Cassandra Hagen, Staff writer

Photo of fruit tart, creme puff and tiramisu from Rebecca’s Bakery on Sept. 4, taken by Cassandra Hagen

With the start of a new semester, I’m sure most students on campus are eager to explore the variety of food options located in the surrounding neighborhood. Just a couple blocks away from campus nestled along Franklin Avenue is one of the best bakeries in the area – Rebecca’s Bakery. 

I’ve been an avid enjoyer of Rebecca’s Bakery ever since I discovered it, and for good reason. They have a wide variety of authentic Italian baked goods, coffee, espresso and tea. They are the perfect place to stop in the morning for some coffee and make for a fantastic afternoon study spot. Rebecca’s Bakery stands as a persistent stop on my daily commute to campus for a sweet treat or coffee in the morning, and I was more than happy to stop by again – with some friends tagging along – to review the highly-rated bakery. 

Located on 2211 E Franklin Ave and just a seven-minute walk from Augsburg, the store itself is bright and welcoming, and once you step inside the environment is warm and friendly. A large colorful mural decorates the front of the store next to a large chalkboard listing all of their menu items. There’s a large area of counters by the window lined with seating right across from the pastry case filled with decadent desserts, from fruit tarts and pound cake to cannolis and tiramisu.

After struggling to choose what we wanted from the large variety of options, my friends and I ordered a variety of bakery items and each got an iced coffee. I ordered the fruit tart, which was sweet, refreshing, and light, made with fresh fruit with a delightfully sweet filling. It currently stands as one of my favorite items on their menu. 

Photo of fruit tart, creme puff and tiramisu from Rebecca’s Bakery on Sept. 4, taken by Cassandra Hagen

According to Cassius Whipple-Garnett, the vanilla mocha cake he ordered was soft, moist, and flavorful, with a distinct coffee flavor that mixed well with the vanilla frosting. He also remarked that his coffee, an iced caramel latte, paired really well with the cake. Luís Escobar said that the creme puff they had ordered, made with a rich custard filling surrounded by a flaky crust and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, was not too sweet but still soft and delicious. The tiramisu was absolutely delicious, perfectly light and well-balanced, according to Jarrod Haus. 

The iced vanilla latte I ordered wasn’t too sweet and had a strong body and deep flavor, due to the fact that Rebecca’s also roasts their own espresso beans, creating the distinct and strong flavor their espresso has that I prefer much more than other coffee shops. 

Looking to explore their menu further, we proceeded to browse their lunch menu, which was full of a curated list of savory Italian dishes and plates, including sandwiches, soba ribs, bistec encebollado, spaghetti and meatballs and more. 

The final item we ordered that was recommended to us was the spaghetti and meatballs. After waiting for a short while for it to be made fresh, I found myself delightfully surprised with the food we received. The spaghetti and meatballs were warm and full of flavor, the rich and herbal spaghetti sauce covering the thin, soft noodles, covered with a generous amount of parmesan and meatballs – amazingly good considering I had never ordered anything off their lunch menu before.  

Overall, everything that we had was delicious and well made, and I definitely highly recommend Rebecca’s Bakery, from their pastries to their lunch menu. Make sure to stop by and try some of their amazing coffee and food – I promise that you’ll love it.