Nestled into a nook in Cherry Creek North, just over three miles from campus, So Perfect Eats is a small, local cafe that looks a bit like the inside of an Easter egg. It can be hard to find, located in the cranny of a side street, but once you are able to ‘hunt’ it down you won’t be sorry at all that you had to. With delicious salads, soups, sandwiches and baked goods, you can’t go wrong stopping here for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert.
Walking into the cafe, you find yourself immersed in pastel greens, pinks, blues and yellows. The effect is utterly charming and quaint, if a tad Easter-y. Each small table is set with a cute array of place-settings and flowers in the shop’s signature pastels, and the walls are filled with kitschy, yet beautiful, specialty kitchen supplies that customers can purchase. The room is usually filled with light chatter and smiling faces, creating a friendly and welcoming vibe.
The bakery started as the passion-project of Lynda Campell who, according to the So Perfect Eats website, gave up a life of travel and moved from Manhattan to Denver to pursue her dream of opening a cafe and bakery. The passion she has for baking and her painstaking attention to detail are evident in every dish served at the shop, but none so much as in the baked treats.
Cookies ($2.50+) are decorated to the finest detail and have included Indian elephants, intricate Easter eggs and tiny smiling zoo animals. Not to mention that they taste absolutely delicious if you can muster the strength to eat the tiny works of art. If you’re looking for more sweets but aren’t into cookies, the bakery also offers brownies ($2.75), macaroons ($2.25+), pie (a slice is $3.95+) and cupcakes ($3.75+).
However, don’t be deceived into thinking that So Perfect Eats is solely a bakery. If you’re looking for an actual meal, this shop will certainly not disappoint. Delicious and generously portioned soups, salads and sandwiches are also on the menu. The Ultimate Caesar ($13.95) was an absolute delight when I stopped by the shop, filled with fresh romaine lettuce, artichoke hearts, avocado, tomatoes, chicken and croutons and topped with a delicious hand-made dressing.
Other specialties include the Aspen Spa Sandwich ($9.95) which consists of roasted turkey with avocado, sprouts and brie on homemade ciabatta bread with ranch dressing, and the Southwest Turkey Sandwich ($9.95), with smoked turkey, avocado, tomato, cheddar cheese and spicy mayo on ciabatta.
The soup of the day ($5.75+) is also a great option, with plenty of variation by the day, but always plenty of flavor. Soups may include White Bean Chicken Chili, Mac and Cheese, Corn Chowder and more.
The menu items are a bit pricey, but portions are so large that they can easily be shared or eaten for a second meal as leftovers. So the next time you’re in Cherry Creek North and looking for a bite to eat, look no further than So Perfect Eats. Take some food to go or stop in and chat—either way you’ll be glad that you found this hidden gem.
