Cedar Ridge Cafe & Bakery, 410 Ridgewood Rd., Maplewood, NJ
On a beautiful late spring day, the outdoor tables at Cedar Ridge Cafe & Bakery at 410 Ridgewood Avenue in Maplewood are full to bursting.
Inside things are bustling as well, as a number of moms and tiny tots — perhaps just fresh from shopping at West Village and Milk Money to either side of the cafe — enjoy a leisurely breakfast, brunch or lunch.
Last summer, owners Joe Ramaikas, his wife Felice, and Paul Holtzman rebranded the former Cupcake Corral Cafe & Bakery to disabuse locals of the notion that the joint was solely a place for tasty cupcakes and to showcase their growing savory offerings brought on by Holtzman.
The irresistible cupcakes remain — in flavors like cookies and cream, red velvet, peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla and more. The cupcakes continue to be the main draw for my daughter, who can be sent into squeals of delight if she comes home to a brown box of these sweet morsels after school. She also likes the cookies, cakes and other baked goods.
Co-owner Paul Holtzman is a topnotch savory chef.
But the place offers much much more, as the new name suggests.
This diner is a particular fan of Cedar Ridge’s sconewiches and frittatas. The iced coffee goes down pretty nicely as well as the days are warming up.
The menu changes seasonally and daily. Thursday’s lunch menu included roasted beet salad, Asian chicken salad, shrimp roll, mozzarella panini, hummus vegetable plate, croque monsieur. The list goes on. Hungry yet?
Back to that sconewich. The savory scones offer clever flavor combinations (on Thursday, I sampled an apple/cheese scone) and can come with various stuffings, usually involving an egg. The textures and tastes are always beautifully blended and I’ve never been able to NOT finish every last bite of a Cedar Ridge sconewich. In fact, I brought one home to my son and he declared it “the best thing I ever ate!”
Cedar Ridge is fun for other reasons as well: I love the homey ambiance, including the signage. Signs include “Be nice or leave” and “Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy.”
The tip jars are always fun too, with running contest between cultural icons. This week’s contest pits that adorable French tyke Madeline against Madeline Kahn.
Although my tip money went to Madeline Kahn, I’d choose a sconewich over a DVD of Young Frankenstein any day.
Cedar Ridge Cafe & Bakery
410 Ridgewood Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040
973-327-2286
hello@cedarridgecafe.com
Breakfast, lunch, catering
Tuesday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
