Monastery of the Angels

I went to pick up an online order from the gift shop of the peanut brittle and pumpkin bread for holiday presents. I ordered online late on a Thursday evening and they emailed me that it was ready to pick up on Saturday morning so about a 24 hour turnaround. The gift shop is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30am-4pm. When I checked the website it said permanently closed so I doubled checked with the person at the gift shop. He was very nice and gave me some additional recipes to try with the delicious pumpkin bread.

Ring bell for Carlos if gift shop is shuttered but hours say open. Super delicious toffee. Pumpkin bread is their signature bakery hood and once seasonal only cranberry proved so popular it’s available year round. Be warned Carlos is an excellent salesman and you might leave feeling swindled but don’t worry everything you buy supports the nuns and boy does that peanut brittle sneak up on you proving Carlos correct. Eaten without it’s counterparts it is addictive bc it’s not sickly sweet like other brittle. Easy to polish off an entire bag. Carlos will also give a history of the monastery and tell lots of entertaining stories of visitors describing the goods as crack to which Carlos will reply that he has never tried crack so can’t rightfully compare. There are also more salacious Thorn Bird and Milkman esque gossip for the less easily offended. And nuns are human ones like when they go to See’s to check out the competition. Oh and you can also quiet reflect in chapel and gardens.

The Blessed Sacrament is exposed every day from 1pm to 5pm. You can feel the peace in the moment you step in.

A peaceful adoration chapel. A great gift shop and the BEST Pumpkin Bread I have ever had!!!

I love that place is so peaceful. Go to the gift shop and get some of their irresistible pumpkin bread is delicious. Thank u Carlos for sharing with me today the process of making pumpkin bread. :)

The pumpkin bread is the bomb... we have been buying it for years ..this year we ordered eight loafs online .. picking up tomorrow. but I need I think three more that's how good it is. We put cream cheese on it but it's great just by itself.

The little loaves of pumpkin bread, handmade by the resident nuns and sold in their gift shop, is something you must try as part of the LA experience. They're moist, don't fall apart, and taste like a superior spice cake. (The pumpkin itself just bulks the bread up and has no discernible flavor.) Great to spread with whip creamcheese. Best to pre-order online and pick up, rather than going by and chancing they may be sold out.

I have been buying their pumpkin bread for the Christmas holiday give away to our doctors offices, mail person, dry cleaners, etc since the bread was only $4.00 a loaf. It is still a great deal for what you get. A delicious pumpkin bread like no other!

LOCATION IS STILL OPEN I JUST SPOKE TO CARLOS. God bless our nuns. Carlos said this year they only have pumpkin bread and peanut brittle

This is one of those truly hidden spots you'd probably only learn about if you're either a big fan of monasteries...or on Yelp! Lucky for me, I peruse on yelp often to come across this hidden gem. Each day, the monastery makes fresh pumpkin bread. I'm not sure what they do with these loaves. But all I have to say is, we'll, they're heavenly (pun intended!). They also sell peanut brittle which isn't totally my thing. But after tasting the pumpkin bread I might try it out. A nice cheap and tasty snack!

I've known about the Monastery of the Angels since I was a young girl living in the Hollywood Hills. It's certainly a hidden gem in the Beachwood Canyon of our neighborhood. I used go to their gift shop to buy Christmas gifts for my friends,family, my son, and it was a magical place. The pumpkin bread is famous and has a cult following. You can still get it today, and it's delicious as is the candy they sell. I love the mints, the brittle, the Peanut Butter candy, and more. I always buy my holiday gifts from here, every year, for many years. Try it, you'll also be hooked. It's a secret, magical recipe!

Still open! Just picked up 10+ loaves as gifts for the office. Carlos says the bread makes really good French toast.

