Nestled in the heart of Pasadena lies a bakery filled to the brim with students, nurses, and locals. Known for its picture-perfect pastries and Instagrammable atmosphere, The Salted Butter Company has drawn lines out the door since opening last September.

On a rainy Sunday morning, we lined up alongside Pasadena locals for our pastries. The baked goods are artfully displayed in a clear case lining the bakery, ranging from simple, perfectly flaky croissants to decadent croissant apple fritters and blueberry cheesecake danishes. While some fillings are mouthwateringly sweet, all the pastries share the same signature flaky dough. The drinks aren’t the main event, but there is a solid variety of beverages to complement the baked goods. We tried four pastries and two drinks, and here are our honest reviews on a scale from 1 to 10.

Butter croissant:

The croissant is flaky and buttery, and deliciously simple. The pastry crumbles at your touch, revealing a wonderfully airy interior. Despite this, it was still just a croissant—nothing particularly mind-blowing or revolutionary about it. To their credit, it’s hard to remake a classic, and with that in mind, it’s a perfectly simple croissant. Our rating: 8/10

Blueberry cheesecake danish:

The blueberry cheesecake danish was style over substance. The danish screams picture perfect, but in reality, it looked better than it tasted. It wasn’t bad, but amongst all the other pastries, it wasn’t a standout. The sweet cheese filling was just decent, and honestly, it was kind of hard to eat. This danish was definitely not an eat-on-the-go situation. Our rating: 6/10

Earl Grey morning bun:

Covered in sugar and shaped like a perfect spiral, the Earl Grey morning bun is a decadent way to start your morning. Subtly flavored with Earl Grey and hints of orange, this morning bun melts in your mouth. The pastry was deliciously flaky and didn’t fail to leave our hands coated in sugar and crumbs. This was, in our opinion, the standout baked good of the morning. Our rating: 9/10

Croissant apple fritter:

An indulgent, flaky take on a classic apple fritter, the Salted Butter apple fritter is rich and indulgent. Packed with jammy apples and cinnamon sugar, this fritter tastes almost like apple pie folded into layers. It’s definitely on the sweeter side, and the froster didn’t feel necessary, but it was still a joy to eat. Our rating: 7/10

Strawberry matcha:

Matcha is probably the biggest trend amongst Gen-Z right now, and it’s no surprise that Salted Butter offers it. We might be spoiled living in LA, where matcha is everywhere, but the Salted Butter matcha is not among the best. The strawberry matcha is a little too sweet and feels like another dessert, rather than a drink. Our rating: 6/10

Salted brown butter maple latte:

One of their many specialty drinks, the brown butter maple latte, does not quite deliver the rich, buttery twist on a typical latte that its name suggests. While the latte’s syrup flavoring is a little underwhelming, the sweetness is just right. It’s a solid drink, but nothing special. Our rating: 6.5/10.

Salted Butter has an undeniably luxurious quality to its pastries that sets it apart from your typical corporate coffee chains. Although some pastries didn’t exceed our expectations, Salted Butter is worth a trip. We haven’t yet found the perfect drink, but their coffee lattes are a safe bet, and their seasonal menu offers a plethora of new, unique drinks and fun add-ons like Lucky Charm marshmallows. If you’re looking for a pastry to pair with it, the Earl Grey morning bun is our top must-try. Whether you go for a classic or indulge in one of their unexpected twists on a traditional flavor, Salted Butter will hit the sweet spot!