The "cafe" part of Alliance Bakery & Cafe got an expansion into the adjacent space a few years ago, bumping up its maximum occupancy to a more comfortable 20+. That's a good thing, because the "bakery" part makes a visit mandatory.

Take a seat on the antique slotted wooden bench and spend an hour with a good book and some of the finest pastries in town. In addition to the usual danishes and muffins, Alliance produces fresh tea cakes, Linzer hearts, dipped cookies, sprinkle-covered cookies, jam-filled cookies, sweet bars with names like "raspberry oat" and "cherry crumb" and coffee cake thats liberally coated in sugary frosting, the way it was meant to be.

The bakery prides itself on its wedding cakes; its regular cakes and tarts, such as the lemon berry tart, taste might fine, too. If you live anywhere near Alliance, please start coming here for all your bread needs (for dinner rolls, foccacia, rye, six-grain and the like); you’re wasting your time and taste buds otherwise.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Abigail Derecho