The pastries are good — some are really good — but honestly, the business operations might be what takes this place down.
Sometimes the flavor combinations feel a little over-the-top, and the original idea kind of gets lost in translation.
I would avoid this place on a Saturday, wait times are ridiculous and imo, not worth 40+ mins. The wait times are somewhat due to high volume but are also due to poor operations. I went on a Thursday (which is supposed to be less busy than Friday or Saturday), and even with only three people in front of me, I still waited 15–20 minutes. There are no names, descriptions, or prices listed, so every single customer has to ask what each item is. The owner responded to a previous comment saying that explaining the pastries is “part of the experience,” but honestly, if someone wants that experience, they’ll ask. The rest of us just want a menu or labels and a smooth ordering process. This is also frustrating for people who have food allergies. I ended up spending $50 on four items, which was a bit of a shock. During this poor economic state where inflation is at an all time high, people are spending their hard earned money on a nice treat, prices would be appreciated.
The pre-order system also has issues. You have to order days in advance, and spots fill up quickly. If you didn’t pre-order, you wait in line while pre-order customers come in and then can add or modify their orders at pickup. The owner went on ann instagram rant saying she prioritizes pre-order customers because they’re the original supporters of the café. I get appreciating loyal customers, but that mindset makes it hard to attract new ones and grow. I personally will not be back anytime soon because of the poor operations.
They recently added a QR code, which helps — at least now you can look at the menu beforehand. But the rotating menu throughout the day is confusing, especially when new items are randomly added mid-morning. They really just need a set menu for the day.
This bakery has a lot of potential. The baker is clearly talented but at the end of the day, she’s a baker and not a businesswoman. Bringing in a business consultant — or even partnering with students from the IU Kelly School of Business could really help streamline things while keeping the heart of the place intact.
Rebecca Bidlen
Pre-order to skip the line. Innovative menu with the most options on the table on Saturdays. Always baked fresh with attention to every little detail. There’s something new to try every time we’ve gone. The crab Rangoon is my favorite pastry I’ve had in my life. This place is something special and Indy is lucky to have it!
Jacob Cole
Cafe Babette is operating at a level that deserves real recognition.
Their commitment to craft is undeniable. They specialize in croissants, but their creativity runs far beyond that. From crab rangoon and pineapple sticky rice croissants to matcha morning buns, Basque cheesecake, tiramisu cups, and an incredible Matilda cake, the execution is both thoughtful and bold. The miso caramel brownie cookie alone is worth the visit.
They’ve also expanded their beverage program with a slushy machine featuring cold brew and fruit-based drinks that are just as intentional as their pastries. On the savory side, Friday specials like banh mi or French onion roast beef sandwiches show real depth. Nothing feels phoned in.
What makes it even more impressive is their resilience. I’ve watched this team navigate equipment failures, tough seasons, and real operational challenges with determination. Selling gift cards to stay afloat isn’t glamorous, but it’s proof of how committed they are.
People have complained for the line being long, but that is straight up stupid. The demand matches the effort. They are literally the best in the city and should not be negatively impacted for being elite level... pro-tip they have an ordering system that goes fast Sundays at 7:00 PM or follow their IG or go Thursday or Friday for smaller lines...
For a smaller market city like Indianapolis, having a bakery pushing this hard creatively and operationally is invaluable.
They deserve the accolades.
Josh
Some of the best pastries I have ever had--both the sweet AND especially the savory ones. Staff is very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Service is a little inefficient. I would have given 5+ stars, but I wish they'd invest in and improve their storefront and help make the Garfield Park neighborhood even more beautiful. The space looks like a vacant place that went out of business years ago---no curb appeal or appealing signage.
Mild Red
i implore of you to check their health dept reviews before waiting for hours to spend exorbitant amounts of money. i was super excited about this place, but had received rude, dismissive service as a preorder customer and am blown away by the fact they’re still in operation based on their violations.
Leslie Summers
I’ve been a regular at Care Babette for almost two years! The parries are always varied and delicious. The line is long, but full of happy people excited to get a peek at what’s new for the week. I love the vibe of the line, and on weekends if I don’t have time, I watch for the preorder text on Sunday (you have to be quick though; they do sell out in 15-30 minutes). Everyone there has a passion for the work, and maintain cheerful positive energy even though it must get stressful at times. It’s been fun to watch their business grow exponentially since becoming a patron!
