02/04/04

Family-owned bakery warms an up-and-coming neighborhood with artisanal pastries and hearty Italian pies.

by Contributor

The Scene
La Dolce Via has existed as a bakery for more than 15 years, but only recently opened as a cafe. In addition to providing pastries for some of the city's best restaurants (Bar Italia and Jaboni's, to name two), the mother-daughter owners also dish out delectable treats from this humble storefront in still-emerging Forest Park Southeast. The informal space, packed with mismatched tables and chairs, feels as cozy as a friend's kitchen.

The Food
The limited lunch menu includes soups of the day and a basic green salad; the heartier selections are the Italian pies. The savory Spinnaccio, a spinach, onion and cheese mixture in a warmed wheat shell, is a vegetarian's delight, while the heavy Rustica with volpi salami, pepperoni and three cheeses will please any meat lover. Desserts are what keep this place in business: Try the house specialty zabione, a moist, creamy vanilla sponge- and rum-custard concoction.