baked nation in St Albans

My family have been going here for years and we love it. Aron’s service and the coffee are always great.

I walked past it many times and read good reviews, so as one can imagine how much I looked forward to it when I entered it. The service staff was very cold and not welcomning even when I passionately said how much I was looking forward to trying their product. His attitude made me not want to stay. I took away 3 different types pastries, they were way over priced. My husband and I are both food lovers and we like trying new food around the world. Safe to say, their pastries taste very ordinary.

Very nice and cozy coffee shop, but way overpriced! Paid £8.30 for coffee and a pastry

Lovely place and fast service! We got a Pastel de nata which was lovely and a brownie which was good. The coffee was great too! Would definitely come again!

I arrived at 9am to buy some bread, only to be informed that the bread is available later, but on that day it wouldn't be available at all.

It's just around the corner, good coffee, really tasty treats...what's not to like 😋

Nice coffee and we enjoy the sausage rolls. Friendly owner.

I stopped here for a snack and had one of the worst sausage rolls I’ve ever had! All whilst paying £8.40 for 2. I work in London, so am used to crazy prices but that was unbelievable, esp when it turned out to be just a cooked sausage (and not a great one) wrapped in dodgy pastry. I was going to complain on my way home but it was already closed. Very disappointing.

Was not open advertised hours I arrived 10.15 on a Saturday and all closed up

Muy amable.Recién horneado. Se esfuerza por hablar en español.

Amazing coffee stop and the best sausage rolls. Nice outside seating and smashing service. Our new cycle stop…..8 months on has become my regular, sitting at the bar just inside during these cooler times…..even get asked ‘your usual?’. Smashing place!

What a wonderful place! The bakery is beautiful inside, it looks so cozy and familiar. It was my fist day in, and I will definitely be back. I had a pear tart that it was still warm, it was fresh and it tasted so good! Coffee was great too. Also, good customer service. I went there very early and it was quiet, but a few minutes later there was a long queue so I guess the earlier you go, the better.

Very fast service and lovely guy behind the counter who kindly told me what items were when I asked. My favourite was the pear and almond tart, delicious! I got my food to go but it looks like a cosy café to sit in on a rainy day as many people were doing, dog friendly too. Bonus points for the sign outside, we all need a bit of a laugh!

There was very little in stock at midday, with limited choice for those of us with dietary requirements. I didn't find the service unfriendly as such but the server wasn't as helpful as I had hoped, being in the middle of a possible personal phone call while dealing with me. Let's hope this was a one-off.

I was walking from the City station into town and came across this place by chance. The cakes looked amazing so as well as my coffee I had an Eccles cake to go. The coffee was very nice but the cake was amazing. I was told the cakes are made on the premises.

Popped in shortly before closing but was still able to enjoy my coffee (which was amazing!!) in peace. Ended up having a lovely chat with the very friendly and helpful owner, who as he closed for the day, gifted me a beautiful loaf of sourdough. During these hard times it was such a generous and kind gesture (I did offer payment but this was refused politely), and we are currently enjoying this amazing bread. Will be back for coffee, cake and mich more bread regularly for sure. Highly recommended.

Some of the better coffee in St Albans. Shame they don't do their sandwiches now though, they were great.

Nice coffee shop with an outdoor space out the back which is good in the Summer

Very relaxed place......nice interior and love the coffee.... friendly owner and usually easy to park .... alternative sitting outside ...also covered area at the back

Das baked nation ist nach wie vor eine gute Adresse für feinste Backwaren - und super Kaffee. Wir waren jetzt mal wieder hier - immer noch empfehlenswert.

Called for breakfast great coffee ☕ and patisseries friendly service 😊

I occasionally pop in here on the way to or from the station. The food certainly isn’t cheap (eg very expensive sausage rolls) and the atmosphere is not what it was; there’s a rather sour and grumpy man serving these days. The place used to be very good indeed; it needs to re-think itself.

Went out of my way to visit on Saturday and they were not open

Un loc deosebit de primitor.Oameni deosebiti.Servire ireproșabilă!$uper!

Great coffee and deserts served by very friendly staff

Miserable, stressed-out owner. I wouldn't go back. Shame as it looked really nice from outside. I went a few years ago and it was a lovely friendly place

This place does great food and the staff are so helpful. They have a great well lit conservatory out the back. Once summer comes the outdoor seating comes into it's own.