I was just there for a 3 day Marian Movement of Priests & Laity Marian Cenacle of the Rosary and experienced one of the best life changing moments of my life. Met some very wonderful people not only from all over California but from across the United States and amazing people from the East Coasts as well as people traveling as far as Portugal just be be there. I especially love the serene grounds of the Monastery gardens and most specially, the most delicious homemade Pumpkin Bread in the the whole world! Really, no lying here, I just about melted after taking a single bite of the moist and so deliciously good Pumpkin Bread with the walnuts & cranberries number favorite as well as their peanut brittles( never too sweet, just right).... sooo Yummy! Nothing compares I tell you, you've got to simply give it a try, there's no turning back! You'll be hooked...you can pre-order online and have it shipped to you or if you're in the neighborhood, come and pick them up, fresh to order! It's hard to keep them around the house as they'll be all gone before you know it... I wanted to hide these for myself (he he ) but now that wouldn't be very nice " not sharing" so ok then... I guess I better share and get morethese won't last I promise they are That good! Ask for Carlos, a very cool guy, he'll hook you up

A former colleague/friend of mine always shared what he would affectionately call "special pumpkin bread"...so much that I would look forward to the tasty treat on a regular basis. Sadly, after he passed away, I not only missed his warm smile, big hugs, infectious laughter, & kind & generous disposition, but I also missed the "special pumpkin bread" that he loved & would so often share with us. Years later, reminiscing about our dear colleague, I somehow remembered the name of the place he told me he would get this "special pumpkin bread": "The Monastery of the Angels." Nestled in the Hollywood Hills near the base of the world-famous "Hollywood Sign," this beautiful historic property has been around since 1924, & serves as home for the cloistered Dominican Nuns. With its tranquil garden & prayer chapel, it is also a peaceful retreat to meditate & escape from all the craziness in Los Angeles. You literally feel worlds away when you visit...if only for a little while. The onsite chapel is open daily, & Mass is every day at 7:00 a.m. Not only is "The Monastery of the Angels" a peaceful place to pray &/or meditate, but the small on-site Catholic gift shop offers wonderful religious gifts, chocolates, peanut brittle, & of course their renowned pumpkin bread --- all handmade fresh by the nuns with love. Caveat: If you make the mistake that I made by visiting the gift shop during peak times (e.g., during the peak of the last-minute Christmas shopping season), you may be met with long lines, a slight feeling of chaos/hurriedness, & sold-out items. To avoid possible crowds, however, visit during off-peak times, &/or consider ordering online. Online ordering is a breeze, the telephone customer service is helpful, & the prices with shipping are more than reasonable. Order a loaf (or 6 or 10 loaves) of pumpkin bread online, & you'll be enjoying this perfectly spiced, not overly sweet, moist, & delicious pumpkin bread in no time! I can't wait to try the peanut brittle & chocolates when they're available again! If you're craving a deliciously comforting freshly baked good with "...a prayer in every bite," visit "The Monastery of the Angels" in-person or online for their pumpkin bread & handmade candies. Perfect for holiday gifts, or an indulgent treat...just for you!

The pumpkin bread is phenomenal! The peanut brittle is excellent as well. Beautiful sanctuary to visit and kind people.

I drove about five hours to come and buy some goodies. The pumpkin loaf was delicious, especially the one that had cranberries. The peanut brittle was the best I had had so far, and it's not too sweet or salty. I also bought the caramel with almonds, and to be honest, not for me. The peanut butter with dark chocolate was not for my taste, but my family loved it. My next order will be online; the drive was far but worth it.

Our wonderful Buena Park neighbors, Deborah and Tom, first gave us one of these delicious pumpkin loaves many years ago for Christmas and we fell in love. Every year after they continued the tradition and we looked forward to it every year. The bread is so moist and filled with pumpkin goodness, good toasted with cream cheese, good plain. And if you freeze a loaf and it tastes great after you defrost it. But really, who actually freezes a loaf, its gone before you know it! When we moved to Oceanside I missed our Christmas pumpkin loaf and found out from Deborah her secret pumpkin loaf hook up! Monastery of the Angels. Not only do they have the standard size 30oz loaf for $12.00 but they have a new super cute, very giftable smaller 10oz loaf for $6.00. I ordered for myself and sent some to my folks as well. Ordering is easy online and the loaves ship right away. They have great communication, sending order confirmations and later, tracking info when the orders had shipped. I even received a nice thank you email from The Nuns! Our loaves arrived fresh and delicious. Sadly, I just went online and it appears they are sold out of the smaller loaves and I think I just bought the last two standard loaves, because now those say sold out as well. Sorry to talk it up and buy the last two! I'm sure they will have more soon.

