The Alternative Baker

I can’t understand the good reviews. First of all the place was incredibly filthy. So filthy that I was scared to touch anything. Unfortunately, the people I was with were starving so the bought some muffins and cookies. Most of what they had was sugar free or gluten free. But NOT GOOD SF and GF. We ended up throwing away what we bought because it was tasteless and virtually inedible. The only plus was the smiley, polite young man behind the counter.

Super friendly staff and very yummy treats! The «thermos coffee» was surprisingly good — and he keeps the creams in a little self-​serve fridge, which is nice. Great prices, too! Indoor and (a tiny bit of) outdoor seating. Located on «the strip» with lots of other shops to visit.

Delicious! Vegan and gf options, scratch made and organic when possible. Tiny lemon cakes were fabulous, gf cookies were yummy if not a bit strange. Focaccia was great. Good tea selection. I wish this was closer to my house!

Stopped in for a quick snack and the lemon poppyseed cake was great. Owner very friendly and shared lots of good hiking ideas!

I live down the street and I always stop in to pick up something special from here whenever I have guests in town. Everything I’ve ever ordered has been delicious.
When we found out that they did wedding cakes, it was an obvious choice for both our wedding appetizers and desserts. Essell was fun and easy to work with, and of course all of our guests loved everything that he came up with: a great little wedding cake, his legendary lemon cakes, cookies, focaccia, and loads of other tasty breads and pastries.
Rosendale is very lucky to have a place like this, and whether you’re a long-​time resident or just visiting for a quick bite, it’s definitely a landmark that is always well worth your time and money!

For folks looking for a quick review: we got our wedding cake from the Alternate Baker– it was perfect and Essell was incredible to work with! We will be going to the Alternate Baker any time we’re in the area and we recommend others do the same!
For the longer version:
When Joe and I started to look for a wedding cake baker, my aunt and uncle immediately recommended Essell and could not say enough positives. We read through the Alternate Baker website and fell in love. Essell wrote about the importance of the cake to the ceremony, to blending families, and to closing the occasion on a sweet note. Nevertheless, we decided to hold off on judgement until we’d sampled available baked goods. As we nibbled at a delicious lemon cake bar, we got to talk a bit with Essell– he asked a bunch of questions about the wedding and seemed genuinely interested! We emailed and spoke by phone about more of the logistics, Essell patiently adjusted as we increased and decreased our guest list numerous times.
A couple months later I broke my back, it was miserable and we disappointedly called Essell to cancel the trial cake — we lived too far away to pick it up. Essell could have said «ok» and hung up, or charged us extra for the last minute change. Instead he offered to mail it! Bedrest was bleak, but that cake was a shining light at the end of the tunnel! It was quite literally a box of hope, reminding Joe and me that the wedding was still happening.
I healed and we stopped by the bakery a couple days before the wedding– to make sure Essell had the drop off directions, etc. He was so sweet, wishing us the best, and discussing details that only a venerable craftsman would know, very professional, and very caring.
The wedding cake was amazing– even better than we could have imagined! The cake was so moist yet light and fluffy, the buttercream frosting rich and creamy, the berries so fresh and perfect, and the lemon curd was a wonderful final note! The whole cake was not overly sweet, just perfect!
We got seconds, our guests got seconds and a few got thirds! A while later, I saw the caterers had snuck out behind the tent to try the cake too! They all were saying it was the best cake they’d had!
If and when my husband and I are next in the Kingston area and looking for a baker, we will without a doubt go with the Alternate Baker. Essell was so kind and showed dedication to his work and also to making sure we had exactly what we wanted. The cake was perfect and I’m counting down until our one year anniversary so we can eat the top layer!

My boyfriend and I planned a vacation in Rosendale last summer and came across The Alternative Baker while we were walking around town — and we are lucky we did! We came back every day for lemon cakes — they are fantastic! And I recently discovered that The Alternative Baker provides delivery of these wonderful lemon cakes, so I was able to order one for my boyfriend’s birthday and have it delivered to Brooklyn — it arrived on time with no problems. Also, Essell (The Alternative Baker himself) couldn’t have been nicer in helping me with the order and delivery. And it was delicious, of course! Yum!

I love this place. Been a regular for a few years and lately I have been stopping here on an almost weekly basis to get my iced coffee fix (honestly, best in the area). I also highly recommenced the apricot almond-​scones. What dreams are made of :)

The food here is pretty amazing, with almost none of the expected café bakery fare. Everything is delicious and surprising, especially the pao de queijo. We’re lucky to have an actual culinary bakery in the area if you’re hankering for a sweet.

Love this place. The steamed coffee and egg sandwiches were amazing. Owner was very nice and fun to chat with. Thanks for a great breakfast.

We don’t live in the area but visit whenever we can. Great bread, great sandwiches, great atmosphere. They put wonderful care into all their products. Today my wife had a Swiss cheese sandwich on focaccia. Usually, she eats about half her meal and lets me finish the rest, but today she ate it all. My cheddar on mini baguette was equally tasty. It’s worth going out of your way to find this place.