Great coffee and food, it's a lovely place to have some piece of mind and not many people inside. Staff is very lovely

The best baked goods, white bloomer, croissants, and great coffee, with a seating area just the right side of urban cool

Ergh.. coffee tasted like cigarette butts! The ginger biscuit wasn't too good either. Avoid it

Was made to feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome.

Lovely coffee and tasty croissant. The alfresco courtyard at the back gives you that free feel experiences. I think playing a different radio station like Smooth Chill will really enhance the ambiance, but that’s just my opinion.

Nice and friendly staff. Quality products.

Get there early if you want to buy one of their freshly baked loaves of bread - they sell out quickly. Good fresh coffee too.

It was a nice place but I felt a bit cold inside. I am generally a colder person but I kept my jacket on whilst inside which I thought was too cold

Love this cafe - the coffee is superb and the pastries delicious. Friendly staff - my Saturday morning treat!

Very good service and food was lovely. We sat in the extension at the back which was well spaced out, but it didn't feel as if tables were distanced in the main part.

This is a fab place to buy great bread or if you want to stay fresh sandwiches and coffee with outside seating. Great pit stop.

I’ve just seen a very surprising, bad review right at the top of the review listing - from 2018! - and felt it very unrepresentative if their current food and service offering do wanted to try and restore some balance. They are a very nice local bakery/cafe who bake every day - on the premises - and produce tasty lunch snacks and sandwiches - we often buy take out coffee and spinach pies for lunch too! Has cosy seating section upfront by the counter and more spacious covered terrace and further tables outside. It’s a no frills interior but that’s fine - too many coffee shops focus on that above the food and service offering.

This has become my local, the staff are very friendly and the coffee is super tasty. The breakfasts are so tasty and the ingredients so fresh. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Good coffee and selection of pastries and cakes.

Friendly,clean and warm environment. Definitely the best 👏

Best bread - delicious. Excellent bacon sandwich- sausage sandwich fab coffee and tea pig lemon and ginger tea

My favourite go to place for breakfast and great bread.

We love this place. It’s a little gem. The cakes the sandwiches and the cooked breakfast are all great. The only thing that we are upset about is it’s stopped opening on a Sunday.

Good place for coffee, good food although quite expensive

Nice cafe cum bakery on the way from the station to the town centre. All bread and cakes made on site. I had a nice apple Danish and a good latte.

Great staff and the most phenomenal sour dough your eyes have ever seen

No veg. option offered on the English breakfast so opted for smoked salmon instead of bacon. Breakfast arrived but was tiny, toast was sliced wafer thin, considering it's a bakery would have expected a decent sized chunky slice. Smoked salmon slice was so small and thin hardly noticed it . Left hungry . Not good value for money , although coffee was ok .Probably cost cutting due to new extension !!!

Good for breakfast, lunch or just coffee and cake. Nice garden at the back.

I have visited Baked Nation several times and was never aware of the lovely back room and outside seating area. I have a lovely time sat in the back garden, reading the complimentary newspaper (The Times) and enjoying a lovely coffee and an excellent pastry.

We’re amazingly lucky in St Albans with a huge array of great cafes, but of them all Baked nation is my favourite. The staff are ALWAYS friendly, the food is great, the coffee’s good and the pastries are excellent.They bake their own bread and their sourdough especially is exceptional. Try it with their poached eggs and smoked salmon.It’s just a great cafe.

Really great food with quite reasonable prices for St Albans.

Coffee is ok but the service is so slow I waited with just one other person in front of me for almost 19 minutes for one takeout flat white

Small coffee place, excellent service, very good cakes and all kind of breakfast.

Not much choice for those with dietary restrictions.

This is a wonderful little cafe that is run by a master baker. It is small but recently expanded to include a conservatory and a agrden space plus space indoors and at the front beside the road but well 'landscaped' with greenery etc. There is an impressive array of pastries and assorted loaves. Service is friendly and cannot be faulted. Howevr recently we went in for an early breakfast snack of coffee and a croissant. A cappucchino was fine but a black coffee was tadteless; thin and coloured only! We ordered croissant with ham and cheese. These arrived warm! Picking them up they were immediately soft and flabby. They tasted warm and almost doughy. The cheese had little taste. Doubtless had I complained they would have produced cold replacements or they would have oven heated them rather than, I assume, microwaving them? It was very busy so we just left. This was a great pity as we may not return.