Emily Taylor
I’ve been to cafe Babette 15+ times in the last 16 months and it never disappoints. People complain about a long wait but there is a preorder. While I miss when preorder was days long and the waits weren’t forever, I enjoy that they haven’t caved to a less authentic experience. I like the business model and how they do things. If you don’t want to wait and don’t want to preorder, then just stop complaining 🤣
Marisa Cornewell
Everything is AMAZING!!! Absolutely worth any amount of waiting! GO...just GO!!!!
Jennifer Barnes
We’ve been fans for over a year now, and while it’s gotten a lot busier, some things haven’t changed. You won’t find better pastries ANYWHERE!! Preordering is the way to go if you don’t want the experience of waiting in line. The size/quality is absolutely worth the price. If you want to post mouth-watering pics online to make your friends jealous, you’re going to have to work for it a little….all the best things in life require effort 🤷♀️
Cafe Babette is our favorite bakery anywhere, hands down! We’ve been going since the beginning with pick-up in Franklin & then pop-ups around town & we drive down from Carmel. Honestly can’t remember what else mattered on Saturday morning before then 🤔 Cheyenne & Ryan are the absolute best & so is the entire team! They work their butts off around the clock to provide us with the most creative & best quality pastries, sandwiches & pizza around. Obviously it’s best to plan ahead for Saturday & pre-order but even when we haven’t, I never mind waiting. They are absolutely worth it. Thursdays & Fridays are better for walk-in & when I have time & didn’t do a Saturday pre-order, that’s when I try to go. SO worth it 🩷🩷
Jay Reeves
By far my favorite bakery. Don’t go on a Saturday unless you preorder. Give the staff grace, they can’t help everyone all at once! There are hundreds of people that show up on Saturdays. Do your research before you go. Best thing to do is preorder Thursday night for Friday pickup!!
Satchuel Cole
Some of the best pastry work you will find in this city. Small locally owned but flavor combos from around the world. Absolutely amazing pastries both sweet and savory. Expect to wait on weekends. This isnt fast food. Its good food. Its community food.
Ali
Heard this bakery was good & drove 2 hours from Louisville to get there right at open…. big mistake. They open at 10:30 on Saturdays, we got there at 10:40 & joined the line before they even opened the doors. Before opening the doors they made an announcement to everyone in line that the order time was only “2 minutes.” Stood and waited for over TWO HOURS. We were walking out by 12:45. I cannot stress how much I HIGHLY RECOMMEND preordering. Everyone who preorders gets to walk right in & pick up their order & crazily enough, they’ll even let you add more items to your preorder!! Despite people standing in line for 2 hours!! Extremely backwards way to run a business. They need more employees and organization. Don’t come without preordering unless you want to be jam packed in a line that snakes around in their small space with people bumping into you every 3 seconds. Not to mention nothing has a price or label on it. If you want to know what anything is you have to ask & they add up your order at the end after everything’s boxed up. My total was $83 for 9 pastries. Everything was good but is it worth being pressed into a small space with 50 other people for 2 hours? Absolutely not.
Carlos Salvador
Extreme Negligence and incompetence…
Got here at 10:22am, writing this review at 12:09pm, STILL in line. While I am adamant that the food is going to be amazing, no business should subject their clients to stand around, crammed like sardines for 2 hours. There was one woman attending the walk-in line while a second woman sporadically assisted.
Having the main room crammed to the brim caused the boy bringing the to-go orders to push and bump to get through. The walk-in line was moving exponentially slow that I pitied those who like me decided to stay in hopes that “it’ll be worth it in the end”.
No clear leadership, no organization whatsoever. Just unbridled, uncontrolled chaos layered in incompetence. And yes, I get it, I chose to stand here, fair but poor execution like this is what could an exceptionally talent business to crash. This was beyond unacceptable, reckless and sad to experience. Would genuinely not advise anyone to try and walk-in. You will truly be disappointed beyond correction.
Unsure what your business plan is. I can assume that your pick-up model works, but the walk-in experience was so bad that I’d ask you to consider closing for a week, addressing thoroughly how the walk-in experience operates because that line of “my wife and I timed it and the average person is waiting for 2 minutes” was flat out a lie.
I admire your work, truly a fan of your food, but please for the love of the business do better. I would hate for the community to disenfranchise from your business if they stood here for over 2 hours without purchasing their food and carrying on with their day. I finally was able to order at 12:19pm
Amazing. Never waited in a happier line before.
