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Elephantine Bakery
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Elephantine Bakery

About Elephantine Bakery

Elephantine Bakery is a beloved destination in Portsmouth, NH, where the warmth of a neighborhood bakery meets the care and quality of a trusted café and cake shop.

With an impressive 4.80-star rating from 737 customer reviews, it has clearly earned a strong reputation for serving memorable baked goods, satisfying breakfasts, and great coffee in a welcoming setting.

Whether you are stopping in for a quick morning treat, picking up something special to share, or sitting down to enjoy a relaxed meal, Elephantine Bakery offers the kind of experience that keeps customers coming back.

This bakery and cake shop is designed to fit the pace of everyday life while still feeling special. Guests can enjoy kerbside pickup, in-store pickup, in-store shopping, on-site service, takeaway, dine-in, and delivery, making it easy to enjoy their favorites in whatever way works best.

Known for breakfast and coffee, Elephantine Bakery is an ideal choice for starting the day with something fresh, comforting, and made with care. The shop also offers practical conveniences like a restroom, wheelchair-accessible entrance, and quick-visit planning, ensuring the experience is smooth and accessible for a wide range of customers.

Located at 10 Commercial Alley #2 in Portsmouth, Elephantine Bakery combines convenience, quality, and a welcoming atmosphere in one inviting stop. Payments are simple and flexible, with credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments accepted.

For anyone looking for a bakery and cake shop that brings together delicious food, dependable service, and genuine customer appeal, Elephantine Bakery offers a polished and satisfying experience that feels as good as it tastes.

★★★★★ 4.80 rating (737 reviews)
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Elephantine Bakery interior
Est. Local Favorite

Our Story

A Taste of Tradition

Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.

Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.

  • Fresh Daily Specials
  • Private Dining Available
  • Catering Services
  • Takeout & Delivery
What People Say

Guest Reviews

Hear from our valued guests

Dar Pra

Dar Pra

3 months ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The staff really know how to make coffee. Some places are over excessive with milk, but this place reminded me of European coffee. The staff and hospitality is amazing. The bread can be pricey but it’s a must to try. Yes, the room is quite small but if you come on a weekday in the afternoon then there’s nobody there. I believe they also opened another branch of a cafe in Boston seaport.

Samantha Anderson

Samantha Anderson

4 months ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This was my first time here and I did have to wait to get inside, as the bakery is quite small with limited seating. However, It was well worth it. The food was delicious and the fresh loaf of bread was gone within hours of me, bringing it home. Looking forward to returning and trying some other dishes on the menu!

Juliana Smart

Juliana Smart

5 months ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I am a scone fanatic, and when I saw I was near this bakery and they had scones I needed to try it! The scone was huge and absolutely delicious the icing was perfect! It was so hard not to order one of everything, they all looked so good 😍! The meal that I had was delicious as well and super filling, the bread was definitely fresh made or something ? It was so perfect! The only thing was the seating was crazy since it’s on the smaller side but I don’t care as long as I have access to the scones !! Totally recommend :)

Gina Lewis

Gina Lewis

10 months ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Absolutely Worth the Hype! We were told this place was great, and it definitely lived up to the reputation. There was a really long line, but it moved steadily and was totally worth the wait. The coffee was excellent. The focaccia sandwich was so yummy. The lemon pastry was flaky perfection. I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in town!

Andrew Toksoz-Exley

Andrew Toksoz-Exley

9 months ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I have never entered a place in Boston where everyone was this nice. First of all it's beautiful, second of all the pastries are unique and delicious, third of all there's actually a lot of seating which is a relief for a cafe here. You must try the cardamon latte (or just a perfect cappuccino). Nadine if you're reading this, thanks for everything and bravo! :)

Ryan Mullarkey

Ryan Mullarkey

3 months ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Very busy place. Once you try their pastries you know why it is so busy. Everything looked fantastic. My order was to go luckily as the small dining room was completely full and there were even people standing outside enjoying their pastries. Wanted the pistachio croissant, but that is a weekend special. Chocolate almonds croissant was an amazing substitute. Also, grabbed a pretzel because it looked fantastic. Bith were excellent but the pretzel might have been the best I've ever had.

