La Baguette/Hardware Cafe

People who talk about how baguettes «should» be amuse me, because it reveals they have never actually been to France. Even French people will tell you this… French inspired breads made in America are totally f*cking better. Parisian baguettes and croissants are good but they are pretty generic and boring and similar to something you’d find here in the bakery of a grocery store. Seriously.
ANYWAY. La Baguette is great. The 5+ rating quality of the breads in the case is very obvious just from looking at them, to someone who is a pastry fanatic, anyway. The cookies are plump and full of chocolatey goodness, the bagels look hand made, puffy, and full of the «right» kind of imperfections that result in you getting more bagel, and the muffins have huge fresh berries and are made with brain or whole grain. I get weepy looking at/​thinking about beautiful pastry cases, no joke.
This place most reminds of me of a Grand Central from Portland, Oregon, in more ways the one. The beautiful pastries, but also the very utilitarian, very euro, bread with 2 eggs deal for under 5 dollars. This is my favorite all around breakfast. La Baguette will let you add two eggs to your bagel order for 2.50. Not only that, but the scrambled eggs are AMAZING. Best BEST scrambled eggs you can get in Ashland, HANDS DOWN.
My last comment. every town has a place that the hip old men who are really into music and hats go… this is that spot for Ashland. I had been wondering! Haha.

always stopped by for live music for the 1^st Friday Art Walks, so coming in for breakfast is a whole new experience– yet still smells amazing upon walking in. The people working today were both extremely friendly & helpful in everything they had available– it’s also cool to know, for the future, that they have tapas available in the evening!
I got a house-​brewed matcha chai tea with hemp milk… it’s nice & spicy, slightly sweet & really helps warm you up on such a drizzly day. The cuban tamale is wonderful! The spices are intense, yet not overwhelming, the chile underneath gives the creamy masa extra depth & the red sauce is just on point. I’m equally impressed by their ‘apple baked beans’, which add a subtle sweetness overall & help brighten up the dish. There’s even a fun pickle-​y slaw with cilantro on the side to act as a palate cleanser. Overall, a nice meal for $ 10.50! Well worth coming in, especially enjoying a bite away from the chaos of downtown!

Went into this establishment with the hopes of purchasing some bread and assorted other goods only to be ignored by the staff (It was my first time here.) I would have assumed a business makes a product in order to sell to make money to pay its employees. It would have been nice to try some of their goods but it appeared nobody really cared. It was very quazi california attitude (if you’re not a regular, go away-​behavior.) There are plenty of other bakeries around so don’t waste your time with this one. Maybe management can work on customer service, just an idea?

One of my favorite places in Ashland. Off the tourist path. I often get the breakfast burrito and my spouse gets the Cuban tamales. Our dogs are welcome and we enjoy the patio. If you’re lucky, you’ll hear live music. The baked goods are delicious… chewy and gooey cinnamon rolls and bear claws with marzipan are our favourites. Logan is one of the nicest people on earth. He always makes our day.

If you have some time to kill and are parked on or near Main St., take a stroll down 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th streets past early 20^th Century bungalows to the Railroad District where there are several art galleries, an interesting hardware store, the Grange Coop, the peerless 19^th Century Peerless Hotel and restaurant, and other businesses along with the Hardware Café.
Affiliated with La Baguette, this small café sells breads & pastries plus a few entrée items. I had the Cuban tamale with beans & rice; a slice of plantain was an added bonus. A tomato-​based sauce covered part of the food. The flavors were excellent. Baby corn & tiny pieces of red bell pepper were in the rice.
Original art for sale adorned the walls and one corner was reserved for live music.

The stuffed bagels are absolutely delicious. We especially love the jalapeño-​cheddar, black olive-​cream cheese, and blueberry cream cheese if we’re craving a sweeter option.
I love purchasing La Baguette’s sliced whole wheat sourdough bread as well — it’s great for sandwich making!

Best bagel on the planet, and I have lived in NYC! These people are bread guru’s, I highly suggest you take some home, you can taste the love that goes into every loaf.

Got the baguette from here a little awhile ago – and it was good! Uh, one caveat though – it was good in a white-​bread-​shaped-​like-​a-​baguette good and not French-​baguette good. But, what it lacks in crispness of crust and fullness of flavor, it makes up for in fluffiness and general good taste.

Bugsy would like to review La Baguette’s Baguette. Seeded, not seeded, sour dough, whatever… they are all about the same.
Simply put, they suck.
Baguette is an art.
Baguette is a science.
Baguette is a passion!
La Baguette produces nasty, out-​of-​tradition «bread tubes» that remotely resembles the shape of a Baguette; they taste, feel, and smell nothing like a baguette.
Want a real baguette from the Rogue Valley?
Sunstone Bakery. Period. End of story.

I just went in for my first time this morning while on my way to work this morning, and the service was terrible. I made a joking comment saying, «this is my first time in here» as I look around the shop. The lady behind the counter had a real sour attitude and responded with, «That’s nice, what do you want?» The bagel that I got was good but the service ruined my experience and I won’t go back.

Okay, here’s their real secret: these are the folks who bake that incredibly good brown bread served at Martino’s. But get there early or it will be gone!

Pleasant, laid-​back place to enjoy a plate of eggs, a coffee and a cinnamon roll on weekends (while you pick up your loaves of bread for the week). Not many places in town you can listen to live music at brekkies.

Gayle and I always stay at the Peerless when we’re in Ashland. Sometimes the associated Peerless Breakfast includes a very tasty scone or other baked goods from the Hardware Café.
The Café (along with La Baguette) is a little hard to find in its relatively anonymous store front along A Street in the Railroad District. The relaxed and a bit funky inside is fairly roomy and sometimes features live music. On the next trip, I’ll have to try the cinnamon rolls.