If they had flavored syrups to add to coffee and espresso, I would have given it 5 stars. They unfortunately only have unflavored coffee drinks with simple syrup (just sugar) if you request it.Of course, if you’re coming for the pastries alone - 5 stars!That being said, the coffee was delicious - I got a regular iced latte with simple syrup. I also got the breakfast croissant (egg, cheese, and sausage), which was delicious - much better than I’d expect from a coffee shop and I’d highly recommend. Well-seasoned, lots of flavors, and filling for the price ($4.75). They also have a very nice selection of pastries, sandwiches, muffins, and cookies as well. I also recommend the Fresh Fruit Crostada - it’s a fairly dense, sweet pastry with almond/lemon flavors, and topped with fruit of choice (strawberry).Atmosphere is 5 stars. If you can find parking (which is difficult without paying), I’d recommend staying a while. They have 2 stories, outlets for each table, outdoor seating, and the indoor seating has a huge window that they keep open when the weather is nice. That allows for extra ventilation especially during COVID times. Definitely recommend stopping by!

This cute piece of a gem was recommended by the owner of Foytnik when we visited Charlottesville this week for an anniversary getaway. Since it’s just across the street, my hubby and I tried it. The rhubarb and strawberry loaf slice was super moist and we definitely tasted the rhubarb and strawberries. Then maple cream puff pastry was to die for. It smelled amazing! It was filling and not overwhelmingly sweet. Lastly, the chocolate brownie was heaven in a square. It was moist, rich, and luxurious! I would definitely check this place again when I go back to Charlottesville!!!

The strawberry rhubarb pie was out of this world!! The biscuits & gravy and the latte were alright but nothing to write home about. Since no one else was inside except the pleasant staff, I sat in the upstairs seating area to eat (at least half my biscuits-- I took most home!). The team was blasting only T Swift and while it might not be everyones cup of tea, I had a sweet time sitting and enjoying.

Super duper awesome place. Visiting from Florida… loved the vibe here, kind service, and the food was on POINT! ✨

The cheesecake. The Cheesecake!!!! Its worth parking in the parking garage (you get the 1st hour free anyway) and walking the short distance. Everything else Ive ever tried was also very very good. The sugaristas are top notch here. Gluten free options are also yummy.

Decent pastry shop in Charlottesville with friendly staff.

As longtime lovers of EVERYTHING at Paradox, picking our cake baker was one of the easiest decisions we made for our wedding. We had four large cakes in lieu of a special decorated wedding cake, wanting to have a variety of flavor options for our guests as well as gluten-free options.  Paradoxs process for ordering cakes is so easy and readily customizable, and there are so many delicious flavor options to choose from.  And the gluten-free cakes are the same price as the regular cakes for the same size - amazing!!  We served a vanilla cake with maple cream cheese frosting that was a huge hit with our guests, a chocolate-chocolate ganache cake, a gluten free chocolate with espresso buttercream, and a gluten free vanilla with lemon buttercream and raspberry jam filling.  Everything was delicious and our guests loved the variety.  Love Paradox!

Perfect stop for breakfast during our weekend in Charlottesville. We went around 10:30 on a Saturday, it wasnt busy and we could easily find a seat inside. I had the honey ham and cheese quiche and it was by far the best quiche Ive ever eaten. I kept telling my husband, I wanted to eat that quiche forever.My husband had the croissant breakfast sandwich. He said it was very good and very filling. He said the croissant was delicious.I wish I could transport this place back home so I could eat here all the time!Bonus points, we went on May 1 and they had N*SYNC playing Its Gonna be Me on repeat with lots of people singing and humming along.

Paradox pastry made a cake for my sons wedding that was not only beautiful, but tasted fabulous. It was moist and had delicious flavor. The wedding was last minute, in the middle of wedding season, and on graduation weekend. They also had an order for the grand opening of 2 WaWa Stations they were providing for, and they still fit us in. They did buttercream with ruffled fondant, and it was absolutely beautiful, and yummy. They were cheerful and helpful, and I would use them again in a heartbeat-no other cake bakers would even give us the time of day. Love Paradox pastry. I will use them from now on!

