Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe

Solvang, United States

4.3

20 reviews

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 805-688-8188
Website:
www.birkholmsbakery.com
Address:
460 Alisal Rd, Solvang, CA, 93463
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Today

Today –
Local time (Solvang) 1:07 AM Friday, June 27, 2025

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Description

Specialties

We are a family owner and Operated Bakery for over 60 years. We use the finest ingredients in our pastries, breads and baked goods. We have a full espresso bar using Illy caffe, we offer soy based and almond milk. Come in and set down in our café and use the free WiFi.

History

Established in 1951.

Birkholm’s Bakery was founded by Carl «Cookie» Sr. and Charlotte Birkholm in 1951. Birkholm’s has been a family owned and operated business passed from generation to generation for over 60 years. In 1980, Carl Jr. and Elizabeth Birkholm stepped in to carry on the tradition of baking in Solvang. Carl continues to use the original Danish recipes that «Cookie» brought over from Denmark.

In 2011, our son Carl «Thomas» approached us wanting to learn and continue the business like his Grandfather «FarFar» and Father had done before him. Thomas is the 3rd generation of bakers in Solvang and with the Family he is looking forward to a new beginning.

Birkholm’s Bakery & Café is family-​owned and operated right here in SOLVANG, CA. Other companies may offer similar services, but our services are the best, and come with a personal touch.

Meet the Business Owner

Thomas B.

Business Owner

Looking forward to carring on our history.

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Vicinity

Near this location:
120
ft
Jenger’s Exclusive Expressions
448 Alisal Rd Ste B
120
ft
Baby Cakes Boutique
448 Alisal Rd
120
ft
Alisal Cellars
448 Alisal Rd
120
ft
Viking Garden Cellars
448 Alisal Rd Ste E
130
ft
Viking Garden Restaurant
446 Alisal Rd Ste C
130
ft
Martin’s Used Books
446 Alisal Rd Ste 4

