Willow Glen’s Parisian Bakery Café
Four blocks off Lincoln Avenue is Willow Glen’s is Parisian bakery café, the quaint Flower Flour. This cozy welcoming eatery is the perfect place to spend a lazy morning enjoying a warm croissant and coffee, catching up with friends over lunch in the garden, or tucking away at a corner table to study.
A Willow Glen favorite since 2005, Flower Flour was originally owned by Mimi Brown. She was not only instrumental in creating the charming atmosphere in the patisserie’s 100-year old building but also served as it chefs, baking decadent pastries and sweet eats along with a variety of savory foods. Brown was a firm believer in using fresh, local produce and fruit and designed custom cakes for weddings, birthdays, and other private events. She often said that “people eat first with their eyes” and so designed every cake, croissant, and cake to be visually stunning as well as mouthwateringly delicious.
In addition to the café, Brown also had a full-service floral shop in the same space, the perfect compliment for those needing a custom cake for a wedding or other special occasion – they could order floral arrangements and a specialty cake all in the same location.
Within the past few years, Flour Flower changed ownership but it’s charm, delightful food, and customer service have endured. The new owner and chef is Ani Sarhadian, who also owns Ani’s Cake Delights. Sarhadian is trained in the art of culinary pastry and whips up morning buns, scones, cheesecakes, eclairs, macaroons, and cakes that are stunningly beautiful and sinfully delicious. If you’re looking for a light meal, the savory selections include homemade quiche, sandwiches, savory crepes, soups, and salads.
“Flower Flour is one of my favorites. Local woman-owned business. The food is great. Custom cakes are gorgeous and delicious. Crepes, croissants, macaroons, oh my! When you walk in you will feel like you have been transported to a French bakery. Give it a try.” – Michelle Anderson
Sarhadian has retained the flower in Flower Flour, frequently incorporating blooms—real and those created from spun sugar—on her exquisite custom cakes. Her decorating artistry is second to none, with custom cakes in all shapes, sizes, and styles as well as for any occasion. Customers can also “build” a cake on the bakery’s website, including uploading images of cake designs they would like Ani to create.
Customers can also place an order for sweet and savory items on the website and have it delivered via DoorDash, GrubHub, Waiter.com, or UberEats. Flower Flour is located at 896 Willow Street and is open daily from 7:30am to 5pm except Mondays. Flower Flour also has a Facebook page where Ani posts photos of all of her custom-designed cakes.
The next time you want an escape, Willow Glen’s Parisian bakery café Flower Flour is a true gem.
