Hot Cakes

I had a good experience here and would recommend it for others. I’m a big fan of a well-done pastry - which it’s hard to find a flaky, light, flavorful pastry done right. I had a Napoleon from here and it was very good. The glaze on top was not overpowering, and the pastry itself was flaky and delicious. It was difficult to put your fork through it, but the cream filling was done just right, and very generously. I also got their chocolate croissant which I recommend as well - it was one of the best ones I’ve had in a while ($4.99) (ask for it warmed!) I also got a latte, which could have been improved by getting more of the coffee/espresso flavor in there. It was overpowered by the milk, which is a pet peeve of mine. But they do have unique flavors like amaretto, Irish cream, and classic flavors like caramel and iced coffee. They also have (deliciously creamy) oat milk as a non-dairy option as well.

I’ve been meaning to try HotCakes for a while and finally made it a priority in my search for the best matcha latte in Charlottesville. Now I’m kicking myself for taking so long to get there. Is this what you’d call a hidden gem or do the locals already know what’s up?! I feel like someone has been keeping this place a secret from me and now I’ll have to make up for all the time I’ve missed going here. It was about 30 minutes before closing when I went in, so I really only planned to get a drink and maybe one sweet treat. I hate making employees prepare food when they’re in the mode to start breaking stuff down and cleaning up. I immediately noticed how clean the space was as soon as I walked through the front door. There were a few people dining in and they were all spaced pretty far apart. They definitely have their Covid practices locked down! I was greeted by both employees right away and even though they were properly masked up, I could feel their smiles behind the masks. Winning, so far. I read online that they offer organic matcha, but I didn’t see it on the menu board. I was ready with a backup plan if they didn’t have it, but luck was on my side and I ordered a large matcha latte with oat milk. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to order a few prepared items from the display case as well; everything looked so daggone good. Here’s what I left with: hot matcha latte with oat milk, marinated fresh mozzarella (single portion), Eloise cupcake, tiramisu and holiday tetrazzini. I highly recommend every single thing I ordered. The matcha is QUALITY. It’s slightly sweetened with vanilla, but not overly so. I might try it unsweetened next time. I’ll definitely be trying it iced as well. I haven’t stopped craving that mozzarella since the minute I took the last bite. I could eat that as a side dish or app every day. It wasn’t overly oily like some marinated mozz can be. The flavor was herbaceous, but light enough to not be overwhelming and the tomatoes were A++! The holiday tetrazzini, chosen by my other half and mostly consumed by him, was pure comfort! They offered to heat it up for us, but we had some errands to run and waited until we got back. I’m sure you could put it in the oven or in a saucepan, but we zapped it in the microwave since we were staying in a hotel room and it was DELICIOUS! Super creamy, cheesy and the meat was very tender and flavorful. He’s been talking about it nonstop since he had it. The Eloise cupcake is so elegant. It was almost too pretty to eat. ALMOST. Gah! It tastes just as amazing as it appears. The cupcake is moist and has a creamy center and the icing is so light. It’s not sickly sweet, which means I ate it ALL. Sometimes there’s a pile of icing leftover when I’m done with a cupcake. Not this time. These would make a lovely gift for someone or great for a party when Covid is over. They’re beautiful and oh-so-tasty! Last, but definitely not least is that tiramisu. If this is one of your favorite desserts like it is mine, run to Hot Cakes Gourmet and get a slice!! OMG. It is everything I want in tiramisu. You can tell the espresso they use for the ladyfingers is quality. That flavor was spot on. The layers should’ve been a hint to me that it’s much bigger than it appears when you start eating it. Two of us shared a piece and there was a tiny smidge leftover for breakfast the next morning. If I hadn’t gobbled up that cupcake first, the tiramisu definitely would’ve been demolished. If you’re like me and you’ve passed by HotCakes, but you haven’t stopped in yet – it’s time to give ‘em a try! You can even order ahead for pickup or delivery through their website. I’ll be going back very soon to try some of those yummy looking sandwiches, salads, and of course more sweet treats.

We ordered our wedding cake from HotCakes for our microwedding this October. I was a little worried about ordering it, since we weren't able to taste beforehand and correspond via email only. But I had absolutely nothing to worry about! Lisa works magic, paid close attention to detail, and not only was it beautifully decorated, it tasted AMAZING! We ordered a two chocolate-raspberry and everyone was praising how great it was. You could taste the real raspberries in the filling, and the cake itself was light and decadent. I was thoroughly impressed with how delicious and how beautiful it turned out - better than I had even imagined! Huge thank you to Lisa and her team. 5/5, easy!