Oh geez...this place is kind of unreal. I came in on recommendation from some co-workers in anticipation of a super delicious breakfast and the to-go bakery items that were bound to be purchased. I loved the place instantly...cozy, small-town bakery with locals sitting drinking their coffee and reading the newspaper. My breakfast consisted of the veggie sandwich (made with egg whites) and a chai tea latte. It was probably one of the best breakfasts I've had in awhile...and I finished that entire giant sandwich because it was so good. The bread was strikingly fresh and soft, and the heaping egg white, tomato, avocado, and cheese was just perfect. The chai latte wasn't my favorite...I prefer my chai lattes on the sweeter rather than spicier side, though I'm not knocking this one because I know that's just my taste and nothing they're doing wrong here. Did I mention that this place can do no wrong?? The bakery treats that I took home were the lemon blueberry bar and the carrot cake, which were both phenomenal. I ate both of them that day, and I didn't share! What a great place that I can't WAIT to return to at some point when I'm in this part of the country again! A must-go for sure.
(5)
Bonnie N.
I was impressed here. I'm a tough sell when it comes to bakeries...I am a chef myself, specializing in pastry and breads. This bakery was well received after two weeks on the road away from my own kitchen. Excellent. Breads are made from organic flour and good ingredients. Treats were very tasty. We got some bars to go, for a post hike treat, and they really hit the spot after 10ish miles in Mesa Verde! Breakfast was top notch too...the veggie breakfast burrito that I had "Christmas style" was really really good. It was huge too...I had to pass it around so my guys could finish it off for me. ;) I would totally return of ever in Mancos again!
(5)
Robert C.
Cool little bakery with an awesome atmosphere. The Mesa plate was awesome and the green chili sauce was great. Huevos rancheros are delicious and HUGE. Definitely get a half order if you don't plan on having leftovers. I would recommend this cafe to anyone.
(5)
Mary R.
We stopped here on a whim seeing "bakery cafe" on the sign while driving back to Chama, NM from Telluride. My husband and I were super impressed. I had the local beef hamburger and he had the chicken taco special. The food was in a word TERRIFIC! The potato salad which I usually don't eat was so delicious with a hint of spiciness. The coleslaw also delicious and tangy. The chicken tacos were out of this world flavorful. No typical sour cream or mystery cheese here. Homemade mango salsa and queso fresco. We had some baked treats also very good. Everything appeared to be homemade. Take a loaf of bread to go. Easily the best lunch we had our whole trip! Don't pass this one up!
(5)
David C.
Nice homey spot in a great place for breakfast. Plus they have a nice local Durango organic coffee company that they serve.
(4)
Erica S.
Cute little bakery in a cute little town! We stopped by here one morning when we staying in town for the 4th of July. We walked over from the playground. We had a large group so we grabbed a bunch of different pastries and cookies to go. We loved everything we got. The kids loved their giant cookies. Coffee was good. Prices are good too.
(5)
Mika C.
Veggie scramble is delicious. Crazy flavorful, good size and they had no problems substituting egg whites. Great Vegetarian options. They take their time in preparing but it shows and was worth the wait.
(5)
Christopher P.
This place is easily one of the best places I've ever been for breakfast. It's worth planning your trip around a stop here. Nice people, inventive food, good coffee, great atmosphere and location. Good vegetarian options as well. It's a no-brainer!
(5)
Jenny M.
I had the veggie scramble and my husband had the stack. The food wad excrement and the coffee was really good. The waitress was very nice also. We sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine.
(5)
Michael M.
You have to eat here in Mancos. Great food, great staff. The breakfast was great. I had the Sourdough stack. Yummy.
(5)
Nancy M.
Delicious lunch! Great menu choices! The chicken Greek salad and lunch special were both delicious. Picked up an oatmeal raisin cookie to go which was perfect!
(5)
Jason J.
An absolute gem of a restaurant in the middle of a small town. I went to breakfast a few times here when visiting the four corners region, and I knew it was good when the very next morning after eating there the first time I had cravings to return. The food is all prepared very well and is fresh--as in freshly baked items. Eggs that taste farm fresh, etc. I am not very much of a breakfast person, but for the food offered here, I happily made a vacation modification. Wait staff is very friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed, making for a nice morning routine. It will be the first thing I visit when I'm back in the area.
