Louisa’s Bakery

Of Missy Mercer’s trio of Cloverdale restaurants, Louisa’s Bakery is the one most honest to who she is, offering a wide variety of uncomfortably large muffins and scones and normal-​sized everything else, from biscuits to cheesecakes to sourdough to homemade granola. The imposing menu didn’t quite represent the limited offerings in the display cases, but I get the feeling some of the bigger jobs are by request only.
Even just focussing on the muffins and scones, Louisa does a fine job. The giant muffins are loaded with whatever they’re supposed to be, from mound of carrots to handfuls of chocolate chips that start smudging your fingers and lips as you attack it. The crumbly scones are great with a cup of coffee. The sausage and cheese biscuits are unique in that sausage and cheese is baked right into the bread, and while the crumbly sausage is cooked so far past the point of offering anything more than a hint of umami, I appreciate the creativity.
While the bakery is a worthwhile visit when you have a large order, you’ll probably end up consuming most of your Louisa pastries at the adjacent Café Louisa, where you can enjoy her wares among good coffee and atmosphere.

«I tried a carrot cupcake. It was YUMMY. A very big moisty cupcake, rich of flavors, frosted with a dilicious cream cheese frosting.»