Bonte

This was one of the favorite to-​go places for my bf and I. We just explored Philly when we first moved there to see what hole-​in-​the-​wall places we could find, and came up to this little eatery. The coffee I was not a fan of, but the sandwiches and waffles were amazing. Sadly, We gifted to each and were gifted Bonte giftcards totaling quite a sum because we went so often, and now have all that money wasted since they all closed. It sucks, but what can we do? Was good while it lasted.

Great Liege style Belgian waffles! I still crave them even tho I don’t live in philadelphia anymore

Unique waffles that are actually a representation of a valid Belgian traditional style according to foodies on Unilocal and other websites.
I care very little about this beyond unique waffles equaling delicious waffles. I’ve eaten at both their now-​closed Rittenhouse basement location (my favorite of the 2) and the 922 Walnut spot. I could have sworn way back in, oh I want to say 2006 or so they were adding powdered sugar atop their delicious breakfast treats, though they told me when I went in this past Friday that they don’t do that for the style. Either way it was delicious. Had half an original and a whole dark chocolate+walnuts waffle on this go-​round. Decadent! I will swear by this place to anyone looking for good breakfast anywhere near Philly, until someone can demonstrate to me why they shouldn’t get my 5* vote.

I can’t say much else that no one has said.
Restaurant was clean, tidy, organized.
Unisex bathroom clean.
Coconut iced coffee very tasty. Strawberries waffle well proportioned. If it was any bigger, I probably wouldn’t have finished it.
I will be back someday for more waffles!

Worst waffles ever!
They make waffle from dough and not batter. What they gave me was raw dough and let me tell you you do not want to eat this!
Also when I asked the staff I am looking for something low calorie, she said she can skip sugar! Having normal waffles in mind which with little or no sugar are still fine, I said it is a good suggestion but that was a mistake! Raw dough without sugar with cooked strawberries inside!!!
Coffee is not bad!

Great waffles. They are sized just right for a snack, perfectly sweetened, and pretty dense so you get semi full off of it.
However other than waffles, the rest of the foot is very overpriced. The sandwiches which are premade in the display case each cost about $ 8.00. You can go down the street for Wawa and get the same for half the price.
The coffee is average, on par with the many other coffee shops in the area.
Basically, I would recommend coming here for a waffle break anytime but would steer away from the other food options.

Obviously the waffles.
But also the crepes and the weird art on the walls.
And that it’s open early!
I’d suggest anything with spinach, it tasted particularly fresh.

I give 5 stars are for the sugar waffle with no mix-​ins (I like it the best that way). This is the best waffle I have ever had! I don’t know how «authentic» these waffles are, but they are so delicious. It’s crunchy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside and not too sweet. The waffle is pretty filling, but I feel that it’s slightly overpriced (by like 50 cents).
Overall a 4 star rating because even though the waffle is amazing, I just wanted more friendliness? or something. I’m not sure, but I just didn’t feel very welcomed. For example, my fiancé and I walked straight to the counter ready to order, but the 2 workers were just chatting and doing their own thing. We literally waited like a full minute before we got any attention even though there was absolutely no one else there. Some people may like that vibe, but I’d rather have good, attentive customer service.

I’ll confess, when it comes to coffee I am, as they say, a wimpy coffee drinker. Do I ever crave cappuccino? Nooooope. I do crave Bonte sugar waffes and that is good enough for me.
How to explain these piping hot belgian sugar waffles… Carbohydrate heaven? Morsels of ecstasy? Happiness in the form of flour dough? I have no idea… what I DO know is that these little creations are excellent. The sugar crystals are a healthy size… think soft pretzel salt. I suggest mix-​ins that are on the «neutral» side: banana + peanut butter; strawberries, etc.
Run, don’t walk… Bonte is calling and you are a fool for ignoring her siren song!

Was excited by the idea of Belgian waffles — «made from dough, not batter». Authentic Euro taste.
Just not my thing. Had chunks of sugar in it (no thanks), and the strawberries and blueberries I selected to go inside tasted old with little flavor. Coffee was mediocre.
Nice atmosphere although pretty deserted at 9:30 am on a weekday.
Might come back to try something else but the waffles really didn’t do it for me.

I ordered the mango iced tea and a waffle. The iced tea was okay but the waffle was AMAZING. I had it with vanilla ice cream and dark chocolate drizzle and it may have been the BEST waffle I’ve ever had.
The service was okay, frankly it was the only unsatisfying part of my experience there.

I loved this place from the moment I walked in and The Smiths were playing and the staff just exuded hep casual cluelessness. This place is adorable, quiet, and relaxed – the perfect find on a lazy weekend morning. I love that their waffles are not too large and i thought they were delicious.
When the cashier forgot an order for a mocha, they gave me a free one when I asked them about it. It was a bit too sweet for my taste, but I still love the vibe of this place – so sensible, relaxed and inviting. Go enjoy!

Um, can we say YUM?
Bonte made for a delicious Sunday breakfast. I love that you can customize the inclusions in your waffle. I felt like bananas and blueberries on that day. It takes a little bit of time for the waffle to be prepared, but it is well worth the wait! Savor the flavors. Other choices of «mix ins» include white chocolate and walnuts.
Note that there isn’t a lot of other food selection here. There’s a few sandwiches, and I believe they do carry some salads. Wifi available.
Great pitstop!

Waffles. Free coffee refills. Free Wifi. Unpretentious. Yummy sandwiches.
Rock on, Bonte.