I am moving out of state, and this is one of few restaurants that I am truly sad to leave behind. Sal (owner) is friendly to each and every customer that comes in, and even will greet you by name if you come in often enough for him to learn it. It makes you feel right at home! Having his adorable little dog around adds to that feeling. All the food is incredible. Plenty of vegan/​vegetarian options. The standout of the menu is the egg sandwich special. I’ve gone out of my way multiple times just for that sandwich. This place is truly a gem of Rosendale. If you are ever in the Kingston/​New Paltz area, it is but a short drive away, and totally worth the trip!!!

The best egg sandwich I have had. So fresh!
Don’t fear the mustard. They put just the right amount.

This place was such a disappointment as everything in the area has been great. Was actually offered day old bread as fresh at 9 am on a Sunday, being told and I quote — it’s still fresh– and the breads weren’t coming out until 11, on a Sunday!!! Really zero stars!!!

We stopped by at this bakery on our way back to the city from Catskills. Small but great selection of sandwiches — I had an egg sandwich with cheddar on baguette — I loved it! My friends had the goat cheese sandwich — they loved it too. We had a cup of soup, which was delicious. I ended up buying some bread (their dough is great), olive and rosemary focaccia (delicious), tea cake with blueberries and apples (delicious), and chocolate cupcake for my mom. While there check out their floral arrangements — unique and beautiful. The bakery dog, Theo is a character :) This place is a little gem. But what really makes this place stand out is the owner: unique, well-​read, bold, and creative, he is the kind of person that adds a splash of fuchsia to the greyscale.

Really nice little bakery, with nice people who work there.
You must get the egg sandwich on the peasant roll. At first I thought, mustard on an egg sandwich? However, since then, I put a good Dijon on every egg sandwich I make.
I wish I went there for lunch because the soups sounded great. Loved the lemon poppy muffins, scones, and gingersnap cookies! The owner is CIA trained, so you know it’s good stuff. Stop in, and pet Mr. Scruffins, the bakery dog. (Idk his name, buts that’s the name I have him that day.)

Delicious food — great breakfast sandwich and lemon cake. The owner has some control and anger issues. The last time we were there, he was yelling at his staff member in an incredibly inappropriate manner. He also freaked out and thought we stole a coffee refill when we had already paid for them. All in all, we will probably return when we are in the area, but hope his behavior won’t continue to put a damper on things.

While driving through Rosendale last summer & exploring the Hudson Valley, my boyfriend and I happened upon the Alternative Baker. I was already loving the deserted «hippie town» vibe as we rolled down Main Street. Late day sun blazed on brightly colored Victorian store fronts and wild flowers and plants jutted from every open space in town. I had a sense we would come across a culinary experience that would satisfy both tongue and nostalgic heart. The baked goods at The Alternative Baker are what care tastes like. I recommend trying any and every item in the shop: bread, cakes, cookies, sandwiches, cheese puffs (unbelievably gluten free) are all excellent. Essel (the proprietor and baker) even has some great iced coffee.
As far as understanding the conceptual reach, aesthetics of the food and the flavors you will encounter, I would think organic naturally formed baked goods (not formal trimmed cakes or neatly cut cookies, this is not a fondant type bakery). Crusts combine perfect textures of crisp and chewy bites, moisture levels on everything I’ve tried so far are spot on, flavors are tangy, earthy, lightly sweet, sometimes malty, the quality of the ingredients stand out. Nothing here is over-​sweetened, over-​frosted or «decorated». The atmosphere of the shop is well-​worn, comfort, found chairs, baking is the focus. I love the cute & polite local teenagers that work in the shop… sweet curly headed kids giving you tips on local swimming. I only wish I could visit more often.
My other favorite baked goods include (to give you a sense of my taste): Balthazaar breads, Bread Alone, Amy’s breads, sour dough & chocolate twists & cheddar biscuits, Croissants from Choice, Donuts from Peter Pan… I used to be a baker in college (breads & desserts).

Love this place and stop in nearly every time I have some time in Rosendale.
Plenty of delicious baked goods and some vegan options too. My favorite are the focaccias — once my wife bought me one to take on a flight and it was the second most enjoyable moment I’ve had in air. Chocolate chip cookies are delicious though the vegan muffins can be a hair on the dry side. Once I saw the proprietor making hot chocolate for another customer. I have to remember to try it because it looked amazing.
You get all this and the owner’s adorable Jack Russell terrier to pet.

One of my commutes takes me through Rosendale, so I started going to the Alternative Baker out of a combination of curiosity and hunger, and it quickly became one of my favorite places to eat. The lemon cakes completely seduced me. I can totally understand why most of the reviews of this place exalt the lemon cakes so much, and to that I say, AMEN!
What really sealed the deal for me, though, was (no, IS) the Vegan House Special sandwich. It’s got a little bit of everything and it’s super healthy and filling, which makes it a perfect lunch sandwich (or a between-​classes snack if you get it on a smaller roll). It includes leafy greens, red onions, roasted red peppers, and basil paste (it usually comes with olive paste but I get basil instead because that’s how I roll), on whatever kind of bread you desire! I like to get it on oversized ciabatta when I’m in a full-​blown lunch mood, and let me tell you, I have never had such fantastic ciabatta anywhere else!
Plus, Essell is a sweetheart, and he clearly loves the art of baking in a way that I’ve never encountered in anyone else. He’s also got a very keen and intelligent mind, and I could spend (and have spent) ages talking with him about everything under the sun.
My only sadness is that they aren’t open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays!