Essen Bakery

Cute walk up bakery (and if you’re lucky-seating at one of the few tables along the sidewalk). Fresh baked goods-their chocolate bread is amazing-and I even enjoyed it cold from the fridge the next day! On the weekend they make a special cinnamon hazelnut bread-sounds delicious and I will definitely try the next time I’m in town.

I found this gem somehow in my 3 day trip to Philly. It was a 30 min bus ride from my hotel and it was so worth it! I pre-ordered 6 bagels and 6 rugulach. When I got home, the very next morning I had a bagel.... delicious. The rugulach is on a whole nother level! So delicious! I'm going to be dreaming about them.

I had been craving a really good cinnamon bun in Philly and after some research I narrowed it down between Essen Bakery and a nearby competitor. We stopped by and ordered one of the cinnamon buns, a pear pop tart and another apricot pastry I’m forgetting the name of but was similar to a fruit danish. The cinnamon bun delivered from the hype and was extremely good. We waited until we got home and put it in the air fry for a couple minutes to help warm it up. The bun was gooey and the icing was super delicious. Alongside this, we also warmed up the pop tart which also had great icing on top of a flaky pastry. I’ll definitely be back for the cinnamon bun!

Located in South Philly, this tiny Jewish bakery had a little takeout window open in April 2022. With a few tables outside, most locals get their pastries to go. The staff guide you through their menu, but I recommend their chocolate and halva babka. It's award-winning and truly the best I've ever had in terms of flavor and texture. Run to Essen. It's worth the effort.