The pastries are good — some are really good — but honestly, the business operations might be what takes this place down.
Sometimes the flavor combinations feel a little over-the-top, and the original idea kind of gets lost in translation.
I would avoid this place on a Saturday, wait times are ridiculous and imo, not worth 40+ mins. The wait times are somewhat due to high volume but are also due to poor operations. I went on a Thursday (which is supposed to be less busy than Friday or Saturday), and even with only three people in front of me, I still waited 15–20 minutes. There are no names, descriptions, or prices listed, so every single customer has to ask what each item is. The owner responded to a previous comment saying that explaining the pastries is “part of the experience,” but honestly, if someone wants that experience, they’ll ask. The rest of us just want a menu or labels and a smooth ordering process. This is also frustrating for people who have food allergies. I ended up spending $50 on four items, which was a bit of a shock. During this poor economic state where inflation is at an all time high, people are spending their hard earned money on a nice treat, prices would be appreciated.
The pre-order system also has issues. You have to order days in advance, and spots fill up quickly. If you didn’t pre-order, you wait in line while pre-order customers come in and then can add or modify their orders at pickup. The owner went on ann instagram rant saying she prioritizes pre-order customers because they’re the original supporters of the café. I get appreciating loyal customers, but that mindset makes it hard to attract new ones and grow. I personally will not be back anytime soon because of the poor operations.
They recently added a QR code, which helps — at least now you can look at the menu beforehand. But the rotating menu throughout the day is confusing, especially when new items are randomly added mid-morning. They really just need a set menu for the day.
This bakery has a lot of potential. The baker is clearly talented but at the end of the day, she’s a baker and not a businesswoman. Bringing in a business consultant — or even partnering with students from the IU Kelly School of Business could really help streamline things while keeping the heart of the place intact.
Pre-order to skip the line. Innovative menu with the most options on the table on Saturdays. Always baked fresh with attention to every little detail. There’s something new to try every time we’ve gone. The crab Rangoon is my favorite pastry I’ve had in my life. This place is something special and Indy is lucky to have it!
Cafe Babette is operating at a level that deserves real recognition.
Their commitment to craft is undeniable. They specialize in croissants, but their creativity runs far beyond that. From crab rangoon and pineapple sticky rice croissants to matcha morning buns, Basque cheesecake, tiramisu cups, and an incredible Matilda cake, the execution is both thoughtful and bold. The miso caramel brownie cookie alone is worth the visit.
They’ve also expanded their beverage program with a slushy machine featuring cold brew and fruit-based drinks that are just as intentional as their pastries. On the savory side, Friday specials like banh mi or French onion roast beef sandwiches show real depth. Nothing feels phoned in.
What makes it even more impressive is their resilience. I’ve watched this team navigate equipment failures, tough seasons, and real operational challenges with determination. Selling gift cards to stay afloat isn’t glamorous, but it’s proof of how committed they are.
People have complained for the line being long, but that is straight up stupid. The demand matches the effort. They are literally the best in the city and should not be negatively impacted for being elite level... pro-tip they have an ordering system that goes fast Sundays at 7:00 PM or follow their IG or go Thursday or Friday for smaller lines...
For a smaller market city like Indianapolis, having a bakery pushing this hard creatively and operationally is invaluable.
They deserve the accolades.
Some of the best pastries I have ever had--both the sweet AND especially the savory ones. Staff is very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Service is a little inefficient. I would have given 5+ stars, but I wish they'd invest in and improve their storefront and help make the Garfield Park neighborhood even more beautiful. The space looks like a vacant place that went out of business years ago---no curb appeal or appealing signage.
i implore of you to check their health dept reviews before waiting for hours to spend exorbitant amounts of money. i was super excited about this place, but had received rude, dismissive service as a preorder customer and am blown away by the fact they’re still in operation based on their violations.
I’ve been a regular at Care Babette for almost two years! The parries are always varied and delicious. The line is long, but full of happy people excited to get a peek at what’s new for the week. I love the vibe of the line, and on weekends if I don’t have time, I watch for the preorder text on Sunday (you have to be quick though; they do sell out in 15-30 minutes). Everyone there has a passion for the work, and maintain cheerful positive energy even though it must get stressful at times. It’s been fun to watch their business grow exponentially since becoming a patron!
