Bakery on the Common
9 S Main St, Natick, MA, 01760
Bakery on the Common Menu
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Address :
9 S Main St
Natick, MA, 01760 - Phone (508) 655-9992
- Website https://www.bakeryonthecommon.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :6:00 am - 5:00pm
Specialities
- Delivery : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
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Annette A.
We ate, we drank, we liked. We stopped by Bakery on the Common for a snack after walking the dog. We had a banana nut muffin and an Americano coffee. Both food and drink were good, and we really enjoyed being able to sit outside and eat while looking at the Natick Common. I'll have to come back on a week day. This seems like a nice place to work for a few hours while having a pot of tea and a scone.
(4)Big S.
Nice spot in downtown natick. They have a lot of great looking sweets and pastries. We got the milano sandwich and a lobster tail. Both were really good, the sandwich took a while but that was fine. Staff was super friendly and there was plenty of seating. The food is good, nice to have a spot like this in downtown natick.
(4)Jennifer S.
Made the mistake of going here again and... ... it's actually making me mad that this place continues to exist in such a crappy, yet elitist state (How is that even possible?!). Owner: are you reading these reviews? :-{ You need to hire a consultant, sell the business, clean house with staff or shut it down so someone who cares can move in. Your cakes are good, but everything else is decroded doo doo. Hire people who feel lucky to have a job and stop charging Wellesley prices for stale, sub-par food and horribly made "espresso drinks". Let a Starbucks move in, or an art gallery... or a hemorrhoid treatment clinic. Really, anything would be better. ugghhh.
(1)L S.
Having seen so many dramatic reviews, I feel the need to chime in. I agree the baked goods/pre-prepared foods are mediocre and remind me of what you might find at Roche Brother's Bakery. I agree the exterior looks more promising than the reality but it's a serviceable bakery. I have always had decent service, and I am a fan of their soups which are chock full of fresh ingredients. So overall, A-Ok.
(3)Leona B.
Great location, nice baked goods and decent coffee. But SO SO SO overpriced. Like $9 for a bacon egg & cheese on an english muffin? That's pretty nuts. But for some reason, we all keep coming back because of the location.....
(3)Thomas G.
I really think people have been too harsh on this place. I got the All American Breakfast and it was really good. My friend got the Nicoise Salad with salmon and it was also great. The portions were perfect size for the two of us (both big guys). I do agree the service could be better. Everyone behind the counter seems to be female high school students with limited social skills. That being said, they weren't THAT bad. Perhaps a one day workshop in communication and customer service will help. Bottom line - reasonably priced, good food, nice environment. Ignore the bad reviews and see for yourself.
(4)Paul C.
Bakery On The Common.... I have wanted to like you for so long. I go back occasionally hoping that it will get better. Sadly, It never happens. So I am officially never going back. First - Its overpriced. If you are going to charge $8.00 (if they don't up-charge you "by accident") for a veggie wrap, it better have more than a poor helping of lettuce tomato and onions. Heck, throw a few cucumbers and/or carrots in there at least! Their soups are mediocre at best, and usually bland. Their sandwiches are, again, overpriced and poorly constructed. I have had mixed experience with staff: Sometimes rude or making you feel like you just placing an order is annoying to them. Other times their attitude is just OK, nothing outstanding. They have often messed up my order. Once I ordered a smoked turkey sandwich, they gave me a turkey panini. I took it to go, so I didn't notice until later. It was extremely disgusting to the point where I couldn't even eat it. Once I asked for a different kind of dressing for a salad, never gave it to me. Last time I was told there was utensils in my bag to eat my food with. I guess I should have known to check because I go to eat my food later and....you guessed it....no utensils. Overall, I am OK with paying a little more if the food/service is worth it, but the value here does not justify the cost. I want to support local business, but not when it is turning out a bad product. I often think the only reason the place is still around is because its really the only "Cafe" in downtown Natick. What a wasted opportunity :(
(1)Christine C.
Cupcakes and cake are 5 stars!! love them so much, perfect cake and frosting. Soups are great as is their sandwiches although my husband thinks they are too big to eat (is that possible?). Service can be slow, especially at lunch and they have frequently messed up my order. And counter people are not always friendly although I have had a few here and there that are. Sandwiches are VERY expensive.
(3)Tavian R.
The customer service was so horrible on two separate occasions I will never return despite its otherwise good attributes. The food is good, the coffee is good, the location is really nice-- especially for those who want to meet in Natick or work nearby. Nice view to work with. But the service was appalling.
(1)Rachel B.
Plain and simple...don't go here. I could forgive the high prices, the mediocre prepared foods, and the unpleasant counter staff in order to occasionally get a (pretty tasty) muffin or baked good. But I CANNOT forgive the rudeness and gall of the owner. We had an incident last September that still bothers me, and after reading some other reviews, I needed to put in my two cents as well. My friend and I stopped quickly for her to get a coffee on a busy Saturday morning. There was nowhere to park on the street, so we pulled in behind the bakery. There was no signage stating we couldn't park there, but I said I would stay in the car so she could run in for 5 minutes. Not one minute had gone by when the owner stormed out screaming her head off at me that I couldn't park there and could I not read the signs? (Again, there were no signs anywhere. I went back and looked later to make sure.). When I didn't immediately look like I was going to move the car (because I was in the passenger seat), she threatened to call the police and THEN threatened to get in the car herself and move it because I was "incapable." Since she was actually making a move towards the car at that point, I quickly switched into the driver's seat and pulled out. I couldn't believe the interaction. All she had to do was nicely ask if I could move, and I would have done it in a heartbeat. Seriously, the woman has issues. Due to this interaction, it's been almost a year since I've been there (and I live within walking distance). Such a shame. New ownership would work wonders for this place.
(1)Ian S.
This place makes me feel like I'm trapped in an abusive relationship. I have to go to Natick approximately twice a year. Whenever it comes time to find a place to get breakfast, I convince myself to come back here, even though I remember not liking it the last time. "It looks so cute from the outside! Maybe this time it will be different!" I tell myself. But it never is. I end up just as disappointed as I was the last time. The charming storefront is really deceptive because it makes it look like this will be a really lovely bakery and cafe. But the food and the decor inside feel pedestrian and inelegant. It feels like some effort has been put into making everything nice, but the mark has been missed. To put it another way, it kind of feels like a run-of-the-mill diner trying to be more classy than it is. The food is unremarkable and overpriced. The pastries are made to look fancier and better than they are. Service is mediocre; I've never gotten bad service, but it's never been great, either. Staff appears to be mostly high schoolers. Oh, and it always seems to be freezing cold in there, too (every time someone enters or exits customers are blasted by cold air from outside). Anyway, I'm tired of being let down by this place, so I'll be going elsewhere on my next visit to Natick. I really mean it this time!
(2)Jean J.
Well, it is a breakfast place by the common. The food is pricey and mediocre at best, and it is apparent no one actually talks to each other behind the counter as I saw 2 different people preparing our food (which still took a long time). I want to like this place because it's at such a good location, but I am disappointed every time I give them another try. I am always surprised by how crowded it is on the weekend, but location, location, location!
(2)Michael R.
I have promised myself half a dozen times that I will never go here again but every few months I give them another chance and they fail miserably. It has a great location, decent food and coffee, and it should be a really great little bakery and community meeting place. But it's not. They've gotten my last three orders completely wrong but that doesn't even qualify among the top five reasons to avoid this place. I and my family will not return unless or until there is new ownership / management. The lady who runs the show is consistently rude. She overcharges, under delivers and treats her workers and customers with equal disdain. She acts as if the bakery is beneath her and that everyone should be eternally grateful for her presence. I've been here probably 25 times since I moved to town. In the beginning we used to go 2 to 3 times a week, and despite the fact this lady never smiled, never treated us with courtesy, I put up with it because the food was pretty good and the other staff was very friendly. But every employee we ever liked has quit or been fired and they all seem to have horror stories to share. Never again. Try SuSu Bakery in Wellesley or even Beyond Beans on the Natick / Wayland line. Avoid Bakery on the Common at all costs.