I’ve just paid £5.95 for what I thought would be a lovely takeaway tuna salad. I was wrong. It came in a tiny box with 3 pieces of tomato, about 4 Olives, a teaspoon of sweet corn, no more than a tablespoon of tuna and some leaves. I couldn’t taste the olive oil or lemon juice. This portion would not even fill a side plate. The chef told the lovely lady behind the counter that there was definitely dressing on it and that WAS the portion size. I took the salad but politely commented that I won’t be returning to buy my lunch here when I’m at work. I feel robbed ☹️. I’m sure their coffee is great and their cakes looked lovely but don’t bother with the takeaway salads.

Nice place, espacially the garden. Good breakfast.

We visited for the first time this morning, what turned out to be a super-busy Bank Holiday Monday, and were lucky enough to get a table.The coffee was good and hot, served with plenty of hot milk as requested. The food was very good. Would certainly return.I agree with some reviewers who say that service is haphazard- we waited a long time for the order to be taken, watching the young waiting staff fumble around with no apparent systems. Food would arrive out front from the kitchen, being placed on a shelf behind the counter, while the youngsters scratched their heads and tried to remember who had ordered it. It can't be that difficult to sort out...A pity, as the product and the concept is extremely good.

It's a lovely cafe, friendly atmosphere and a very kind service. Everything is fresh. An easy going place. I would definitely recommend it.

Little cafe bakery. Very popular. Baked items were good.

The coffee is simply lovely (espresso, flat white, cappuccino, all great !) and the staff is friendly and welcoming. They have a range of amazing breads and pastries/cookies, as well as serving sandwiches and eggs dishes made à la minute. It’s a perfect sport of a brunch or a coffee break.

We've only been there to buy bread. We've tried the sourdough and the rye sourdough. Both are delicious, fresh, crusty and gone as soon as I get home with them :). A loaf here isn't cheap but well worth every penny.

Great coffee, nice and strong. Food is very good too, but beware that kitchen closes at 3pm. The staff are absolutely lovely. Try to treat everyone like a regular even if it's your first visit.

Went to Charlie's but it was shut so came round the corner here. Great Eccles cake and coffee. The pastries are a cut above anywhere else in St Alban's apart from Gales. Very good decaff

Nice local cafe. Staff could be a little warmer...

Good quality coffee and food however the service is haphazard with some customers seemingly forgotten after orders are taken and paid for. Located on the main street from the station to the city centre so well positioned for trade. Would visit again but they need to improve on the order taking.

Really good bread. Delightful meeting place.quirky and good for a decent bite to eat. Quite pricy.butyou pay for quality.

Lovely little café, friendly staff, delicious food and coffee

Very nice breakfast, friendly staff

Nice cafe with a good selection of bread and sandwiches. Ok for a coffee if you have time but slow take away service so less good for those in a hurry.

Nice breakfast and food service, but it was a little slow

Nice little coffee place, good decaf coffee and very nice selection of breads, went really well with the boiled eggs we had.

Fresh food homemade cakes & bread Fabulous coffee delicious food excellent service - 10/10 and so cosy inside - also a great little outside area. Highly recommended.

Enjoyed tea and cake with a friend and bought some of their excellent (if slightly pricey) bread to take home.

Great coffee and Sabina pulls their customer service to a high end!

Best breakfast in town!!! 5***** service, food is VERY quickly and freshly made. Absolutely Love it :)

Kleines Kaffee mit guter auswahl an Backwaren. Die Küche war leider schon geschlossen. es gab aber guten Kaffe und Leckereien aus der Verkaufstheke.

This small café was a real find; it is well worth the short walk from the city centre to find an independent watering-hole of such high quality. The coffee is excellent and the cakes, made on site, are superb. The breakfasts looked wonderful. We ordered sandwiches for later collection; ready on time and of very high quality. Charming staff. The place is too small to accommodate the huge child buggies common these days and thus is very peaceful.

Called in here for a coffee and cake. Always a friendly welcome. Top quality drink and food at reasonable prices. Service always friendly.

