Food & Wine Review South Africa

Sweet treats and creative eats - Tessa's Bakery opens in Cape Town

On an ordinary Tuesday afternoon, the very extraordinary Tessa's Bakery opened the doors of its brand new store. The ‘Made like Mom's' bakery chose a unique location in Milnerton, Cape Town, opting to stay near to the loyal client base they've built up, while catering to the growing demand for their delicacies. Having officially launched in 2012 supplying coffee shops and later offering an online store, Tessa's Bakery has been 25-years in the making with humble beginnings in Tessa's very own home kitchen.
Sweet treats and creative eats - Tessa's Bakery opens in Cape Town

Well known for their mouth-watering, beautifully creative and over-the-top cakes, cupcakes and baked goods (including superb Greek pastries), Tessa’s treats are now available on demand as well as by special order. After admiring their cakes online for a while now, I was over-the-moon to be able to see their creations up close and personal, and find a new home-away-from-home coffee spot all in one go. The “My blood type is coffee” coffee bean message displayed beneath the glass of the coffee counter told me I had found my happy place.

Sweet treats and creative eats - Tessa's Bakery opens in Cape Town

At the media launch of the shop, we saw an array of colourful and tasty delights on display for our trialling pleasure, from mini cupcakes, slices of (ah-ma-zing!) lemon meringue and super cute and intricately decorated unicorn macaroons (or macarons, if you prefer), to delectable cheesecakes, tarts and savoury pastries. To top it all off, the family-run bakery has commissioned none other than an Origin barista to supply all their customer’s caffeine needs – much to my delight!

Further to setting up this stunning coffee shop, Tessa’s also offers an adorable kiddies section where they will host parties and decorating lessons for little bakers-in-the-making – a very sweet thought, and testament to the loving atmosphere of the family-run bakery. (Plus, the fact that there’s a park right opposite the bakery is surely a bonus for parents looking to let their sugared-up littlies burn some energy!) For those who don’t quite fall into the ‘kiddie’ bracket, Tessa’s will be offering adult baking and decorating lessons from September – keep an eye on their social media accounts for more info.

For me, the opening of Tessa’s Bakery is encouraging to see, in a world where everything seems to be moving to the online space, they’ve proved success in starting small and growing with passion and talent. What makes it even better is that even if it’s outside business hours, or you’ve tasted something you love, you can still place your order online. It’s a bakery after my own heart, offering that homey yet creative taste and feel. Don’t take my word for it though, head to Milpark Centre, Jasmin Road, Milnerton or check out www.tessasbakery.co.za and see/taste for yourself!

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