(1)Mike F.
Overpriced, rude staff and dirty. Need I say more? Needs an overhaul. Great location, no reason why a great bakery in Natick wouldn't thrive.
(1)Colin W.
Owner is rude, officious, and unreasonable: Saturday morning, I paid for my meal and was eating alone at a table for two, unobtrusively using my small ultra book computer. The place is mostly empty. Half way through my meal the owner comes up to me and announces "We don't allow computer usage on weekends, only weekdays. We used to have notices up but we don't at the the moment. Maybe I'll put the notice back up." WTF? I told her "You just lost a customer" and walked out with my meal half finished. Good riddance.
(1)monica d.
Ordered 1/2 sandwich with no peppers, 1/2 greek salad. Sandwich arrives with peppers. Salad has no dressing. I ask for dressing, and I'm greeted with "OH! you wanted DRESSING!???" I was then handed a package of Ken's Greek Dressing. Really?
(2)Leah F.
I only am recommending the place to order custom cakes. Hands down the best I have had in the area. Moist and not too sweet, plus they can do anything. I forget the name of the woman that takes the orders but she is very helpful. I have been ordering them for the past 2 years for every family birthday.
(5)Katharine B.
Went today to pick up a birthday cupcake.Early for a dental appt. across the street, being my birthday today, headed over to pick one up.Was parked along the restaurant. Called to check hours.yep open until 5 it was 4:45(Monday).Went to the door, open until 5:00. Restaurant was closed. No snow or weather condition warranting an early closure.went into a neighboring establishment and mentioned my disappointment. The worman I talked to also had the same issue when going over to get bread for a party she was Invited to that evening. No email or phone messages allowed. Won't bother with this place.
(1)Sara A.
I want so badly to love this place. The location is perfect, I love supporting local businesses, and the young women I have encountered working the register are very sweet. However, it is resoundingly clear that this place is poorly managed. I had similar experiences both times I ate here since April. I have a food sensitivity and alerted the staff to it. I shared with them that if they asked the cook to use vinegar and scrape off the grill that I will be fine. I'm fortunate that my sensitivities are mild enough that the vinegar trick works like a charm. The first time I ate here they did the vinegar thing but they got my order wrong. I had to send my food back because I had the time to wait. The young ladies at the counter were apologetic, but the manager/owner tried to convince me to eat the food they gave me, even though it was not what I ordered. I refused this arrangement and insisted that my food be prepared correctly. The manager grudgingly conceded. This left a bad impression with me, but the location is so convenient that my husband convinced me to go back and try again a month later. The second time I ate here I explained the vinegar trick again. The young lady who helped me was again, very sweet, and came out to let me know that she had informed the cook of my health issue and that she would use vinegar on the grill. And then I waited. And waited. My husband's food came out but mine was nowhere to be seen. It was a fairly slow morning and I waited for over 20 minutes before I saw that the cook was just hanging out in the back. I approached the counter and was told by the manager/owner that they hadn't put my order in because I had a food allergy. I explained to her that someone already informed the cook to use vinegar on the grill. She finally conceded that someone had forgotten to place my order and that they'd prepare it right away. This time I only waited a few minutes, but the omelet I ordered was seriously undercooked in the middle. I gave up. I ate my toast and the cooked bits along the edges of the omelet, then left. If you have a simple order or just want to get a beverage or baked good and run, I'm sure this place is fine. But for my purposes, Bakery on the Common falls far short of par. I can't say I won't return to sit with a friend who wishes to come here and chat, but I will not be ordering anything more complicated than a glass of water for myself. The only reason I'm giving two stars is because the young women who work the register are so sweet.
(2)Aarti C.
Having recently moved to Natick, we are trying to visit all local spots and the Bakery on the common is right in Natick Center. Two stars is the most I give this place. We went in for brunch on a Saturday and the food was quite average, I've definitely had better egg sandwich on a croissant. Husband's veggie omelette was dry to say the least. We might go again and try something different. Hopefully the next time the service will be faster too.
(2)Joe S.
Everything about the bakery is over priced, a sandwich that was not a great portion was around $10 I got the chicken salad sandwich and it was tasteless and hard to eat. The only of thing is location right downtown natick, wouldn't recommend spending time here.
(2)M. Y.
The pastries that we bought were all stale. The cake parts of them seemed days old, and they weren't cheap. I won't be returning.
(1)Rohit R.
The food is nothing special. I got a chicken panini for myself, my wife got a tuna melt, and grilled cheese sandiwich and nutella french toast for the kids. I'll get to the food in a moment. The very first thing I noticed is that the customer service skills of the staff are terrible. There was a middle-aged woman at the register who greeted us pretty rudely. A "Hello, what can I help you with" would have been completely satisfactory. Instead, we got a "what do you need?" Right away, I was already not a fan of this place. Secondly, the food is way overpriced for the quality of the product. The chicken in my panini was overcooked and the bread was too thick to taste any of the sandiwch. The french bread was not fully cooked and my wife's tuna melt had capers in it. Who puts capers in a tuna sandwich??? You should add a description of the ingredients if you're going to try to make it "fancy." If the customer service was halfway decent, I would give this place another try. I will not be a repeat customer!
(1)Bob M.
I love this place! Great for breakfast and lunch. I have enjoyed every meal here, have not tried the baked goods, but love what they do to eggs and sandwiches. The ambiance of the place is great, too. Old fashioned high tin ceilings, marble tables, big windows that overlook the park. Everyone I've ever brought wants to go there again! I see the remarks about the counter people not being friendly, but when that has happened to me, it seemed to be because they didn't speak English well. A little more training might help on that, which would raise my rating to 5 stars!
(4)Elise R.
Overpriced for mediocre food, poor service and attitude, and terrible piped in music. They charge $4 for espresso over ice - not even Starbucks charges that much. Will not be coming back. Their baked goods look like they sit there - hopefully no one gets food poisoning from here.
(1)Sarah L.
I really wish I could give this place a good review. It is in a great location and has a lot of potential. However, the food and drink are way overpriced, the staff is not friendly, borderline rude, there are flies everywhere and the smell of the cleaner they use on the tables is over-powering. The last food that I ordered there (prior to the fly issue of late) needed to be reheated multiple times. The first two times they gave it to me it was still frozen in the middle. Hopefully they figure it out because it really could be something great.
(2)Ronald L.
I frequent this bakery and the pastries are ok. Having come from a family that has had bakeries in their family for about 100 yrs in Holland, I'm tough. What bothered me is the older women is quite rude. "Whatcha want?" Not even a "hi" or "good afternoon" - A women asked "what do you have for muffins?" The women behind the counter said "same as every day. Wow! The women inquiring said "I've never been here before" to me...
(2)Elliot W.
Delicious homeade soup, salads and sandwhiches, everyone can say bad stuff about the service but the food is good and its convienent.
(5)Jacqui P.
Don't expect to get what you order. I have never received a correct sandwich order. Complaining or asking them to correct the order is useless. They still find a way to screw it up. I have lived in the area for the last 3 years and every few months I try this place again and I am ALWAYS disappointed. Today I ordered the three cheese grilled cheese which comes with tomato and basil and a bacon, egg and cheese on a croissant with a request that the egg be scrambled instead of fried. We received a cold grilled cheese with no tomato or basil and a runny fried egg on the croissant. We politely explained this is not what we ordered and wondered if they could fix it. 10 minutes later we were given another bacon, egg and cheese on a croissant with another fried runny egg. They didn't bother to replace the grilled cheese even though we paid for the one with tomato and basil. Never coming back.
(1)Bette G.
