The Bakery Cafe at The Source

Labeled “Cafe the Bakery” in its second floor location at The Source in Buena Park, the Bakery Cafe is one of three “affiliated locations” within the shopping and dining center, combining a small on-site bakery with a coffee/tea service counter, refrigerated display cases, and tabletop collections of individually packaged baked goods. The other venues are a small second store (all packaged items, minus any bakery) in the fourth floor food court, and a cooking school called “the Academy,” which has never appeared to be open across all our Source visits.

Unusual branding aside, the baked goods are very compelling, especially the larger selection at the Bakery Cafe. Choices include chocolate and Earl Grey madelines, cakes, mini tarts, croissants, Nutella banana bread (shaped like bananas), and savory items such as squid ink pesto and cheese bread. Korean favorites, including the regional red bean pastry Gyeongju Hwangnam, are also available. To the extent that any given item may seem sort of plain in its packaging, taking off the wrapper tends to reveal something special.