I’ve been to cafe Babette 15+ times in the last 16 months and it never disappoints. People complain about a long wait but there is a preorder. While I miss when preorder was days long and the waits weren’t forever, I enjoy that they haven’t caved to a less authentic experience. I like the business model and how they do things. If you don’t want to wait and don’t want to preorder, then just stop complaining 🤣
Everything is AMAZING!!! Absolutely worth any amount of waiting! GO...just GO!!!!
We’ve been fans for over a year now, and while it’s gotten a lot busier, some things haven’t changed. You won’t find better pastries ANYWHERE!! Preordering is the way to go if you don’t want the experience of waiting in line. The size/quality is absolutely worth the price. If you want to post mouth-watering pics online to make your friends jealous, you’re going to have to work for it a little….all the best things in life require effort 🤷♀️
Restaurantji Recommends
Cafe Babette is our favorite bakery anywhere, hands down! We’ve been going since the beginning with pick-up in Franklin & then pop-ups around town & we drive down from Carmel. Honestly can’t remember what else mattered on Saturday morning before then 🤔 Cheyenne & Ryan are the absolute best & so is the entire team! They work their butts off around the clock to provide us with the most creative & best quality pastries, sandwiches & pizza around. Obviously it’s best to plan ahead for Saturday & pre-order but even when we haven’t, I never mind waiting. They are absolutely worth it. Thursdays & Fridays are better for walk-in & when I have time & didn’t do a Saturday pre-order, that’s when I try to go. SO worth it 🩷🩷
By far my favorite bakery. Don’t go on a Saturday unless you preorder. Give the staff grace, they can’t help everyone all at once! There are hundreds of people that show up on Saturdays. Do your research before you go. Best thing to do is preorder Thursday night for Friday pickup!!
Some of the best pastry work you will find in this city. Small locally owned but flavor combos from around the world. Absolutely amazing pastries both sweet and savory. Expect to wait on weekends. This isnt fast food. Its good food. Its community food.
Heard this bakery was good & drove 2 hours from Louisville to get there right at open…. big mistake. They open at 10:30 on Saturdays, we got there at 10:40 & joined the line before they even opened the doors. Before opening the doors they made an announcement to everyone in line that the order time was only “2 minutes.”
Stood and waited for over TWO HOURS. We were walking out by 12:45. I cannot stress how much I HIGHLY RECOMMEND preordering. Everyone who preorders gets to walk right in & pick up their order & crazily enough, they’ll even let you add more items to your preorder!! Despite people standing in line for 2 hours!! Extremely backwards way to run a business. They need more employees and organization. Don’t come without preordering unless you want to be jam packed in a line that snakes around in their small space with people bumping into you every 3 seconds. Not to mention nothing has a price or label on it. If you want to know what anything is you have to ask & they add up your order at the end after everything’s boxed up. My total was $83 for 9 pastries. Everything was good but is it worth being pressed into a small space with 50 other people for 2 hours? Absolutely not.
Extreme Negligence and incompetence…
Got here at 10:22am, writing this review at 12:09pm, STILL in line. While I am adamant that the food is going to be amazing, no business should subject their clients to stand around, crammed like sardines for 2 hours. There was one woman attending the walk-in line while a second woman sporadically assisted.
Having the main room crammed to the brim caused the boy bringing the to-go orders to push and bump to get through. The walk-in line was moving exponentially slow that I pitied those who like me decided to stay in hopes that “it’ll be worth it in the end”.
No clear leadership, no organization whatsoever. Just unbridled, uncontrolled chaos layered in incompetence. And yes, I get it, I chose to stand here, fair but poor execution like this is what could an exceptionally talent business to crash. This was beyond unacceptable, reckless and sad to experience. Would genuinely not advise anyone to try and walk-in. You will truly be disappointed beyond correction.
Unsure what your business plan is. I can assume that your pick-up model works, but the walk-in experience was so bad that I’d ask you to consider closing for a week, addressing thoroughly how the walk-in experience operates because that line of “my wife and I timed it and the average person is waiting for 2 minutes” was flat out a lie.
I admire your work, truly a fan of your food, but please for the love of the business do better. I would hate for the community to disenfranchise from your business if they stood here for over 2 hours without purchasing their food and carrying on with their day. I finally was able to order at 12:19pm
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