This place is extremely expensive for what you get. I only went there because Java Jims was closed and I needed my food fix. The breakfast sandwich was half as hefty, half as good and double the price. Today I noticed that I was charged 25 cents to dine in, I was not told this by the cashier, which is sneaky! So my 1 poached egg, thin slice of ham and American cheese on croissant with a bottled tea was $10, while it was the least expensive meal on the menu. I've gotten the omelette before and I didn't feel like completely laughing at the portions today. I couldn't even enjoy it because I felt so ripped off. If I'm being charged an extra top secret quarter to sit in a loud, crowded environment I shouldn't have to put my own dish away too. I also saw a big, unsightly sign that says "no computers on weekends".. excuse me? This place is PRETENTIOUS and CRAPPY and no amount of Frank Sinatra playing in the background will make it as pleasant of a dining experience as you're paying for.
(1)Craig L.
Huge potential though they need someone to help them out on the customer service side. Really like the ambiance and location. Prices are reasonable and portions (especially the french toast) are above average. Quite a wide selection of pastries. Suspect English is a second language for the staff but hopefully some of them check out their reviews as this place could be amazing.
(2)Tim A.
I come here for coffee and tea to hang out and do work on my computer. It's a good central spot in Natick to meet up with other people. I love the atmosphere and the people who work here have always been kind and gracious to me, so I don't know what the complaining about service is all about. The crack about the retarded guy was a cheap shot. There used to be a man who cleaned the tables here who was "different" - but as nice as can be and I always looked forward to talking with him. I try to avoid carbs and that's pretty much all they have, but they usually look pretty good. The prices are kind of steep: $12 for soup and half a sandwich? Really? Unfortunately, the wireless connection is often unreliable and so I'm reluctant to set up camp here to do work because it slows everything down. I wish they would offer more low carb options and invest in a faster internet connection. Then I'd come here more often.
(2)Robin Y.
I've found this place to be consistently unimpressive, even though I really, really want to like it because it's the only coffee place in Natick Center. It's overpriced, the drinks and pastries are less than average, and the service isn't at all warm or welcoming. My fiancé ordered a chocolate croissant and asked for it warmed up. They put it in a paper bag and stuck it in the microwave, then just handed it to him like that, with the chocolate melted all over the inside of the bag and a big grease stain on the bottom, steaming hot- not appetizing, as delicious as it tasted. The lattés are super hot and have literally no foam, and the espresso tastes kind of burned and not fresh. I really wish that this place could listen to the feedback they're clearly getting on here and back up the fairly good pastries with infinitely better service and better drinks- they have no competition, which presents the perfect opportunity to be everyone's favorite neighborhood coffee place, and they unfortunately waste it.
(2)Charlotte M.
I've had two bad experiences here. Some of the staff are extremely rude, and from other reviews I've read, I'm not the only one whose experienced this. My friend and I came here after a yoga class, he wanted oatmeal with fruit on top. The girl at the counter said he could only get one kind of fruit, he could not have a mix of fruits. She then got really angry about him pressing her about it. The second time I was meeting up with a friend just for coffee and hot chocolate. It was snowing outside a little bit, there was no accumulation of snow on the ground. We got there at 4:00, they closed at 5:00. Apparently they were closing early because of the "storm." They did not tell us this, and proceeded to turn off the lights and start sweeping around our table. They locked the doors and we counted 10 people who tried to come in and order food but they were locked out. When we left, we had to unlock the door for ourselves. It was pretty ridiculous. You should never lock people in your restaurant. I work in a restaurant, if I treated people the way we were treated, I would be fired. If they could have swept us out the door they could have. I haven't experienced such consistent rudeness at a restaurant in my life.
(1)Ann H.
The only reason this place makes it is because of location. The tables are never clean and the owner is always very rude to customers. Today was the last straw for me. The owner was openly being rude to a customer that was trying to ask a question, it took an hour to get the wrong lasagna, then another customer was having issues when we were getting our money back. Save yourself time and money, just walk down Main St
(1)Serenity B.
This place gets one star because it does have tasty pastries and the coffee is quite good too. If you buy anything else you're wasting your money! Like many other customers I used to go regularly. Despite being there every morning for 2 years I never got a smile and it's seems they didn't recognize me. Customer service has continued to get worse and don't even bother complaining if the food is cold, stale, or the WRONG thing. Believe me they will fight, sneer, and bully you. Plus- its expensive! $25 for 2 drinks & 2 disgusting, incorrectly made sandwiches, and awful customer service. Go down the street to Lola's or Bill's pizza - they exceed expectations. For coffee Bacon Street Market is great & less expensive. All these places have friendly people! Bakery on the Common should take lessons
(1)R H.
Nice place. Service was fine, but the mentally ill guy passed out at the table next to me makes me feel a little uncomfortable.
(3)Brittany T.
Cute place to get a bite to eat. Not the friendiest staff, but it is a cute spot. Sadly you can't get a Panini as the 1/2 sandwich & soup combo and the regular sandwich items are limited. Bring quarters for the meters on the street!
(3)julie w.
I have not found the staff rude, but I was treated to lunch here and it was very awkward because I ordered a sandwich with no cheese and there was cheese in it. Cheese just gives me a stuffed up nose the next day, and because it is not a serious allergy and I was being treated to lunch by a business colleague that I did not know well, I did not take it back. (We got take out and ate at her work place.) My brother worked in the restaurant industry and mistakes happen, but reading the reviews there seems to be a consistent lack of attention to detail and mediocre quality here. Another time I came by myself and ordered the lentil soup. It looked great, but I had a hard time finishing it because it had a strong sour flavor like too much lemon? I actually had half of it put in a to go container not wanting to waste food. I did order a quiche once and a pastry once (don't remember what) and they were good.
(2)Stormtrooper H.
We were visiting from out of tone and this place looked really nice. I ordered the ruben and it was $9 and only have 3 very thin slices of of meat on it and almost no kraut. They should be ashamed. The counter service was pretty slow and not very friendly also. I gave 2 stars only because the rest of our food was decent, but also over priced.
(2)Jessica H.
I've been to this place for like...I dont know maybe like 20 times? Now that I remembered I even got my birthday cake and my friend's birthday cupcakes from this place, it is a pretty good little place if you're hanging around downtown and tired. and I always order strawberry smoothies from here, once I got a turkey sandwich and it turned out pretty great! Coffee is good here and lemon bars are amazing.
(4)Catherine W.
This is a review for a birthday cake I ordered there recently. It was a seemless order and staff was friendly when I picked it up. It was $23 for a very generously-sized 6 inch cake (surprisingly tall) with fruit filling (strawberry & vanilla mousse). The bakery is located right on a corner of this downtown area. Street parking only which may be difficult during busy times (I got lucky and scored a good spot).
(4)David W.
If there was an option for ZERO stars I would have chosen that. Avoid this place. Very expensive...$3 cookies...ouch! Oh, and don't plan on using your debit/credit card unless your total sale is more than $10. For the prices they charge, they have a nerve to charge for the use of a debit card. Definitely would NOT recommend! I like to support local business but I won't go back here.
(1)Dawn E.
hrm. The pastries and breakfast sandwiches and whatnot are pretty good, but it's amazingly overpriced for what you get. Still, in a pinch, it's there.
(3)Ari M.
The staff is incredibly rude and they never get my order right. Unfortunately it is one of the few places near my office so when I need something quick I resort to this place, but not at all happy about it. I agree with the other reviewers in terms of quality of food. Also, they often forget items and don't pay attention when you're ordering.
(1)Anne C.