I had an early start this morning in St Albans and it was lashing with rain. I was in need of a coffee and a good breakfast. I don't know the area and was really happy to find Baked Nation a few minutes walk from St Albans City station. As you walk in there is a great selection of croissants and pastries but I wanted something less sweet. The menu board supplied the answer. I ordered an Americano and an English breakfast from the friendly, polite waiter. The service was very quick and the bacon was really good as was the entire breakfast. The chef brought me the breakfast which meant it was straight from the cooker to the table, no sitting under lights waiting for a waiter. As I sat there a good number of other people turned up, most of whom talked with the staff as if they were regulars so I'll assume they were. I can't remember what this cost me but I was happy to pay as I was really very satisfied. Very nice café, I'd love to try some of the other items if I'm ever back in St Albans.

Friendly staff always. Service was with a smile. Good coffee and good breakfasts

It's true what they say you tell the competence of a chef/cook by their ability to cook an egg.... it's Sunday morning & I'm hungry & find myself in central St Albans..... I've had coffee here before so thought I'd treat myself..... I order a full breakfast & ask to swap toast for fried bread & immediately told by the cook who is behind the counter that they don't do fried bread... I ask why & curtly told "we don't make fried bread". No polite concern in his tone of voice only ignorant rage....... I'm here now so order anyway. When my breakfast arrives both fried eggs have hard yolks & one is broken so spread all over the white....... (as a qualified experienced chef I would never send these eggs out - unless a request had been made for hard yolks & even then I wouldn't send out a broken yolk..... I ask for 2 new soft yolk eggs.... looks of astonishment but they comply..... when they arrive one yolk is broken........ what can you do & say at this point? Need I repeat & go into detail about the the millennia old musings of the unctuous joys & pleasures of a well cooked silky smooth egg? This is a level of uncaring incompetence that sadly seems to reoccur more & more frequently today........ they weren't even busy! & to top it off the menu stated pancetta....... the thicket pancetta (aka streaky bacon) I've ever seen. Over priced, extremely disappointing & fundamentally incompetent..... most greasy spoons provide better service & quality without the stress & fuss of having to deal with pretentious untrained incompetent staff. How can you trust an establishment that cheats on the menu & can't even cook an egg properly? & by the way I remained calm & polite at all times giving them no reason to act as they did other than this is clearly their natural demeanour......

Great little local bakery and cafe. Definitely one for the avocado toast brunch crowd.

Lovely coffee, tasty food. Cute, quirky and friendly with decent prices. Definitely worth a visit.

One of the best places in St..Albans for breakfast, lunch or a coffee and I piece of cake. The staff is amazing - the two wonderful ladies (Greek and Moldavian). Thanks for making my visit so wonderful evey time I came to Baked Nation.

£4.10 for a tiny bacon sandwich to take away....

Having lived in St Albans eons, can compare Baked Nation with many other previous and current rivals and they are simply the best. Their bread, cakes and pastries (not forgetting my guilty secret a double sausage, sausage roll), are all excellent. The young staff and owners are all very friendly and pleasant - no wonder it’s getting so popular, go there and see for yourself!

Average to nice food but tend to close the kitchen early so don't come here expecting more than pastries to be available

This cafe is just down the road from St Albans City Station and what a lovely find!! Super friendly freshly prepared food, fresh juice and great coffee. Tastefully laid out with lots of wood and exposed brickwork, nice outdoor sitting down area. All in all excellent, a really strong recommendation!

I really like this place. Coffee was good. Nice chunky bread on my bacon sarnie. Friendly team. Tables outside for when the sun shines!

Came with a friend for breakfast, it was tasty but nothing special. The waiting staff struggled slightly with taking our order and it took a bjt longer than it should have. However the pastries looked delicious, will definitely be back to try them!

Great coffee and pastries. Fresh bread loaves to buy are fantastic but a bit pricey.

Good coffee plus daily homemade baking - various breads & other yummy sweet & savoury treats...... definitely worth a visit and great menu to enjoy also. I love the sausage & egg sandwich followed by the raspberry tart :)

Nice place to eat and have a good cup of coffee. Although it's a bakery and very bread based they are very accommodating with bread alternatives. Very friendly staff.

Great coffee, fresh bread, changing fascilities, nice staff, great decor and mini book library. Amazing

Lovely cafe and bakeshop with a nice menu. It can get a bit crowded and is family friendly, so during busier times can be a bit loud. Great food and coffee though; highly recommend.

Been a long time customer here. They serve the best coffee in St Albans and the food is also amazing. To top it off all the staff are always friendly and welcoming

It's nothing special. The owners appear to be more concerned with quirky furniture and appearing vaguely rustic and alternative than providing a decent culinary experience.