filling just right. The sandwiches are the real reason we made the journey here and it was worth it 100%. Super flavorful egg salad filling with soft, buttery bread to match. Highly highly recommend. Wish this place was closer so I could come in all the time!!!

Despite their weird drops and long lines, this was one of the best things I tried in Baltimore!! They have Asian inspired bakery items and drinks that are really good. Tried the Brussels sprout quiche, ham and cheese croissant, kalbi croissant, crème brûlée tart, pumpkin tart, PSL, and black sesame latte. First thing, the savory items had a great filling to dough ratio. The sweet items were not too sweet. All the pastries were super flaky and didn't feel grossly heavy. The drinks were also not too sweet!! Love love love!!!

I decided to finally give this place a try! I don't live in Baltimore but come up to visit once in a while! Whenever I pass by here it's usually on a weekend and the line is so long that it's just not worth the time for me! However, I happened to be at Baltimore on a weekday and decided to give it a try -- there was still a wait (40-ish minutes)! By the time I went a lot of the pastries I wanted were sold out unfortunately so it does get super busy on weekdays also!! If you're trying to go for their popular pastries -- definitely go early (weekdays and weekends)! Although, I couldn't get their tiramisu croissant or ispshan danish, I did get to snag their kalbi croissant and creme brûlée tart! Their pastries were yummy, I mean kalbi croissant is rare -- haven't seen that done in any other cafe and I'm around the NYC/NJ area. The drinks are okay, I've had better matcha around NJ and NYC but for Baltimore -- it's probably good. I probably could have done without the drinks since it was just too much foam for a 12oz but I might consider coming back for pastries again.

Dear Cafe Leon: Oh did I mix that up? I felt that after I had their Pain au chocolat croissant the other day. I walked into a cute looking bakery. There are no tables to sit, sip a latte and enjoy a freshly baked croissant. It's a small space, make your purchase and GTFO. While waiting on line, I noticed the quality of their various baked goods. There are so many great choices but it's my first time here so I'm going to stick with a classic, Pain au chocolat. Leon! My man, you nailed it. Nice chocolate ratio and the croissant had a flaky exterior. As I grabbed my latte and said au revoir, it truly was a pleasure to find your little French bakery during my Baltimore visit.

Sadly everything I wanted to try was sold out when we arrived around 11am. The smoked salon tamago sandwich was so good! Perfect bread and perfect combo of everything! Almond croissant was good but not my fave of all time.

This is my second time at Cafe Dear Leon, and I wish I could say I've been there more times. The first time I was so pleased with the sandos I had, and I've not made the trip out to try many other things. However I saw recent posts about the crème brûlée tart, and I decided to go early to make sure I followed the correct time-release menu. I arrived at 7:50 (the tart is part of the 7:30 bunch) and there were only a few people in the store, no line outside yet. I also got the bacon frittata sandwich and hojicha iced latte. The sandwich is HUGE, perfect to share between two people, and it is perfectly heated up, sliced, and neatly wrapped in foil. It was perfectly constructed to give you the soft eggy middle between perfect bread that is akin to thin focaccia with creamy globs of cheese. The sandwich was the perfect start to my day. My latte was delicious but I do advise that you pay attention to see if there is settling on the bottom, because once I stirred it up the flavor was much more apparent. The tart was EVERYTHING I could have wanted. Perfect custard goodness inside a THIN flaky pastry. I had the pan de coco the next day because I wanted to save it, and it was still so lovely, an excellent textural experience between the soft flaky pastry and chewy crunchiness of the coconut flakes. The shop is small but cozy and sweet. There isn't seating inside. Beware of lineups. The nice park area in that shopping area has some benches you could take your food to and sit and enjoy your treats. Be ready to become obsessed.

There was about ~45 min wait time, but it was worth it. Also recommend their almond croissant (not pictured).

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW Cafe Dear Leon deserves 100 stars! I love this place so much that I went twice in 3 days with friends and family. I wish I could live in their kitchen and be forever surrounded by amazing baked goods. This is the best bakery for anyone craving a buttery and flakey croissant, custardy creme brûlée tart, floral Ispahan lychee and raspberry danish, gooey ham and cheese croissant, velvety quiche al fungi, fluffy Maritozzo, and lovely coffee and tea drinks!!!!!!! They bake everything from scratch each morning. Definitely check out their instagram or website for bake schedule that lists what time each item is available. In the near future, I'll come at 1 pm and try out their cheesecake and choux. Or roll out of bed at 6 am to finally try their incredible frittata sandwich with bacon or butternut squash. Or enjoy a tamago sando reminiscent of the ones I enjoyed in Japan. You can't go wrong - anything you order at Cafe Dear Leon will transport you to culinary heaven!

Look if you're gonna say sandwiches available at 11am and people are in line at 11:10am, get to the storefront after 40 mins of standing in line to find out all sandwiches are sold out.. that's a slap in the face to the customer who might have stood outside in cold weather for a long time. The food was delicious. But I didn't get to try a tamago sandwich as the last one was literally taken by the group in front of me. I had to get the crab and tamago instead which again yummy, but not what I went for. Other items were also more or less sold out. I wanna support small businesses but this business model needs to be massively rehauled. Don't make 20 different things in limited quantities if you know what the bestsellers are. Focus on those maybe and have enough in supply throughout the day? The couple behind me who had also stood in line for sandwiches for 40 minutes got zip. Had to get a slice of cheesecake which they didn't even want in the first place.