This place used to be wonderful, but the newest owner, Marina, is the rudest person I have ever encountered. My boyfriend and I ordered two breakfasts to go. He picked them up and brought them home, at which point we discovered that they had omitted the salmon from my salmon sandwich. We had encountered errors in the recent past, but hadn't ever complained...chalking it up to human error. But without the salmon, this sandwich is nothing more than cream cheese and tomatoes, so he called to ask them to remedy it. We felt that the new sandwich should be comped, since he had to bundle up again and return to the shop to return the erroneous sandwich and get the new one. Marina was extremely rude after hearing his suggestion - she barked, "You can either have your money back or a new sandwich. Not both." Okay, rude, but the worst is, when he went to pick it up, she THREW the new sandwich at him. She was clearly angry at the fact that he *suggested* that it might be in their best interest to show some customer service to keep long-time customers happy. When he got back home and told me about this, I was furious. I called and asked to speak to the manager - the clerk asked why and I said that I was dissatisfied with our service and wanted to complain. I asked for the manager's name and was told it was Marina. I asked for the last name, and the clerk said she didn't know it. I told her to please find out. I was put on hold indefinitely, and eventually hung up. This kind of customer service is hideous, especially to Natick residents who were long time customers. We will never return here, and we will instruct all of our friends to avoid this place. Marina, you have a lot to learn about how to run a successful business in a small, tight-knit community.
(1)Melissa D.
Cute place and breakfast is standard here. I like the cafe like area and the desserts look wicked yummy. Definitely need to try next time around. Serving size of the breakfast is standard, a bit pricey but the wow factor is the bread. That was amazeballs.
(3)Maria T.
Simply can't believe all the 1-star reviews! Great pastries, great cookies, AWESOME bread, and the sandwiches and subs are seriously satisftying. Not only do they have a big menu, they mix it up and offer different specials basically every time I've gone in. Soups are always good and their tira misu cups are my favorite. I've never tried their coffee, however, it seems like theirs would be quite good! They have a great view of downtown Natick and it is an enjoyable place to sit and read or use one's laptop. Not only am I giving you 5 stars, bakery on the common, I will continue to purchase and share your delicious offerings whenever pastries are in order.
(5)Joyce T.
My husband and I will sometimes travel 20 - 30 minutes away from home on the weekend to get a breakfast and espresso. We came across this locale about a year ago and had a great experience. I want to say it wasn't a long standing experience - we have had nothing but mistakes with our orders, even when we double check the order before paying, it comes out wrong. A few of the young women working the registers are as pleasant as they can be, which we appreciate, considering the conditions they work under. It is our fault that we continue to go back...always thinking "oh this time it might be better"..so we are truly to blame for going back. Our LAST attempt, a week ago, was the worst. I very carefully placed our order AND had her read it back and even corrected it twice. I thought it was a bit higher price, but didn't question until I had my receipt and went to sit down and review it. I found discrepancies and went back to question. Customer Service 101 is very certainly not in their vocabulary when I pointed out two errors. I found out the woman who took our orders, is the owner. She actually went to my husband and told him I had an attitude. He just laughed and thanked her for being so rude and making us feel quite uncomfortable in an establishment that we hoped would provide a nice beginning to our day. I would agree with another poster/reviewer..if I could give minus stars, I would. She is a very unagreeable woman and she needs to rethink how she handles her staff and customers. I couldn't be more displeased.
(1)Antonio L.
It gets two stars because the food is good. When they get it right. I'm hard-pressed to think of a time when they haven't gotten my order wrong. And forget about going to Bakery on the Common when there's an event going on in the Common. They'll be out of everything, and tell you that after you've paid them. Once I demanded a refund after they could not fill my order, and they didn't know how to refund my card. So I got a bunch of dollar bills and a pocket full of change. Thanks. And to echo other reviewers, the wait staff is very indifferent, sometimes annoyed that you're there. They could be great if they only cared about their customers, and weren't so uptight about everything.
(2)Bill M.
Used to be a very nice place but does have new owners that are not at all pleasant. Very unappreciative of their customers. So aside from the unpleasant staff... they have gotten my order wrong 2 out of the 3 times I've been... which is frustrating. For the price there are much more enjoyable places to go. This is the first poor review I have EVER given.
(1)Dave B.
Overall a nice experience. My fiance and I were in Natick waiting on a service from another merchant, and found this place while wandering around downtown. I had an omelet and was extremely satisfied with it, although the potatoes were a little leathery...definitely cooked much earlier and reheated (they all seem to think nobody will notice but it's so obvious). I wish they hadn't put the butter packets directly on top of my piping hot eggs...by the time I got to my table and opened them, the butter had completely melted to liquid. Really good coffee, something that's becoming increasingly harder to find because New Englanders have terrible taste in coffee.
(4)Derek And Jessica B.
We ordered a cake from Bakery on the Common for our son's 5th birthday. They did a great job! We had a Star Wars theme...and they made a great Darth Vader themed cake for us. It tasted just as good as it looked, too. My only complaint is that the cake was WAY bigger than we needed for the number of people we told them we were serving, and I have leftover cake for days...years?? I probably could have gotten the next size down and had plenty. So much leftover. But that's not the worst problem to have when it tastes so good! Going into the bakery to order the cake they had a very large variety of pastries and desserts to choose from, and we can't wait to go back and try more! Their breakfast and lunch menus looked pretty delicious as well. Will review once we try more!! But I definitely recommend their bakery for a cake...it was delicious and beautiful!
(4)Nan A.
Cute place, I had an Almond Joy bar that was joyful.
(4)Steve S.
Stopped for lunch. Atmosphere is urban coffee shop. Nice place for a meeting. didn't have to wait in line long to order, and pretty quick turnaround. I got the minestrone soup. Tasted like it came out of a can. Maybe I should have stuck with a sandwich. I gave it a 3 because of the atmosphere, otherwise would have been lower.
(3)Ben J.
So this is a place I used to love, and want to love again. Here's why: It's a local business in a downtown which is really coming back into its own. In a world of chain coffee shops and large businesses squeezing out locals, these indie businesses are more and more important to communities. Bakery on the common does pastries really well. I've never had anything that wasn't good, and I've occasionally had baked goods which are amazing. The coffees are ok, as are most of the non-pastry items (breakfasts, sandwiches, etc.). However, the service has been on a *huge* decline over the past years. Slow, rude, and frequently incorrect orders are par for the course. The prices are too high for the quality of product - which I am willing to pay to support a local business- but they are *way* too high for the poor level of service offered - which I am not willing to pay. Here's hoping they come around and get back to where they were a couple of years ago before the town abandons them entirely and another big national corporation moves in to take its place.
(2)Chris S.
Recently had breakfast with my wife at the Bakery. SUPER DISAPPOINTED! The home fries looked to be "re-fried" as they were dripping in cooking oil and seeping over into my eggs. VERY SUB PAR BREAKFAST FOODS. There are 3 things that keep my wife and I coming back: Eugenia, Acacia, and their coffee. They are two of the nicest people to see first thing in the morning and the Bakery's coffee remains the best in Natick. I just wish this place would get their act together and put out food that was worth the ridiculous prices they charge.
(1)Will G.
Pros: Quaint, clean atmosphere. Fresh food. More cozy and less pretentious than Starbucks or some copy-cat. Wi-fi is fast. Cons: Few red flags here, 1. The abundant, obnoxious signs that read in large red letters "No laptop use on Saturdays and Sundays". Haha, wait what? Seriously? Seriously. 2. 4.50 is way too much for a croissant and 8.50 is way too much for a sandwich. You're on Pond Street, not Fifth Ave.
(1)Heather J.
I went here a few times, and I had high hopes, and if you just want a drink, I think it's okay, but their food (I'm gluten free, so my options are limited anyway) has not been the greatest. And then, the worst thing happened a few months ago. Not to me, but another patron, and because of it, I will never go back. A woman had a service dog with her. The dog had his special vest on, clearly working. One of the workers, a woman, started harassing the woman with the dog, telling her that dogs were not allowed in the establishment. This would have been fine if this wasn't a service dog, which the owner clearly stated that this dog was. The worker badgered the woman if she was blind, which she wasn't, and apparently, in this person's world, a seeing eye dog is the only kind of service animal. And if he wasn't a seeing eye dog, obviously the dog needed to leave. This staff member was incredibly rude and insensitive, and definitely needed an education. If I were more into confrontation, I really should have stood up for her. I feel bad about that. But I can boycott.
(1)Regina W.