(5)
Mick M.
The blueberry lemon bars are to die for. We buy 4 every time we come to Mancos and the bakery is open. It closes at 2 pm and often we are too late to buy some.
(5)
Matt H.
This place is the tops! I have to say this is one of the best breakfast places in the 4-corners. Everything they make here is pure awesome. I have always been treated very well here in the past several years. This is a must stop place on my way to Telluride, Moab, The Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, etc... I will starve myself the night before so I can have a huge breakfast here and take away their macaroons for snacking on. Their biscuits and gravy are superb! Real, sawmill gravy, made with the drippings like it SHOULD be. (I abhor cream gravy). The times that I have been enjoying my breakfast I have found a used book that I want. Many great books seem to find their way to their shelves. Lots of anthropology and history of the area in many of them. They are worth a look.
(5)
Troy A.
This was a surprise. The food was amazing, between the 4 of us we had a variety and it was spectacular. I recommend the Pesto Pasta, creamy style. Baked goods, you cant go wrong with any of them. If they have the pumpkin brownie with cream cheese frosting get it.
(5)
Di S.
For what it is, it deserves 4 stars. It is a local casual family type restaurant. Great breakfasts and lunches, and delicious pastries.
(4)
Dave J.
What a great find! Had the most wonderful time here. Ended up sharing a table with another couple because they were so busy on a Saturday morning and it was the highlight of our day! Also had the most delicious blueberry and oatmeal pancakes. Food quality was excellent and the people extremely friendly. We'll make this place a regular stop when driving through Mancos!
(5)
B. D.
Dine-in or to-go orders - bakery and cafe. Great for breakfast for sure. Stopped for breakfast on Thurs 22-May. Coffee shop atmosphere - tasty, homemade food. Two-page breakfast menu with many options, including standard fare, a few southwest choices and some healthy options. Quality ingrediants. Almost all orders range $5-10. Huge portions - a half order of the huevis rancheros, at $6.50, is a full plate itself. Seems like a popular place for locals. I would definitely return and would look forward to it.
(4)
Lindsay R.
Great lunch spot, especially for a smaller group. I had the tamari ginger wrap, which was delicious, and others in my party enjoyed what they had too! Fresh bread and great desserts to grab on the way out. The wait staff was a little rude or irritated at first, and even a little unhelpful, for some reason, but their attitudes seemed to adjust by the time we were leaving.
(4)
Dan S.
Stopped here for breakfast based a recommendation from a friend living in Durango on our route from Mesa Verde to Silverton. Did not disappoint! They were quite busy, but still provided quick and friendly service. Their organic/natural ingredients and menu items provided a fresh taste to their meals. Kind of the place you might find in downtown Eugene or Portland, Oregon! Love it!
(5)
Curt P.
I love eating at The Absolute Bakery! Always great food and they have more seating now. I eat their often and stop in for a to-go wrap and a coffee on my way to the mountain bike trails in Durango or Cortez. Yummy!!
(5)
Randy S.
Full stack of real, hot, authentic sourdough pancakes, erred with real maple syrup, 2 eggs basted medium, bacon crisp, and great coffee. Wonderful breakfast! Spun the motor home around and doubled back so I could finally get some real, authentic sourdough pancakes! When the waitress offered real maple syrup, I knew then if I had a ticket for double parking the rig on Main Street, it'd have been worth it!
(5)
Susan G.
If I'm in Southwestern Colorado, I always stop here. They have the best coffee, pastries, breakfast, or lunch anywhere.
(5)
AJ R.
I cant tell you what its like to have been on a motorcycle for weeks and see a place like this pop out in front of you on the road. This was truly one of those magical "oh hey ill pull off here and check out this little town" moments. The wife and i had been on the bike for about two weeks and while going through Colorado we stumbled onto this little place and it was awesome. The food was awesome the service was awesome the only thing that wasnt awesome was waiting for a table! The place was slammed!! If you have never been to this place, you owe it to yourself to check it out, even if you're from Los Angeles.... like we are.
(5)
Ralph L.
Was traveling and stopped here for lunch. Wow! We really enjoyed the meal. Quiche was to die for. Great service!
(5)
Devon D.
Wonderful local bakery, everything is made from scratch! Try the eggs Benedict(only available on the weekend) or one of the quiches(types change daily) If you're in the four corners area, I definitely suggest a visit to this great bakery/cafe!
