Askatu Bakery

Review: Askatu Bakery — 1 Star ⭐ Poor Communication, Broken Promises, Zero Accountability We ordered a custom 6-inch vegan cake a full week in advance for a colleague's 20th work anniversary. We chose Askatu specifically for their allergen-free, vegan options — their reviews and photos looked promising. The requests were simple and clearly communicated: a silver/grey theme with a slight silver rim on top, silver ribbons around the cake, and a big "20" for the milestone. We understood their design limitations and kept expectations reasonable. Multiple calls were made to finalize details and adjust for budget — there was no lack of communication on our end. Pickup day: I called one hour before our 11 AM pickup. The staff sounded surprised the order existed. After being put on hold, I was told a worker called out sick and they needed to postpone. A week's notice and they weren't prepared. They delivered the cake to make up for it — but what arrived was shocking. The cake: Plain, rushed, and underwhelming. The silver rim was a barely-there shimmer. The "20" was tiny, done in the same frosting color as the rest of the cake — nearly invisible. The only thing executed correctly was the silver ribbons. For a specialty bakery charging specialty prices, this was unacceptable. We called immediately after seeing the cake to raise our concerns and asked if they could make it right. They told us nothing could be done given the time constraint, and proposed a full refund instead. Their idea, not ours. To make matters worse, the recipient and her family couldn't even enjoy it — she said it tasted strange and neither she nor her kids could eat it. So it failed on both appearance and taste. The refund: We accepted the refund offer and moved on. Two weeks passed — no refund, no follow-up. When we called back, we were told that manager "no longer works there" and that refunds aren't possible per policy. I was hung up on. My colleague called back and spoke to Estela, the owner, who confirmed the manager is still employed. Two calls, two directly conflicting stories about a basic fact. The owner's response: Rather than taking accountability, Estela blamed us for "not being specific enough" — and actually suggested we could have gone to Michaels to buy cake decorations ourselves if we weren't happy with the "20." Why would we know ahead of time that the result would be this poor? And why should a paying customer be responsible for decorating a cake they're paying a bakery to make? We were paying for their professional expertise. Even our most basic specifications (11 AM pickup, a visible "20") weren't met. Her parting comment was that the recipient "must have enjoyed it anyway." She didn't. It didn't taste good, it didn't look good, and it wasn't delivered on time. What upset us most isn't even the cake itself — it's the attitude. The manager at least acknowledged the issue, even if her approach wasn't great. But the owner was in full denial. We honestly did not want to write a negative review for a small bakery. But it's the lies, the deflection, and the complete lack of accountability that compel us to warn others. Bottom line: Once they have your money, you are no longer a priority. If you order here, get everything in writing. Do not rely on verbal commitments. We would not recommend this bakery.

We recently went here for lunch before a movie. I was so happy to find a place I could have a meal. I had the turkey pesto sandwich. The flavors were amazing. I loved everything about it. I'm definitely coming back to try the sweets!

Not only is this an allergen free bakery where everything is delicious, but the coffee is good and the service is outstanding! Such a friendly atmosphere, will definitely be adding this to the “must do” list whenever I’m in Seattle!

I picked up a variety of treats for a meeting and everything was delicious. The team that helped me out was so friendly and accommodating. Great experience - will absolutely be back!

I ordered a custom dairy free gluten free cake with them and had such a perfect experience with them! I got to sit down with the baker and she was so sweet and talked me through my options and decorated it exactly how I wanted it. So happy with my whole experience with them!