Free unsecured wi-fi and good mochas. The crowd is mainly people to meet friends/family for lunch rather than students studying. I found the volume of the place to be rather loud to get some serious studying done, but manageable to work for a few hours with the aid of earplugs. I ordered the half soup and sandwich which turned out OK--but not amazing. I would come back if I was in the area, but would not go out of my way to visit again. P.S. The baked goods looked delicious but I didn't try any.
(3)Sarah I.
Service is unfriendly and awful. I don't think I've ever seen someone smile in there. My 5 year old likes to go in for cupcakes so I bite the bullet from time to time. Today I was famished so I ordered a mozzarella, tomato and basil panini. It came out and the bread was so hot I couldn't hold it. However the cheese was cold- not melted at all. I took it to the counter as asked them to melt the cheese- she grabbed my plate and whisked it away into the kitchen without a word. When I finally got my panini it was so bland and inedible. I might as well have been eating cardboard. Bummed I paid almost $10 for a cupcake and sandwich. I would suggest Comella's instead. I don't know a single person in town who actually LIKES this place! Time for something new!
(1)John C.
I used to come here every day for lunch, but now just get lunch once in a while on weekends. The place used to be really great, but the original owner who was a baker sold it to some lady who is not a baker and has a personality which is not suitable for a service-oriented establishment. Luckily for me they keep making the old sandwich recipes so for lunch it is definitely good enough, but if you need any serious baking or cooking done, go somewhere else. I decided to try a neopolitan recently and that turned out to be a mistake.
(2)David L.
Despite being a long-term supporter of Bakery on the Common, I must now sadly recommend people avoid going here on weekends. Despite being one of about six patrons, I was asked to leave on Sunday AM for using iPad while eating breakfast. To be fair, this policy is posted. However, I could understand enforcing the policy if busy, but not when mostly empty - it was simple officiousness by the waitstaff.
(1)Danielle J.
When I asked someone at a local breakfast nook if she knew of a cafe that carried soy milk, she directed me to Bakery on the Common. The following details my first experience with this "upscale" cafe. Upon walking in, the atmosphere seemed to cater to trendy hipsters, families, and friends alike. I marveled at the beautiful pastries, cakes, and other desserts in the large case. I ordered a vegetarian lasagna, a mini almond cake, and a soy latte. The unsmiling barista plunked the lasagna down in a to-go container and turned around wordlessly, presumably to make my latte. I lifted the container and the lasagna was cold.. okay. I wanted to sit down and eat my meal and while I don't mind not having a plate (because I probably wouldn't eat the entire portion), I did want warm lasagna. That's reasonable, right? The (still unsmiling) barista plunked down my latte and when I asked if he wouldn't mind warming it up a bit, he went to get a bag. I asked him again if he could heat it up and he made a face. I promptly said, "It's for here.." He swept it onto a plate and into the microwave. He pointed down to the case, where I followed. When I pointed and said 'almond cake' for the third time, he grabbed a chocolate mousse and dumped it unceremoniously onto a plate, shoving it onto the counter without saying a word or even making eye contact. [Note: I think that the mousse was mislabeled as almond cake, but I did say that I wanted almond cake numerous times.] It came to nearly fifteen dollars. Owch. I took a sip of my latte. OWCH. I think the milk was actually burnt. Fifteen minutes later, the milk was cooled enough to sip. Hm. Definitely not the best latte I've ever had. The lasagna was also mediocre. Summary: terrible, unfriendly customer service expensive, mediocre food I'll take the breakfast nook with the friendly waitress, soy milk or no.
(1)Amy E.
I want to love this place, but I have to agree with Danielle J. - the very unfriendly counter server actually raised his voice to me when I was stunned at how much the unmarked decorated cookies and one small lunch item came to. Did I make a wrong turn and end up in Wellesley? Really? $20 for three small things? I forgave you the heel of the bread in my panini months ago. I was willing to overlook the spoiled turkey last fall (haven't eaten turkey since I was so sick), but rude customer service is not okay. Do not raise your voice to me or assume I do not understand English. Do not roll your eyes at me or talk about me while in hearing range. Not okay. I will take my hard earned dollars to another place - oh look - there is one over there.
(2)Shari M.
Ordinarily, Bakery on the common is a great place to grab a bite to eat. However, the food is over priced, bakery goods lack flavor, and heaven forbid you don't hear them call your order number. I was recently given the wrong order and was in a rush leaving no time for me to go back and get the right thing. When I called them to see if I could come back the next day and be refunded, I was told to either bring the sandwich back or kiss my 9 dollars goodbye. It was terrible customer service in my opinion. It was a sandwich, if they didnt want to refund me they could have at least made me the one I ordered in the first place when I went back the following day. I received no apology and do not plan on having a meal there again.
(2)Philip B.
My last review was almost two years ago, and nothing has changed. I really want to like Bakery on the Common, but they make it difficult. This morning I picked up a couple or almond croissants and a breakfast burrito WITHOUT ham. The croissants were ok, but it's a good thing that I checked the burrito. Despite having asked for no ham, and the counter person writing NO HAM in big letters, guess what was on my burrito? Botched orders are not unusual at Bakery on the Common. While waiting for a new, ham-less burrito, two more orders were messed up. I'll check in again in two years. I'm kind of hoping Starbucks takes notice of this location and moves in to replace this sad cafe.
(1)Katie S.
This is the only place that's even reasonably like a neighborhood coffee shop by my school, so I was kind of stuck with it. I've been here numerous times and here are the things you can count on: -Overwhelmingly rude baristas -mediocre food -forgotten drink orders -scalding hot drinks, always in paper cups- no matter what you order. -tacky decorations -complaining staff... (?) -crazy-high prices
(1)Jamie S.
I had forgotten how good this place was, but a trip back to the homeland for some dog sitting and suburbia-induced ennui brought my lovely lady and I here for lunch this past Saturday!!! Tuna melt is good. Tuna salad is yellow. Hmm. French's mustard in there, is that why? No matter, still tasty, just odd. Sandwiches come with chips (I forget the brand but they were damn good) and a pickle for around 7 or 8 bucks. Nowadays I guess that's not too bad of a deal. Iced coffee is mad good, perfect for washing down a slice of CHOCOLATE DIPPED CHEESECAKE (said with echo). That's right we went for dessert...tough not to with all that delectable fucking goodness staring you right in the midsection as you walk by. Whoa. Cheesecake is delicious but it is filling (ron burgundy voice)!!! I should probably add this to my Natick list. It's definitely must-hit when in the Home of Champions.
(5)Gee W.
Went for breakfast. 2 eggs, meat, potatoes, and toast was $10 a plate. I had a family of 4 to feed! When I explained to my kids we could get 5 pizzas for that much, they understood. I don't mind spending the money when you get value from it! We went to another Natick establishment that was just as good - with smiles- for a fraction of the cost.
(2)Jimmy M.
My son used to have soccer club practice nearby. I was looking for someplace to spend an hour or two until it was time to pick him up. I really liked the coffee house set up here, the big windows facing the common, they even have wi-fi. The menu was very ambitious, I was anxious to try a sandwich, but I was a little concerned bye the steep prices, but it must be really good stuff, right? Wrong. It was no better than a bagle sandwich from Dunkin Donuts, only not as hot. The coffee was ok, but not very hot either. They've got a Starbucks type counter for cream and sugar, but the cream and milk containers were both empty. I brought them up to the counter, where the manager happened to be standing at that moment, and politely informed them that the cream and milk were both empty. If looks could kill, I would be dead. The manager not only didn't take the containers, but she actually scowled at me, sniffed and walked away as if I had asked for something dirty. The cashier eventually filled them, but it took a while. My not so hot coffee was now tepid. Better for washing down my cold sandwich with. I've been back several times, since soccer practice was twice a week, I figured I could buy a nice safe cup of coffee, sit with my lap top while I wait for my son to get out of practice. I noticed that woman manager, probably the owner, is always barking at the employees. No wonder the employees always seem miserable. I've seen people bringing food back several times, I always feel like I'm watching poor Oliver walking up to ask for "more" only to feel the wrath of the mean manager. Her bed clearly only has one side, a bad side. Don't you dare bother her with trivial "customer" issues! My wife tells me she hears this place used to make good cakes, so she asks me to get a fancy decorated cake for her parents anniversary party, since I'm there anyways. I warn her that the food not so good in my experience, and very expensive, she tells me don't be so cheap and order the cake. Fine. I ordered the cake and guess what, piece of crap! TOLD YOU SO! I think they made a Duncan Hines mix cake and threw canned frosting on it. I could have done the writing better myself, since I'm fairly sure there are two 'n's in "anniversary". It was supposed to be butter-cream frosting, but it tasted like pure sugar. I would recommend this restaurant if you're looking for someplace to park in front of and get a Wi-Fi connection, or if it's really bad weather and your car broke down nearby. Soccer season is starting again soon, I might actually go back myself, see if that manager has grown fangs.
