Grand Central Baking Company

The staff here are the slowest I have ever seen anywhere. Today I walked in, stood around while TWO people behind the counter chatted with a third. Nobody was buying anything, I think they were talking about their previous night or something. I stood around, not a word, so I left. Without any food of course. On a previous visit it took them 25 minutes to make a french ham sandwich — the guy said «30 seconds!» and I stood there for 25 minutes waiting. Not sure how anyone can be so slow; it really is ridiculous.

I just landed in Seattle And lunch was first on my to do list. This place is a gem. Fresh sandwiched and homemade soups. Love the old building

I beg to differ with other reviewers calling this an inexpensive option. A latte should never cost $ 6 and should be mostly steamed milk, the half cup of foam is for cappuccino. But I digress. .. cute spot, close to work, good selection of baked goods and sandwiches. I like this place a lot. The thing I really dislike is the one person barista bar. Coffee takes FOREVER here.

The best grilled cheese sandwiches!!! I would recommend not going during lunch hours. always a long line and the wait is at least 15 minutes for a sandwich. The staff are always happy and delightful to make the wait more reasonable but I would recommend sitting down for a sandwich, you tend to get your sandwich faster than getting it to go.
I tried the kale caesar salad last week and was pleasantly surprised with how tasty it was. I have never tried one of the to-​go sandwiches, why wouldn’t you want your sandwich heated up?
Definitely a place to go if you want a yummy pastry or filling sandwich. Prices are reasonable too especially if you make it a combo!

Perfect inexpensive little spot to grab a bite to eat. I was in the area for a meeting and decided to stop by and see if I can get a quick bite. I remember coming here long ago but It was just for coffee. Anyway, I came in and ordered the Grilled Cheese and it came out decently fast but tasted amazing. It was cooked to perfection and the cheese was literally oozing out with each bite. It was crazy, and all for around $ 6. How could you beat that in downtown? Now, I didn’t get to explore the menu, but there were so many options and I definitely will be back. Especially since there’s been relatively no line in the past two times I’ve been here. All in all this is a cool place to grab a bite if you’re in the Pioneer Square area. Also, There is plenty of seating indoor and also outdoor seating if that is what you prefer.

best breaky sandwiches in burien!

They make the best pecan sticky bun that I have ever eaten. It is fluffy and it’s crispy all at the same time. It’s not that sticky gooey stuff you usually get at regular bakeries wish there was one where I lived

Nice local bakery with delicious savory sandwiches and giant cookies! I stopped by to grab lunch since we were nearby and had just finished one of the walking tours by Pioneer Square. I knew exactly what I wanted as soon as I saw the Sasquatch special. Their sandwich filled with butternut squash roasted with maple syrup, fresh sage and cayenne, layered with both cheddar cheese and Fresanero mayo, and grilled until crispy on Peasant bread. It melted in my mouth and was the perfect Fall sandwich. I ordered it with the combo which came with a pickle spear and a choice of one of their cookies, so I went with the molasses which was chewy and delectable.

we came just for your twice baked challah. glad you still make them and we wish we had them in socal. hopefully people appreciate how amazing it is, from the moist egg based dough, to its sticky (hardly tasted) orange syrup and creamy almond paste, as a whole its not overly sweet,… what an amazing pastry.

This little hidden gem tucked away in the vines of pioneer square is amazing. The food is so fresh, everything is freshly made. Farm to table style. Courtney makes some of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. A must have when you’re in pioneer square!

A very solid breakfast place! The open brick interior is appealing, the staff is friendly (they were totally nice about me spilling my coffee everywhere), and the breakfast was filling and warm.
I save my 5 star reviews for places that are really outstanding, and while this didn’t make the cut this time I’m ready to go back and try again.

Landed here when wandering around pioneer square area looking for a decent quick lunch at a reasonable price. The turkey and chutney sandwich was a delicious combination of fresh flavors. And the ginger molasses cookie had the right blend of chewy centre and crispy outside. Yum!

Yummy place for baked goods. Love the pie. Love the sandwiches. Cinnamon rolls are very good. Great place to pick up a quick lunch.