I had some gluten free items delivered from Paradox to a business client yesterday.Their online ordering site was well organized and convenient. The staff was friendly when I called to confirm everything looked right.If you need a gift idea within 5 miles of downtown, try them out!Tip them well. They deserve it.

AMAZING place to eat. We stopped in for breakfast one morning and it was great.The breakfast foods were good, but I think they could have been heated a little longer; mine was cold in the middle. My dad and I got chorizo burritos, my daughters got banana bread and a croissant, and my mother got a meat pie. All were delicious and I think of them frequently.The deserts I took home were fabulous. I tried the macaroons, the chocolate torte (gluten free, I believe), a few hand pies, and some other things I don’t remember the name of. I would eat them all again; everyone loved them.The staff was super friendly and for the quality of food, the prices were fair.Thanks guys!

Soooo good! These tarts are wonderful and the service was phenomenal

Beautiful display of pastries and tasty treats. Excellent customer service, super friendly staff. Family friendly and great patio for outdoor dining. Will definitely be back!

Almond Pave! A gluten-free desert that graces many of our parties. Wonderful pastries - and FULL CREAM with their coffee (sinful but delicious)

Love the selection, and the prices were pretty decent; especially for the quality. Only thing I would suggest is that they lower the temperature in their cases, a bit. The brownie and pie we purchased were very solid. Otherwise, the flavors were good.

This pastry cafe is a definite place to stop by when visiting Charlottesville. The coffee was excellent and we sat upstairs so I was able to see how unique their decor was. It felt like a mix of homey, masculine, eclectic and fun with leopard print upholstered chairs. As you look below you could see the bakers decorating cakes, and making pastries which was like watching the food channel. :D The playlist that they had on gets 10/10.

Excellent coffee and amazing pastries. Cute little cafe with a nice upstairs to relax and enjoy a pick me up

Good for the sweet tooth.

Very friendly staff, quick service, and the pastries are super yummy!

Beautiful space upstairs and great pastries, sandwiches and quiche!

Hands down, the best bakery in Virginia!

Freshly baked with an awesome selection of goodies

Yummy choices, sad that veg burrito were not in stock, other yummy choices

The chocolate blackout cake is to die for, and the coconut cake is great for a lighter taste. Great atmosphere and good prices!

I love this place. Great drinks, fantastic atmosphere, and amazing baked goods. The brownie? Holy Hannah, one of the best! The patio out front is delightful during the warm months. One of the best places to hole up with your laptop in town. Plenty of seasoning and the complimentary WiFi is great!

Always friendly, fantastic service and even better pastries. My favorite are the macarons, I drive a little over an hour for the delicious treats and it is well worth the drive.

Great little breakfast & coffee options. Never been through C-ville, but glad we did, as it was a perfect morning for sitting in the patio enjoying the eats.

Ive been to Paradox many times over the past few years, sometimes by myself, sometimes for meetings. The coffee and food is excellent. Ive always enjoyed the lively chatter with the staff and baristas as well. It is a great place and convenient location. Look forward to the new patio coming to the outside as well.

I wanted a big tasty oatmeal raisin cookie and thats what I got. All of the other pastries and cookies looked good as well.

Delicious display of pastries right as you enter. Savory quiches, fruit tarts, cookies, cakes, and so much more. Intimate on the inside with seating next to the counter if you want to go back for more as well as upstairs. Large front patio with tables and chairs if the weather is nice, though it could use some shadier options. Flavors were wonderful, but when heating up a quiche and a strata, it could have used longer in the oven. Warm outside but cold middle. Had a few gluten free options as well.