(1)G P.
OK, I had to go through and read some of the reviews first to see if I was just being a little crazy. Apparently, I am as sane as the next. I REALLY want to like this place. We recently moved to Natick from Wayland and I was absolutely thrilled to be living walking distance from town center. Bakery on the Common's menu and location are enticing! OK so here is the "however"... THE SERVICE IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. I've been in there now a handful of times. Morning, midday, weekdays and weekends. It doesn't matter - every single time I've been there and ordered, it seems like it would kill the staff there to break a smile. For every thing this place has going for it, I just can't believe the manager there isn't reading these reviews because the same comments over and over again about your staff should be telling you something. I gotta guess they are reading them and that, like the counter staff, they just don't care.
(2)Lee F.
Stopped here for lunch today -- had good memories of it from a visit five or six years ago. Boy were we shocked at how awful it was. The chicken cutlet sandwiches with marinara sauce were horrible -- the chicken is too salty and the marinara sauce is ketchup, too sweet ketchup at that. My dad got a chicken pot pie (with the idea of taking several home for the rest of the family for dinner tonight) but could not eat most of it -- very little chicken, crappy crust, and the bulk of it consisted of maybe mashed potatoes (we weren't sure) that tasted like wallpaper paste. Too effing expensive for such crap food. The coffee is weak and we burned our fingers on the crappy paper cups -- they don't even give you a sleeve, you have to find it yourself. I had to ask for more half and half and the countergrump acted like it was a major problem to fill it. They messed up our order, giving us a chicken salad pannini instead of a chicken pot pie and we had to wait quite a while for them to get it right. There are too many tables for the space available and it's difficult to move around and impossible to peruse the pastries. We might've gotten pastries for dessert, but the food sucked too bad to throw away more money. Don't waste your money here. The Dunkin isn't too far away and they have much better coffee.
(1)Andrew T.
A little pricey for a breakfast/lunch/dessert place but well worth the extra cost if you'd like to kick the quality up a notch. The sandwiches/pastas here are fantastic, the bagels are as good as they get in this area, and the desserts are delicious. Also, on a nice day, there's perhaps no place better to eat in this area than at one of their outdoor tables. Idyllic Spot.
(5)Anne P.
I have to say, I was so happy to go onto yelp and see how many others had the same experience as I did at this place. THE SERVICE WAS AWFUL. SIMPLY AWFUL! In particular the surly woman who seems to run the place. I ordered a soup and half-sandwich deal from the menu, and for my sandwich chose the grilled cheese from the sandwich menu. The only grilled cheese on the sandwich menu looked great - 3 cheeses, tomato and fresh basil. When my food arrived it was just one type of cheese slapped between 2 pieces of bread. I took it back and pointed to the menu and said politely, "excuse me, I think this is supposed to have tomato and basil on it." She said very rudely, "Well you ordered the grilled cheese. You have to ordered the grilled THREE cheese." I explained that the grilled three cheese is the only grilled cheese on the menu, so if I say the grilled cheese it should mean the only one on the menu. She proceeded to fight my point and tell me that, "Well we have grilled cheese too, so if you wanted the grilled 3 cheese you had to say that." Preposterous! She didn't want to remake my food, but I pointed out that I had tipped $5 on a $23 credit card and I expect to get what I ordered. And left my sandwich on the counter. When I got it back it was on the same plate that my first was on and included my 2/3 eaten pickle. And it was still a gross one cheese, one tomato slice and no basil. Never again. Another customer was complaining that he had to wait to get his muffin, when the other people in his party had already got their food. She was very rude to him also and he told her she had a bad attitude. She told him to get out of there once he got his muffin. He refused and said he'd sit with his party. She threatened to call the cops, and he said "go ahead!" And she actually did. What a rude, rude woman. I wanted to tell the cops that she should be arrested for sucking so bad.
(1)Bethany R.
i just moved to the area, and i was hoping to find a cute little comfy cafe where i could go a few times a week with my laptop to hang out. sadly, this place is not it. there's about one thing going to for it: the place is beautiful. huge windows, looking right out onto the park in Natick Center. high ceilings, spacious, filled with sunlight. that's about where it ends. the food is mediocre. lunch is marginally better than breakfast. had a breakfast burrito this morning and i can still taste the uncooked onions on my breath. as someone who has worked in coffeehouses for many years, i am disappointed to say that the service is atrocious. the wait staff is unfriendly and unsmiling. that, and they have a credit card minimum of $5. kind of shortsighted for a breakfast/late place, no? i'll be taking my business to the starbucks down the road, where people actually seem happy to see me when i walk in the door. sheesh.
(1)Agent Q.
I really wish I could give negative stars for this cafe. I keep trying to go back to actually enjoy the food, but I never do. I once ordered a sausage, egg and cheese burrito and was summarily disappointed. Honestly, how do you fail on such an easy task? It's sausage. Chicken Caesar wrap - Poorly made, loose wrap with bland chicken and weak dressing. Pastries! I love pastries. Well these pastries LOOK great, but taste more like marzipan and shortening then a light and fluffy pasty. The cupcakes are stale and have no taste besides the cheap ingredients they use. Turkey Sandwich, eh,. it was ok. But, stale bread at a bakery, come on! Ok, I can forgive the terrible food if I am hungry, but let's talk about the service. One of the surly "barrista's" at the counter is one of the most misanthropic people I have ever met and scoffs at any request that you make (could you tell me what kind of coffee you have?). He throws the coffee at you and turns his head away in discontent while he shoves his mitt in your face to take your cash (no credit card under $5). Perhaps I am mistaken but this person clearly needs either a vacation or to get laid. There are however a few nice ladies that work weekday mornings and one nice guy. You can't use your laptop on the weekends, and even when you can there are few outlets and the signal is weak (on purpose). You have to elbow your way through a bunch of angry suburban Mom's to get your crappy overpriced food and then pay 20% more than other other coffee shop to eat it. This place has no redeeming value and I hope no one ever goes back. Oh and don't trust the prices on the board, they sometimes charge you a different price at register.
(1)Christopher R.
I recently discovered Bakery on the Common, in Natick, MA. I grabbed a few cupcakes from thier display case and was very happy that I did. The cake was moist and delicious and the frosting was wonderful as well. I would have preferred a buttercream frosting (my favorite) and that would have made the cupcake just about PERFECT!! This looks like a great place for lunch or to hang out, I think they have free wifi. Their food menu looks good so I'll be going back to try some of thier veg sandwhiches.
(4)Peter B.
Pastries are great (try the tiramisu in a cup). Soups are a mixed bag, sandwiches decent but usually have too much bread, and the service is almost uniformly awful. Not bad if you're local but not worth a trip otherwise.
(3)Sarah M.
