Craving a little something sweet, and not sure where to head in Santa Cruz County? Look no further: from Italian Bomboloni to a classic French macaron with a twist, and a fruit tartlet in between, there is more than enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. These are tried-and-truly some of the most buzzworthy sweet little bites around Santa Cruz County!
La Placa Family Bakery
Situated under the towering redwoods of Ben Lomond, right off Highway 9, is La Placa Family Bakery: an Italian, family-owned business. A staple in its community, La Placa offers up delectable Italian fare at any time of the day. That being said, the best time of day to arrive at La Placa is right around noon, when something almost magical is brought out of the oven: Bomboloni. Topped with powdered sugar, the fried, doughy pastry’s sweetness is complemented perfectly by the savory taste of the filling: ricotta. Prefer an all-saccharine treat? The other filling option for this doughnut is Nutella. The bomboloni are truly a taste sensation you have to try for yourself! Peruse their display case, packed full of delightful baked goods that will catch your eye and please your taste buds! The La Placa Family’s passion for baking shines through in every delicious bite.
The Farm Bakery, Café & Gifts
An Aptos classic, The Farm’s cozy atmosphere feels like stepping into a friend’s place for some coffee and a sweet treat. The nutty, bitter smell of coffee mingles with the sweet scent of confections baking, welcoming you as you browse their offerings. The fruit tartlet is the highlight of the menu: with its crisp-yet-soft pastry shell, filled with sweetened cream cheese and topped with fresh, seasonal fruit, you have to sink your teeth into this tartlet! It makes a great accompaniment to any of the farm-fresh options, which span from breakfast to dinner, and everything in between. Chocolate lovers, rejoice: there is also a must-try Chocolate Strawberry Tartlet. Its chocolate-espresso crust is filled with chocolate ganache and sweetened cream cheese, topped with strawberries and a chocolate drizzle. Whatever you choose, The Farm’s extensive menu and mouth-watering confections will have you coming back in no time!
Sugar Bakery
The sweet aroma of baked goods wafts through the air around Sugar Bakery Co. Pop in while you shop at the Capitola Mall, where you’ll be greeted by the pink, macaron-theme mural and a fantastic display of their star treat, the impeccably-decorated and delicious macarons. The baker behind these tiny masterpieces, Ela Crawford, taught herself her craft amidst the pandemic. It takes technical baking skill to master the macaron, which you’ll know if you’ve ever tried to make your own! Ela’s taken the classic macaron and provided a sweet twist: rather than buttercream in the center, she uses chocolate ganache, which allows the flavors of the macaron to shine through. While the flavors here rotate, there are a few must-try classics: the Pistachio Raspberry and for chocolate lovers, the Dark Chocolate Caramel. The salted caramel used is also made in house, and its three-hour-long process is worth it in every single bite; it is the perfect combination of salty and sweet. We recommend grabbing a box, so you can try many flavors at once. Whichever macarons you end up tasting, their sensational flavors will have these sweet bites top of mind for your next local treat.
Satisfying your sweet tooth just got a little bit easier: from La Placa Family Bakery’s sweet-yet-savory ricotta Bomboloni and The Farm Bakery’s classic fruit tartlets to Sugar Bakery’s ganache twist on a macaron, there is something buzzworthy about each sweet little bite!