Pumpkin Bread! Get some from the Gift Shop! After reading Stevo O.'s review, I knew that I would visit this monastery some day! Alana and I happened to be in the Hollywood area and had some time, so... Mission Accomplished! This is a quiet, serene, tranquil place. It is highly recommended for some quality alone time for meditation, centering, pondering, or reflection. There's an open courtyard with the Stations of the Cross and a few benches for a nice rest stop, a little grassy garden area, a chapel, and a cute gift shop. After exploring the grounds, we made our way to the Pumpkin Bread... it's so moist and tasty...I want more! I also purchased some gifts for friends and family. For example, prayer cards are easy to pack and are useful. They also had books, rosaries, figurines, plushies, greeting cards, and other items in stock. I'm looking forward to returning to The Monastery of The Angels - in the City of Angels... so appropriate! Maybe I'll get some fudge here...it's also made by the Sisters!

The pumpkin bread is so dang good I warm it up with cinnamon butter. The order is always shipped either same or next day. I love these ladies! Please support.

I came the first time thanks to my mother. She asked me to give her a ride to get some perpetual mass cards for a friend and I loved the place The monastery is located at the foothills of the Hollywood sign. I have also come to mass 8:30am mass at the chapel on a Saturday but I believe their mass is every day at the same time. This is a very peaceful place Parking is small. On a busy day, you might have to park by the street They sell lots of unique gifts and their home baked most famous pumpkin bread, they also have chocolate fudge and peanut brittle I have buy healing masses for friends and family and also perpetual masses $11.00 for a small card, $16.00 for large card Lots of unique religious gifts, prayer cards, books Come and check it out and you can always go for a nice hike to the Hollywood sign or Griffith park afterwards

Besides the pumpkin bread and candies, the gift shop has a good selection of sacramentals and inspirational items.

My mom has been buying their bread for many years. I was finally able to go there myself just recently. I love their pumpkin bread. And, I'm not just saying that because I'm afraid I'm going to go to hell. Just heat it up for a little bit and put some butter! Yummy!

What an amazing place, people and of course Pumpkin Bread. I grew up in these Hollywood Hills and so with the wonderful, most awesome Pumpkin Bread. The Nuns have got the secret magic recipe that everyone, I mean everyone loves this bread. I always get it for the holidays for my friends and family and they are SO happy to get it. A big shout out to Carlos in the kitchen, what a kind person and always helpful and gracious. If there were more stars I'd be happy to give it to them!

The nuns are so welcoming and nice. I like how they bake lotsa tasty treats! (Monastery bread and candies!) That Pumpkin loaf bread is da bomb! I've bought a crocheted beanie from them--super cute. Buy a beautiful mass card for a loved one, and the nuns will be praying for them the whole year. It's only $4 for each name/card!

Purchased 2 loaves of pumpkin bread and Mass cards from Sr. Mary Paul. She is the only nun outside the cloister. All the other nuns pray all day for the intentions of their donors. We also purchased pump soap made with Lourdes water. The shop is adorable. Many religious and non religious gifts. Perfect for Christmas or Holiday gift giving. Cute books such as the "Cat Confessions" written by real people who own cute cats. The same book for dog lovers "Dog Confessions". The best gift is a Perpetual or 1 year Mass card for someone you love or a family in need. Great place to visit and meditate.

Pumpkin Bread. Divine. It is. I swear. My co-worker told me about this delicious pumpkin bread baked by monastic nuns. And for the second time (last year and this year), she went to this place and bought several including one for me (and I reimbursed her). Currently, it's $12 and worth every penny of it. I'm only rating this place 4 Stars because I did not go here myself and don't know how the service is. Nuns were nice to my co-worker when she went to boarding school in her youth. So if the nuns here did not give her any problem, maybe it's only because she has a track record of nuns being nice to her. For those of you who are not familiar with Catholic nuns, many of them are Not known to be nice. But back to the Pumpkin Bread. Buy it. You won't be sorry. And hey, it would make a nice Christmas, er I mean, Holiday gift. Here's a couple of photos of the Pumpkin Bread from fellow yelpers: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/monastery-of-the-angels-los-angeles?select=uXYsjryPvbNYdLXPA1DHAw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/monastery-of-the-angels-los-angeles?select=u5k2W7yvcuTxvK74pS-CHQ

Pumpkin bread literally from God. While visiting LA, my friends told me I needed to go here to get a loaf of pumpkin bread. Luckily I was staying with a friend that lived right down the street from the Monastery of the Angels. He passed by it all the time but never thought to go in. We wandered around the grounds for a bit before finding the nondescript gate door of the gift shop. You gotta knock to get it. This was all very strange. But the Filipino ladies and nuns were very sweet. I went back before I left to grab two more loafs to give as gifts.