(5)
Joy M.
Wonderful service and food. Surprisingly fast.
(5)
Sean S.
Great breakfast wraps and vibe! Coffee was decent, 'though not as good as at the dedicated coffee shop down the street. Good place to grab a bite in town! Get there before 2pm, that's when they close!
(4)
Heather L.
Very good, made from scratch breakfast. It was worth the wait.
(4)
Sam R.
Sometimes, a sandwich is greater than the sum of its parts. And sometimes, such a sandwich seems so close to achieving at home that you continually try to recreate its perfection, even though you continually fail. This became true for us one rushed morning on our way from Mancos to Mesa Verde. It was with great sadness that we waited for our to-go vegetarian breakfast sandwiches, because we knew we could not linger in the charming Absolute Bakery. We also regretted already purchasing factory-made sandwich bread elsewhere -- the sourdough looked amazing! I kicked myself not many days later when I bought cereal, remembering Absolute Bakery's house-made granola. Ugh. But all of that is my fault -- let's refocus on what Absolute got so very, very right. The veggie breakfast sandwich. Grilled sourdough, melted jack, plain omelet, tomato and avocado. Mmm. Do not miss it, and do not miss the Absolute Bakery. (P.S., the Raspberry-Key Lime bar we had on the trail later that day was very nice too.)
(5)
Bob W.
We saw this on the map and, without the benefit of checking yelp first, we stopped in for lunch. Chipotle tomato pasta, quiche of the day, salad sampler and combo soup / sandwich were all delicious choices. Country chicken noodle had a nice "kick" to it. Salad sampler was huge, and would have been plenty for two. Ambience is funky and friendly. We also picked up 2 used books at the same time.
(5)
Andrew S.
Absolute, as in, the absolute best meal I had on my recent two-week tour of the Four Corners. My dad and I went 15 miles out of our way on the way from Mesa Verde to Moab to eat here, and it was worth every extra mile and then some. My two blueberry whole-grain sourdough pancakes must have contained a pint of blueberries; there was delicious, fresh blueberry in every bite. The cakes themselves were moist and delicious and, best of all, served with real maple syrup (accept no substitutes, ever). My half-order of huevos racheros took up an entire dinner-sized plate and was delicious as well. Seriously, a full order could probably feed a family of four. My dad said the bacon was among the best he's had. Absolute filled us up for a long day of driving and sightseeing; neither of us was hungry for at least eight hours, but despite consuming massive quantities of food, we didn't feel sick or overstuffed afterwards, which I consider a mark of truly high-quality food (or "slow food" as Absolute proudly advertises). In short, Absolute is the platonic ideal of the funky local breakfast/lunch/bakery/coffee shop: great food, great bread and baked goods (we got a loaf of rye bread and a chocolate pecan square to eat later; both really good), nice decor, extremely friendly and attentive waitresses, and an interesting mix of locals and tourists. I don't know if I'll ever return to Mancos, but breakfast at Absolute will stick with me (in the best way possible) for a long, long time.
(5)
Kema J.
We had the worst customer experience - Melissa the world's worst manager- was dismissive to my family when asking for recommendations on cookies and told us to "figure it out and hurry up". After calling to give feedback about our experience she continued to tell me that it was too busy to explain the menu (wait isn't that the job of a restaurant server/manager) and that we should have seen that?! Are you kidding me? When my sweet Aunt and Uncle were trying to pay for almost $50 worth of biscottis, she also threw our card and money back at us saying she didn't understand who was paying or what we were buying. Absolute Cafe gets 5 stars for incompetence, rude behavior, inability to take feedback and an ungracious troll of a manager. Advice to the Owner- find a Manager capable of giving recommendations, looking customers in the eye and being a semblance of polite in a service industry.
(1)
Rob K.
As far as I'm concerned, it's the only place to eat in Mancos. I eat here whenever my works brings me this way. Nothing short of excellent. The pasta cordon bleu is my favorite.
(4)
Whitney B.
The Joan's special was seriously the best thing I have ever put in my mouth!!! I also had a blueberry pancake which was just as awesome. My boyfriend loved kid food as well... I forgot what he had! Ppl working there were super helpful and friendly!
(5)
Ginger T.
