The West End Bakery

I really wanted to like this place better, maybe I was just here at an off time towards the end of closing. But I was not particularly pleased with my meal, which was avocado toast. The avocado was on the very last day of ripeness and way too soft. Several pieces of my salad were yellowing and at the end of their life as well. It was overall very salty, and the ice tea, which is mostly ice, is five dollars a glass and no refills. Doesn’t everyone do ice tea refills? I guess not. After a very salty meal, I was especially disappointed. Wait staff is nice enough, and probably felt she couldn’t but I was literally the only customer left at the of the day and could have refilled my tea. Since you tip at the beginning (it’s counter service), I personally would wait until after your meal experience to tip. The outside seating is pleasant enough, did have a homeless man help himself to sitting down at my table and had to ask him to leave, and then went and solicited other customers. Other people seem to have very excellent experiences with the food so hopefully mine was an exception, but I wouldn’t order it again.

This place has a lot of potential, I think they need some fun artwork on the walls, more plants, more comfy seats, chill music, etc. Think central perk. It's a great location and the food and coffee are good (tasty cinnamon roll), but it's hard to justify the cost when the inside feels very drafty and lacking in character.

We had a great breakfast experience! The coffee, mocha latte, pastry, and breakfast dishes were delicious. We especially enjoyed the thick sliced milk bread toast with prosciutto and apple jam, the cheddar and chive biscuit with gravy, and the smoked salmon bagels. Since my last visit, the pastry choices have definitely changed for the better offering more variety of choices.

We’ve been staying in the west end of Asheville for a few days and I’ve been walking to the (many) different coffee places around here trying them all. West End Bakery takes the prize for our favorite. My wife is a chai person and I prefer coffee or espresso, and both were great here. Also the baked goods are amazing. The morning glory muffin is perfection. Soft fresh bagels and donuts are great too. Also love the vibe with all the plants and chill music. Thank you!

Look at these photos!! I can tell you the place smelled incredible. I didn't get to try their food, because they don't serve breakfast until 9:00 and I had somewhere to be. I will absolutely be going back there!

I really wanted to love this local bakery, however when I went in it felt like the staff didn't want me there. It took a while to receive my drinks, which I understood because they were busy. However I couldn't help but notice other patrons received much nicer service than me when receiving their orders. After I ordered drinks and two pastries, including a cinnamon roll, the patron next in line asked to purchase the rest of the cinnamon rolls and the staff sold them to her, selling the product I ordered a few moments before. I thought they may have more in the back so I waited 20 minutes until they approached me and asked what I was waiting for and then tried telling me they were sold out of the cinnamon rolls...even though I placed my order before they sold the rest of the rolls. While they let me have another pastry in place of the cinnamon roll, the experience left me feeling very self conscious and very unwelcome. I will not be returning due to the wait time and staff behavior

Aways make this a stop on your list! I visit Asheville a few times a year and always make this a for sure stop in my list. Breakfast? Lunch? Amazing. Pastry’s? OUT OF THIS WORLD! Almost all of their items are made in house as well. The owner Stephaine as well as all of the staff there are always so kind and create such a great experience.

What has happened to West End Bakery? What was once a vibrant spot with character and delicious food has been replaced by a sterile minimalist cheap aesthetic. Shelves are empty and chairs look like they came from a Subway. The biggest disappointment is that the veggie breakfast sandwich is no longer on a homemade biscuit with a locally made a fennel veggie sausage patty and delicious cheese but has been replaced with an overly mayonnaised, American cheese, impossible sausage patty mess on soggy bread. Unfortunately, I cannot say I will be returning to what was once a staple breakfast option.