Great welcoming atmosphere, expertly executed pastries, and Im obsessed with their maple icing

Per recommendation from a friend, I reached out to Paradox Pastry for 2 last minute cakes. I had never been but had heard good things so hoped for the best. They were super helpful over the phone to ensure that I was getting what I wanted and made it extremely easy. Day of pick up came. I stopped in first thing in the morning and they automatically treated you like family. Super helpful, very nice, and right away had me taken care of, giving me all the information I needed. And if the service wasnt amazing enough .. the cakes were PHENOMENAL! I had gotten the apple butter spice cake and the chocolate Guinness stout. The amount of compliments received on the cakes were more than I could have ever imagined. And to be honest, Im not a big sweets person and definitely not a cake person but they COMPLETELY changed that. Highly recommend. From start to finish it was an amazing experience. Thank you Paradox Pastry for really making the party a success

A very smooth espresso and very decadent pastries. The price is a bit high for the food, but the quality is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.Theres a range of seating (wooden chairs, standing, comfy armchairs) with an open-air loft that makes for a neat atmosphere, plus options to eat/drink from actual plates and silverware.For people who like How its Made, you can see them make the pastries in-house. Not particularly good for people watching (windows face a road) but its easy to walk to.

Worst service I’ve ever had at any establishment ever. They got behind, but that’s no excuse for the terrible way we were treated and the obnoxiousness of what I assume was the owner. Yelling and whooping at the top of your lungs does not make up for the fact that I waited 45 minutes for already prepared food that arrive cold, and drinks that were obviously just sitting around. I hope more people leave terrible reviews from this morning because the treatment I received was a special kind of awful.

Visited this morning during a time that they were particularly busy. The staff was amazing they helped their customers with grace and kindness and a welcoming affability that is uncommon when people are really busy. The selection was extensive the flourless torte is amazing then the pastry light and flaky. Terrific combination of amazing baking skills and terrific flavors.

Paradox Pastry made our wedding cake (the Italian Dream cake w/buttercream!) and it was phenomenal. Top 5 best cakes Ive ever eaten. Jenny and the team are easy to communicate with and made everything so simple for us! It was also very reasonably priced. Definitely recommend!!

I recently went in to see if I could order a graduation cake. I wasn’t greeted when I walked through the door, and was looked at by about three women tending to various tasks. I stood at the cashier area for about 2 minutes which seems odd when folks are literally within eye sight. When the girl sweeping decided to come tend to me she sighed. It just made me realize that I wasn’t welcomed at this bakery. On my way out, I asked to buy a drink and the girl rolled here eyes. I took my business elsewhere, but it’s sad to think that they treat people that way. I’m wondering if this happens often to people that look like me or if it was just a bad day for the crew.Either way, I went with another bakery.

Working with Jenny and Paradox Pastry was the best! The cake for our wedding was beautiful and delicious. Every part of the process was easy and enjoyable. We would highly recommend Paradox Pastry for any and all occasion. Looking forward to our next cake need!

Jenny made my wedding cake 8 years ago, and now this is our favorite spot to bring our kids for a treat. The atmosphere is stellar, and the treats are delicious. Love this place!

Great coffee and great treats! Perfect for catching up with a friend or having a quiet meeting.The Better than Dave Matthews Brownie is a definite must!

It was scrumptious! We stopped for lunch and it was amazing the staff was so sweet and our food came right out! We also got some pastries to go and we all loved the chocolate chip cookies! Would very highly recommend!

Paradox Pastry is one of my favorite morning spots. I normally order a Ham and Cheese Croissant and Latte which are both delicious. They also have an excellent selection of various fresh baked pastries and at sharing size portions, especially cakes. There are some gluten free and vegetarian items and conveniently located next to the Water Street parking garage.

A great place for baked goods! If you are Gluten Free check out this bakery! The GF Almond Pave and Cheesecake is excellent! They have several other GF options to check out. Grab a great cup of coffee too while you’re there.

We have been going to Paradox for years, both on our own and to order large batches for meetings or end-of-semester celebrations. Their almond croissants are especially good. Were sad to see that the salmon quiche is no longer on the menu. It was fantastic.Update: I still recommend Paradox for individual pastries, but not for catering. I ordered 10 pastries for my students. The bags that Paradox purchases are too small for the catering boxes. It was not easy to balance those boxes on the bus. It seems like a problem that they could have solved by now.

