I came with a party of four to BonBonerie for afternoon tea. I'd been there before, and it was always a wonderful experience, but this time it took nearly an hour for our food to arrive. I wouldn't think all that much of a wait like that, especially when the cafe was busy, but we had made a reservation and put down a credit card (required for afternoon tea) several days in advance. Our visit wasn't a surprise; it should never have taken that long to plate some cold finger sandwiches and scones.
That said, all my other experiences with afternoon tea and the cafe menu have been great, and the restaurant did offer us gift certificates to make up for the long wait, so I will be back again the next time I'm in town.
LOVE this place! My wife and I got our wedding cake here and we couldn't have asked for a better experience! Carol is an absolute saint and she is extremely helpful throughout the whole process! We often find ourselves getting a small cake from here to celebrate special occasions. Thumbs up for the Opera Creme, it doesn't get any better than that!
Review Source:Nice quality stuff. Â I especially appreciate their pie crusts. Â They are not greasy, they are tender! Â I have to say that I did not prefer their pumpkin pie filling; it was very silky, but too spiced, and not enough pumpkin flavor. Â Their cakes are awesome. Â Everything that I have had from the bakery, has seemed to be hyper-sweet and sugary, however.
Review Source:I love this adorable, delicious bakery. I have never, ever been disappointed by a purchase there. My favorites are their sugar cookies (cute shapes and lovely icing!) and ultra, ultra addictive lemon bars. Sooo good... If I worked there I would seriously be as fat as a house. It's lucky I live in Seattle!
Review Source:One of my favorite "me days" is a trip to the cafe at BonBonerie. The whole experience speaks to my inner English librarian. The tea room is decked in pretty little tables, there are doilies, there are matching tea cups and pots. It's adorable.
The menu has three major parts. Part one: tea. This is probably the most comprehensive portion of the menu. There is black tea and green tea and herbal tea and rooibos tea and infused tea and decaffeinated tea. You can get a cup or a whole pot (3 or 4 cups?). A tea lover's dream.
Part two: brunch. The menu is mostly sandwiches, soups, salads, and quiche. There are daily specials, so something is always new or seasonal. I think the soups are terrific, interesting and rustic. There is usually some fantastic quiche, but it sells out quickly so get there early. There are green salads and whole grain salads, again, available on rotation. And the sandwiches are your basic tuna or chicken salad to cubans or clubs. There's a pick two option as well, which is what I like to do.
Part three: dessert. It wouldn't be a trip to BonBonerie without a bite of baked good. You can't lose with opera cream, now available in cupcake form or a traditional sliver. But there are lots of options, and they are all delicious.
Also, you can call in advance to have a traditional English Tea complete with finger sandwiches, tea cookies, and the like. You can rent a room for parties and large groups as well.
During our recent visit to Cincinnati from Columbus, we were very thankful to have found BonBonerie! Â Like so many others we were rather pleased and the cake we specially ordered was perfect, an opera cream torte that was rich and moist. Â The vanilla filling was really amazing, not overly sweet, everything was decadent and extra slices for days! Â It was really awesome to see the variety of bakery desert goods from macarons, cupcakes, petit fours, the list goes on and on. Â It was a warm feeling see the flour scatter on the back tables, mixers, supplies, etc. really truly appreciate the work that goes into everything.
Parking just like anywhere was limited to street parking, although I do believe there is sufficient parking in the rear by the bakery. Â The location is really neat, I came through the front of the cafe but was pleased to see arrows directing to the back area to the bakery. Â As I passed patrons everyone seem to enjoy their lunches, it all seem so very good! Â It was a neat piece of property, here's to future visits to BonBonerie!!!
Probably the best bakery I've ever been to, in terms of deserts that is. Although the woman that waited on me the last time was not friendly and left me somewhat annoyed, that is not the typical situation. Service is usually very good, and great care is taken in boxing up your treats to maintain freshness.
The parking lot is a little cramped, and leaving takes you on a mile+ detour from where you enter thanks to a few one-way streets. Also the surrounding area traffic can be incredibly frustrating at peak hours.
Still, if you plan your visit right, you will most likely be enjoying some amazing baked goods!
