Essen Bakery
Bakery · Passyunk Square
1437 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Highlights
Jewish bakery: babka, bagels, cookies, cakes, sandwiches
Jewish bakery: babka, bagels, cookies, cakes, sandwiches
"This Jewish bakery in Passyunk Square makes some of the best apple cake, babka, and chocolate rugelach in town, along with one of our favorite breakfast sandwiches. The bagels here are dark blonde on the outside, tender on the inside, and covered in mini bubbles from their speedy boil at high heat. Plus, the neighborhood spot gets bonus points for covering their poppy bagel with so much seasoning that you have to squint just to make out the crust underneath. Get them topped with tomato, lox, and onions, or skip it and go for an all-pastry breakfast. Either way, you’ll be back on your couch in no time." - candis mclean
"Of course Essen Bakery makes great bagels—the Passyunk Square Jewish pastry shop makes some of the best apple cake, babka, and chocolate rugelach in town. The bagels here are dark blonde on the outside, tender on the inside, and are covered in mini bubbles from their speedy boil at high heat. Plus, the neighborhood bakery gets bonus points for covering their poppy bagel with so much seasoning that you have to squint just to make out the crust underneath. Get them topped with tomato, lox, and onions, but we also love them simple, with nothing but a bit of their housemade vegetable cream cheese." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"You can pretty much depend on anything made with dough at this East Passyunk bakery (we love the bagels, babka, and donuts). The za’atar croissant sandwich is no exception. It’s built on a full, crescent-shaped croissant with so many ripples inside, it looks like an elaborate maze (a beautifully laminated one). Packed with sliced soft-boiled eggs, the whole thing is creamy and lemony thanks to the rich labneh spread. Easily the most satisfying thing on a croissant in Philly, it’s a sandwich that lets quality, simple ingredients take the lead." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"We go to this Jewish bakery in East Passyunk to inhale chocolate rugelach, zaatar croissant sandwiches, and dark-blonde bagels covered in mini bubbles from a speedy boil at high heat. Both the salty and sweet options are reliable. So order a sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese, or fill a box with seasonal donuts, salted chocolate chip cookies, and a slice of slightly toasty basque cheesecake." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"The sourdough and rye-infused New York-style bagels come in plain, poppy seed, sesame, and everything at the small Passyunk Square bakery by Tova du Plessis. There’s a second location in Norris Square." - Ernest Owens
