Houlden's Rise Above

This place is so good! I finally had a chance to visit after trying their pastries at Midtown Vegan Deli (which happens to be in the same complex as the bakery). I have crazy food allergies so to find a place the makes gluten free & vegan food and tastes good is amazing. Non-vegans will enjoy it too.

I’ve been a Houlden’s super fan since moving to Tucson in January 2022. I’ve been vegan for 6.5 years and have tried vegan baked goods all over the world, and I can honestly say these are the best vegan pastries/desserts I’ve ever had in my life. Scratch that, they’re the best pastries and desserts I’ve ever had in my life EVER — both vegan and non-vegan. So when it came time for my wedding, I knew they were the only ones I trusted to make the wedding cake of my dreams. Hannah and Michael did such an amazing job responding to our requests, making a tasting box for my fiancé and I to try, and making the biggest and most beautiful wedding cake I’d ever seen! We got so many compliments about the cake and everyone was begging for an extra slice. I was the only vegan at the wedding and all of the non-vegans were blown away at how delicious the cake was. Many even said it was the best cake they’d ever had in their life!! I am so grateful to Houlden’s for their hard work and dedication making our cake a smashing success. I also love that every time I see their baked goods around town I can remember the magic of my wedding day. Thank you!!

Edit: I visited Tucson again 1 year later, and this was my first stop. That's how good this place is! I'm so happy to be able to visit again and try some more fresh, delicious goodies! Best bakery ever! Original review Jan 2024: Whatever kind of "-vore" you are, you will not be disappointed...these are the best pastries I've ever had! I was fortunate to stumble upon this place while visiting from out of town. I had a lovely chat with one of the owners who talked me through their available items and how long they'd keep since I wanted to take some extra home 😁 The pastry dough is *chef's kiss*...just the perfect amount of flakiness and crunchiness... Nothing dry or boring about any of these desserts! I wish I lived closer and that there were more vegan bakeries like this!!

Absolutely everything we've tried here has been wonderful and beyond delicious... My so has an extreme dairy allergy and the staff went above and beyond to assure us he was safe. We're so excited to have found this wonderful bakery ❤️

Best bakery around. Endless Vegan and GF goodies with an always changing menu so there’s always something new to try. Whether it’s custom cakes or grab and go pastries with a cold brew coffee, I have never been let down. Great people who are clearly passionate about their product and community.

Gem! Don't be deterred if you think vegan means not good, I would put these croissants in my top three, against non-vegan options. Just lovely, tasty food. I did a pre-order box with a couple add ons, my favorite was the calabrian chile cream cheese croissant. We're so lucky to have this in our neighborhood. I will definitely be back soon to try the coffee and other goodies.

I am so grateful that such a wonderful and delicious VEGAN bakery exists like this! I only wish they were closer to where we live in Scottsdale. But they are not too far away that we can't escape to Tucson to snag such delectable treats! I'm talking about beautiful looking and tasting vegan croissants and otherworldly amazing treats to feast on. The owners are so kind and I love the hardcore/ death metal type music they play in the store. There are So many vegan treats to choose from, but they do sell out fast and there is a line out the door, and their hours of operation are limited so you better act fast!

This bakery is such a gem! The cookie, brownie, and cheesecake I got from the storefront were all amazing and then I got a Houlden's pop tart from a coffee shop which was so delicious. There must be magic in their treats because I've never had such tasty desserts. Stopping by the storefront was great. The employee was friendly and helpful and obviously had a passion about their goods. Thank you!