I have only been in to this bakery twice, so I only have that to go by. I have always had excellent service and the first time I went in, was very busy and they were very patient with me as I had a large order. I got several cupcakes and have to say my group enjoyed them. I enjoyed mine, but have had better. Cupcake price for the size of them wasn't bad. Yesterday I got a carrot cake for my husbands birthday. Server was very friendly once again, cake looked beautiful. Tasted good, but was not made correctly. I have made several carrot cakes, I just work to much to have time on a Tuesday to make one, and never had this experience before. The cake was crumbs inside. Literally when I cut the first slice it was a layer of frosting with a plate of big crumbs. That said, whoever is making the carrot cakes needs some lessons ;o) The taste is there though! I am a little sad I got a birthday crumb cake for my husband though.
(2)Aaron R.
"Meh" says it best. It gets by on its location and the nice environment inside, but the food is never good (edible, but not good) and the service really is weird, like the other reviewers said. And they say no laptops on weekends, which is just weird as well...
(2)Sue K.
warm and inviting atmosphere with gorgeous pastries made from scratch and delicious fresh baked bread. during the week, this is a great place to relax with a good book and enjoy a sandwich and tea, or grab a coffee and pastry while working on your laptop. on weekends, bakery on the common fills up with families enjoying brunch and also becomes a hang-out spot for local preteens looking for their sugar fix. this is a local business but not a shabby mom & pop kinda shop, the environment is clean and professional. it has the newton/ wellesley vibe without the pretension- if that makes any sense. nice and open space with plenty of seats and a long bakery case filled with tempting treats ranging from european pastries to buttery soft chocolate chip cookies.
(5)Andrew M.
I really like Natick and Needham's downtown areas; they have good places to grab a bite, good libraries, and good parks in which to read the books you get at the libraries. I had a spinach pie and a hermit cookie at the Bakery on the Common and enjoyed the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
(5)Heather M.
As a resident of downtown Natick and someone who frequents cafe's all around the greater Boston area, this has to be my least favorite. 1. Coffee is horrible 2. Worst customer service I have ever had! 3. They have never gotten my order correct. Every time I decide to give them another chance, they confirm my decision to not be a patron here. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND JAVA JIM's, less than a block down Main St.
(1)Jay S.
Decent food, nice atmosphere, but horrible customer service. Food is tossed up on a counter, multiple orders mixed together, nothing labelled and their "system" is to call things out into a loud environment. Staff was downright rude and uninterested in ensuring customers enjoyed their meal (didn't think it could get worse than most Mass Pike toll-operators). I won't return despite the other attractive qualities.
(1)Yuka O.
My boyfriend and I just moved to Natick a few weeks ago and have absolutely fallen in love with this quaint little bakery/cafe!!! The first time we went for breakfast; I had a waffle with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, and my boyfriend had french toast. We were both very pleased! Their coffee was average, but their cookies (which I grabbed 2 of for later) were definitely scrumptious (their Heath Bar cookie is my fave)! The second time we went for lunch; I had the Southwest Turkey panini with a cup of lentil soup, and my boyfriend had a Crabcake Rollup with turkey chili. Once again, we were far from disappointed. The soups came out piping hot and tasted home-made. They also had samplings of their chocolate cake which was moist and delicious. That's 2 for 2. On top of that, they have free wi-fi (which I have yet to try). Their prices are decent and the staff is friendly. They get pretty busy on the weekends, but it's definitely worth the crowd :)
(5)Heather D.
cute little bakery on the green. i dig those huge sparkley flowers in the window, but they seem like they might be a seasonal item. (i also spent a good few minutes trying to figure out how to recreate them for myself...) i enjoyed my coffee, and the fact that i was given an option to have it in a mug, instead of just being given a disposable cup. the place was a little crowded but just felt like somebody's kitchen with a few relatives over- loud, but not unbearable. solid pancakes and some tempting looking cupcakes. but breakfast is too early for a dirt and worms cupcake...right?
(3)leonard k.
I got what was suppose to be a roast beef and cheddar panini with grilled onions and horseradish sauce. What I got was bread with grill lines in it, 2 slices of roast beef, 1 slice of american (not melted) and cold sliced onions with no sauce. If you are going to sell a roast beef cheddar sandwich that isnl't even as good as Arby's at least price it like the peice of crap that it was at 2.99 or less not 8.00 dollars. Oh and turn on the air conditioner it was 90 today stop being so CHEAP
(1)Colleen C.
Another bad experience- they messed my order up and when I went back up to ask for my side of avocado, she said she'd need to charge me since she didn't when I first ordered it. Fine. But all I had was a debit card - and they have a minimum. She wanted to charge me an extra $2.50 just to run the transaction. Um, no. You messed up - I ordered it - you SHOULD comp me for the inconvenience of having to wait in line and reorder. But no, I won't pay extra because you didn't tack it on to the 15 bucks I paid for the yogurt and sandwich the first time.
(2)Jeannette L.
The baked goods are pretty good - I like their danish and croissants (almond, chocolate, ham/cheese) in the morning and their delicious heavy duty cupcakes. I usually get it to go though. The service for eat-in place is not the greatest, when you go on a crowded time, they mess up your orders, and the place is rarely cleaned. The tables are always sticky. They seem to not have good ventilation, because I always come out smelling like grease.
(3)Katie P.
If you only go to pick up a pastry in the window, you'll love it. They really are great for a sugar fix or when you're craving a cupcake. Mmm, cupcake. If you go here once in a while for a quick bite, you'll love it - it's casual and set up in such a way that you feel comfortable when you're there. The free wi-fi is a nice touch. They are also conveniently located. If you frequent the establishment, say, more than once a month, you will find some issues. It seems as though their quality is going downhill - stale bread. Poorly constructed sandwiches that were just done in a hurry. While I know that there is no set recipe for minestrone, the one I got seemed to be missing a whole lot of ingredients. The customer service is deplorable. I'm not sure if she is the manager or the owner, but she's probably one of the most rude people I've ever met. Second, expect to wait...a long time..for your lunch. I understand this can happen if there are tons of people, but it seems as though I'm waiting for long periods for nothing. Third, their prices for some things are kind of high considering you aren't being served at a table.
(2)rosann s.
The food and pastries are good, but the service tends to be not so great. The kitchen often gets the order wrong and they are a bit stingy, in that if you want a plastic cup of ice with your coke, they won't do it. Overall, I want to love this place. I go back often, have a good experience, then again, and have a bad experience ... it's consistently inconsistent, if that makes any sense. It's hard to try and support local businesses when they lack pride in what they do.
(3)George P.
STAY AWAY. Subway uses more meat on their sandwiches. .50 for extra thousand island dressing? Your sandwich cost $8. STAY AWAY.
(1)Marsha K.
SERIOUSLY WORST SERVICE I CAN REMEMBER - EVER This is the first time I have ever panned a place. You have to understand, I am an upstanding citizen who doesn't mind paying for good food and good service. Unfortunately, not only did they give me the wrong order and seem miffed that I asked for the right thing, they refused to give my friend her order at all. Her quiche never came out. When we inquired (from the person we ordered from who turned out to be the owner) she refused to look into it until we came up with the receipt, which my friend had thrown away. She told us if we didn't like it we could leave or if we complained again she would call the police. This was getting pretty odd and the people behind us, a party that included a hungry 9 mos. pregnant woman, left saying "we couldn't watch them treat you like that and stay". Anyway, we figured we already paid, so... we actually pulled out the trash can from under the coffee station, found my friend's dirty receipt and brought it to the counter. The woman told us we would have to go to the back of the line. I said loudly and firmly "I am not going to the back of the line. Give my friend her quiche." At which point the woman threatened to call the police again. Just then my friend's quiche magically appeared and we sat down dumbfounded and ate our mediocre breakfasts. Seriously, I couldn't have made this up if I tried :) Obviously, I will never go back, even though I'm often in the area.
(1)Cynthia A.
I want to like this place but every time I go there the screw up my order and the order of whomever I go with. The prices are overpriced. It is a good place to get something sweet, but given the number of times they have screwed up order I can only rate them one star.
(1)Morgan S.