I stopped in today with my daughter to try some of their pastries. As many of you know I am a huge fan of cinnamon rolls and I am very picky when it comes to a good savory cinnamon roll I purchased the vanilla cheesecake, chocolate donut and the cinnamon roll with cream cheese. The vanilla cheesecake was amazing! I will definitely be back for that. The chocolate donut tasted stale with no flavor. Not what I expected at all. The cinnamon roll was not at all what I was expecting it was hard and didn't even taste like a cinnamon roll. I gave this bakery a 4 star rating just because the establishment was clean. The restrooms were clean. . I am really picky when it comes to my sweet delights so I didn't want to be harsh in my rating. .

It was just okay. We went yesterday afternoon and got their avocado toast, a kolache and 2 coffees. Service was a little slow and inconsistent. This is the second time I've had to re-remind them I had ordered food because they forgot. The food was alright, coffee was good and the service could be better. The space is big but I wish there was a little more in there, looks a bit empty.

Yummmmmmmm! Don't let the simplicity inside fool you - this place is SO good! Soooo good. We found ourselves here for breakfast on accident when another spot fell through. A local recommended this bakery and we had already parallel parked so we walked over. The gals inside were super sweet and helped us make all our choices. My friends got hibiscus mojito iced teas and they were very good. I had a iced latte and their coffee is good. Great flavor. We tried the Ham and Jam biscuit which is a huge fresh biscuit with strawberry jam and prosciutto. Very good. Lotsa filling bread - this biscuit is thick! My friend also got the Boston cream-filled cruffin (I took a photo) it's a pretty little pastry with gold fleck on top. It was very moist and fresh and decadent. My other friend chose one of their savory pastries of spinach and cheese. They had several interesting flavors like pizza, Mediterranean, etc. all looked yummy. They warmed hers and it was moist and fresh. Super good flavor. I chose the breakfast sandwich on their house-made milk bread. It had eggs, cheese and I added their sage sausage. Let me tell you friends, ooey gooey warm and chewy! It was amazing. Potentially one of the best breakfast sandwiches of my life. I was worried when I saw it at first as it looked plain. But the cheese was melty and soft, the sausage was delicious, eggs perfect and fresh and the bread, how do I describe this thick but light, fluffy and heavenly bread?! Soooo good. Not too heavy despite the size. They sell it in loaves and if I could - I'd take it home! To go I got a large chocolate chip buttery scone. It was tough to choose bc the cinnamon buns, doughnuts and other items looked so yummy. I don't think you can make a bad choice here honestly. Plenty of seating inside and a restroom for customers.

Have come here several times and always enjoy their pastry assortment. You order from the counter and then they deliver your choice to your table. They also serve you coffee, and you can have one refill. They have good bagels, which is hard to find in Asheville. But, they have only plain cream cheese, which I think is a negative.

I really wanted to love this local bakery, however when I went in it felt like the staff didn't want me there. It took a while to receive my drinks, which I understood because they were busy. However I couldn't help but notice other patrons received much nicer service than me when receiving their orders. After I ordered drinks and two pastries, including a cinnamon roll, the patron next in line asked to purchase the rest of the cinnamon rolls and the staff sold them to her, selling the product I ordered a few moments before. I thought they may have more in the back so I waited 20 minutes until they approached me and asked what I was waiting for and then tried telling me they were sold out of the cinnamon rolls...even though I placed my order before they sold the rest of the rolls. While they let me have another pastry in place of the cinnamon roll, the experience left me feeling very self conscious and very unwelcome. I will not be returning due to the wait time and staff behavior.

Best cinnamon roll in Asheville! Clean & fast. Easy street parking. Their food and coffee is delicious.

By far my favorite place for amazing coffee, great breakfast choices, and amazing baked treats!

I don't understand the low reviews of this place. My wife and I make a point of visiting this nice bakery at least a couple of time every time that we visit Asheville. The employees are friendly, they make great coffee and breakfast items, and have a nice outdoor seating area as well. I just wished that I could sample more of the gorgeous baked goods that they have on display!

I drove across town to check this place out. I looked at their menu and decided I would get a breakfast sandwich and a pastry. They opened at 8 AM and I arrived at 8:10 AM only to learn that they don't serve sandwiches until 9 AM. Sorry but I'm not driving all the way over here to wait for 45 minutes to get food. The place looked nice and the pastry I purchased to go was fine. No excuse for not having the full breakfast menu available at opening time.