A really tasty treat for a rainy day (or any day for that matter!)... we have been here many times, and its worth it. Ill start with the negatives: free parking is scarce, you will either walk a bit or pay for parking. And if its busy, sometimes orders can take time to make it to you. But those are minor. The pastries are delicious. Delicious. Very tasty, lots of butter and sugar, all the things you want. The price is absolutely fair for the quality, and a good mix of sweet and savory options. The drinks are good enough, and there is almost always enough seating (I love the upstairs area!). Always a good experience, would highly recommend.

Ive had lunch here several times and also dropped in to get cookies. Love the fact that there are many delicious gluten-free cookies and other delightful baked goods. Soups are fresh and yummy - also love the croissant sandwiches and the quiches. Service is a little slow sometimes, but it gives you tine to read the menu and the delightful descriptions on the cookie jars, etc. Check it out!

I ordered a gluten free, lactose free torte special order for a party of special diets. The crowd loved it!!

Awesome little bakery! The hardest part is trying to decide what you want. The pastries are amazing, the cakes and food incredible and coffee is the perfect pairing for whatever else you have ordered to enjoy. The Hama and cheese croissant is a personal favorite, but I know from experience that anything you order is going to be amazing.

I cant say enough positive things about Jenny at Paradox Pastry! My sister used her in 2011 for her wedding cake and it was one of the most beautiful cakes Id ever seen and it was also delicious! I knew when I got engaged I would definitely want my wedding cake from Paradox Pastry! Jenny has such a bubbly personality and she does AMAZING work! My cake was absolutely GORGEOUS! Jenny had so many great ideas and was just so fun to work with. My guest were raving about the look and taste of my cake! There wasnt a single piece that didnt get eaten. It was so pretty I almost didnt want to cut into it! Im counting down the days to be able to eat my anniversary cake that she provided. Thanks again Jenny!!

THIS PLACE ROCKS! Every pastry i have had is melt in your mouth delicious. personal favorite is the spinach and cheese croissant. and the coffee is great as well, i always get dirty chai. They have an upstairs seating area that is tucked away for those wanting to read or get some work done, and if you can get the front of house seating when the garage style window is up and catch a breeze over your morning snack and sip- heavenly.

I was recently gifted a slice of the Flourless Chocolate Torte by a friend of mine for my Birthday. As someone who is Gluten Free, Ive sworn off birthday cake-- or really any cake, for quite some time now. Specialty Gluten Free treats are hard to come by and are often difficult or complicated to make. That being said, I was BLOWN AWAY with how yummy this chocolate torte (or should I say MAGIC cake!) is. Seriously. Delicious. The torte was dense enough to hold form yet light and airy when taking a bite. Its just the perfect mix of flavor. Not too rich, and definitely not bland. They even went above and beyond and provided a candle to! This place is fabulous in my book and I cant wait to try their other GF options!

Love this place. Great coffee and even better pastries!! Yummy!

Love this place. Everything is delicious and the staff is super nice. Great atmosphere.

Received cold food with no silverware, and no sugar in my coffee.

The best; love it. Everything they sell is amazing. When Im supposed to bring dessert to a party I always just call them to bake a pie. Call me lazy, but reality is Ive never eaten a better pie crust.Jenny (owner) and all of her friends who bake with her are friendly and hilarious. I go here to work remotely sometimes, meet with friends, interview interns, play board games - easy, chill place for basically any occasion.

I love Paradox! Everything here is delightful, from the pastries and other food, to the coffee and, most important of all--the people. Fun, energetic, welcoming...I go here often and I have only good things to say.

Delicious food and great coffeeshop environment. They support local art, and they love their city! Theyre also right next to a farmers market, so give that a shot, too.

The food was excellent, great coffee, and great service. They have a great selection of gluten free options, and a wide variety of other baked goods and some heartier breakfast options like a chorizo burrito. We love the atmosphere and will definitely continue returning here.