Love love love Absolute Bakery & Cafe! The best breakfast we had on a two-week trip through the southwest. Do not miss the Joan's Special. I am still dreaming of it. Yum. And if the food wasn't great on its own---and good coffee too---the cafe also doubles as a used book store. Hooray for good food and good books!
(5)
Vivek V.
July 2012 What a find. This little bakery off the main drag is worth locating. Hours are limited and they close at two so get there early. Context: we arrived at 1:47 on a Friday afternoon with a party of four. Atmosphere: the bakery is just before a creek through the town and along a tree lined street. There is some outside, shaded seating and eight or so wood tables inside. The place inside is ancient,with wood floors and high ceilings. There is a small selection of high quality used books for sale including sections on the west, gardening and a small fiction section. Service: we were greeted by a friendly waitress who explained that if we were eating in, we should take a seat and she would wait on us. We were pleasantly surprised because of the late time we thought they would want us to get the food to go. Throughout our visit, all the staff was friendly and accommodating and we never felt rushed. In fact, at the end I ordered some tea to go and they just charged me a dollar because I had my own mug. Food the menu has a selection of sandwiches served on homemade breads, pasta, wraps and special meals. We had sandwiches, including the most enormous BLT ever, it included ham and turkey and was easily enough for two, served with a citrus coleslaw, with tiny pieces of real orange, and served on toasted bread. A roast beef and cheese sandwich on sourdough was good, and so was a roast beef with green chili on toasted bread. All the sandwiches were good and would ensure our return, but the dessert bars and cookies were exceptional with moist oatmeal crusts and creamy fillings. They have quite a variety from a lemon blueberry with a rich cheesecake filling, to date, to their most popular, key lime raspberry. They also had the best burnt butter cookie. My only regret was I only ordered one. It was very crunchy, toasty flavored and like toffee almost. The only disappointment was the biscotti which had the texture of a dry cupcake. They had 12 kinds of organic teas. I only wish I had this bakery closer to home.
(5)
Deborah S.
I have been to lots of good bakeries. This was a good bakery. For the food I would rate it a 4 but the service was really not good. I am sure it was just an off day but no one really seemed to care if we were there. I know some towns like that feeling of making people feel uncomfortable if they aren't locals but this was just uncomfortable. But the food is good.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Yasmin C.
Oh geez...this place is kind of unreal. I came in on recommendation from some co-workers in anticipation of a super delicious breakfast and the to-go bakery items that were bound to be purchased. I loved the place instantly...cozy, small-town bakery with locals sitting drinking their coffee and reading the newspaper. My breakfast consisted of the veggie sandwich (made with egg whites) and a chai tea latte. It was probably one of the best breakfasts I've had in awhile...and I finished that entire giant sandwich because it was so good. The bread was strikingly fresh and soft, and the heaping egg white, tomato, avocado, and cheese was just perfect. The chai latte wasn't my favorite...I prefer my chai lattes on the sweeter rather than spicier side, though I'm not knocking this one because I know that's just my taste and nothing they're doing wrong here. Did I mention that this place can do no wrong?? The bakery treats that I took home were the lemon blueberry bar and the carrot cake, which were both phenomenal. I ate both of them that day, and I didn't share! What a great place that I can't WAIT to return to at some point when I'm in this part of the country again! A must-go for sure.
(5)Bonnie N.
I was impressed here. I'm a tough sell when it comes to bakeries...I am a chef myself, specializing in pastry and breads. This bakery was well received after two weeks on the road away from my own kitchen. Excellent. Breads are made from organic flour and good ingredients. Treats were very tasty. We got some bars to go, for a post hike treat, and they really hit the spot after 10ish miles in Mesa Verde! Breakfast was top notch too...the veggie breakfast burrito that I had "Christmas style" was really really good. It was huge too...I had to pass it around so my guys could finish it off for me. ;) I would totally return of ever in Mancos again!
(5)Robert C.
Cool little bakery with an awesome atmosphere. The Mesa plate was awesome and the green chili sauce was great. Huevos rancheros are delicious and HUGE. Definitely get a half order if you don't plan on having leftovers. I would recommend this cafe to anyone.
(5)Mary R.