Woke up this morning; realized the world hadn't ended; figured I'd finally get around to dropping by the cloistered Dominican nuns for some pumpkin bread. For $10 a loaf, you get 2 pounds of semi-sweet pumpkin goodness. We got two loaves -- one for entertaining Christmas guests and the other for snacking on beforehand -- and that bag was HEAVY. I bet these'll go great with a couple bottles of Broguiere's egg nog. Oooooooooohhh... yeeeeah... We walked into the small chapel for a little while. A security gate separated the pews from the altar. We had to ring a doorbell to get into the giftshop, which smelled of fried fish. Ah well, the bread's good.

Monastery of the Angels' Pumpkin Bread should be unanimously voted as the best pumpkin bread in all Los Angeles if not the entire world! The reviews are true, they have the best pumpkin bread around, dare I imply again the best ever made? Which is why they have well earned their 5 star rating not only from me but from all the other yelpers who reviewed them thus far. I have never stepped foot in or near this monastery, but my dad brings home a couple loaves after he returns from any business trip in the area. For me this bread is more then just good eats, its edible nostalgia that I've been enjoying for the majority of my life (15 going on 16 years now!). The pumpkin bread is perfectly moist, packed full of the pumpkin flavor you crave in every bite without being overwhelmingly sweet. Not just sold around the holidays, but available all year, remaining consistently delicious. Great by itself, but sometimes I toast mine for breakfast or a la mode for dessert. I've been wanting to experiment making bread pudding out if it, but it hardly survives that long in my household for a recipe like that to be considered. The peanut brittle is rich~ roasted, salted peanuts enveloped in a hard buttery caramel. I've never had their chocolates before; but from Pog's picture they look incredible, which they undoubtedly are. I have heard that Monastery of the Angels also sells art and craft sort of items at their gift store. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed~so heavenly it may make you wonder if there is something to the fact that they pray all day.

I always get a kick out of seeing an elderly nun swiping my credit card. They are so sweet and helpful. I heard that working the gift shop is THE job to have because it's the only time any of the nuns are allowed to speak. The pumpkin bread is absolutely worth the trip and the price. I never seem to be there when they've got the fudge. :( The garden is so beautiful and serene. The gift shop also has tons of religious and inspirational books/trinkets/artwork, etc. So if you're like me and you fly home to the Bible Belt for the holidays, this is a great spot to drop by on your way to the airport to nab some gifts for your 90 year old grandmother. *Ample free parking, y'all!*

The best pumpkin bread I've ever had. Can't believe it took me so long to discover it!! Perfect for year round events especially during Advent.

Love their pumpkin bread! Just picked-up 4 loaves. Did you know you could freeze them? When you're ready to consume just leave it out for a couple of hours and enjoy!

simple the best peanut brittle on the planet. Toffee and Pumpkin Bread amazing as well

Ok? So today we worked the Hollywood side of town.yes people I truly love my plumbing business. Years ago I went to the monestary on a service call? I met the most amazing set of nuns.yes very hard working sisters making the best smell pumbkin bread.I made it a habit when im around Hollywood by franklin ave.to stop by.well fortunately today all of us stopped by.these special nuns are very pleasant to talk to.( im not just saying it.so I dont go to hell) lol!!!! Anyways....there grounds are kept up very nice. Coming and driving around L.A. you know about the maddness traffic. So you mske a quick left go threw the gate and wallah .follow the smell. And enjoy

i have always prefered sees candy, but the candy i got from monastery was both as good as sees and better as ti was so fresh. i wish their sales showed the weight of the candy. i wish shipping was less expensive

I love the Monastery of the Angels. It's a peaceful quiet solemn spot in the middle of crazy Hollywood.

Upon driving into the parking lot, you get a sense of God in the surroundings, which are peaceful and unusual for a Hollywood zip code. Upon entering the gift shop, you realize you need to be on your best behavior, as the nuns have historically had a reputation of strict enforcement. We came here for their pumpkin bread, which is known to be the best in the hemisphere. To describe the taste means going back to your childhood and remembering how grandma used to make things and how good everything tastes. Well the sisters have reproduced that in their bakery products with their pumpkin bread, which is soft and moist but firm enough to cut with a knife. I put butter on mine, but you may just want to eat it with coffee or plain milk. Next, the fudge and chocolates are even more decadent, as they are freshly made by the sisters, and are of such quality, it puts Godiva to shame. Now I know what all the fuss is with Katy Perry, as this Monastery is the only thing left in Hollywood which has preserved the history of Los Angeles in an edible way.