We stopped here for lunch and I wasn't really sure what to expect. We sat at the bar and had a wonderful staff person taking care of us. I had the red pepper/ spinach quiche and the corn chowder. The quiche was okay, but the chowder was excellent!!! It had a nice texture, not super creamy. The flavor was really where it earned it's stars though! It was very fresh tasting, not overly sweet and had a nice little kick at the end. My son had the chicken salad and decided that it would be better to order as  the plate next time  - he liked the flavor, but thought it had too much bread as a sandwich.
I would definitely try this place again and I would definitely have the chowder again.
Walking into the smells of the BonBonerie just makes my day, especially after seeing all the nicely decorated cookies, cakes and more.
Whenever we have a celebration or birthday everyone asks for the BonBonerie opera cream cake and it is the best cake I have had in Cincinnati. The cake is always moist and the icing divine.
Do yourself a favor and pick one up the next time for a birthday party, and it will be the hit of the party.
We hired BonBonerie to make our wedding cake and it was perfect! Â I have been ordering cakes from BonBonerie for years and knew I wanted them to do our wedding cake as soon as that engagement ring was on my finger. Â
Scheduling a cake tasting is very convenient as you can do it online. Â They do have some evening times available if you work but they can be hard to obtain. Â Be prepared to book your appointment far in advance if you desire an appointment after regular work hours. Â
We went for our tasting and, as expected, everything was delicious! Â The staff was very friendly, even offering us drinks when we arrived and boxing up the leftover cake for us to take home. Â We scheduled a follow-up appointment to finalize the design of our cake, make payment, etc but it did not go according to plan. Â This is where the experience went from 5 to 4 stars. Â We left work early and ventured down to BonBonerie for our appointment that had been scheduled for several weeks. Â We arrived to be told that the lovely lady we had worked with was out sick that day. Â I understand that people get sick and there is nothing anyone can do but I would have appreciated a phone call to reschedule. Â They told us that we could "just do another cake tasting instead." Â We didn't want to do another cake tasting, we wanted to be done with one of the many things on our to-do list. Â Instead, we had to schedule yet another appointment with someone else now that our lady had since gone on maternity leave. Â This meant that we had to call off ANOTHER day at work as they did not have any evening appointments available at this point. Â Annoying.
Despite the inconvenience, we were extremely happy with our cake and are glad we chose BonBonerie. Â We decided on Tangerine Moon, Raspberry Romance, and Opera Cream Torte. Â It was soooooo good! Â They were also able to perfectly create the design I had chosen and it looked exactly how I had pictured it. Â The florist left flowers to be placed around the edge of the cake to cover the pan and the women from BonBonerie did an excellent job. Â Thank you BonBonerie for a beautiful (and delicious) wedding cake!
We purchased our wedding & groom's cake from the Bonbonerie, and had the best experience ever. Â Our cake-tasting was so friendly and helpful - it was the only tasting that we did where you had pieces of actual cake to try. Â You also get to take home what you can't finish - we ate cake for days! Â YUM! Â We worked mainly with Carol, both in-person and via email, and she was very responsive and helpful. Â Their prices were amazing, considering how expensive wedding cake can be. Â We were quoted much higher prices at other Cincinnati bakeries. Â
We actually picked up our cakes (a 3 tiered wedding cake, along with the groom's cake!!) the day before the wedding and drove them ourselves to Columbus, and I can't tell you how reassuring the Bonbonerie staff was. Â Carol was so patient and calm about us transporting the cakes. Â These cakes were rock-solid, and looked amazing the next day for the wedding. Â The cakes were DELICIOUS - I had so many people tell me it was the best wedding cake they had ever had. Â They designed both cakes exactly as we requested, and they turned out beautifully. Â
Another thing we are excited about is that the Bonbonerie regularly carries the cakes we used as wedding cake - so whenever we need some wedding cake, we can go buy a little one! Â :-)
I love this little bakery! it has some of the best sweets in cincy... do i dare say it is better than buskens?? i have never had bakery items like i have here! they are AMAZING! everyone should try: key lime squares, raspberry shorties, and the most amazing cake THE OPERA CREAM! this is the best cake EVER!!
Review Source:My idea of relaxing after a day's work now is a coconut cake from The BonBonerie.
We were leaving to visit few friends in Chicago for the long weekend. It was Monte Thursday., hence pretty crowded. But they served us as fast as they could. We bought assorted cakes - Coconut, Opera Cream and Carrot cake, with some of the mini delicacies(Fish, Sheep, Rabbit). Our friends loved it..The coconut cake was a big hit. I hope to try more of their cakes.