First visit here with friends visiting from out of state. Like other reviewers two other breakfast spots were busy; that said, very happy we ended up here. Will be back not only for the food but the value. Wow, it is difficult to order a breakfast meal standing in front of a bakery display filled with seductive goodies. In fact, the 8 year old with us 4 adults, started with a designer donut and then ate a whole bagel. The pork verde burrito was perfectly cooked, with a nice verde salsa (side) made for a perfect breakfast dish. Two others had the lox bagel breakfast. Plenty of cream cheese; fish not to salty or smokey. Plenty of lox on both halves of bagel. Large slices. The boston cream (pie) donut, unfortunately lack sufficient filling. The filling that was there was delicious but left one wanting more. The coffee was better than most. We sat outside which was quieter than the indoor seating. It was a bit cool with a breeze but once the food arrived, there were no further comments about the weather. Staff was friendly and helpful in explaining some of the menu choices.

New favorite bakery in Asheville! Came in for a late breakfast of an egg and cheese sandwich and a decaf coffee. Sandwich was simple and delicious, with their house made bread. The coffee was perfect as well. The service was friendly and fast. They're obviously still growing into the space, and the ambiance will only grow. I can't wait wait to come back.

I really love this local place. It's been here for a long time and I hope it stays. The staff are always nice and willing to make suggestions and help. I appreciate that they have an indoor and outdoor space although they could be improved (more comfortable, better flow of traffic) I love their baked goods and egg sandwiches. Lots of gluten free and veggie options. The coffee they brew is delightful and varied. The food always tastes fresh and is quite fair priced for Asheville. Great little stop- recommend it!

I decided to give this place another try. I ordered a coffee and an almond croissant. It was $9.50 before tip. The croissant was big- which made me excited, but the inside was almost raw. I couldn't eat it and had to throw it away. Truly disappointing. I guess fool me once- shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me. I would not recommend this place. truly disappointing. go to OWL bakery instead. It's just down the road!! 295 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806

Waited 30 mins for to go lattes. Both made incorrectly and they were gross. No caramel flavor. Just tasted like burnt water. Waste of $30. Ended up throwing both away. 1 star for their selection of baked good (can't speak to the taste) and their seating space.

Grabbed coffee and breakfast here after being foiled by sunny side cafe (huge line), early girl eatery (closed), biscuit head (line) and we were very glad we did! The coffee was piping hot and freshly brewed. My biscuit sandwich was completely loaded with fresh eggs, thick and flavorful sausage and cheese. The biscuit itself was big, soft and buttery. The food did take a little time to prepare so it's not a place if you're in a hurry but the wait easily paid off in freshness and taste. Highly recommend!

This place is really pretty on the inside with lots of seating if you need to get stuff done. Ordered a coffee in my own cup and she asks how big it was, I say something like maybe 20oz? She says they don't have a button selection for that quantity so charged me $7 for two smalls? I also ordered a bagel that was very good. It was quite loud in there to get work done but I'll attribute that to maybe time of day(midday on a weekend). This place was decent I was just mildly put off for paying 7dollars for drip coffee just for wanting to use my own cup?

This place was 'okay' but we'd probably never go back. First, it was very expensive with two breakfast sandwiches, one muffin, latte and reg coffee. The sandwiches were very tasty but we had to wait 25 minutes for them. The woman that took our order at the cash register warned us (give her credit for that) but there were 6 other people total in the restaurant. Had to wait about 10 minutes as the coffee was empty. The banana chocolate muffin had way too much chocolate and wasn't very good. With so many breakfast places in Asheville, this place will have a tough time unless they improve.

