Nothing says tradition like the holidays, right? And, with a history in the community that is more than 30 years old, Midtown Cafe & Dessertery is a part of many traditions. From their humble beginnings as a dessert cafe, Midtown Cafe has evolved to include many holiday favorites that families love to feature at their holiday tables.
A Tradition 30 Years in the Making
Midtown Cafe & Dessertery Owner Jeff Cayton shared, “Winston-Salem is full of local traditions that many in our community love to honor. We are so proud that Midtown is a part of that tradition. As a family owned establishment for more than three decades, we love that our guests enjoy our warm hospitality, great menu, convenient location and want to gather here with their family and friends for the holidays. It’s what the founder and original owner, Scott Gerding, had in mind when he opened the original dessert cafe in 1995.”
Jeff continued, “Scott wanted an environment where families and friends could gather, where sweet treats could be enjoyed. I think after 30 years, and with all the ways Midtown has grown, his vision was surpassed. After joining him as a business partner in 2015, and eventually, assuming ownership, it’s my family’s honor to keep the tradition going.”
Supplementing Holiday Meals
“Ever since the original dessert cafe evolved into a full-service cafe, Midtown has been a sought-after resource for holiday dishes,” said Jeff. “From ordering pies and cakes to side dishes for the meals, our menu offers some relief for those who are trying to coordinate a large family meal and are eager to simplify things with our delicious options.”
Even if you are committed to the tried and true family recipes, Midtown’s options are still helpful. “After all,” said Jeff, “Even if you don’t want Midtown’s help for your primary holiday meal, it might be nice to take home a lasagna for the night before or pick up something for those who get tired of the leftovers.”
Midtown’s Grab & Go Market is a favorite for busy families at any time of year, but it’s especially helpful during the holidays. A house full of relatives means extra demands in the kitchen and Midtown’s frozen Moravian-style chicken pies, quiches, casseroles and lasagnas are perfect! This is a locally made resource that enables families to focus on family time rather than kitchen duty! Additionally, the Midtown Market offers microwavable options that are portioned in servings for four, including Midtown meatloaf, mac and cheese, cinnamon apples, homestyle green beans and more!
The Dessertery Part of the Cafe
From the very beginning, Midtown has been known for stellar desserts and baked goods. From the year-round standards, the community knows and trusts the consistency of freshly baked desserts. And, because of their commitment from Day 1, the popularity of Midtown grew. For many families, holiday traditions are created with their own favorite recipes, but they depend on the classic desserts from Midtown to finish their meal in the sweetest way possible. After all, Midtown covers the heart and soul of desserts.
Midtown’s Dessert Options Include:
Famous Five Flavor Pound Cake (with or without cream cheese icing). Midtown’s Five Flavor Pound Cake is hard to top. It’s a classic worthy of praise without any icing at all, but after a happy accident in the kitchen, Midtown patrons collectively thank the creative thinker who fixed a cracked cake with cream cheese icing. And, in the spring and summer, it’s this decadent Five Flavor Pound Cake that serves as the foundation for Midtown’s seasonal Strawberry Shortcake.
Decadent Italian Cream Cake. Italian or not, this one will have you saying, “Mamma Mia!” You can’t go wrong with three layers of moist cake that is chock-full of pecans and coconut, and topped with cream cheese icing!
Traditional Chocolate Chocolate Cake is no typo – there’s that much chocolate! It’s layers of chocolate cake with chocolate icing – a classic in every sense of the word.
Light and fluffy Coconut Cake. A favorite for many, the coconut cake is a celebration of tropical goodness mixed with a little American ingenuity.
The Midtown take on Macadamia Nut Carrot Cake is something worth writing home about. Not your ordinary carrot cake, Midtown adds macadamia nuts and pineapple. Layer with cream cheese icing, and you have a very special favorite.
Midtown’s Red Velvet Cake has recently earned itself a place on the year-round menu. This favorite for many is rich with chocolate and layered with a vanilla cream cheese icing.
Hummingbird Spice Cake is also a newbie to the year-round dessert menu and is a dessert that blends the flavors of carrot cake and banana bread. It’s a dessert that is begging for seconds.
Any of the Classics (or New Classics) are great to have on hand for the holidays! For breakfast or dessert! No one at Midtown casts judgment on others for being tempted by cake or pie for breakfast, but the Blueberry Brunch Cake is a great coffee cake to have on hand when the relatives are visiting during the holidays!
And, a seasonal addition to the cake lineup includes the Apple Walnut Cake with Apple Jack Glaze. It’s a great breakfast option as well (after all, fruit is a healthy way to start the day).
German Chocolate Cake is on the menu this fall through winter! Light chocolate layers are stacked with a hearty icing made from pecans, coconut and condensed milk. It’s a cake that’s hard to find in most restaurants, so enjoy it this winter!
Another favorite is the Bourbon Berry Bread Pudding. It’s a delicious dessert with a long history. Baked with French bread, cream, sugar, white chocolate and cranberries – it’s a winning combination that, when served warm, is the ultimate in sweet comfort food.
Cheesecake lovers can relax and enjoy a Traditional Cheesecake that has elements of citrus in a classic NY Cheesecake style. Or, they can enjoy special flavors like Chocolate Chip Cheesecake or Triple Chocolate Cheesecake.
Pie may date back to the 1500s in Europe, but it’s a highly Americanized dessert. Midtown features an Apple Crunch Pie that is based on a recipe that is more than 100 years old! It’s been a classic for longer than anything else on the menu!
And, of course, for those who love a little tart with their sweet, Midtown has them covered with Key Lime Pie.
But, nothing speaks of the South better than Southern Pecan Pie. Drenched with gooey goodness and stuffed from one crust to the other with pecans, this is a classic that belongs on every holiday table.
Through the holidays, though, Midtown is serving Pumpkin Pie with a Spice Nut Crust through January! This is not your typical pumpkin pie! It’s a spice nut crust, which adds a whole other dimension to this holiday favorite. It’s a large pie – the size of a large torte, full of creamy pumpkin goodness, and it’s such a popular favorite, it’s made converts from those who previously claimed they didn’t like pumpkin pie! It will be in demand, so Midtown recommends placing an order soon!
Beyond cakes and pies, Midtown also features a variety of cookies and brownies, including the holiday favorite, Crème de Menthe Brownies. Available through winter, this brownie boasts a decadent blend of chocolate and mint that makes it a great dessert to enjoy with coffee!
Gluten-free guests are thankful that Midtown remembers them, too! The Gluten-Free Chocolate Torte has become a year-round dessert due to its popularity with those who have gluten sensitivities as well as those who don’t. It’s a Midtown version of a gluten-free lava cake, and it can be served cold or warm.
Jeff Cayton shared, “We are very proud of our menu, and we take special pride in our dessert menu because it’s where our roots are. Our sides and meals-to-go are popular to-go options, and our desserts are in high demand, especially during the holidays. It’s our honor and privilege that so many in our community want to take us home for the holidays!”
Midtown Cafe & Dessertery is centrally and conveniently located at 151 South Stratford Road in Winston-Salem. Their hours of operation are Sunday–Thursday from 7 AM–8:30 PM; Friday–Saturday from 7 AM–9:30 PM. Call them at 336.724.9800, or visit them online at MidtownCafeWS.com. Be sure to download their app! Check out their catering and Midtown Market menus. Stay up-to-date on special events and features by liking their Facebook page or following them on Instagram.