Maybe I’m writing this review because I’m hungry for breakfast food right now and a waffle would hit the spot.
So I’ve only had the waffles here (topped with ice cream and carmel of course! — such a fat kid at heart-​ha!) and they are pretty tasty. Not the best I’ve ever had… and I really hate to sound like a snob, but they are not close to the real thing. Those of yall who have had the pleasure to visit Belgium know what I’m talkin about. True Belgium waffles don’t need sugar crystals and literally melt in your mouth. Nevertheless, it’s a nice fat girl treat!

It’s been a long time coming. I work around the corner from this location, and have always regarded this coffee shop with curiousity, as its claim to fame is belgian sugar waffles. I asked some co-​workers to accompany me to try it out this morning, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Reading other reviews, I assumed I was going to have to wait 15 minutes or more for my waffles with mixed-​in chocolate and strawberries ($ 2.75+ $ 1 for the extras), but they were done very quickly, in less than 10 minutes. As they serve La Colombe coffee, I opted for a regular cup of joe over an espresso drink.
The waffles were scrumptious! Deliciously warm and sugary, they contain rocks of sugar in them that, at first, look like they will be hard to eat. To my surprise, they just melt right in your mouth when you take a bite, forming a great substitute for syrup that you won’t miss. The dough was fine and the consistency was delightfully crunchy on the outside, but warm and doughy in the center, just as you’d expect. The chocolate and strawberries melted right on in, making it have a more luxurious feel. My only complaint is the size versus the price: You get two rather small waffles, and the mix ins are a little pricey for just a couple strawberries in a little waffle… you kind of wish they were «toppings» instead of «mix-​ins.» However, for a breakfast treat, the waffles are the bee’s knees.
I would love to return to Bonte to treat myself to a warm breakfast.

If Auntie Anne’s diversified by experimenting with waffles, this is what you’d get.
I’ve been to Belgium once. I had waffles there. Therefore, I am clearly an expert now. Maybe what I found disappointing about this mid-​day knosh was my hope for a true Belgian waffle that I hoped I would get by the look of the place (it’s nice). That taste of a true Belgian waffle is something akin to buttery, sugary, eggy, pastry. This was not that, but better than an Eggo. I think the girl behind the register liked me too…

As a design guy, popping in having availed myself of the adjacent medical amenities, I immediately took appreciative notice of the fact that this otherwise generically conceived coffee nook has a central standout concept: WAFFLES. So, I’ll review from an art school crit angle — quick bullet point style pluses and minuses:
Good — Amazing looking waffles w/​ice cream
Prime location near Jefferson
Lots of seating space
Free WiFi
Friendly baristesses
Nicely selected photos on walls, c/​o the Photographic Society of Philadelphia
Bad — Awful lite-​rock soundtrack (Dave Matthews & Bruce Hornsby)
Generic corporate décor and ambience
I’ll leave it to you to try the waffles and ice cream — not typically in my dietary repertoire. Bonte conveniently serves a purpose, and with some taste, so for that, I commend it — a solid B. Next project.

Arrived at the Walnut Street Theater a wee’ bit early and dropped by the Bonte to pass the time.
Plain Bonte waffle was $ 2.75 — great price. The waffles take a while because they are made-​to-​order. We got dark chocolate and strawberries which are $.50 per topping + some tea.
The waffle mutates over time. By that I mean, right off the grill it is semi-​crispy outside and chewy on the in.
Give it 3 minutes and it turns really crispy through-​and-​through. I love it like a fat kid loves cake. I liken it to a crispy cinnabon.
Cute date place. I’d imagine, from the other reviews that during the rush hours (weekend, lunch, after work) it can be hard to find a table. With a little less than 15 tables, you’re best bet is a weeknight. They’ve got all kinds of neat international chocolates and confections for a genius Valentine’s day gift as well.

Alright — I figured that I shouldn’t snub all Bonte’s just because I had a dreadful experience at the one in Rittenhouse (how big of me, right?). So after catching a matinée performance at Walnut Street Theater with my girls we decided to stop in and treat ourselves to some sugary goodness.
We ordered a strawberry waffle to share. The staff was perfectly nice and friendly, so I figured we were off to a good start. But there was nowhere to sit, so we had to lurk around the tables, waiting for someone to get up. Here’s the scoop: I hate it when people stand around like vultures, waiting to grab any flat surface in sight. It’s just plain annoying. But in this case, there was nowhere to go. It’s not the biggest space in the world, so the situation forced me to become one of «those» people. My apologies to anyone eating at Bonte that day. I was just as embarrassed as you were.
We finally got a table and sat down to wait for our waffle. We waited. And waited. And waited some more. 20 minutes later it was up and we were suffering from hypoglycemia. We cut into the waffle with the plastic utensils and crack! The knife snapped in two. We grabbed another one, and the same thing happened. Then I took a bite of it — and it was the chewiest thing since Hubba Bubba. I’m no Belgian food expert, but I have a feeling that waffles shouldn’t be all gummy and thick like that.
By this time, the kids were over it and so was I so we wrapped it up in a napkin and took it with us to tear apart with our hands in the car. Once we were all piled in, I unwrapped the «treat» only to find that the napkin and waffle were one. I debated eating it anyway, reasoning that it couldn’t taste much worse than it originally did and maybe the paper would add an extra added kick of flavor, but decided against it.
Maybe the waffles are just out to get me.