Big City Small World Bakery

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a place where I purchased 4 different Items and they were all horribly bad (like among the worst I’ve ever tasted). Reading other reviews here, it seems the only good thing they make is their ding dongs, which I didn’t get because it was very, very small and cost $ 4. I did get the egg salad sandwich (bland & all blended together for some reason, like deviled eggs, not egg salad), cabbage soup that was watery, vinegar-​y & tasted like a bad version of tom yum soup. The blueberry muffin was extremely dry (inedible!) and not very blueberry-​ish even though it looked like it should have been. The cinnamon roll had barely any cinnamon or sugar in it, and the dough tasted like the kind you get in the tube at the grocery store. NOT recommended! There are way too many other good (& local) coffee shops and bakeries in Ann Arbor!

The owner (I’m assuming he’s the owner) was extremely kind! The scones are amazing, excellent variety of flavors both sweet and savory. I will definitely be stopping by again, so glad I saw this since I was just driving to waste time before an appointment!

Finished two Muffins and a cup of black Coffee for a breakfast. There are also other kinds of cakes and Coffees waiting for you. The owner was very kind and the place was quite clean!

I really have tried hard to like this unique little neighborhood bakery.
I live down the street and leave my house on foot in search of coffee and a baked good on the regular. Unfortunately, I walk past this bakery to another (really, any other) coffee shop every time.
The quality of their baked goods is lacking. I don’t think I’m that picky (butter, sugar, what’s not to like?), but I haven’t really enjoyed anything I’ve gotten here. The coffee situation isn’t great either.
Please improve your products, you would get so much business from me!

On the few occasions I’ve been short of literal (pre-​2015 literal definition) bread, and picked some up here, I have again been reminded why going here is an act of desperation. The bread selections are limited and the loaves they do offer have nothing old world about them. No texture and no crisp crusts; even the baguettes are soft. A supermarket wheat bread loaf is tastier. Conversely, the pecan tart I tried had a pale but rock hard crust and a filling far too dense. The impression is that some hippie decided running a bakery was a cool idea but didn’t bother to learn the basics of baking. The only reason I can think of that Small World is still in business is neighborhood ideological support of some principle of patronizing local establishments.

I was shocked after visiting a few times that Big City Small World had such good reviews. I live just three blocks away, and I was elated when I moved in to find a bakery just down the hill. In the last 6 months, we kept giving this place chances and we kept coming in with an open mind and trying new things. Every single time we were unimpressed. My partner and I have gotten some of the worst coffee either of us have ever tasted and some of the driest, most over-​priced baked goods imaginable. While supporting a nice local business is quaint and we really want to love this business, this place just lacks quality/​interest/​appeal for the price. There’s nothing that stands out and the effect is just underwhelming.

Best eclairs ever!

I ordered the eclairs. It was delicious! My husband had a ding-​dong. I rushed to get there cause Unilocal page saying it close on 2pm… but its actually open longer till 4pm or something on Sunday. I have to say little over-​price on everything. But i’d go back to get more éclair next time i go to AA.

In the heart of a residential neighborhood lies this architecturally beautiful and colorful building. The bakery itself is very tiny (only 2 chairs and two display cases) but very charming. Not only do they sell desserts of all kinds: scones, ding dongs, torts, cookies, & pastries, but they have sandwiches, soups and coffee menu.
Desserts
–Butter Tort: hmmm almost like toffee or butterscotch. It’s sticky, chewy, moist, flaky, syrupy sweet and refreshing.
–Dark Chocolate Ding Dong: not knowing what a ding dong was, it’s layered chocolate cake with white frosting in between and dipped in dark chocolate. Not a huge cake person, I found it to be quite alright. The dipping chocolate is very rich and overpowers the rest of the ding dong – even giving the cake part a bit more moisture.

FINAL VERDICT: The two goodies I enjoyed weren’t my favorite, but the bakery has much more to offer so I would stop in anytime to try more.

I’ve had a limited amount of their selections, but I was thoroughly unimpressed with everything — except the ding dong. I could eat their ding dongs all day and if that was all I’d eaten this review would’ve been easily 5 stars. Biggest take away was the ridiculous prices, if you are going to spend this much on baked goods get Zingerman’s.
Most notably disappointing were the hard and bland cookies, which for the price was a huge let down. The ginger cookie was the best of those I tried, but even so it was hard and tasted like it was made a few days ago. Even my coffee was weak and flavorless. For such an interesting looking place, I was sad it didn’t turn out to be very good.

So I decided to get a cake for my boyfriend’s birthday. I called all the bakeries within walking distance of UM’s campus and asked if they had any cakes in stock. Decadent Delight didn’t pick up, Zingerman’s and everyone else was too far away to walk in February weather, the Cupcake Station said no, we need 48 hrs notice. Big City Small World said no, but we do have ding-​dong cakes. Sweet.
She says they can decorate the ding-​dong cake. I ask them to write his name on the cake, with two hearts as decorations. The woman on the line was easily the surliest person I have talked to all month, which I was surprised by (you work at a bakery, it’s not like you’re chained up to a hospital reception desk) but whatever, as long as they don’t spell his name wrong, I don’t mind. I carefully spell it out over the phone (E as in Elephant… T as in…). The 6″ ding dong cake comes out to $ 20.
Swing by later in the day to pick it up. The woman who answered the phone appears gone, and a male cashier shows me the cake. I am stunned. It is hideous. The white icing text looks like it was written by a four year old (see photos). The cursive is broken up and squished in no less than four places. I ask the cashier if there’s anything they can do and he shrugs. The decorator is gone. He can give me a refund, but it’s late in the day and I probably can’t take a cab somewhere else to get a cake in time before my boyfriend comes home. He doesn’t apologize, and gives the excuse that maybe her frosting was a little cold today. I leave, feeling increasingly more disappointed in my super ugly birthday surprise for him on the way home.
After taking a photo for Unilocal,I put some cream cheese in a bag and cut off the corner in a desperate attempt to salvage the font. I think the reason I’m so annoyed is just the combination of the surly woman, the horrid frosting, and the cashier who just didn’t care at all that I was upset. If you have an incompetent decorator, just tell me you can’t decorate cakes and I’ll suck it up and call a cab to take me to Zingerman’s.
TL;DR — Bought birthday cake. Terrible frosting job with no customer service to make up for it.