The BonBonerie has been a place I visit regularly for at least the past 10 years, most often as a customer to the tea room.
Recently, the tea room is no longer available for open seating and, instead, you're directed to the newly dubbed Cafe area. I really appreciate what the BonBonerie is trying to do by shifting their focus to a more casual cafe atmosphere but I do sometimes miss the coziness and quirkiness of the tea room. I don't think they would rent it out to just me, my mom and sister :)
Everyone knows the BonBonerie is great for pastries and baked goods. Their desserts are delicious. But, you may not realize that their cafe food is just as good. If you visited the cafe when it first opened, you may have been disappointed (I was) but now that they've gotten the hang of it the portion size is more reasonable to the price, and the food itself is absolutely delicious.
Plus, you can still order tea!
But, speaking of the tea, this is where, sadly, the BonBonerie goes downhill. I really, seriously wish someone would train the servers in proper preparation of tea. This is really my only complaint with the place and, a lot of the time, it kind of puts me in a bad mood when I go there.
I don't know why, but if you order tea the server will take a tea sack filter and stuff it with as much tea as will possibly fit then ram that into the tea pot. They then fill the pot with hot water and let it sit for a few minutes before bringing it out to you, with the over-stuffed tea sack filter still inside. This is not such a big deal if you've ordered a white or rooibus tea but when you order a black tea it's a recipe for disaster. The tea is going to become more and more bitter tasting the longer the leaves sit in the water. It's just bad service and a bad way to serve tea. The worst part is the times I've tried to remove the tea sack filter myself, it inevitably rips and the tea leaves go everyone. Before there was the cafe, they used to hook the tea sack filter in the tea pot for easy removal - why don't you do that anymore, BonBonerie? Please bring that practice back!
So my only suggestion to the BonBonerie is to learn the rule of 2 tbsp of tea per 8oz of water and that most teas need only to steep for 3-5 minutes.
***** I am amending this review to note that you actually *can* hang out in the tea room to enjoy a coffee/pastry or whatever, they just don't serve lunch there. So the tea room isn't completely off-limits, it just isn't available for lunch! ******
My sister-in-law decided to start a new family tradition of taking my nieces and Gramma to tea around Christmastime and this year I joined them. She called ahead and made a reservation since we had five adults and two children and our table was ready when we arrived. The adults enjoyed tea while the girls had hot chocolate.
We enjoyed tiers of breads, scones, quiches, finger sandwiches and a variety of desserts. It doesn't sound like much, but all of us left delighted and satisfied!
It may not be something you do all the time, but it is certainly something to be enjoyed at least once!
Tea for two, or in my case, the whole office. We have made it a Christmas tradition to have the tea ceremony as a way to bring in the holidays. My coworkers and I have been doing this for years and in the new space, it is much nicer and cozy. The server was very prompt and not only kept my tea pot full of hot water, but my glass of water as well.
I had the pomegranate tea and it was very good. I probably had about 5 cups worth.
When we were there, it was not very busy which enabled everyone to hear but I've been in there when its packed and it gets really loud. Plan ahead if you want a relaxed tea ceremony.
The food and dessert options on the platters is great. I totally agree with Howard M. in that the quiche is pretty much the best I've ever had. I also have a  great love for their clotted cream and jam. It pretty much is the best thing in the world. Don't even look at the nutritional information. I think you can buy it from them here or at Jungle Jim's.
I have no idea what the high tea ceremony costs, but it's a great special occasion thing, so it is probably worth whatever they charge.
I'm confident enough with my manhood to say this was the best Quiche Lorraine I've ever had. I'm an egg fan and they didn't over cook them. They turned them into a flavorful, light cream that was wonderful. Their soup was nice too. I'll be going back.
However, the atmosphere wasn't for me. It's not a place to have a business lunch. It seems like a place where lots and lots of women meet for lunch. Lots of women.
Once we understood whether to take a seat or wait for a hostess service was great. Maybe a sign would help. there's all kinds of signs but none helping us know what to do when we walk in. But after that our waitress gave us great service and when they brought little sugar cookies with the bill I was charmed.
However, on the way out my wife went to the counter for a coffee drink of some kind. It took 20 minutes to get the darned thing! Twenty! It was very frustrating. Luckily I had the day off or I would of raised holy heck. However, our waitress noticed this and came up to us with an apology and a card with a free offer so it was hard to stay mad at them.
