sweet laurel bakery cake shop

I had been plotting my visit to the Sweet Laurel Bakery Cake Shop over in the Palisades for quite some time now. I’m a huge fan of Laurel herself (and her cottage is to die for), as well as her delectable baked goods! But as well all know, the pandemic hit, and so I really haven’t been out & about all that much. In the meantime, I’ve been baking up a storm from the cookbook, and boy are there some tasty recipes to be had! Sweet Laurel recipes are all gluten, grain, and refined sugar free, and many are also vegan as well, making them a great choice for anyone with allergies or dietary restrictions. My bestie Rachel McConn (an amazing nutritional therapy practitioner & natural foods chef, by the way) came up from San Diego to hang for a night, and since she has Celiac Disease, the bakery has been on her must-visit list as well. We headed out on a (safe & socially distanced) mission for sweets, and we were not disappointed.

The star of the show was the ice cream sandwich- snickerdoodle cookies with chocolate ice cream. This was so delicious, not to mention all vegan & gluten free! It totally hit the spot on a hot summer day. I can never say no to carrot cake, so had to get a slice of that as well. This one is lightly sweet, and studded with walnuts and raisins. The probiotic cashew cream frosting is super unique and provides such a nice tang! Even my one year old got in on the sampling, and he was definitely a fan. I can’t wait to return to try some of their super food lattes and keto frappes- yum! And lastly, don’t miss Laurel’s new savory cookbook, which is now available for preorder!

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fabrique bakery

On a recent trip to New York, I felt compelled to try out a couple Scandinavian bakeries that had been on my list to try. I mean, I love me some baked goods, and I’ve gotta get back to my roots somehow, right?! I’d been following Fabrique Bakery, in particular,  on social media for a while, and always drool at photos of their freshly baked cardamom buns and housemade sourdough bread. I hope to one day visit their Stockholm location, but since New York is much easier to come by these days, I jumped at the chance to check it out! Upon entering the cute café on 14th St, the warming smell of cardamom and cinnamon immediately flooded my senses. After deciding on Fabrique’s signature cardamom bun, the sweet lady behind the counter asked me if I was going to be eating it right away. When I said likely so, she asked if I had a couple minutes to spare because she thought a fresh batch was just coming out of the oven. Would I be interested in waiting a few minutes for a warm one? Umm yes, absolutely! How thoughtful!? I’m so glad I did, because I hardly made it out of the bakery before tearing into the bag, and devouring the bun in a few short minutes. The doughy cardamom goodness was all just too delicious. It took everything in me not to turn right back around to pick up another (plus a loaf of sourdough), but alas, I was in a hurry to head to the airport. Nonetheless, Fabrique will definitely be on my list of regulars whenever I’m back in the city.

1802 roasters

I love a cute coffee shop, but there aren’t really any in my neighborhood within walking distance. Until now, that is! 1802 Roasters in Cypress Park has been roasting their own beans just down the street from me for a while, but previously had only been available for purchase at farmers markets around LA. They’ve been working to open a brick and mortar spot, even hosting weekend pop ups in their parking lot while construction on the cafe was still underway. The beautiful space is finally ready, thank heavens, and although they’re still only open on weekends (for now!), stopping by for a coffee has quickly become one of my favorite weekend morning activities. 1802 Roasters sources some delicious beans- from Guatemala to Peru to Costa Rica, and roasts them fresh on-site. I highly recommend picking up a bag to take home so you can get your fix during the week as well. My standard order of an Americano with steamed oat milk always hits the spot, and the pastries, sourced from Frog’s Bakery and Farmshop, are fresh and delicious as well. I’m partial to the pistachio morning bun, vegan almond croissant, and pumpkin ginger muffin! Yum! Definitely stop by next time you’re looking for a top notch coffee on the east side.

tartine bianco

I was so excited when I heard that the Tartine Bakery group was opening here in Los Angeles. I have a huge soft spot for this San Francisco-based restaurant and bakery, so to have one open so close to me was wonderful news. The Manufactory, as its known, is also conveniently located at The Row DTLA, which is a cute open-air facility with plenty of fun shops and restaurants to pop into. Whether you’re in the mood for a more formal sit-down meal, or looking to grab a quick coffee or soft serve to-go, The Manufactory’s got you covered. There’s The Market for tasty flatbreads and specialty food items, The Ice Cream & Coffee Window for drinks, baked goods and ice cream, Tartine Bianco serving seasonal Cali-Italian cuisine, and finally Alameda Supper Club for a more elevated private dining experience. All of that housed under one roof! The space itself is beautiful too- huge windows that allow light to flood in at all hours of the day- with a super modern, industrial feel, and a large, shared open kitchen.