We stopped here on a whim seeing "bakery cafe" on the sign while driving back to Chama, NM from Telluride. My husband and I were super impressed. I had the local beef hamburger and he had the chicken taco special. The food was in a word TERRIFIC! The potato salad which I usually don't eat was so delicious with a hint of spiciness. The coleslaw also delicious and tangy. The chicken tacos were out of this world flavorful. No typical sour cream or mystery cheese here. Homemade mango salsa and queso fresco. We had some baked treats also very good. Everything appeared to be homemade. Take a loaf of bread to go. Easily the best lunch we had our whole trip! Don't pass this one up!
(5)David C.
Nice homey spot in a great place for breakfast. Plus they have a nice local Durango organic coffee company that they serve.
(4)Erica S.
Cute little bakery in a cute little town! We stopped by here one morning when we staying in town for the 4th of July. We walked over from the playground. We had a large group so we grabbed a bunch of different pastries and cookies to go. We loved everything we got. The kids loved their giant cookies. Coffee was good. Prices are good too.
(5)Mika C.
Veggie scramble is delicious. Crazy flavorful, good size and they had no problems substituting egg whites. Great Vegetarian options. They take their time in preparing but it shows and was worth the wait.
(5)Christopher P.
This place is easily one of the best places I've ever been for breakfast. It's worth planning your trip around a stop here. Nice people, inventive food, good coffee, great atmosphere and location. Good vegetarian options as well. It's a no-brainer!
(5)Jenny M.
I had the veggie scramble and my husband had the stack. The food wad excrement and the coffee was really good. The waitress was very nice also. We sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine.
(5)Michael M.
You have to eat here in Mancos. Great food, great staff. The breakfast was great. I had the Sourdough stack. Yummy.
(5)Nancy M.
Delicious lunch! Great menu choices! The chicken Greek salad and lunch special were both delicious. Picked up an oatmeal raisin cookie to go which was perfect!
(5)Jason J.
An absolute gem of a restaurant in the middle of a small town. I went to breakfast a few times here when visiting the four corners region, and I knew it was good when the very next morning after eating there the first time I had cravings to return. The food is all prepared very well and is fresh--as in freshly baked items. Eggs that taste farm fresh, etc. I am not very much of a breakfast person, but for the food offered here, I happily made a vacation modification. Wait staff is very friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed, making for a nice morning routine. It will be the first thing I visit when I'm back in the area.
(5)Mick M.
The blueberry lemon bars are to die for. We buy 4 every time we come to Mancos and the bakery is open. It closes at 2 pm and often we are too late to buy some.
(5)Matt H.
This place is the tops! I have to say this is one of the best breakfast places in the 4-corners. Everything they make here is pure awesome. I have always been treated very well here in the past several years. This is a must stop place on my way to Telluride, Moab, The Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, etc... I will starve myself the night before so I can have a huge breakfast here and take away their macaroons for snacking on. Their biscuits and gravy are superb! Real, sawmill gravy, made with the drippings like it SHOULD be. (I abhor cream gravy). The times that I have been enjoying my breakfast I have found a used book that I want. Many great books seem to find their way to their shelves. Lots of anthropology and history of the area in many of them. They are worth a look.
(5)Troy A.
This was a surprise. The food was amazing, between the 4 of us we had a variety and it was spectacular. I recommend the Pesto Pasta, creamy style. Baked goods, you cant go wrong with any of them. If they have the pumpkin brownie with cream cheese frosting get it.
(5)Di S.
For what it is, it deserves 4 stars. It is a local casual family type restaurant. Great breakfasts and lunches, and delicious pastries.
(4)Dave J.
What a great find! Had the most wonderful time here. Ended up sharing a table with another couple because they were so busy on a Saturday morning and it was the highlight of our day! Also had the most delicious blueberry and oatmeal pancakes. Food quality was excellent and the people extremely friendly. We'll make this place a regular stop when driving through Mancos!
(5)B. D.
Dine-in or to-go orders - bakery and cafe. Great for breakfast for sure. Stopped for breakfast on Thurs 22-May. Coffee shop atmosphere - tasty, homemade food. Two-page breakfast menu with many options, including standard fare, a few southwest choices and some healthy options. Quality ingrediants. Almost all orders range $5-10. Huge portions - a half order of the huevis rancheros, at $6.50, is a full plate itself. Seems like a popular place for locals. I would definitely return and would look forward to it.
(4)Lindsay R.