Monastery of the Angeles makes absolutely fabulous pumpkin bread. The very best I've ever had and it is soooo easy to make at home. The Monastery gave their recipe to the LA Times back in the 1970's and I've been making it ever since. I still have the newspaper clipping on my inside kitchen cabinet because I make it so often. In fact, I just took a loaf out of the freezer last night for friends and as they always do, the drooled with each bite. Here's the original recipe: Monastery of the Angeles Pumpkin Bread: Preheat over to 350 degrees 3 1/2 flour 3 cups sugar 2 teas. baking soda 1 teas. cinnamon 1 teas. ground nutmeg 1 1/2 teas. salt 4 eggs beaten (I use Jumbo) 1 cup veg. oil 2/3 cup water 2 cups pure canned pumpkin (I use Libby's) 1 cup walnuts (optional) 1 cup golden raisins (optional) Mix eggs, oil, water and pumpkin & set aside. Mix all dry ingredients Add dry mixture to wet ingredients a cup at a time until smooth with either a whisk or mixer. This will make (3) 5X9 loaves. I sometimes make mini loaves for party favors tied with a pretty ribbon. Line pans with parchment paper, foil or non-stick spray for best results. I use foil and simply lift the bread out when partially cooled and freeze or serve warm. Bake for 60 minutes (350 degrees) for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. If frozen, can be warmed in the microwave if desired. Don't over heat. . Serve warm or cold and is great with whipped cream. Freezes beautifully. To freeze, first wrap in plastic wrap then in freezer bags to avoid any freezer burns. The less air, the better. I always keep several in the freezer for last minute hostess gifts or just for when we get a craving. It is absolutely delicious. I also give a lot away at Christmas. You're welcome!!!

My family and I have been eating this pumpkin bread for years. My aunt is a nun here and the recipe actually came from my grandmother when the nuns decided they couldn't make enough money selling cookies to turn a decent profit and sustain themselves. I still hear stories from the nuns of visits when i was barely tall enough to see over the counter in the visiting room. All the nieces, nephews and their kids have had their time visiting Sister Mary Margaret and the other nuns. Now that almost all my family has moved out of California, the wife and make a trip to buy a bunch and ship to the family in Texas and (we call a week ahead so they can make an extra 20-25 loaves). It really is great bread and no preservatives or weird ingredients. The nuns are getting quite elderly and i am amazed they crank out the volume they still do (they do have a couple people come in and help with the heavy stuff). It is their only income and besides donations is what keeps them there. There are very few girls interested in becoming a sequestered nun these days and the place will surely close in the near future with no incoming youth to take over. Try the pumpkin bread while you can, The difference between this bread and anything you may have had from a store is night and day. If your grandma ever made you fresh home made pumpkin bread this will bring the memories flooding back. Support the nuns. They do appreciate it. Oh, when you are in the gift shop, take a look at the afghan blankets they have for sale. Grandma still crochets those and sends them for the nuns to sell. She turned 91 just a few months ago.

So that people understand better their "business model" -- all monasteries are supposed to be self-sufficient, but not so far as to making a large profit. They work so that they can support their life of prayer. Prayer is their life, not bread or chocolate, so yes, they will often run out, and they're not really looking to expand their business. Stinks for us who love the bread. When you buy it, you do not support "The Church," so to speak, you're supporting them. The security doors are there because it is often not a "nice" neighborhood after dark. Sad, but true. As to differing accounts of why they were out, they suffer from something we all often suffer from: poor communication at work. I imagine someone guessed why they out, and someone else took it as Gospel (Thank you! I'm here all week!) Happens everywhere. Yes, you gotta keep that bread frozen if you're NOT planning on eating it soon -- not a whole lot of chemicals to keep mold and spoilage away. While "thud" may not be a sound we associate with good eatin', trust me, it keeps it fresh, fresh, fresh! Defrost and enjoy in moderation!

Just a block away from bustling Franklin Village, you can buy a loaf of scrumptious pumpkin bread from nuns. Who knew? A flyer reads, "our monastery is in serious financial trouble, running the risk that these four acres" will be "turned into a condominium or a mall or worse." These sisters are turning to their pumpkin bread prowess to raise money and save this little slice of solitude located below the Hollywood sign. Do them a favor; do yourself a favor; buy their delicious pumpkin bread.