Although I am not a fan of sweets, but I have been The Bonbon's customer for at least 7 years. Â Why?? Because:
1. I love their afternoon tea. Â All of those savory bits are perfect.
2. I just love cute little local owned bakeries like this. Â You just have to visit for yourself. Â Every town deserves a bakery like The Bonbon.
3. My friends and family just LOVE it when I show up with The Bonbon box. Â I have a standing order for those coconut macaroons from my father-in-law. Â
4. I can't bake...ALL those amazing tarts, cakes, bars and cookies really amaze me.
Oh, and that afternoon tea: Â it is perfect for a small get-together with your friends...or even a small wedding shower.
I have been eating BonBonerie sweets since I was a child - my grandmother always got their petit fours for holidays - they were the only ones she would get - and I know why, they are the best ones around. I have a long history of them, from wedding cake tasting with my sister back in 1998 (they did do her wedding cake) to getting the tangerine cream every August/September for her birthday. Â In high school, this was where my friend and I would go when we went on "college" visits to UC - which we skipped and got cookies and tea instead. The atmosphere is adorable - it has a vintage cute feel full of teapots and cute little random decorations. It's warm and endearing, and of course, it always reminds me a lot of my grandmother.
The tea room, their eatery, has moved since I started going there. It is bigger now, in the space a coffee shop used to be, but it still has the same adorable character as before. The food is delicious and the menu hasn't changed much. Their quiche is delicious - the goat cheese and tomato in particular. And they always come with some little tea cookies.
After eating, be sure to go up to the bakery and test some delicious baked goods! I love their cake - though I find their cupcakes and cake to be a bit dry actually, their sugar cookies are my absolute favorite!
Their tea selection is great as well. I loved stopping in for a hot tea on my way to school in the winter - it's not too far from UC and on the way for a lot of commuters like me.
After being here twice, I think I can write a fairly non-biased review. Today I walked into the cafe section (bakery was closed by 4 or 5 pm on Saturday) and ordered a cafe au lait and the most delicious danish ever. I went in looking for a cupcake or perhaps a frosted cookie, but then I saw that danish beckoning to me in its little glass case and I knew I had to have it. I am unsure as to how long it had been wallowing in loneliness, but it doesn't matter because I was not disappointed. It was flaky, doughy, and covered in a sticky-sweet caramel sauce, topped with walnut pieces. Loved it! I was also able to sample an iced molasses cookie and a cupcake. The cookie was nice and soft, which I liked. The cupcake was good, but not anything special. Nothing was as good as THAT DANISH..
I enjoyed my treats on the sidewalk in front of the cafe. They have a couple little tables facing the other side of the street, where you get to stare at the record store and the hair salon to your heart's content. I stayed there and soaked up the sunshine til I got chased away by a hornet with dangling legs. Ahh! Damn nature, you scary.
During my last visit, I ordered 4-5 bakery items and proceeded to gorge on them in the cafe, washing it all down with some dark ceylon black tea. All I remember is that nothing was memorable. Everything looked fancy and amazing, but as I ate my pastries, all I could think was, "That's it?" Anyway, I am so glad I ate that danish because now I can't wait to come back and be pleasantly surprised again!
An old friend of mine called me and had been wanting to take me out for my birthday for years. Life has a way of getting crazy and hectic though, so we just sorta agreed to do something and it would fall through. Well, this year she didn't let that happen, and I'm extremely happy that was the case.
My one and only complaint about this place is the parking situation. There is not an abundance of parking in the back, but for a few bucks you can park next door in the city lot. Now, on to the good stuff :)
So, I walk down the sidewalk looking for this place and let me tell you.. this area is ADORABLE! I took my time eyeing all the small shops that lined the streets and finally I see the sign for my destination. I grab the handle to pull open the door and this place is bustling with people. I am so lost by this point that my friend comes to my rescue. She already had a table reserved for us in the tea room.
The smells and the atmosphere were happy and like nothing I've ever seen before. I loved the eclectic mix of decorations and tea pots. We ordered the tea for two and shortly after our individual pots of tea came out. Delicious. Our poor server got a workout though because we used all the sugar he left us with, and had to get more.. We gabbed about our lives for a bit, and our server, (also awesome) brings out this 3 tiered set of plates with delectable things sitting on each platform of awesomeness.
