The Nostalgic Bean

This tiny bakery/coffee place is incredible. The butter croissants are the best I've ever tasted. Give the baker a raise! Love the tin ceiling.

Be warned it gets BUSYYY on the weekends and it’s a cute cozy place so it quickly becomes standing room only with an handful of tables. Thankfully when we got in line it wasn’t too bad, but by the time we left after having coffees , a quiche and pastries it was packed! But for good reason! The food is absolutely delicious, you can tell there’s some real talent there in the pastries and the coffee was pretty tasty too!

Absolutely one of my favorite places in the Chippewa Valley! The pastries are BEYOND delicious and always so unique! The staff is amazing and we love the welcoming atmosphere. The owners are wonderful people who strive to create an inclusive space and give back to the community! The outside seating area is perfect for a relaxing visit (even with kids along). The Grace is hands-down my favorite drink - SO good! You absolutely need to make this a stop if you are visiting the area!

I’m already nostalgic for this place. A new day means a new morning to visit a coffeehouse. Tim actually suggested this place as he mentioned its something he’s wanted to try for awhile. We hopped in the car and headed out. I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Nostalgic Bean since I was going into this trip without much of a plan besides a few odds and ends. But what a surprise this place is. It’s in a cute little building with some sweet snail art on the side. Inside is quaint and cozy. The staff was super friendly while we did some do-si-do with other patrons of the bakery. Inside is small and due to the layout, it can get a bit crowded if they are busy at all. Normally this is a hassle but something about this place makes it fun. I got my usual americano and a corn jalapeno quiche. With how busy it was, the food and coffee didn’t take much time to come out and the staff, again, was super friendly and helpful. I wanted a specific t-shirt and while they didn’t have it on their merch shelf, the young lady took the time to locate one in their back stock area. Keep your eye peeled for me wearing it in future reviews :). The americano was pretty good, just a bit below the bitter level I like but it made drinking it a breeze. The quiche was really good, too. I don’t think I’ve ever had one before this and I ended up getting it the next day when we came back with Matt. The second time we came back, we had the same level of friendliness and same awesome deliciousness. All their baked goods looked amazing and both Tim and Matt were in love with the place, too. Tim dabbled in their baked goods but I don’t remember all that he got. Matt got a coffee and a small thing to eat as well. The Nostalgic Bean has become a staple for us when we visit Eau Claire. I feel like we will hit it up every time we visit Tim because we all just fell in love with the place. Just look at their baked goods online and you’ll understand just how sweet this place is.

I admit it-I’m a bakery snob. Being both a transplanted Montrealer, and currently a resident of the #2 foodie city in the US, I’m particular about my baked goods! I would return to Eau Claire just for the baked goods at Nostalgic Bean. We purchased 10 bakery items and 8 macaroons for $60, and am planning on returning tomorrow to do it all again. Life is too short to eat mediocre pastries and drink burnt coffee!