On the Spot reviews are exactly that—reviews written on the spot, after eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner at a restaurant in Redlands.
Place: Sugarbee Cafe & Bake Shop
Meal: Late Breakfast/Snack
On Saturday, I ventured to the Redlands Festival of Arts at the Redlands Bowl with my 10-year-old companion, Lily. It was around noon, and we’d both forgotten to eat breakfast, so we decided to grab a bite to eat before perusing the art at the Bowl.
Lily and I decided on Sugarbee for two reasons: I’d never eaten there, and she wanted a cookie. Though the address is listed as 5 E. Citrus Avenue, the storefront faces Orange Street, and the shop sits right beside the umbrella-covered Orange Street Alley.
The interior is adorably decorated with honeycomb, hives, and bees galore. The shop is tiny, with only one table, so it’s meant to be a grab-and-go experience, though there is more seating out in the hallway that connects to other eateries and boutiques. Lily and I were immediately drawn to the dessert display, which featured cookies, cupcakes, a cute cactus cake, and my favorite: French macarons.
The menu has shrunk considerably since last year based on what I’ve heard from friends, and it’s true that there weren’t many options. Luckily, Lily and I both knew what we wanted. We each ordered a plain bagel with cream cheese (there are also veggie and jalapeño bagels), along with a chocolate chip cookie and a mini vanilla macaron. The woman who took our order was kind enough to bring me a fresh macaron from the back. The total came to only $8.95, which surprised me because macarons can be pretty expensive.
We ate our sweets while waiting for our bagels. Lily reported that her cookie was delicious, and I can say the same for my fluffy vanilla confection.
Two patrons were taste-testing flavors at the table, deciding on cupcakes and brownies for an event. Sugarbee is famous for its amazing, creative cakes, which can be ordered for weddings, birthdays, or anything in between. Lily and I poked our heads around the corner to get a peek of the behind-the-scenes action and caught a glimpse of an adorable dog cake in progress.
We had to wait a while for our bagels because the taste-testers had to make arrangements with the employee. Once they left, we each received to-go boxes that held our toasted bagels, already slathered in cream cheese. We left, planning to eat as we walked to the Bowl, and I wondered whether the wait was worth it; as soon as I took a bite, all my doubts went away.
I know this will sound like an exaggeration, but this was definitely one of the best bagels I’ve ever eaten. The toasted flavor went so well with the cream cheese—honestly, I could’ve eaten three more, and Lily felt the same way.
Though Sugarbee is small, its cakes and bagels are certainly mighty, and I highly recommend stopping in whenever you need a sweet treat. —Taylor
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