The quaint, historic neighborhood of Chestnut Hill is home to some of the city’s best bakeries. As South Philly is to Italian bakeries, Chestnut Hill is to confections. And Night Kitchen is my favorite of them, a great place to get cakes, cookies, tarts, and cupcakes.
The best part is that most of their specialty cakes are available in single-serving cupcake size. This includes their most memorable offerings: carrot cake, red velvet, cheesecake, and chocolate flour-less cake. They do chocolate flour-less better than anyone in the city!
How does Night Kitchen get its cinnamon rolls to absorb so much butter? It is one of the great mysteries. Consider it a blessing that Philadelphia’s law requiring restaurants to post calories counts only applies to chains. Ignorance is bliss in this place!
The service is always friendly, and the interior is prim and inviting. So find a table and relax with your sugar rush. Their coffee is excellent, and they offer light lunch options as well as sweets. Night Kitchen is an appealing neighborhood gathering spot.
Honorable mention goes to Bredenbeck’s and Baker Street, both further up the avenue in the shopping district. Bredenbeck’s is a good, traditional sweets shop with over-the-top cupcakes and more traditional cakes. Baker Street focuses on breads, baking a mean baguette, excellent croissants, and peanut butter cookies worth traveling for.
