Treat to Try: Freedom a la Cart Cafe + Bakery

Freedom a la Cart Cafe + Bakery debuted its very own brick-and-mortar Downtown eatery this spring. A long-time formidable presence in the catering community, it now makes its goods available for impulse buys on Spring Street inside a polished little cafe.

The menu includes sandwiches made from ingredients that include house-made rosemary sausage or smoked trout, as well as breakfast bowls and substantial salads. Truth be told, it’s the baked goods that beckoned loudest on the first visit. They’re artfully displayed at the counter, in pretty little piles of gluttony goodness.

First and foremost, the Zucchini Bread is a dark horse winner. In terms of cravings, zucchini squash doesn’t typically come to mind. More often, zucchini bread is the solution to late summer’s over abundance of garden goods. As in, “What do we do with all this zucchini?”

But the summer squash gets headline treatment here. Thick-cut slices, tidy, dense with enough moisture to keep crumbs from coming loose, it blends a hint of spice cake with each uncommonly tender, toothsome bite. Savor-worthy.

Beyond the zucchini bread, there are croissants; impossibly light and airy, the chocolate one holds layers of intense chocolate charge balanced within the folds of flaky pastry. 

And, of course, there are chocolate chip cookies. They’re practically a requirement, with generous swirls of melted chips that merge together to create a network that ensures goodness in every bite. They’re soft with a just-crisped exterior. 

Beyond the eats, Freedom a la Cart Cafe + Bakery has a mission as well. It has been a haven for those who have been trafficked. It provides training and employment along with a ladder of support to lift its team members with skills and opportunities. You can find it at 123 E. Spring St.

For more information, visit freedomalacart.org.