This is a great little spot in West Asheville we happened to pass walking by, checked out the menu posted outside. I saw that there were a lot of gluten free baked goods, so I was instantly sold! They have a big open outside window with their baked goods posted up right in the front. (They also have a LARGE coffee menu and sandwich options, etc). I picked out four baked goods, two raspberry brownies, a blonde and a banana nut muffin. They were baked perfect, which is a Scooby doo mystery for most bakeries, as most crumble as soon as you touch them. These were moist and held their form and were delicious. The man helping me was very friendly, and to find really good gluten free baked goods is rare. They were about $3.75 a piece which I thought was extremely inexpensive. Well done, West End.

Yummy coffee, huge cinnamon rolls, to die for quiche... and most important in my book, a little area with a couch, tables and toys on a rug to keep my littles entertained when we NEED to get out of the house. When living in south Fla I had wished there was a place like this around...

I got a biscuit sandwich when they opened a few weeks ago. So hype it was the last one. It was burnt and looked like it was from something you would buy in the grocery store. There was butter all over it, but it was thick and creamy and honestly gross. Very disappointing. $8 just for a biscuit with eggs. I honestly didn't even eat it. A waste

My husband, dog, and I went to this AMAZING bakery this morning for breakfast. The chocolate croissant with white chocolate cream was the best I have ever had. The bagels and cinnamon buns were also exceptional. The service was friendly and accommodating. HIGHLY recommend!

Went here because Biscuit Head down the street had a line to the outside. It was ok, the egg sandwich was nothing special and they had a fly problem so don't sit in the window seat. The latte was pretty standard. Nothing special, but better than waiting in line for two hours.

We had breakfast at this cafe this morning and were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food, service and the coffee. The atmosphere: nice, with a small-town coffee house vibe and original artwork adorning the walls. The cafe encourages guests to bus their own tables and deliver empty coffee pots to the front counter. The Coffee: self-serve and there are multiple options available including: Peruvian, Ethiopian and Mexican. Quite tasty. The Food: I had an everything bagel and my husband tried a sausage biscuit. The everything bagel was quite delicious; perfectly toasted with a crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle consistency. The Staff: very friendly and generally cheerful.

I agree with what a few other Yelpers mentioned about overall cleanliness of this spot... Something about it just seems grimey. I think it's the sheer number of people that come through -- they must have a hard time keeping the common areas clean. When we were in, the trash/recycling and coffee stations were a wreck and most of the tables had crumbs or little pieces of trash on them. They seemed incredibly understaffed with just 3-4 employees behind the counter and a line out the door. We tipped well as I felt bad for the few employees who were clearly busting their butts to just barely keep up. With all that being said, the coffee was strong and the food was good though. So, they're doing something right! You can't go wrong with their cinnamon rolls! We also had a sausage, egg and cheese on a bagel. Not bad, but I probably wouldn't order t again.

I'd give 4.5 if I could. Have since ordered a grilled cheese with tomato (properly griddled, choice of cheeses, and served with delicious fermented pickled veg), BLT (fresh, crispy bacon, tasty seeded sourdough, awesome farm-ripe tomatoes), and good iced tea (free refills). Wish they vacuumed the kids' area but love it nonetheless!

The three stars are ONLY for the friendly staff and the massive, amazingly delicious, freshly baked cinammon roll--one of the best I've ever tasted. The rest of the experience here, frankly, was subpar. My wife and I both ordered the bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich, and were left disappointed. The bread was fresh, but the eggs tasted as though they had been microwaved, and the bacon was dry. The sandwich was missing any kind of condiment--no butter, mayo, mustard... nothing. We had to walk over to the other side of the café and grab a bottle of ketchup, otherwise our sandwich would have lacked any measure of flavor. To top it all off, my wife's coffee felt flat. If you're not in the mood for baked sweets (most of which, admittedly, do look delightful), then I would keep walking.

