Swedish Crown Bakery

I can’t say it better than the Swedish Crown Bakery does: “Our philosophy is never cutting any corners and never doing things the quick and easy way; everything we make is made by the love of our hands and thoughtfulness from the mind.” Amen! That translates to true-butter flavor in every pastry that’s supposed to be buttery, genuine creaminess in the Bavarian cream, crisp nuts, fresh fruits, lighter-than-air meringues, and robust sourdough breads made from house-nurtured starter.

Team Fexy (Jane, I, and Kenny Stocker) descended upon the place early in the morning, so we missed sampling soup, paninis, and sandwiches of wild-caught salmon or organic meat loaf, but we did plow through many magnificent pastries. Best of all was the Swedish version of a German beehive, which is Bavarian cream sandwiched in a couple of wafers of honey-sweetened, almond-flecked puff pastry: so delicate, so rich, so perfect! We swooned over “Icelandic lava” meringues that are a weightless swirl of chocolate and vanilla, and we fought over the last crumbs of a “Spring in Sweden” sweet roll that is faintly laced with strawberry and rhubarb. Cardamom roll, crunchy skorpa toast (like zweiback), kringle, macaroons, coconut-glazed brownies, eclairs, Bismarcks, and caramel rolls: the temptations in this little place are near infinite.

Space, however, is at a premium. With seats for four at a single table in a tiny corner storefront, the Swedish Crown Bakery is barely a restaurant. Nearly all business is take-out.

What to Eat

Beehive

Must-Try

The Swedish version of a German beehive (so named because it is sweetened with honey) is a thick ribbon of Bavarian cream sandwiched in flaky, butter-rich, almond-speckled puff pastry discs.

Spring in Sweden

Must-Try

The pastry known as "Spring in Sweden" is laced with rhubarb and strawberries. Different fillings are used for Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Icelandic Lava

Must-Try

This airweight meringue, a swirl of vanilla and chocolate, is called Icelandic Lava

Cardamom Roll

Pillow-soft, sweet, and fragrant with cardamom, this signature roll will still be warm if you arrive early enough in the morning.

Skorpa

Twice-baked toast, known as Skorpa, is a cognate of zweiback and the Upper Peninsula's Trenary Toast. It is very crisp and just slightly sweet -- a fine coffee companion.