GOOD GOD, LITERALLY!!! Best pumpkin bread AND peanut brittle I've ever had! There is a large parking lot here. There is the chapel on the left, and close to the center of the building is a black gated door with a doorbell. This is where the shop is. Keep in mind, the ladies go on lunch from 12-1 and close down the shop during that hour. You ring the doorbell, and they let you in. It is a typical Christian gift shop, with prayer cards, crucifixes, even some home-made quilts/afghans that look great but were way too expensive for me. They have a small window of chocolates and peanut brittle, but no pumpkin bread. I thought maybe they were out, so I shyly asked one of the women if they had any. She asked how many I would like, so I told her two. (why not?!) She opened a freezer that was FULLY STOCKED with the glorious treat! I took home two pumpkin breads at $9 each, and a pound of peanut brittle that I believe was $12?? The pumpkin bread was spiced perfectly, and the peanut brittle had perfect texture. It melted in your mouth, and it wasn't too hard that you broke your teeth when biting into it. In fact, we ate the whole pound of it in two days. :) I highly recommend swinging by here! Bring a pumpkin bread to your mom! Go ahead!

This is a lovely hidden gem. The grounds are small so it only takes a minute to see, but the stations of the cross garden has some benches and a nice tree under which to sit for contemplation. Not being Catholic not sure about the rules and regs of the chapel. They were posted, but it appeared you could go in and sit. The gift shop and the bread and the peanut brittle exceeded expectations. I think it is better than Sees peanut brittle. Friendly staff who guided us through the gift shop and explained the religious cards to we Presbyterians. We saw a nun too. It checked all the boxes. My Catholic friend and I are planning a return trip.

Not only the BEST peanut brittle Ever, but some of the best candy on the planet. An open package is an empty package. Love to the Sisters of the Monastery of the Angels

Purchased 4 loaves of their ever amazing pumpkin bread, a box of Marmels, a box of St. Martin's mints, & a box of peanut brittle (almost gone now, 2-hrs later). I'll be driving back there again during the week & making space in my freezer for more loaves. They make awesome Christmas/hostess gifts for the holidays. I have been going here for years. I agree with one of the reviewers, when you purchase their bread, chocolates, or gift shop items, you are not supporting "The Church", your're supporting the cloistered nuns.

My family has been buying the pumpkin bread from from this monastery for years. Every year I gain 4 pounds worth of pumpkin bread and then have to run around town like a maniac to shed the pumpkin bread weight. There's honestly not much more to say. Just buy the pumpkin bread and you surely won't be disappointed. PS The only ONE star down here is from someone who is clearly bitter. C'mon, nuns don't lie. ;) That person's review should be removed entirely. Who really gives a monastery a ONE star? Really? That seems like a bunch of BS to me anyway.

FYI, The Pumpkin Bread is great! During my last visit I had the opportunity to speak with a volunteer there. I asked why they were out of several varieties of confections and was told that they were limited on purchasing supplies for candy making based on the sales of Pumpkin Bread. They are on a very limited income. Please support them by your purchases. I am not of the Catholic faith myself, but I do appreciate this peaceful haven in the midst of the Hollywood Hills. Good Karma.

It's with great heartbreak that I give this nuns a two star review. A lapsed Catholic with a certain nostalgia for the idea of nuns (memories of brides of christ and mustachioed habited Irish disciplinarians to the side) I went to the nunnery with cheerful excitement. A rather difficult to find little office in the convent, behind an opaque black security door, you press a buzzer and are brought into a gift shop, selling the usual kinds of saintly and popish tchotchkes (pics of Giovanni Paolo and Padre Pio, etc). The women greying and kindly directed me to a glass cabinet where the fudge and peanut brittle was kept. She then headed to a freezer, bring forth and then thumping down a solid frozen brick of pumpkin bread. I mean, I'm no expert on buying baked goods and since I'm nostalgic for but hardly want to fund the church, it was that moment that I really began to question what I was doing there. I was there for the romance of nun baked bread, the warmth of they might bring to it with their devotion, the dedication to traditions that can makes food good, what I received was a gift shop and a frozen brick. Maybe I read too much into the previous yelp reviews, maybe my expectations were set a little high. There may be some metaphor in here about the whole behavior in the church in general, excepting warmth and care and receiving a frozen brick, but I haven't the heart. I just hope I don't chip a tooth on this bread. Other yelpers, help me out here. Why was this place so fantastically disappointing. I gave them the extra star just cause the lady was gentle, even if her bread was bricked.