We were driving around looking for a place to eat breakfast without a long line. We stopped in and we're pleasantly surprised with the amazing breakfast sandwiches, the croissants, and lattes. 10/10 recommend

Nice spot - casual, open, and sunny yellow with high ceilings. Deck outside for outdoor seating. Parking lot ($2/hr) or down the street works. Saturday morning here and it's not too crowded. Espresso (as I always do) and a huge macaroon - the coconut kind. Espresso is double, smooth and very rich - excellent. The macaroon is huge ($3) chrwy inside and toast s lightly on the outside with half dipped in a chocolate coating. I'm going to take part of this with me. Here for a meeting and studying meanwhile .. The AC seems a bit cool today but the outdoor temp has recently dropped quite a bit. All-in-all a nice spot.

One of the best breakfast sandwiches I've ever had, and great espresso drinks too. A little higher end and more expensive than a typical coffee shop, so I try not to go all the time. But when I do I love it!

Stopped in at another coffee shop that had a long line and slow moving. Walked down the block and into West End and grabbed a couple of coffees and a delicious sandwich. Staff were lovely! Coffee was great! And the sandwich was a hit! Noticed they also sell a nice selection of wines. Pretty greenery adorns the space. Would happily return to support this business!

While I do agree with others about how this place just seems grimy, especially the layout of the bathroom. I always just used to ignore that fact, because the coffee was great, the pretty good and there was always a specific beautiful smiling face when I walked in the door. In my most recent visit I got to hear that that specific smiling face was let go. Once inquiring a little further, the reasoning seemed ridiculous, but I guess I don't know the details. But it was that awesome service that kept me coming back. Something was just missing this time. There's so many other places I could get a quick cup of coffee, a snack, and get some work done on my laptop. So, to Battle Cat I will go next time. Maybe, just maybe, I'll give you another chance one day.

Just walked in and was greeted like an old friend. The dining area is clean with plenty of tables and room to move around. Fresh bread and danishes along with a huge selection of coffee drinks. The latte I ordered was severed quickly and it tasted great. The danish was better than average, but not the absolute best.

Beautiful cappuccinos, delightful baked goods, and hardly ever a wait. My favorite are their breakfast sandwiches, also the cookies, oh and don't miss their biscuits.

The upshot: we waited an inordinate amount of time for bland and uninteresting breakfast. Even when the food finally came, none of our order came out together. The food was lukewarm. When one person still hadn't gotten their order, and we just asked for a refund on that, they were somehow able to assemble the order in about 30 seconds and attempt to hand it to us. So it's not like they're cooking these things all to order either. Hummus and chips - bland. Bacon egg and cheese sandwich- bland and not hot. Cinnamon roll - fine but not stellar.

I was pleasantly surprised by the tastiness of the sandwich I received especially considering the good pricing. The iced chai latte was a bit sweet but that's how I like it. I would recommend West End for a breakfast on a bit of a budget !

Right now my favorite place in West Asheville to get breakfast, you know why? It seems so quiet, don't get me wrong , it's busy but it is also much more like a bakery not a breakfast place, people pick up stuff and leave , rarely hang out forever. I love Sunny Point and Biscuit Head a lot but man is the wait annoying there especially after 9.30 am. Here it's quick , they have parking ( validate your parking!) they also have espresso drinks , baked bread , croissants and great vegan, vegetarian and carnivore sandwiches. Their bread is seriously good, European Style with crunchy crust. The croissants are too big but that's an American thing( bigger is better ) but even though they are perfect buttery. The people that work there are friendly and patient and know their stuff. Their scones are as big as a head and change flavors. There seem to be specials like heavenly Portuguese Tarts that I never saw there before. I love this place sit in or outside, enjoy and people watch .

I like to taste!!! I'm in here now enjoying 3 giant pastries and a giant latte! My wife keeps leering at a table of firefighters but I am happy with my pastries and latte, they truly understand me

Just had the most delicious bacon egg and cheese sandwich on french bread. Ordered a cinnamon roll that was huge and wonderful. Big enough for four to share! Sweet waitress too!

