Let’s be honest with ourselves for a moment. We love a fresh salad, a hearty stew, or even a solid pot roast to fight off a winter chill. But deep down, we know we’re the type to wait with anticipation for the first sign of cake trays, pie tins, and cookie jars to make their evening appearance in the kitchen.
We’re icing people, two tier chocolate cake people. We’re the freshed baked bread and cupcake crowd, the donut (and donut hole) folk. A community of confectionary fanatics, a population comprised of many, all living with the same burning question: What’s for dessert?
We could give you a dozen recipes to answer that question, but instead we’ve gathered some of Pittsburgh’s— and the internet’s— master local bakeries and dessert destinations to help guide your sweet tooth in the right direction.
Go ahead, indulge. See our roundup below!
Pittsburgh Confectionary Masters and Local Bakeries
Mediterra Bakehouse
Mediterra might be famous for their artisan breads, their use of quality ingredients, and their hearth ovens with more than 30,000 pounds of firebrick and a baking surface comprised of volcanic rock from the Alps (woah…), but we just cannnot stop thinking about their cakes! It’s because inside their Sewickley-based Bakehouse exists their Cakehouse, an artisan pastry and cake shop that provides desserts to a number of restaurants and cafes throughout Pittsburgh (including Mediterra’s cafes, scattered around Pittsburgh.)
In addition, they offer custom and pre-designed cakes for weddings and other special events, giving customers an array of dessert traditional dessert options made with high quality ingredients, consideration, and, just like their breads, lots and lots of care.
Let them make your dreams become a reality. Consider ordering your next cake from Mediterra Cakehouse, or create your own Mediterra-inspired dessert at home with their recipe for a Rhubarb Strawberry Tart.
Oakmont Bakery
Established in 1988 by the Serrao family, Oakmont Bakery has been serving delicious pastries and decadent cakes for over thirty years, accumulating numerous awards, including the 2019 Readers’ Choice Award from Trib Total Media, as well as the 2019 “Best Bakery” award from both City Paper and Pittsburgh Magazine.
They are known for their assortment of cakes, tarts, pies, cookies, cupcakes, and basically any other treat you could possibly imagine. Visit their online directory and fill your cart with their delicious donuts, fruit tarts, breads, bagels, and gluten free goodies. Or you can also stop into their brick and mortar shop in Oakmont for a coffee and sandwhich from their wonderful cafe (with outdoor seating available).
Confections by Casey Renee
No one knows confectionary cooking quite like two-time James Beard semi-finalist Casey Renee, former head pastry chef at Ace Hotel Pittsburgh. With bright color and whimsical presentation, she bakes up some sweet desserts as beautiful as they are delicious.
Try making her gluten-free Cranberry Coconut Macaroons while you’re home. Or, if you’re looking for some quintessentially Casey, visit her site to order one of her specials, like her Heart-Shaped Cakes.
Selina Progar of Eleven
Eleven is one of the most popular restaurants in the city, in part because of executive pastry chef Selina Progar’s talented take on french dessert.
Selina trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York before starting work at La Gourmandine in Pittsburgh and going on to add some pretty significant restaurants to her resume, such as Toppers at the Wauwinet, a 4-Diamond restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Apex restaurant in Deer Valley, Utah.
At Eleven, her combination of French and American pastry techniques is truly unique, along with her drive for experimentation. Visit the Strip District staple to taste for yourself, or follow Selina’s direction for the best pie dough.
The Pie Place
Powerhouse bake team Julie Cobb Accamando and Jessica Culicerto Gombar combined their passion for baking with their savvy business skills to open The Pie Place in 2017, located just south of Pittsburgh and north of South Hills Village Mall. It’s a bakery that prides itself on providing fresh baked goods made daily and offering specialty, custom order upon request. Pies, muffins, tarts, cakes, cupcakes, cookies— you name it, The Pie Place has it.
Visit their site and, while you’re in the mood for something sweet, check out Julie and Jessica’s recipe for Pumpkin Blondies and Cream Cheese Frosting.
Gaby Et Jules
Master pastry chef David Piquard creates beautiful confectionaries, pastries, as well as macarons at Gaby et Jules. He’s been putting his mark on the Pittsburgh bakery scene since being asked in 2010 to become Head Pastry Chef at the award-winning French Bistro Paris 66, and then at Gaby et Jules in 2013. He has 20 years of experience on the French culinary scene, and the quality of products offered at Gaby et Jules is a testament to his talent.
Their 1,000-square-foot shop in East Liberty also includes a café that opened last year, serving coffee, French sodas, hot chocotlate, quiche, sandwiches and their pastries and macarons.
They ship macarons and other products nationwide, so order your pastries, chocolates, and confections here.
Story by TABLE Magazine Staff
Featured Photo Courtesy of Confections by Casey Renee
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
