Scenic Route Bakery

My husband stopped for lunch today and enjoyed our first visit here. The kale salad was delicious and my husband gobbled up his hot ham and cheese sandwich. We shared a rosemary lemonade which was unique and delicious. Loved the bright atmosphere and there was plenty of seating. Looking forward to coming back soon!

My friend and I stopped for our first time. It’s a quaint bakery, with a bright atmosphere. The baked goods were phenomenally flakey. I had been craving a chocolate croissant for weeks and it hit the spot. A great place for a quick lunch, priced well (especially for east village). Excited to go back and try coffee along with another baked good soon!

Just had my first experience here, and it was divine! Got a seasonal orange cardamom latte as recommended by the very sweet, friendly staff and it was absolutely perfect on a cold day. The decor, the staff, and the products were all exactly what I love about shopping and dining local! I will definitely be returning many times :)

One of the few cafes and bakeries in the area, Scenic Route has ample indoor and outdoor seating for groups of all sizes. The atmosphere is cozy and I found that the staff were really helpful and kind. I visited later in the day so most pastries and breads were already sold out! I still managed to have a “unicorn” latte (lavender), green goddess salad, cup of tomato bisque, and a peach pastry. The salad I should’ve asked for dressing on the side, as it was delicious but a bit too drenched for my tastes. I also wish more additions were available as options, other than proteins. The soup was a great surprise and I’m glad I had it! Their lattes feel generous and well-priced; I would say that their food selection may be a bit pricier than one would expect compared to their drinks. The pastry was still delicious and crispy by the time I had it in the afternoon. Overall, great place to relax and catch up with others, plenty of cozy spaces.

What a fun and bustling place. Just had a black coffee but you can get whatever you want. The pastry choices... wholy heck. I was trying to be good and not eat any sweets. As soon as you walk in you are immediately greeted then "tempted " with a bakery choice. SOLD! I caved 😂 got a delicious Blueberry flakey pastry, I problem could've eaten two of them! They were busy but still had many places to sit and enjoy everything.

Recently went here with my mother in law. The baked goods are AMAZING. I tried a croissant and another little pastry of theirs and I would highly recommend both. However the coffee that we both received tasted a little off. I am not sure if it's just the kind that they used.. almost tasted burnt. I will probably try something else for a beverage there next time to see if it's different. But over all I would recommend. Their decor and cafe area is adorable. Wish it was open even in a limited capacity for covid regulations but it is completely closed.

This is by far the best Cafe in all of Des Moines and probably all of Iowa! You will fall in love with the high energy ambiance and the friendly helpful staff always have great recommendations. The pastries are unrivaled with my favorite being their pinwheels which are crispy on the outside but melt in your mouth. They have a fantastic rotating lunch menu as well which features fresh ingredients locally sourced. The drink selection is also on point with delicious apple cider in the fall and a refreshing rosemary lemonade for summer being my two favorite! All in all I cannot say enough about this place it is amazing and I highly recommend going here for dine in or take out.