Love this place! We come here every time we are in the area visiting. My husband goes just for the Morning Buns. Their cinnamon rolls are huge, like bigger than your head huge. This visit I got a slice of quiche and a serving of their kale salad. Both very good and good quality ingredients. The two guys behind the counter are very nice and helpful. This place is a must stop for everyone!

Cool, large place. Espresso drinks

I can see with other reviews why some people aren't giving five stars, but for us this morning, it couldn't be less. The veggie sausage breakfast sandwich was on point, w/house sourdough. Too big to eat whole thing. Then, when I'm at the counter, this evil woman brings out a hot pan of these cinnamon rolls which are huge!!!!! So, yea, had one of those...so soft and cinnamony and delicious. And then, to add insult to injury (I hope y'all are getting the sarcasm here), they bring out fresh challah. People....what are you doing to me???????? Friendly service and good prices round out the five stars.

Excellent bakery with a variety of delicious biscuit items as well as sandwiches! Scones are Delicious as well and quite large for a single serving! Worth the drive and will visit again

Would have been a five, had it not been for a grumpy employee, who apparently thinks basic civility and cordiality are optional. Visited 10-24-2018,?4:15 pm et Purpose: p/u four treats for my family (we live two blocks away and enjoy Westend a lot). Grumpy McGrumperson expressed herself in a way that she felt put out by our walking in and wanting to buy something. It was a bother to give the order, give correct change or hand us the box over the crowded counter. She walked away after transaction, no thank you, no smile. Definitely unhappy about something. Everybody has a bad day. I hope that's all it was. Love the bakery! Some of the best pastries around!

i really wanted to like this place but the coffee just wasn't good and the food was good but nothing out of this world. we order mocha with soy milk and it didn't taste like mocha at all. tastes like coffee made with water and a bunch of foam on top. i got the breakfast sandwich on a bagel and it was good but not really worth the $8. i have the place 2 stars because they are nice and it's spacious. i wouldn't recommend for coffee.

If you like thick slices of homemade bread.... than you'll love this place. For 1.50$ I enjoyed a piece of toast slathered in butter and house jam that knocked my socks off. Coffee was great and my sisters hot chocolate was scrumptious. Don't let the line scare you, the crew works fast and with smiles!

Not sure why there are so many bad ratings for this place. My wife, dog, and I stopped in for breakfast. I ordered the vegetarian sausage biscuit with a cappuccino, she ordered the sausage biscuit with a chai tea latte. My order was phenomenal. Easily the best vegetarian sausage I've ever had. The cappuccino was better than most I have had but didn't knock my socks off. My wife's biscuit was good as well but the chai tea latte was a little too sweet. That's not a knock on the restaurant, just our preference is different than most. We ended up getting a cinnamon roll for later in the day which was hands down the best cinnamon roll we've had. It's best eaten upon ordering but we didn't have the appetite to gorge. The service was on point as well. Solid outing and better than our trip biscuit head for breakfast.

We came here because the line was too long at Biscuithead but it was such a happy accident! They had great gluten free bread for breakfast sandwiches and gluten free muffins- delicious! I love stumbling upon gluten free places and this was great! Also, when we got here there was no line so it was perfect!

The lattes served to steaming perfection and the breakfast sweet roll was to die for even though it was late in the day when we ate there

Came to Haywood St for Biscuit Head, saw the line, and bolted down the street to West End Cafe. The biscuits here were amazing! Just got mine with butter and jelly and it was melt in your mouth goodness. Super nice staff and good espresso drinks. A little kids area with books and toys makes it very family friendly. Only lost one star for not cleaning down the kids toys often enough. Still never tried biscuit head, but they would probably have to be sprinkled with gold for me to wait in that line when they have such competition at this spacious cafe down the street.

I love an outdoor patio. I love dogs. You can enjoy whatever you get here outside with your pooch. There's a ton of space inside, but the food and drink selection wasn't really something I'd generally go for. There were two salads offered and another salad of the day, but it was a pasta salad. This place doesn't want you to make substitutions either.