Joans Ann Bakery

I stopped by here on a whim as it is very close to ABC Chinese restaurant and Jung Il grocery, and their small inventory of baked goods is interesting. They have a selection that includes lunch options consisting of buns (baked, not steamed) with savory fillings like BBQ pork — but they stand out for their non savory baked buns and simple cakes, which are light, fluffy and delicious without being too sweet. You can order one with fruit and a whipped topping for a very reasonable price. The service is friendly and the shop is tiny– as is the selection. However, what they have is very good and their cakes are definitely worth trying, even for a special occasion. Two thumbs up.

I don’t just love Joans Ann Bakery because it’s close to my house, I love it because of their yummy baked buns. I love the variety they offer. At around $ 1 each I can be fully satisfied for just a few dollars. Some of my favorites are the sweet Baravian buns, the Coconut Crème buns and the ones with meat inside. This bakery also make birthday cakes too. No, this bakery doesn’t have other baked goods as with other Chinese bakeries.
Warning, if you’re not Asian or familiar with Chinese bakeries, you probably won’t like this place. It’s not the typical bakery you think of. If you like baked buns, this place is for you.

Only good place in the Tampa/​St Pete area for good, Asian-​style, fruit, light/​fluffy cakes. If you’ve never had this type of cake, you’ve gotta try it! So yum. I’ve gotten two cakes here so far. Both medium-​sized for $ 25 each. Feeds well over 20 ppl.

What kind of bakery is this?
After going here for quite a few times and seeing the review of Fortune Star Bakery (Tampa), this is what I deduced.
The primary business of these two bakeries is cakes for Chinese/​Vietnamese special occasions (weddings/​birthdays/​etc.) and supplying Chinese/​Hong Kong styled pastries to local Asian restaurants and markets.
What’s the difference between the cakes that you get from here versus the ones from Publix or other local bakeries?
The texture and flavor of the cake and the icing. The texture of the cake is between Angel Food cake & pound cake. There’s a lot less sugar in both the cake and the icing. Fresh fruits are used as layers and toppings. A must-​try. I think they prefer to have at least 24 hour notice for cake order as they make the cakes from scratch. $ 20 for a med-​sized cake.
In the past, when I come in on the weekends, they usually have Chinese/​Hong Kong styled pastries on the counter. They’re about $ 1-​$ 3 a piece.
Service? Don’t expect any. Just expect good cakes at decent prices.
In cities that have a large enough Asian community, you can find a Starbuck-​style pastry & drinks shop like Sweet Hut in Doraville, GA, north of Atlanta.
Ann Joans Bakery; Hong Kong/​Chinese style bakery

This place is called a bakery, but I don’t see any baking. The Chinese style baked goods are all pre-​packaged, so they must order them in from a bakery in the area (Tampa or Orlando). There is also a small selection. This is mostly a small grocery or snacks shop and they are only open during normal business hours, but in a very convenient location right next to a Korean grocery and a Chinese Seafood Restaurant.