East Metro
A Piece of Cake
485 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-846-0016
Pretty, pretty sweets for a princess who craves a Barbie cake for her fifth, fifteenth, or fiftieth birthday. But this place makes more than birthday cakes: pumpkin-shaped minicakes for Halloween, adorable melt-away cookies in pastel icing hats, black-and-white cookies (half-white, half-chocolate iced monsters dear to New Yorkers), darling sandwich cookies shaped like slices of fruit. Delicious confections, edible fantasies.
Bread & Chocolate
867 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-228-1017
Cafe Latté
850 Grand Ave., St. Paul. 651-224-5687
Give credit (or blame) to Cafe Latté (and its older sister shop, Bread & Chocolate) for putting turtle cake on our culinary map. The franchise is known for glistening Italian fruit tarts, lemon tortes, as well as organic breads—sourdough, rye, ten-grain, and whole-wheat—plus muffins and scones. The breads and scones are so varied, a calendar of specials is posted online—they sell out quickly, so call ahead.
Jerabek’s New Bohemian Coffee House & Bakery
63 Winifred St., West St. Paul, 651-228-1245
Beautiful, old-fashioned cakes and pies, homemade in this century-old neighborhood haunt, run by the great-granddaughter of founder Ed Jerabek. Here sits the Twin Cities’ best chocolate cake, a real Lady Baltimore cake, and honest pasties (those two-fisted meat-stuffed pies).
La Patisserie
1570 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, 651-690-8973
Chocolates, petits fours, pastries, wedding cakes, and cookies. A small, pretty spot.
PJ Murphy’s Bakery
1279 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, 651-699-9292
A small and unassuming place with predictably good doughnuts, cookies, pastries, and bars. The moist, light, banana bread is worth checking out.
Roseville Bakery
1147 Larpenteur Ave. W., Roseville, 651-489-1714
A classic place with cakes, cookies, scones, pastries, éclairs, and deep-fried croissants (for the brave or foolish). Small-town vibe and pretty good doughnuts—in fact, so good, they often are sold out before noon.
Swede Hollow Café
725 E. 7th St., St. Paul, 651-776-8810
Yes, the caramel rolls are rated number one by the Pioneer Press; yes, the focaccia is handmade. But the real reason to come to Swede Hollow Café is the place and space. Perched on the hill rising above Swede Hollow Park, this cozy historic brownstone opens to a flower-filled, brick-lined patio, where you can sip an iced latte, nibble an apricot scone, and watch the seasons change. When the cold winds blow, head inside for a Belgian chocolate mocha and warm bread pudding.
Trotter’s Café & Bakery
232 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul, 651-645-8950
This natural foods café features home-baked breads and desserts that change daily and weekly—try the Chocolate Chaos cupcakes, apple upside-down coffeecake, and muffins sweetened with maple syrup. There are cookies, bars, and breads, such as the cornmeal Cheddar and oat-sunflower-millet, all made with organic whole grains.
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