I took a friend out for her birthday today and we ended up at Bakery on the Common because the other place we wanted to go to closed early. We both got a cannoli and a cappuccino. The cannolis were very bland and soggy (I'm not even sure they were filled with actual mascarpone filling) and over twice the price of where we wanted to go to in the first place. The cappuccinos were just so-so and also very expensive. I think if the Bakery is going to charge over two prices for their products, they need to step up their game...a lot! Very disappointed in this place. I doubt I'll ever be back. For great authentic cannolis, go to Lola's. They're right down the street and they won't charge you an arm and a leg, either.
(1)megan b.
Busy busy busy on weekend mornings, this is a great place to grab a muffin or croissant on your way to work during the work week. I like their soups and their amazing and awesome grilled cheese.
(4)Mary B.
I like to say that I go on vacation for an hour four times a week when I go to the Bakery. The food is reasonably priced, and the soups and sandwiches are nutritious and tasty. The coffee is great and the workers are courteous and responsive. The owner is receptive to suggestions and provides more extended hours than the previous owner . The atmosphere is reminiscent of a Berkeley CA coffeehouse and the windows open out to a view of the Common and beyond to our wonderful library (that welcomes laptop users, tutors and even affords private rooms for free for those activities).It can be quite busy, but if people bus their own tables, the waitstaff can keep the area clean. I've seen customers leave their dirty dishes on the table even though it is pretty obvious there are no waiters. We live just blocks away and consider ourselves fortunate to have such a local treasure.
(5)Julie B.
I love to grab a sandwich or soup here but the counter service always seems slow and not very friendly. Last time I was there they ignored me for about 5 minutes. I think they need more staff.
(3)C. J.
If I could give 0 stars for this place, I would. To say their customer service is awful is a huge understatement. The owner is outrageously rude to customers. I merely asked her to explain a discrepancy in pricing for a large catering order and she screamed at me over the phone and said to "just forget the order!" and then hung up on me. I mean, really, who talks to customers that way? Customers who are merely asking for clarification on an order? Wow... I would urge you to STAY AWAY. I will never return. NEVER EVER. I'm quite confident that with an owner like that there is no way this place will ever make it. And truthfully that brings me some satisfaction and solace.
(1)Meg N.
I work in Framingham and this is my office's favorite bakery in the area ... and we use any reason to celebrate so we've tried LOADS of places. Their pastries are always fresh, their store is clean, their cakes are delicious and their banana cream pie is to DIE for. We're considering putting them on office speed dial. ;)
(5)Jen I.
I'm going to go with two, but it should be two and a half stars. This place is really the only "coffee shop" in the downtown area, so it gets all sorts of undeserved accolades. If you go once, it's a great experience. If you go as often as I do (because it's basically the only choice) then you see the faults. For a bakery, the bread for french toast and regular toast is often stale, and the price for a couple of eggs is high. The baked goods are yummy, but you pay the price for the deliciousness. The tables are rarely cleaned during the mornings, and the people who run the place aren't particularly friendly. (The cashiers are, though, for sure.) They don't handle complaints very well (screwed up orders, prices on the register different from the posted signs). The hours are minimal, and the downtown area could really use a business that stays open later than 5 on weeknights and 3 on sundays. The wifi is a nice touch, and it IS the only place that feels like you can "hang out," but it's got a bland style. If this place had any real competition, I bet they'd lose 50% of their business. They'd certainly lose mine.
(2)Bret C.
Actually stumbled upon this place that's not far from the Natick Collection. Solid neighborhood shop for breakfast or lunch. It's modern and clean and they have a heck of a menu. Great panini sandwiches. Don't miss some of the funky cupcakes and whoopie pies. Free WiFi.
(4)Valerie A.
I recently returned to re-try this bakery after a bad experience and thought maybe it was a one time thing. I think their baked goods are a bit overpriced, and their muffins and breads all taste the same. I spied the bread pudding, a favorite from growing up, and put out $7 for a loaf pan (woudl have preferred a smaller serving size) and had some for breakfast. It had little taste (not enough cinamon, and a sour taste. i was very disappointed). Lo and behold the next day when I took it out of the fridge, It had 2 spots of mold on it...no wonder it didnt taste so good. After a similar experience before, and reading the reviews, just not worth revisiting. It's a shame because it's a nice looking place, and enjoy the view out onto the Common. But if you're going to be in the food business, taste (AND freshness!) is pretty important!
(1)F. B.
It's a mixed crowd here, at the bakery -- ladies from the gym, cycling couples or pelatons, the occasional Wellesley College trio, but mostly locals. They used to serve Fig Naticks here, had to get one. The coffee's great, free Wi-Fi is great, the pastries and entrees are delicious.
(4)Han K.
I love this place. Free Wi Fi. Great coffee. Real freshly baked goods that taste like they're made the way they're supposed to be made. Nuff said.
(5)Nick R.
Leaving off the last star because I don't go here for the food, simply the coffee! I'm sure all of the treats they serve up are just as good as the coffee, but to be fair, I'll come back and probably update this review to 5 stars after I finally have some food. Seems like a great local place, is always busy when I pop in for my morning boost! Great value in my opinion (remember, coffee only!).
(4)fred j.
Came back had lunch and a pastry. Everything was delicious. Now I'll have to get one of their cakes for a special event. I've had their rum cake with whipped cream frosting at a friends and was delicious.
(5)esther s.
Got a tuna salad sandwich here, it was amazing! The bread was so thick, soft, and fresh! Their bagels with cream cheese along with their cheese danish were really good. Minus one star for service... a bit rushed and not the friendly service you would expect at a neighborhood joint.
(4)Ken H.
Go ahead and get the 4 dollar muffins, even get the cookies that sat out for who knows how many days. DO NOT GET ANY SANDWICHES, WRAPS, PANINIS, SALADS, PIES, OR PASTA SALADS!!! The pasta salads are made like so - First they make the pasta, add all the veggies then add the dressing. Over the next week or two the "kitchen" staff will pull out the vegetables that have gone bad and replace them with new veggies... Well not really new fresh veggies, they're more like the same veggies they put in when they originally made the pasta salad and they have started to go bad in the cooler. Also they freeze pretty much everything and microwave the products to serve. They mictrowave your panini's, pies, even grilled cheese sandwich. This place is a joke and should be shut down. The panini press has caked on gunk from years of neglect. This is no lie, it is vomit worthy. Also just to say anyone who is dumb enough to order a crab cake from here, or lobster bisque deserves to get sick to learn their lesson. It seems to me like there are no standards in this place.
(1)Scott S.
Overpriced, lousy food in a small, dark environment with a horrificly rude owner. The worst. Will never go back.
(1)Jeru B.
update--gave BOTC another shot--its OK--but nothing special, still very noisy, a bit dirty, location is convenient, only on street metered parking (the meterguy is vigilante)I understand that it must be difficult to hire good people in a place like this--however the staff is lacking. they do deserve credit for hanging local artists work.
(2)Lily J.
Love their ham and cheese croissant. Desserts look great, but this is not the best place to go for a cake order. Kind of pricey.
(3)sweetand s.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!! I was so pleased to be able to write a review for this amazing place. I stepped in here while visiting my boyfriend who lives nearby, and had their chicken-salad sandwich on wheat, and was BLOWN AWAY!! For the next two weeks I dreamed about that damn sandwich until I was able to go back, mmm! Their bread is AMAZING! Plus I like the vibe there, its very clean and not-pretentious yet cozy and comfortable. Coming from Cambridge, their prices on their baked goods- breads, cupcakes, pies, cakes, are EXCELLENT! I was really surprised by the quality and flavor of the sandwiches I had and can't wait to go back and try the rest of their offerings :-D I also like the idea of supporting a local business. There a number of different people that come through, which I enjoy as well: stay-at-home moms with toddlers and infants, retired folk, yuppies on lunch break, its a great mix and I enjoy that! :-D If you are in the area, check it out! A great stop that is a nice break from the Route 9 fast-food palaces.
(5)