Essen Bakery
"Tova du Plessis Has One-Upped Everyone’s Bubbe” - Philadelphia Inquirer
After years of working in some of America’s most iconic restaurants, Chef Tova du Plessis decided to go back to her roots when she opened her first bakery, Philadelphia's Essen. Her food reflects her Jewish heritage while being heavily influenced by her technical training. Essen Bakery is a cozy neighborhood spot where a big city can feel like a small town.
Over time, Tova has used her little bakery to build a big reputation, including four consecutive James Beard Award Semifinalist nominations. Fridays are extra busy as people trickle in throughout the day for a challah or sweet for Shabbat. Saturdays and Sundays are crowded and lively as fans from all over the city and the country make their weekend complete with a slice of babka. Any day of the week, you can find them making sandwiches on fresh bagels and breads, grinding espresso beans and boxing up buttery pastries. They bake everything from scratch every day from the best ingredients they can find. Essen gezunt!