20 reviews of Birkholm’s Bakery & Cafe

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Place rating: 4
Simi Valley, CA
A Solvang institution in a town with many bakery choices. Right next to the city parking lot on Alisal Road.
The counter staff was welcoming, though not that helpful with suggestions regarding their baked goods. Dear Hubby had a desire for Danish pastries, so we stopped by before we headed up the road.
They definitely use fresh butter in their baked goods. Somehow they achieve a commercial taste, as opposed to a freshly baked taste. Not sure how that happens. The creamy filling can be a bit on the sweet side.
The bakery is clean and charming, in the Solvang way. I messed up by not checking my order before leaving. I got the item next to the one I really wanted. C’est la vie. It was still a sugar fix for the road trip.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Could be the best bakery in all of Solvang. They serve delicious fresh sandwiches and have a nice seating area adjacent to the bakery section.
Place rating: 4
Melbourne, Australia
This is a very good bakery with a great selection of food, very nice service — no wonder it’s popular in Solvang and recommended by tours to visitors. Yum! I loved their simple butter cookies — but there’s so much more!
Place rating: 5
San Tan Valley, AZ
Coffee and pastries that taste delicious? What’s not to like? Seriously, the coffee was really, really good. And their butter cookies are sold all over town so why not just buy your tub here and take them home with you? We did!
Place rating: 3
Vista, CA
A great selection of pastries and bread. The pastries are tasty, but nothing spectacular. The Bear Claw is one of the better options… pretty traditional, right?! The bread is the main reason I frequent this shop. The Squaw Bread and the Jalapeño Cheese Bread are THE best. They are packaged as whole loaves, but can be sliced/​cut and repackaged if you’d prefer. It definitely makes it easier for toast/​sandwiches and keeps me from eating the entire loaf!
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
YUM! Almond bareclaw and cheese danish. Everything is so flaky and so moist! The workers are super friendly and helpful. They have free samples of their butter cookies. I wish I could’ve tried their sandwiches and bought some of their breads but now that gives me an excuse to come back! I tried 2 other bakeries and this was my favorite by far! It will probably be a few years to come back but looking forward to it already hehe.
Place rating: 5
Costa Mesa, CA
This place was so cute! Stopped by to grab a quick breakfast treat and was welcomed with a large variety of pastries to choose from.
The staff was great, very helpful in recommending a pastry. Super friendly as well. I ended up choosing something with the marzipan paste, I think it was a bear claw. It was amazing!!!
I would definitely go back again because I want to try everything!
Place rating: 5
Corona, CA
Bakery items look delicious. Presentation makes u want to buy everything. Also had a deli. I had a turkey sandwich which was bi and full of flavor. The staff was nice, courteous and checked on us often. This will be a routine stop whenever I visit Solvang.
Place rating: 5
Merced, CA
I went to Solvang over the weekend for my birthday and I loved Birkholm’s the first time we visited last year so I definitely stopping again and I wasn’t disappointed.
I decided to get the Danish waffle and really, OMG, it was amazing. Very flaky so it’s messy but so worth it.
Place rating: 2
Los Angeles, CA
A total mistake to have consumed food here. People that know good pastry look further — this isn’t it. Fake whipped cream, overly sugary treats. Biggest regret of Solvang visit was eating here.
Our group tried a bunch of different things:
Banana cake — An abomination of cheap yellow cake, banana flavored fake whipped cream/​butter cream, and cheap marzipan.
Napoleon — This got the highest reviews from the group, it was mediocre at best, really most any bakery in Los Angeles makes a better version than what was served here.
Apricot danish — once we scooped off the apricot jam that had three times the amount of sugar needed, it wasn’t so bad when compared to those shit danishes they sell at the gas station that have been shelved for a month or eight.
Apricot slice — again the same cheap yellow cake that reared it’s ugly head in that banana cake makes an appearance here, along with that fake whipped cream. The slivered almonds on the outside were ok.
So yeah, really hated this.
On the upside, the service was friendly.
Place rating: 5
Pasadena, CA
My husband and I split a turkey sandwich. It was huge and so delicious.
We also checked in and got a free pastry — a strawberry and cheese Danish. Hands down best Danish I’ve tasted. Everyone in Pasadena area rave about Portos bakery pastry — this beats that times 10.
The bread at this bakery is worth your time too. They have day old loaves for $ 1 if there’s some left.
Place rating: 3
Poway, CA
This was our second Solvang Danish Bakery stop for the Owl Eye cookie comprised of shortbread round roughly the size of a silver dollar, topped with piped marzipan and with a hollow filled with raspberry preserves.
This jelly had no seeds and the cookie was light with a slight salty aftertaste and light marzipan as well.
It was my least favorite owl eye of the four that I ate, one from each bakery.
Staff was very pleasant.
Ambiance/​Cleanliness-​it was a cute space and very clean…3 stars
Service…excellent…4 stars
Food…I just really did not care for this owl eye as much as the other locations…3 stars
Place rating: 4
Long Beach, CA
Kaffee! Coffeeeee! Go here for coffee. It’s delicious and their coffee/​flat white/​latte skills are at the top. So happy I found this place.
Croissant isn’t as light as a croissant should be, but that’s expected in Solvang.
I like the people here. ;)
Place rating: 4
Hermosillo, Mexico
Get your treats while you can! I highly recomend the spiced chai it’s delicious!
They have free wifi and a relaxing homey atmosphere so sit down and enjoy your treats or take them to go and stroll around town.
If you are a baker or have a baker at home I would take one of the cookie mix tubs home with me ;)
Place rating: 5
San Ramon, CA
Oh my goodness — SO many good pastries — difficult to pick just one — or two — or three!.
They have fresh breads and pastries as well as coffee and espresso drinks. I got here close to closing and unfortunately they wouldn’t allow me to drink my latte there. I don’t get it — I would think if you get in before closing you can stay for a little bit to enjoy what you’ve bought.
Nonetheless I got my goodies and latte and was on my way.
It’s a must stop when you’re in Solvang.
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
Aside from taking pictures by the windmills, Birkholm’s Bakery is another must-​go place in Solvang! In fact, I don’t think a Danish experience in Solvang is complete without a bakery visit and Birkholm’s is the best choice. With a wide selection of various baked goods, Birkholm’s will definitely have something that appeals your senses! If you are having a tough time choosing, go for ones that have fillings such as puffs, because their fillings especially the creamy custards are absolutely on point.
The best part is that each baked good is rather affordable despite being in a tourist-​centric area, and plus, you get a free pastry if you check in on Unilocal.Really, if you are already visiting Solvang, you just have to come here!
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
MY FAVORITE SOLVANG, CA BAKERY! That’s saying a lot, because this tiny town is filled with bakeries. This one was welcoming and had lots of natural light, and cheery, but not annoying, décor.
My parents and I ordered a pastry a piece, then once I checked in on Unilocal I got an extra/​free pastry. Yum! We ate at the restaurant at the adorable patio and got coffees and water with nice silverware.
The pastries are CHEAP. If I worked at this establishment, I would be Jabba the Hutt. I don’t know how the staff doesn’t become that, lol.
COME HERE WHEN YOU GO TO SOLVANG! If you like sweets, you will lose your mind here. In a good way.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
By the time we walked into Birkholm’s Bakery Café, we had already visited 2 other bakeries & I think we didn’t give Birkholm’s a fair shake
They were handing out free butter cookie samples & ours were the choc chip — nice texture & slightly sweet, it was a decent cookie for sure
But the crowds were brutal so we opted to leave, thinking we had tried what we had come there to try… this is not the case!
Don’t do like we did & get that tub of butter cookies! I am dreaming of those yummy flaky discs of goodness & totally regret not stocking up… you can thank me later
Place rating: 4
Orange County, CA
Finally back on track to get on my Solvang reviews! Birkholm’s Bakery is a great place to get stuff to take home. Why? If you love cookies, they have famous Solvang butter cookies that are in tubs. i think they were $ 45 for 3 buckets. Mhmmm. I was a fool with really bad data in the town of Solvang, so I was unable to use my wonderful Unilocal check in offer, but alas… :’(
I remember ordering a drink here. I believe it was unflavored tea. But it was a little bit too much (tourist trap, anymore) and believe that it was a little bit more expensive than usual, nothing much.
The workers here are friendly and will help you with your questions. And they also have samples, if I recall :3
Come here if you want cookies. Bakery yayy! :D
Place rating: 4
Land Park, Sacramento, CA
I searched Unilocal for one of the best bakeries in Solvang for my relatively short stop. Birkholm’s came to the top of the list, and I can understand why. Their cute and clean bakery is done in perfect Solvang style near the main Copenhagen shopping area.
The bakery specialized in Danish-​style pastries with kringle, Danishes, almond horns, and lots of butter cookies. I grabbed a quick almond horn and a bucket of cookies for the rest of my vacation. The cookies stayed fresh a long time with a great variety of flavors. The almond horn was a little small, but it was a perfect morning treat before heading out. They have a coffee bar as well to round out the experience.
There are a lot of bakeries in Solvang, but I would come back here for the perfect combination of Danish kitsch and quality treats.