Café Dear Leon

We loved this place. Great and creative bakery. Delicious crab 🦀 dip bagel. Delicious. Soft and pulls apart easily. Fantastic. They only can fit 6 people and one dog inside at a time. Really creative menu. The menu changes throughout the morning. Just loved it. We waited in line on a nice day for about thirty to get in. Will definitely go back 👍‼️

My daughter wanted to find out if the pastries were as good as the reviews claimed - they were better! The pastries were so light, flaky, and crispy, they weren’t overly sweet at all, and the breakfast sandwich was so good! It was a spinach and egg omelette with cheese and a sweet pepper relish. Also, we had to get a latte. They make their own syrup. I thought the passionfruit dessert was the best. The café was spotless and the eating area outside was very clean and had heat warmers above the tables. The staff was super friendly! It was worth a 30 minute drive! We hope to go back each month to try the new items!

I get the hype. I'm a trained pasty chef and these were some of the best pastries I've had in a very long time. The Yuzu Brioche, and Crème Brûlée tart were standouts for myself. The crab dip bagel is good too, but from a value perspective the other options are better. I'll absolutely be back.

It was a cold crisp morning. We awoke at 6:45am to make the trek to Canton for this long awaited bagel. We knew, due to its virality, that they sell out daily. Thus, we had to get there first thing. Bundled up, with hope in our eyes and nothing in our stomach, we began the perilous journey through downtown Baltimore. We arrive to a full bakery, but no line. A good sign. The smell of garlic and cinnamon sugar filled up the air. We ordered- one crab dip bagel, one ham and cheese croissant, and one crème brulee tart. But oh, did we want to order more. They asked if they could warm them up, a tantalizing offer we couldn’t refuse. But we knew, we had to wait until we got home to devour all this goodness. With a strong will and discipline, we made it through the drive back without even opening the bag. Once inside and free of the shackles of the bra, we cut in. Still warm, still beautiful. First, we started with the bagel. We had to. Stuffed to the brim with crab dip. It was fluffy, it was savory, it was cheesy. Dense but somehow also light. Seasoned beautifully. Enough old bay to make any Baltimorean smile. It had bits of corn, small chunks of crab. Pre-cut to make it easier to rip. A crisp outside maintaining a soft gooey center. We ate it in 1 minute, Leia (our dog) at our feet praying either one of us drop dead at that second so that she could savor a crumb. The ham and cheese croissant, lovely. Not too much ham, just enough cheese. And finally, the creme brûlée tart. Perfectly crispy. Not too sweet. The crust you want on any crème brûlée. The right ending to our journey.

Cafe Dear Leon is a small yet busy bakery and coffee shop in Canton Square in Baltimore, MD. I have been several times and suggest that if you decide to come down, prepare to wait a bit, just depends on their bake schedule and how much time you have. They frequently run out of items but that speaks to the quality of the food they put out. Never hand anything bad there honestly. Today was the crabby Tobago while it was tasty I do prefer the original. Also had the smores cookie which was phenomenal. Give this place a try if you're a food with a sweet n savory tooth and fan of the small bakeries out there!!