On a couple recent visits, we’ve dined at Tartine Bianco, the all-day restaurant whipping up all kinds of delights with fresh ingredients from the farmers market. It’s very comparable to its San Fran counterpart, Tartine Manufactory, a place I’ve dined at and absolutely loved. One main focus of the menu is the famous Tartine Bread (duh!), and food good reason. Choose from toasts, smørrebrøds, and flatbreads, or just get the bread basket with a couple of dips and go to town. Oh my glory, it’s honestly some of the best bread I have ever tasted. Baked to perfection, doughy and chewy on the inside, with the perfectly crisp, crunchy crust. Do yourself a favor and order a loaf to-go as well so you can keep the enjoyment going for a couple more days! The rest of the meal did not disappoint either, from the grilled beets with chermoula to the lamb shank with sunchokes to the malted brownie sundae, you really cannot go wrong. And how pretty is that chicken liver toast?! It’s practically a work of art. Click through the slideshow below to check out the rest of our fantastic meal, and get ready to drool! I look forward to picking up some bread and pastries, and perhaps (read: definitely) making a pit stop at the Ice Cream Window for some delicious soft serve very soon!

fiona bakery

Fiona Bakery was a cute little cafe in West Hollywood serving up seasonal dishes and baked goods that truly allow California’s bounty to shine. I say was, because unfortunately I just got word that they closed their doors for good this past Sunday! Such sad news, to be honest. But with crazy high rent costs and never-ending competition, the restaurant industry is a super difficult place to find success. Ever since I first spotted their sesame butter toast on Instagram, I knew I had to check it out. So when I stopped by for lunch with a good friend recently, the aforementioned bread was obviously ordered. I’m pretty much obsessed with anything involving sesame or tahini, and this did not disappoint. I loved the sweet and savory vibes going on- the sea salt honey was the perfect complement to the creamy sesame butters and chewy, yet fluffy brioche! After ogling over the beautifully impressive pastry case (and vowing to return to try more items soon), we decided to balance things out with a couple of their fresh salads. I loved the Vietnamese-meets-Cali-influenced menu- both the shredded cabbage & chicken salad and little gem salad were bright and flavorful. The menu also featured rice noodle salads and savory sweet potato pancakes- not to mention classic banh mi sandwiches that my husband absolutely adores! Those cookies stacked high in the pastry case (and the carrot cake!) continue to call my name to this day as well. Although I’m super bummed Fiona has since closed its doors, I remain hopeful the team will open another spot soon!

go get 'em tiger

My love for casual, but consistently tasty breakfast and lunch spots is no secret. When we started spending more time in Los Angeles, one of my top priorities was to find a few neighborhood spots at which we could become regulars. These places need to be warm and inviting with a nice atmosphere, the food not too fussy, brew great coffee, and even better if they bake delicious pastries in house. I’d heard several people rave about Go Gem ‘Em Tiger, and once my husband and I stopped by one morning, we realized why. After scouring the menu and narrowing down our breakfast choices (no easy feat!), we snagged a table outside in the sun and sipped our coffees (they roast and sell their own beans!). I highly recommend getting yours made with their housemade almond macadamia milk! Yum! You’ll find some classics on the menu, like homemade granola and a breakfast sandwich, but we went for some of GGET’s more unique offerings. My husband loves a hash, and was all about his Spanish chorizo hash with eggs, potato, and aioli (he only wished it was bigger!). I went for the chickpea frittata, served with seasonal veggies and pickled beets! The only thing missing was hot sauce. We also shared a side of the roasted cauliflower salad, which was served cold and visible in their ready-made section, among many other tasty looking sides. Go Get ‘Em Tiger is the perfect spot for an easy, but enjoyable breakfast or lunch with friends, but also works for a quick coffee and pastry to go. I love getting to sit outside, catching the breeze and soaking up the sun. Lucky for me, they recently opened another location in my new neighborhood- I cannot wait to stop by soon!