Great lunch spot, especially for a smaller group. I had the tamari ginger wrap, which was delicious, and others in my party enjoyed what they had too! Fresh bread and great desserts to grab on the way out. The wait staff was a little rude or irritated at first, and even a little unhelpful, for some reason, but their attitudes seemed to adjust by the time we were leaving.
(4)Dan S.
Stopped here for breakfast based a recommendation from a friend living in Durango on our route from Mesa Verde to Silverton. Did not disappoint! They were quite busy, but still provided quick and friendly service. Their organic/natural ingredients and menu items provided a fresh taste to their meals. Kind of the place you might find in downtown Eugene or Portland, Oregon! Love it!
(5)Curt P.
I love eating at The Absolute Bakery! Always great food and they have more seating now. I eat their often and stop in for a to-go wrap and a coffee on my way to the mountain bike trails in Durango or Cortez. Yummy!!
(5)Randy S.
Full stack of real, hot, authentic sourdough pancakes, erred with real maple syrup, 2 eggs basted medium, bacon crisp, and great coffee. Wonderful breakfast! Spun the motor home around and doubled back so I could finally get some real, authentic sourdough pancakes! When the waitress offered real maple syrup, I knew then if I had a ticket for double parking the rig on Main Street, it'd have been worth it!
(5)Susan G.
If I'm in Southwestern Colorado, I always stop here. They have the best coffee, pastries, breakfast, or lunch anywhere.
(5)AJ R.
I cant tell you what its like to have been on a motorcycle for weeks and see a place like this pop out in front of you on the road. This was truly one of those magical "oh hey ill pull off here and check out this little town" moments. The wife and i had been on the bike for about two weeks and while going through Colorado we stumbled onto this little place and it was awesome. The food was awesome the service was awesome the only thing that wasnt awesome was waiting for a table! The place was slammed!! If you have never been to this place, you owe it to yourself to check it out, even if you're from Los Angeles.... like we are.
(5)Ralph L.
Was traveling and stopped here for lunch. Wow! We really enjoyed the meal. Quiche was to die for. Great service!
(5)Devon D.
Wonderful local bakery, everything is made from scratch! Try the eggs Benedict(only available on the weekend) or one of the quiches(types change daily) If you're in the four corners area, I definitely suggest a visit to this great bakery/cafe!
(5)Joy M.
Wonderful service and food. Surprisingly fast.
(5)Sean S.
Great breakfast wraps and vibe! Coffee was decent, 'though not as good as at the dedicated coffee shop down the street. Good place to grab a bite in town! Get there before 2pm, that's when they close!
(4)Heather L.
Very good, made from scratch breakfast. It was worth the wait.
(4)Sam R.
Sometimes, a sandwich is greater than the sum of its parts. And sometimes, such a sandwich seems so close to achieving at home that you continually try to recreate its perfection, even though you continually fail. This became true for us one rushed morning on our way from Mancos to Mesa Verde. It was with great sadness that we waited for our to-go vegetarian breakfast sandwiches, because we knew we could not linger in the charming Absolute Bakery. We also regretted already purchasing factory-made sandwich bread elsewhere -- the sourdough looked amazing! I kicked myself not many days later when I bought cereal, remembering Absolute Bakery's house-made granola. Ugh. But all of that is my fault -- let's refocus on what Absolute got so very, very right. The veggie breakfast sandwich. Grilled sourdough, melted jack, plain omelet, tomato and avocado. Mmm. Do not miss it, and do not miss the Absolute Bakery. (P.S., the Raspberry-Key Lime bar we had on the trail later that day was very nice too.)
(5)Bob W.
We saw this on the map and, without the benefit of checking yelp first, we stopped in for lunch. Chipotle tomato pasta, quiche of the day, salad sampler and combo soup / sandwich were all delicious choices. Country chicken noodle had a nice "kick" to it. Salad sampler was huge, and would have been plenty for two. Ambience is funky and friendly. We also picked up 2 used books at the same time.
(5)Andrew S.
