One of the most exciting spots to open up in the Cleveland area in the last year is a bakery with a French twist, Sophie La Gourmande (2275/2277 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights). This bakery is unique among those in Northeast Ohio because it specializes in both fancy French pâtisserie and viennoiserie like croissants. Sophie is a clean, compact cafe with an extensive bakery counter, cafe seating, outdoor tables, and a small shop.
We visit Sophie every few weeks (at least) and everything we have tried there so far has been superb. A few of our favorites include the mini Basque cheesecake, the chocolate caramel tart, and the flourless chocolate cake (“La Truffe,” pictured at the bottom of the page). Each day there are different options for decadent cakes and tarts, but these three desserts seem to regularly be on offer, and are all sublime. We wholeheartedly recommend the mini Basque cheesecake with its caramelized burnished top (pictured above) as the ultimate treat. There are also seasonal specials, like pumpkin flan for fall, and we have also previously enjoyed the matcha tiramisu and the passion fruit mousse.
One of our key ways to judge a bakery is through the quality of its croissants, and in this realm Sophie absolutely excels. The croissants (chocolate, plain, almond, etc.) are always perfectly-laminated, light, flaky, and buttery. The other laminated dough options are also divine, including the savory “everything bagel” Danish with a center of labneh cream cheese (above). In fact, I may like it even better than the chocolate croissant, which is usually my go-to pastry order. You can also expect to see seasonal viennoiserie at Sophie, like a butternut squash spiral croissant for fall. If that’s not enough to fulfill your sweet tooth, Sophie also offers an assortment of cookies in inventive flavors like sourdough rye, macarons, an assortment of shortbread cookies, chocolate bars, and picture-perfect little financier cakes (which are also available in seasonal flavors.
Sophie has a selection of savory lunch dishes, with an emphasis on vegetarian options. You can get a sampler plate of one of their many veggie specials: shaved Brussels sprouts, charred green beans, za’atar cauliflower, or other rotating options. Also available are soups, sandwiches (not all vegetarian, including ham and cheese or tuna) and quiche. The pick-three vegetable plate plus a croissant makes a perfect lunch, in my opinion. If you need some caffeine, they also have a selection of coffee, espresso drinks, and tea.
Every time we are in the vicinity of Sophie La Gourmande we stop in for a treat or two, and we have never been let down. We feel lucky to have a bakery with such range right at our fingertips. While we haven’t yet ordered a full-sized version of their cakes, these would be a great birthday or holiday dessert. For the holiday season, Sophie even offers an Advent calendar of their sable cookies. If you are in the Cleveland area, we highly recommend a visit to Sophie La Gourmande for exquisite pastries.
Eating The World 