'Love all their chocolates, but the Monastery toffee is the best I've ever tasted.

The most amazing experience in LA. These incredible women and their staff are so hospitable and take prayer requests, sell fabulous pumpkin bread and live at the foothills of the Hollywood sign. A must visit for anyone with spiritual guidance to see and absorb.

The gift shop was easy to find and the nuns were... okay, well they were just plain adorable. The price of pumpkin bread has gone up to $9, but it's for a good cause. The bread itself is so dense and rich, it's really wonderful. I'm freezing the rest of the loaf for special occasions/cravings. :) To see a photo gallery of our visit to the Monastery of the Angels, click here for our HiddenLA article: http://hiddenLA.com/?p=2359

I have been buying Monastery Pumpkin bread for forty years for myself and many others. There are people who remember my giving them a loaf many years ago who still remark on the goodness of the bread. There is simply nothing to compare with the Monastery loaves. Julie Payne

The pumpkin bread is great and everyone is so nice! The peanut brittle is also awesome! Plus it's also a typical Catholic gift shop. There's so much to choose from. It's a hidden treasure in the Hollywood Hills.

Each year (for the past 3 years), I have purchased a dozen loaves of Monastery pumpkin bread to give as Thanksgiving holiday gifts. Every recipient loves the bread, and now expects that I've started a holiday tradition that must be maintained. So I expect to be getting a dozen loaves, every November, and more as needed for myself, throughout the year. This pumpkin bread is fantastic. I believe it is prepare while the sisters pray aloud. You can really taste the extra grace baked into every loaf!

A beautiful bit of heaven in the heart of Hollywood. One of my favorite places to visit for so many reasons. Peaceful setting, inspirational old chapel, wonderful gifts and meaningful mementos, incredible chocolates and charming, kind nuns. What more could one want? For a small fee (perhaps $5? ) the thoughtful nuns will pray for a loved one each month and send them a very nice document. Very easy to reach: go north of Franklin on Gower for a couple of blocks, it is on the left (west) but the actual address says Carmel. Plenty of free parking and lots of relaxation and peace.

OK, so I hate to be the only one who didn't like this place and I'll probably go to hell for giving a bad review, but here it goes.... My room mate heard about this monastery on the internet and went one Saturday morning at 9AM. We went specifically for the fudge. The nuns who worked the gift shop told us we were too late to get the fudge because there is "Always" a long line when they first open and all of the fudge was already gone for the day. We thought it was strange since we got there at 9 and they only opened a half an hour earlier you would have thought that we would have seen people leaving, but we were the only ones there. We got some pumkin bread which was OK, but it wasn't fudge. So we spend a whole week salivating over this fudge and couldn't wait to go back the next weekend as we both work early on weekdays...so the next saturday we get up extra early and head on over. We get there before 8:30. Hmmm...No line at all. Once again we're the only ones there. When the finally open...NO FUDGE...yet again. One of the nuns calls down to the nun who makes the fudge and asks if she has any. After a while she manages to find one box. When she comes up with the box we tell her that we can't wait to eat it since it must be so great that it sells out everyday and tell her about how we came the week before. This very nice woman looked at us like we were absolutely nuts and says, "It doesn't sell out. I've been out of milk for WEEKS and haven't been able to make any." So...basically the nuns who were on duty the week before completely LIED to us. Not just misled or miscommunicated, but made up a completely bizarre story. To top it all off the one box of fudge we got was totally NASTY. I guess it had been sitting around for the weeks since they last made a batch and had gone bad. To my knowledge I've never been lied to by nuns before especially over something so trivial as fudge, but it's one of those bizarre life experiences that I'll be telling people about for years to come.

Every time I look for peace in my heart, I come to the Monastery of the Angels. My friends and I have been visiting the chapel for the past 3 or 4 years now. Sis. Mary Paul manages the bookshop and she is the kindest, humblest and very funny person you will ever meet. I've wondered how the cloistered nuns live but seeing Sis. MP, she exudes a lot of happiness and contentment from the noble vocation she had chosen. What a life to be close to God! Thank you, Monastery of the Angels. You improve my life!