I just had a slice of their plain cheesecake that has a gigantic strawberry on top of it, and it was absolutely delicious! So delicious, I was compelled to come to Unilocal to rave about it. I’m going to order a cheesecake for Christmas dinner.

Loved this place as a kid, last time I went in maybe my timing was off but the selection was very small. I don’t remember anything remarkable about what I ordered, and I haven’t gone back since. I will consider going back if I am in the neighborhood just because of the memories I have of eating goodies after swimming lessons at Mack pool.

I keep getting really disappointed by this place and am upset with myself for not listening to my boyfriend today, when he tried to remind me about all my previously disappointing experiences here.
The prices are, as a friend once described, «hyper inflated» and the pastries are just not as good as the prices would indicate.
And today I finally caved in and shelled out the $ 3.50 for a vegan ding dong. Why is there so much hype? It tastes like a ho-​ho. Maybe vegans’ standards for baked goods are so low that an average ding dong is a glorious experience for them.
It’s crowded, hot and stuffy inside as well. It makes me wonder how the baked goods can stay fresh at all behind the display all day. (On second thought, maybe they just don’t. My ding dong melted into the pastry paper it was wrapped in before I had the chance to walk out the door and eat it.) The exterior is cute, which is why I’m giving this place two stars.
Credit cards for purchases over $ 8 only.

Funky, eclectic building, really thought I’d love this.
Inside, overwhealmed by the prices, $ 2 for a cookie, $ 4 for pretty much anything else.
The round eclaire was calling my name, but not at $ 4 for a tiny round bite.
I didn’t want to leave without buying anything so I chose 2 cookies when my husband pointed out a discount rack in the back.
So I told him nevermind with the cookies and got a cinnamon roll, a cherry chocolate chip muffin and a raspberry cream cheese muffin at $ 1.50 each.
Good deal I thought.
Trying them at home, it was all the worst I’ve ever had!
Cinnamon roll, stale, no flavor, no gooey frosting, no cinnamon just old yeast.
Muffin had maybe 2 chocolate chips and one cherry, also old and stale.
Raspberry the same deal, thought the cream cheese would help out here, nope no luck.
No need to stop here, way overpriced and no flavor.

The eclairs are great for non-​chocolate lovers – the custard is delicious!
Definitely not on the cheap side but I’m glad to be supporting local businesses!

I had the BEST lemon ginger tea I have ever had here while visiting a friend in Ann Arbor over New Year’s. I will probably always remember it, because it was that good, and the perfect antidote to winter chills.
I’ll be back in Ann Arbor again next month, and look forward to returning here for another tea, and possibly other delicacies from their menu.

Note to self: BRING CASH.
Big City Small World isn’t cash only, but they do have an $ 8 minimum if you want to use your card. Now, that $ 8 wouldn’t go very far at certain other bakeries in the area, but it will get you a couple of vegan ding dongs or excellent muffins or cookies at Big City.
I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve tried from this little neighborhood bakery — if only we lived closer, as I would love to be able to stroll down for coffee and treats on a lazy weekend morning. Every neighborhood should have a place like Big City.

Oh whoa! So, I knew that sooner or later I would end up giving the vegan ding dongs here a try. Today a totally sweet friend bought me one for my birthday. Before my first bite, I stared hard at the treat, hoping that I could somehow will the vegan version to taste just as good as the non-​vegan.
And you know what? It DID! For real. I’ve often said that I could never go vegan, but if for some reason I had to, those vegan ding dongs would make it a whooole lot easier.
The vibe here is comfy, but for me, it’s usually a better grab-​and-​go place since there’s not much seating. As long at that doesn’t bug you, this place is tops. I feel confident in moving this place up to 5 big ol stars. In my heart and on my taste buds, this sweet neighborhood bakery is a winner, indeed!
Now I’m kinda dreaming of getting a big pyramid of ding dongs (who needs cupcakes?!) for my wedding dessert instead of cake!

I work downtownish, so Big-​City is one of my favorite places to walk to for a delicious morning or afternoon snack. It’s located on a corner on Miller ave, just a quick jaunt from Main street.
The store/​bakery is very small with just a few café tables inside if you simply have to devour your purchases right then and there.
They have a good assortment of hearty cookies, scones and bars that are of the heavier, nubbly-​oaty, dried fruit variety. I really like their cherry and oatmeal scones, they have a shortbread consistency and homey mouth-​feel that I like. I also love their cream-​puffs, eclairs, and ding-dongs…yes, rich chocolate cake with scrumptious vanilla cream filling enrobed in dark choco *mmmmmmm*
The staff are quirky and nice. I don’t drink coffee so I can’t comment on the quality of the brew, but the eatables are notable.