There were 2 of everything, and there was nothing on that plate that I didn't wish there were about 2 more of. If my friend wasn't such a great friend I probably would have stolen all her stuff and the customers stuff around me. But, I was on good behavior and I refrained. My favorite thing by far was the tuxedo brownie. OMG.... It melted in my mouth.
The second time I went I took my mom for mother's day and she was the same way I was on my first visit. We had the same server from my first visit as well and he remembered me (and brought extra sugar without me asking..). The gratuity is included in tea for two but he was so nice I left him an extra tip on the table. As soon as time allows I plan on going back to order off the regular menu. I love this place.. I'm usually witty or funny in my reviews but this one is pretty straight forward. It is amazing. Enough said.
I've been a regular of the bakery for years, and I only recently started dining at the café. The business is run by a friendly bunch of people. The food and pastries are always wonderfully presented. It seems that the café's specialties are the Quiche de Jour and the Salads. You can't go wrong with either. However, as a heads up, the portions are small for the price.
As for the bakery, it is to die for. They have an amazing Chocolate Mint Brownie and Double Fudge Brownie, both of which are very rich. I can without a doubt say, they are the best brownies I have had in Cincinnati.
Downsides: there is limited parking and the drinks are just okay. Some of their pastries aren't always the freshest (i.e. the cake), but when you do get a fresh cake, it is one of the best cakes you will have--it's also very rich. If you choose to order pastries, I would recommend ordering from the bakery (not the café), which can help in avoiding old pastries.
Let me make this perfectly clear while they may call it a bakery it is really a den of delicious decadence. Â I consider myself a carrot cake connoisseur and found there as memorable as the best I've had. Â Looking into the cases you'll see treat after tasty treat all of which taste as good as they look. Â I've been going for years and have yet to have something I didn't consider great. Â Be forewarned that the bakers push the sweet as far as you can possible go and remain appetizing.
I hear they have other food there besides the sweet treats but I wouldn't know about that.
The only reason this place is not a 5 star stop is because parking is tough, so good luck.
The BonBonerie is delicious, there is just no getting around it. And I still haven't tried the desserts.
I stopped by for the cafe for lunch and immediately fell in love with the cozy and light atmosphere. The waitress was friendly and attentive, and was great about explaining the various options and teas to a first-timer. I ordered the quiche, an autumn salad, and the cherry vanilla tea. The quiche was some of the best I've ever had and the salad was an excellent complement. The tea wasn't my favorite, but they have such a wide selection that I'd simply try a new flavor next time.
The entire meal was great for a light lunch, but I wouldn't recommend BonBonerie if you are super hungry, as good as it may be. The portion sizes are fairly small and it a pricer lunch option.
I'm already planning a trip back for the brunch, desserts, and more quiche!
Oh god, the opera cream cake! I wasn't ready. I thought I was ready, but I was not ready.
BonBonerie is one of the best dessert places in the city. If you see that white box being brought out at a party or event, grab whatever's in there as fast as possible, because if you turn your back or blink or breathe, it's probably going to be all gone.
I love this little shop. You walk in and are surrounded by beautiful glasses cases full of treats. All shapes and sizes and colors - fantastic. You also can't go wrong with anything there. Hell, you can even close your eyes and point and whatever they put into a box will be amazing. Everyone will thank you. Epic poems will be written about your greatness. A statue will be erected of you holding a cannoli. This is a fact.
Mmm.
Everything is a little expensive, but it's worth it. My god, it's so worth it.
BonBonerie also is a café where you can get lunch and a nice cup of tea (as it's the tea room), but truth be told, I've never made it passed the dessert room. I wanted to, but my body wouldn't let me. I begged and pleased with myself, but to no avail.
Dear god, now I'm craving cake. Are you happy now Yelp! ARE YOU!!!
When my husband proposed I knew IMMEDIATELY who I wanted to make our cake.
The cake tasting was super fun. Â One of the few times I did not argue with my mother about something wedding related. Â We settled on the tangerine and the chocolate raspberry.
Since I am from Bangladesh we wanted a wedding cake with a fun Mehndi (henna) style design. Â I sent them a few pictures and they made a beautiful design with a henna peacock at the top. Â It was very intricate and they charged an extra $25 for that, but that is NOTHING when you are talking about a wedding and it was really worth it. Â
At the wedding, the cake was photographed almost as much as we were! Â People loved it. Â My roommates and their boyfriends were really happy that we brought leftover cake back to NYC. Â The Bonbonerie did a really fantastic job.