Amazing! Found this place by accident, and I sure am glad I did. Was on the hunt for some early morning breakfast sustenance while wondering around lost. From the street I followed my nose into this place. Fast and friendly help, original menu, and WOW factor good taste!!! I don’t know if I will ever be lost in Seattle again, but If I am… I will be back her for an early morning bite!

The bread here absolutely destroys run-​of-​the-​mill supermarket bread in quality and price. The ingredient lists are short like they are in Europe too. You can’t go wrong with the Como (white) or the Rustic Whole Grain.
I’d give the sandwiches 3.5 stars, as they’re better than average but won’t all blow your mind, with the possible exception of the seasonal shrimp roll. Overall 4 stars factoring in the 5 star bread.

Such great sandwiches and pastries! Every time I go for lunch there is always a line out the door. I love the Tuna sandwich or the Tofubean, but I know lots of people who think the turkey is the best. Big portion sizes (usually enough for left overs). And just a nice lunch spot in the middle of pioneer square.
Favorite soup and sandwich spot in pioneer square!

I tend to stay away from writing reviews that are not directly food-​related but feel like it’s the little things that started to keep me away from this place. The food here is delicious and the brick-​walled space is cozy and the staff is nice but more often than not something is not right with my order: the soup is not what I ordered; whether it was a half sandwich or not, or whether it was for here or to go… And it happens even when they’re not that busy!
The wait could be crazy too but with good food places that’s not unusual. However having a time estimate would be beneficial-​after all, majority of the customers are the working crowd who needs to get back to work.
So with little tweaks to the orchestration of things this place could be great. For now, I’ll stop by to grab a triple-​chocolate cookie. Hope I don’t find a peanut butter in the bag instead :)

4 Stars.
My girlfriend and I stumbled across this place while at Pioneer Square. I ordered the Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich and my gf got the Twice Baked Challah.
The sandwich was very satisfying! The eggplant, quality toppings and sauce made this a dining experience to remember. The bread was perfectly crunchy and made fresh in their bakery across the hall. I can still taste it!!! If I had to improve one thing, it would be to include a little more eggplant in the sandwich.
The Challah had orange butter glaze, topped with slivered toasted almonds and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Simply delicous!
Final Thought: I would get this sandwich again in a heart beat

Grand Central Baking is just one of those places you go «dang that was a pretty good meal!»
Aside from their delicious plethora of fresh baked breads, cookies, and assorted pastries, they also make some pretty mean sandwiches and soups. I feel you really can’t go wrong with anything you order here.
My tuna melt was fantastic — I added lettuce (they sadly did not have tomato) and it was nice, light, and not overly oily. Also I added a cup of clam chowder which was not too bad either. Could have been a bit thicker/​chunkier but that’s just my own opinion. Overall great and filling lunch for sure. I love how they have both indoor and outdoor seating available for those rare sunny days we get in Seattle.
Staff is friendly and they are pretty quick with your order even during a busy lunch rush. My only qualm about this place is that it’s a touch spendy. For my Tuna Melt + Cup of soup = $ 13 with tax I believe? Somewhere around there. Not sure the food is worth that since the sandwiches don’t come with anything (you have to pay extra for sides, chips, etc). It is indeed tasty however, no doubt about that.

YAY BREAD!
So I believe (and I might be wrong here, but all evidence seems to suggest otherwise) that this is the flagship/​first grand central bakery in Seattle? I absolutely love the ambience inside where you can sit next to a (REAL) fireplace and nosh on delicious carbohydrate-​laden treats, and even during the lunch rush, the noise level always seems relatively mild.
While I haven’t had any of their lunch fare (sandwiches and soups), I’ve tried their biscuits (very buttery, a little too much for my taste actually), breads (they’re carried everywhere but even better fresh from the oven here!), and treats/cookies/things-I-really-shouldn’t-be-eating.
The staff here is ridiculously nice, as in, prozac-​pill-​popping-​nice. I’m not complaining or anything, but I’m curious as to how genuine it is and how much is required from them (hopefully they are just super jazzed to work there?!)
Coffee I believe is made from Caffe Vita beans so even the drip is appropriately strong, but don’t ask for flavour shots as they tend to be rather heavy-​handed with those and will literally give you 4+ pumps, even in an 8oz. drink!
I suspect many inches will be added to my waistline now that I work in the same building as this place. C’est a vie, baby.