LynnM B

LynnM B

5 months ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I had a heavenly breakfast at the Elephantine Bakery in Portsmouth. The Poached Eggs Cilbir, served on garlic labneh with toasted sourdough bread was amazingly delicious. My husband and I also enjoyed a latte and a London Fog The staff at the restaurant were super friendly and presented me with a birthday croissant with a candle. We will definitely be back!

Stephen Priest

Stephen Priest

month ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Elephantine, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is an adjective meaning having enormous size or strength, massive. Or clumsy or ponderous. Or, relating to an elephant 🐘. The word elephantine comes from the Latin elephantinus, meaning "pertaining to the elephant." This root originates from the ancient Greek elephántinos, which derives from eléphās (meaning both "elephant" and "ivory"). I am guessing that the cafe is choosing the elephant definition. Okay 🆗, what to expect! There will be a line if you go for breakfast 🍳! I arrived ten minutes before opening and there was a line. I left ⬅️ about an, estimated, hour later and there was a line. I have tried to visit several times and there was always a line. I talked to and overheard frequent customers say there is always a line. The cafe opened on time when I visited and the bell 🔔 from the Old North ⬆️ Church was going off when I entered. Wait time for food, very good 👍! I was told fifteen minutes for my order and it arrived in less than ten minutes. I was asking if I was dining in or doing takeout. I dined in and they used fine china and 🍵 cups. I was given a nice tiny brass number holder so my server could find me. High prices? Yes 🙂‍↕️. But with inflation, made worse by current international events, being in a prime location in Portsmouth and they prepare their own food items, I am not surprised 😯. The cashier joked with a customer saying "That will be $100 please!" Good service with the cashier being very friendly and cheerful while the rest of the staff were professional but they looked stressed. I cannot blame them. I do not know if you are supposed to take care of your own dishes. People left dishes on the table when they left. A staff member did come out and clean 🫧 up while a customer waited patiently. I asked where I supposed to put my dishware and as I walked to the place I was directed a staff member took them from me. Thanks 👍. I ordered the Poached Eggs 🥚 Cilbir which, according to their website

Emme

Emme

month ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

It’s a wait, but it’s popular for a reason. The little alley way on a nice morning is cute and pleasant. My cardamom bun was even better than my NYC favorite, my coffee sublime (cardamom latte). There’s a reason they are a top 100 coffee shop in the US.

Marisa Passaro

Marisa Passaro

month ago
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

We came on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, and waited before opening because we’ve heard the line can get long. There was a pretty decent line that formed, but it seemed the line went fairly quick once they opened. Our pastries were served quick, still warm. The orange palmier was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It’s the perfect amount of sweet and citrusy. My husband and I also split the egg simit, the spinach was such a nice freshness on such a savory sandwich. I feel a jammier egg could’ve been better, but still thoroughly enjoyed. Lastly, I got a cardamom and honey latte. Very good. We paid $35 after tax for everything. Would definitely reccomend to anyone coming into Portsmouth!

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Elephantine Bakery

Business Features

Highlights & Amenities

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance

Service options

  • Kerbside pickup
  • In-store pick-up
  • In-store shopping
  • On-site services
  • Takeaway
  • Dine-in
  • Delivery

Offerings

  • Coffee

Dining options

  • Breakfast

Amenities

  • Restroom

Planning

  • Quick visit

Payments

  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • NFC mobile payments

Parking

  • Paid parking garage
  • Paid parking lot
  • Paid street parking

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Visit Us

We look forward to welcoming you. Make a reservation or stop by - walk-ins welcome!

Location

10 Commercial Alley #2, Portsmouth, NH 03801, United States

Reservations

+1 603-319-6189

Hours

Closed · Saturday 8 AM-3 PM
Thursday 8 AM-3 PM
Friday 8 AM-3 PM
Saturday 8 AM-3 PM
Sunday 8 AM-3 PM
Monday 8 AM-3 PM
Tuesday 8 AM-3 PM
Wednesday 8 AM-3 PM
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