Cafe Iveta a Sweet Addition to the Westside
Written by Tara Leonard
SANTA CRUZ (July 2010) -- I’ve been using Iveta gourmet scone mixes for years with consistently delicious results. Fast and easy to make, the scones are light and flakey (not dry and crumbly) with the perfect balance of tender dough and generous fillings. Who can resist flavors such as Cranberry Orange, Pumpkin Spice or Cinnamon Chip? In fact, the only thing better than making Iveta scones at home is having someone make them for you! Now lucky Santa Cruzans can enjoy that luxury every day at the new Café Iveta on the Westside.
It’s easy to miss the café, located in the back of a nondescript office building at 2125 Delaware Avenue near Swift Street. Turns out the café is adjacent to Iveta’s production facility where they’ve been producing their award-winning scone, muffin, biscuit and cupcake mixes since 1999. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the small cafe is bright and airy with high ceilings, fresh white paint and sparkling new fixtures. There are a half dozen small tables, a coffee bar lined with stools, and another row of stools facing the broad window. The flower-filled patio is screened from the parking lot by a low wall, making it a lovely spot for those sunny fall mornings to come. The gurgling of a nearby fountain adds to the relaxing atmosphere.
My daughter and I were cheerfully greeted by two young women, Lisa and Danielle, the daughters of Iveta’s founders, John and Yvette Bilanko. Lisa told us that the café has been open just over a month and, in spite of its off-the-beaten-path location, is attracting a loyal following.
The menu includes both sweet and savory baked goods such as scones, muffins, cupcakes, bagels and frittata. There’s a full coffee bar with a wide selection of coffees and teas and a limited selection of soups, salads, and sandwiches such as tuna or a classic bacon, lettuce and tomato.
I ordered an egg salad sandwich with fresh herbs (straight from Yvette’s garden) and home-made mayonnaise ($5.50) and a mint lime spritzer ($3.50). The sandwich arrived quickly, piled high on wheat bread with a generous helping of crisp lettuce. The spritzer was sweet and refreshing with lots of crushed iced and muddled mint. My daughter tried the hot oatmeal with currents and brown sugar ($3) and a lemonade ($2.95). She devoured every drop.
Yvette herself bustled in and out of the kitchen, chatting happily with customers. Asked about the company name, she explained that she was raised in an Italian neighborhood of Chicago where most residents spoke with a heavy accent, pronouncing her name “E-vay-tah”. She went on to talk about the importance of using only the finest available ingredients without preservatives, food coloring or artificial anything. Hopefully this recipe will be as successful for the café as it has been for her baking mixes.
On the way out we treated ourselves to a lavender white chocolate scone, a delicious reminder of why we fell in love with Iveta in the first place. If you order a scone or muffin you adore, be sure to purchase a take-home mix from the cafe, which also sells organic jams, custards, curds, herbal teas, and gourmet gift boxes.
I look forward to our next visit to this charming, family-owned business. Its reasonable prices, delicious food, and friendly atmosphere make Cafe Iveta the perfect antidote to a foggy Westside morning.
Café Iveta, 2125 Delaware Avenue., Suite F, Santa Cruz (831) 423-5149
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