Absolute, as in, the absolute best meal I had on my recent two-week tour of the Four Corners. My dad and I went 15 miles out of our way on the way from Mesa Verde to Moab to eat here, and it was worth every extra mile and then some. My two blueberry whole-grain sourdough pancakes must have contained a pint of blueberries; there was delicious, fresh blueberry in every bite. The cakes themselves were moist and delicious and, best of all, served with real maple syrup (accept no substitutes, ever). My half-order of huevos racheros took up an entire dinner-sized plate and was delicious as well. Seriously, a full order could probably feed a family of four. My dad said the bacon was among the best he's had. Absolute filled us up for a long day of driving and sightseeing; neither of us was hungry for at least eight hours, but despite consuming massive quantities of food, we didn't feel sick or overstuffed afterwards, which I consider a mark of truly high-quality food (or "slow food" as Absolute proudly advertises). In short, Absolute is the platonic ideal of the funky local breakfast/lunch/bakery/coffee shop: great food, great bread and baked goods (we got a loaf of rye bread and a chocolate pecan square to eat later; both really good), nice decor, extremely friendly and attentive waitresses, and an interesting mix of locals and tourists. I don't know if I'll ever return to Mancos, but breakfast at Absolute will stick with me (in the best way possible) for a long, long time.
(5)Kema J.
We had the worst customer experience - Melissa the world's worst manager- was dismissive to my family when asking for recommendations on cookies and told us to "figure it out and hurry up". After calling to give feedback about our experience she continued to tell me that it was too busy to explain the menu (wait isn't that the job of a restaurant server/manager) and that we should have seen that?! Are you kidding me? When my sweet Aunt and Uncle were trying to pay for almost $50 worth of biscottis, she also threw our card and money back at us saying she didn't understand who was paying or what we were buying. Absolute Cafe gets 5 stars for incompetence, rude behavior, inability to take feedback and an ungracious troll of a manager. Advice to the Owner- find a Manager capable of giving recommendations, looking customers in the eye and being a semblance of polite in a service industry.
(1)Rob K.
As far as I'm concerned, it's the only place to eat in Mancos. I eat here whenever my works brings me this way. Nothing short of excellent. The pasta cordon bleu is my favorite.
(4)Whitney B.
The Joan's special was seriously the best thing I have ever put in my mouth!!! I also had a blueberry pancake which was just as awesome. My boyfriend loved kid food as well... I forgot what he had! Ppl working there were super helpful and friendly!
(5)Ginger T.
Love love love Absolute Bakery & Cafe! The best breakfast we had on a two-week trip through the southwest. Do not miss the Joan's Special. I am still dreaming of it. Yum. And if the food wasn't great on its own---and good coffee too---the cafe also doubles as a used book store. Hooray for good food and good books!
(5)Vivek V.
July 2012 What a find. This little bakery off the main drag is worth locating. Hours are limited and they close at two so get there early. Context: we arrived at 1:47 on a Friday afternoon with a party of four. Atmosphere: the bakery is just before a creek through the town and along a tree lined street. There is some outside, shaded seating and eight or so wood tables inside. The place inside is ancient,with wood floors and high ceilings. There is a small selection of high quality used books for sale including sections on the west, gardening and a small fiction section. Service: we were greeted by a friendly waitress who explained that if we were eating in, we should take a seat and she would wait on us. We were pleasantly surprised because of the late time we thought they would want us to get the food to go. Throughout our visit, all the staff was friendly and accommodating and we never felt rushed. In fact, at the end I ordered some tea to go and they just charged me a dollar because I had my own mug. Food the menu has a selection of sandwiches served on homemade breads, pasta, wraps and special meals. We had sandwiches, including the most enormous BLT ever, it included ham and turkey and was easily enough for two, served with a citrus coleslaw, with tiny pieces of real orange, and served on toasted bread. A roast beef and cheese sandwich on sourdough was good, and so was a roast beef with green chili on toasted bread. All the sandwiches were good and would ensure our return, but the dessert bars and cookies were exceptional with moist oatmeal crusts and creamy fillings. They have quite a variety from a lemon blueberry with a rich cheesecake filling, to date, to their most popular, key lime raspberry. They also had the best burnt butter cookie. My only regret was I only ordered one. It was very crunchy, toasty flavored and like toffee almost. The only disappointment was the biscotti which had the texture of a dry cupcake. They had 12 kinds of organic teas. I only wish I had this bakery closer to home.
(5)Deborah S.
I have been to lots of good bakeries. This was a good bakery. For the food I would rate it a 4 but the service was really not good. I am sure it was just an off day but no one really seemed to care if we were there. I know some towns like that feeling of making people feel uncomfortable if they aren't locals but this was just uncomfortable. But the food is good.
(4)