The owner is the nicest person ever and the pastries are crazy good. Melt in your mouth.

Make sure you never bring your own snacks here if you plan on doing work for a longer time period- I was unaware of the policy on outside food (my own fault), but always bought multiple items and tipped when I came. Today an employee yelled at me for a good 15 seconds while I was having a quiet work conversation over the phone, suggesting I was disrespecting their restaurant and clearly thought I should leave.Perfectly pleasant experiences with other employees before this encounter, so I couldnt understand this womans incredibly rude and just plain mean outburst considering I quickly put the nuts away and would have done so with a simple request- she later slammed the door next to me. I dont think many customers would feel welcome back, just something to keep in mind.

What a cool place! The coffee is okay but the pastries are insanely good and they offer gluten free options. The lunch food also tend to be quite excellent.

Great coffee shop in Charlottesville! Second time stopping on my way home(from out of town) to get coffee and food from them.

Good food once you get it but it takes forever... only ordered a few hot chocolates and it took over 15 mins. would not recommend.

Great variety of unique and delicious pastries

Great place for pastrys. The only thing that was bad for me was, I found out about this place on my last day in town. I feel cheated. If I return to the area, Ill be back.

While my wedding cake experience wasn’t personally exactly what I had imagined or desired, the cake tasted great!

Delicious coffee and breakfast pastries. Friendly staff. Cute little seating area. Perfect for a quick breakfast.

For my kiddo and me this is an absolute favorite. We have some tried and true treats but often try something new and we love to sit out front or upstairs and observe.

Love the place you just reminded me to go now lol

The vibe at Paradox is awesome - go upstairs for a real coffee shop feel. Cant get enough of their chocolate croissants.

Best croissants Ive had this side of Paris; perfect balance of buttery and flaky. Coffee + pastry = good living.

Delicious bakery but its filled with people early in the mornings so be prepared to wait. Cake was yummy!

Mouthwatering baked goods that are expensive but totally worth it. Lots of different options, from fruit to chocolate and a few savory items. The cinnamon maple twist is to die for.

Great place for a quick brunch! The asparagus and leek frittata was very good. I have to eat gluten free so was pleased with the selection of baked goods. I did have a problem with a very strong bitter cup of Earl Grey but this was replaced. I will definitely go back when Im in the area. Did I mention DMB playing in background. Charlottesvilles best!

I love this place. Everything is delicious

Good coffee and interesting selection of pastries. Please fix wobbly high tables and slamming front door though. LOL.

Wow everything was great. Flourless chocolate torte was a huge hit!

Some gluten-free items. Great pastries for hearty appetites.

Their sandwiches and frittatas are delicious, the wifi is great, and you cant find better service! Everyone makes you feel at home right when you walk through their doors. Truly a fantastic locally owned restaurant.

Great coffee and the Butter Crossaint is an awesome way to start your mornings!

I’ve gained 10 pounds and I’m blaming it all on Paradox. The smell alone is worth a visit.

Nice clean respectful people,also good food.

Paradox Pastry Italian Cream Cake: When you want people to leave your party talking about the fun, friends, food and CAKE!

We got our wedding cake + several dozen individual pies from Paradox & it was absolutely amazing!! Our guests were raving about the desserts & Jenny was wonderful to work with.

Friendly service combined with amazing food.

Probably the best place to work in Charlottesville. Great staff, great coffee, great breakfast foods and great wireless.

Very cute place,great treats and great people

It is a great little community in there with a lot of fantastic desserts!

Great tea and muffins in a cozy atmosphere.

Excellent gluten free cheesecake! The best in cville!

First time coming to this place excellent service and Italian cream cake

Great food. Tables alittle uncomfortable.

Great variety of sweet and savory pastries

Delicious cheese cake. Great atmosphere!

Best cheesecake in cville- hands down.

Love the macarons and quiche is to die for

Good coffee, wonderful foods.

I will be back with my friends.

Good food, nice people

Great Sugaristas!