I can't wait for our one year anniversary to eat it again!
Also a great place for lunch or to have a tea party. Â The tea room is adorable.
This place has the best chocolate cake in the world! Â It's freakin' amazing! Â So amazing that I had my friend bring it from Cincinnati to Atlanta for me. Â The cake is called the Opera cake. Â It's a chocolate cake layered with this light, creamy icing. Â Then the whole cake is covered with chocolate shavings. Â My tastebuds are happy just thinking about it. Â
The icing is something I've never tasted before. Â It seems light and whipped, but still creamy. Â It's not light like whipped cream. Â It's also not super sweet like butter cream or even cream cheese frosting. Â I just can't explain it. Â It's amazing. Â The cake is super moist and the chocolate shavings gives it nice little texture with each bite. Â
If you like chocolate cake it's totally worth the drive to cincinnati to have a piece of opera!
I walked through the main bakery section and was impressed with the wide selection of tasty looking treats. However, I was planning to eat at the tea room so I did not purchase any.
The tea room is a nice, quaint little place. Cozy and decorated in a shabby chic sort of way. In order to experience this properly, you probably need to come with a couple friends and take some time to savor your tea and sample a variety of food from their samplers. Seats fill up quickly and people don't give up their seats willingly.
They have a great selection of tea that you can drink on site or purchase to take with you.
I had a sandwich and some iced tea. Both were very good.
They have two small outdoor tables (in full sun). They have one small bathroom that appeared to be hotly contested.
I first tried the Opera Cream years ago , and I told anyone who would listen "If I ever marry , THIS will be my wedding cake"!
I even took it several times to my Uncle's annual Derby Day Party....and of course it was the talk of the party!
My wedding was March 31, 2007 and THE CAKE... was an Opera Cream with Martha's Bubble design!!
It was FAB and everyone raved about the cake!
The ladies from Bonbonerie who helped me were so nice and it was a great experience all the way around!
NOW...I just wanna go to a "Tea" there!
THANKS BonBonerie!....U R THE BEST!
Having afternoon tea at the Bonbonerie is a must for all little girls and their mothers and grandmothers. Â
My first real afternoon tea happened in London, England, when I was 14 years old. Â I have to admit that while that particular tea may have been more historically accurate, the Bonbonerie's version was way more delicious.
My grandmother took my sister and I to Bonbonerie not too long ago for tea. Â Tea is served every afternoon from 11-3pm and reservations are required 24 hours in advance. Â The tearoom is adorable, it's a little retro and eclectic with black and white tiled floors and yellow walls. Â Random tea plates and cups adorn the restaurant. Â
Our server was pleasant and brought our various varieties of tea (this place has over 70 kinds to choose from) quickly, followed by our three tiers of quiche, sandwiches and sweets. Â We were lucky enough to get a miniature opera creme cake on our bottom tier, yum! Â The chocolate chip scones with clotted creme were my personal favorite, though.
Afternoon tea is $14.95 a person for adults, $10 for kids. Â Kids are fully welcomed!
The BonBonerie is one of Cincinnati's devoted treasures of a bakery. Yes, it beats out Buskens in style and taste! I love coming here and getting little treats!
The Bon Bonerie is a full service bakery that makes cakes, breads, pastries, and the like. Next door there is the BonBonerie Tearoom where patrons can have lunch and sip on tea or coffee. I haven't had their tea or coffee, but I can tell you that the mango lemonade is to die for! When I was there all of the tables were reserved for lunch the next day, so I'm assuming it's hard to get a table normally. Plan on calling ahead if you have a lunch date or meeting.
In the bakery, you can marvel at the model cakes they have in the case as well as purchase anything your heart desires. The cakes show that their decorators have some serious talent. They probably get lots of weddings! Oh and don't forget the opera cream or the opera cream cake. It's a staple of Cincinnati foods and if you've never had it before, then you've never lived.
My dad's lactose intolerant. Â He shouldn't even be smelling cream cheese frosting, let alone wolfing down a large piece of carrot cake layered with the stuff, slathered with a buttercream icing and walnut chunks, and studded with beautifully crafted carrot marzipan studs. Â But for the Bonbonnerie's version, he suffers the consequences (and so do we).
Yes, the Bonbonnerie's confections inspire unhealthy decisions. Â Even the most sensitive and vigilant diabetics would probably risk slipping into shock for the opera cream cake, the dainty lemon squares, or (my favorite) the chocolate macaroons.
It's important to note that these confections are not just delicious, they're gorgeous. Â Everything is handmade, and, unless you're blind or simply numb to visual aesthetics, you'll find yourself struggling to cut into it. Â But when you do, I promise you won't be disappointed (unless you can't tolerate heavily sweet delights, in which case I weep for you. Â and eat your slice.)
Okay, so I cheated. My BonBonerie scones and Chocolate Chip Thumbprint cookies are from Jungle Jim's, not the Madison Rd. location. Since BonBonerie desserts are popping up everywhere (coffeeshops, grocery stores, etc), I think I can fairly review their products  since so many people are buying them from other merchants.
I wasn't super-impressed by the Chocolate Chip Thumbprint cookies. Good, but not great. They tasted like they were from scratch, but not particularly moist or chocolaty.
The scones, however, were heavenly, and I'm not even a scone lover. BonBonerie's English delights are flaky, yet firm. I bought a variety pack, which included a classic, raspberry, and cherry almond scone (my favorite). Â Next time you see the BonBonerie label at you favorite shop, give them a try. Just remember consistent quality might be a problem.
I don't understand the pan by "subspace e." They are the only person I've ever heard of who didn't love the place and it's glorious goodies. If their views were correct the place would not be packed with people, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays.
I haven't lived in Cincy in decades, but whenever I'm in town I never fail to go over and indulge in a few goodies as well as a few to take back.
The Opera Cream cake is unique to Cincy, since it mimics the chocolate candy. NOTE: it in NO way resembles "The Opera" cake made in Paris.
As far as I am concerned, a visit to Cincinnati, even if for a funeral, is not complete with out stopping in at BonBonerie.
The BonBonerie is often called one of the premiere bakeries in Cincinnati, and it deserves all the high praise. Where do you go when you need a birthday cake, wedding cake, artfully iced cookie, or any other baked good for any other occasion? The BonBonerie, that's where. The Opera Cream layer cake is probably what they would consider their "signature" cake, although their White Chocolate Romance Cake, Tangerine Moon, Lemon Blueberry Cake, and Lemon Moon Cake could easily be everyday favorites, rather than "cakes of the month." Don't need a whole cake? Stop in for a scone, made fresh daily, or one of a wide assortment of miniature desserts and cookies. If you have time, visit the Tea Room downstairs for brunch or lunch. Plates are reasonably priced, and the sandwiches, quiche and soups are all delightful. An extensive tea menu rounds out the experience.
The only questionable aspect of the BonBonerie is the service attitude. The staff, more often than not, has a bit of a snooty air. This may be a product of the reputation, the location (Hyde Park/O'Bryonville), and simply bad personalities. However, that is little excuse for the aloof attitude.
That being said, I don't go there to make friends with the staff, so if you  can handle some snark, stop in this cute, neighborhood spot and pick up a scone, some cake, or a cookie. You won't be sorry.
Some of the worst pastries I have ever had.
I co-owned and baked in a bakery on the west coast and worked in bakeries the years preceding.  I managed and reviewed cafes in a professional capacity.  I've worked for a high-volume catering company.  I've traveled to other countries and eaten all I could get my  hands on.  I've eaten my share of cheap but delightfully bad pastries, delicious and overpriced pastries, strange pastries, bland pastries and downright questionable pastries. Â
BonBonerie ranks solidly under "gross." Â
On another website I wrote an extended and unflattering review of BonBonerie with a full explanation for my opinions and was lashed back at by an employee who flatly told me I was lying. Â She said I was lying about everything from what I ordered (what? why?) to the state of the pastries I received (again, why would I lie?).
I've written poor reviews of cafes and bakeries before, and by and large the recipients want you to return so they might change your mind. Â It's an understandable desire, and one I try and always to honor. Â Everyone has off days, even critics. Â Maybe especially critics. Â I can also understand the recipient's simple disagreement -- after all, it's all a matter of opinion. Â But telling a reviewer that they are lying? Â That they couldn't even have possibly ordered the cake they claimed they ordered because the bakery "hadn't made it in years?" Â Well, that might explain the flavor, at least.
Save your money and get something from the pastry case at Bigg's.
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