Leta Z.
Yelp
My husband and I like to frequent Cake & Joe. We'll usually grab one or two of the individual cakes and a drink to go but once in a while we'll stay and get some work done. Can't go wrong with free wifi, spacious tables, and some delicious goodies. It can get quite busy on the weekends because other people have the same idea but the tables will usually free up quickly.
We first started coming here because of how aesthetic their desserts are; they're like little works of art. The flavor profile of the desserts and the idea of the sale of individual cakes is reminiscent of A La Mousse but Cake & Joe feels a bit more elevated compared to the more cute aesthetic of A La Mousse.
The menu on their website is pretty accurate when it comes to what they regularly offer but I find that their Instagram (@cakeandjoephilly) is the best way to stay up to date with all their seasonal/limited time desserts, new items, and promotions.
Food and Drink Ordered:
* worth trying
- [Matcha Croissant]: A bit dry and the matcha flavor didn't really come through for me.
- [Coffee Mousse*]: I don't like chocolate so I couldn't fully appreciate the dessert in its entirety but the coffee mousse part of the dessert was so light and airy and had a very pleasant coffee taste. I don't drink coffee so I liked that it wasn't bitter or too strong.
- [Mango Rare Cheesecake*]: This is a bit of a denser dessert because it's a cheesecake but the mango jelly on top gives the dessert a bit of brightness and cuts the heaviness a little.
- [Passion Fruit Mousse*]: I like the airiness of the mousse and cream coupled with the bounciness of the mango passion fruit jelly. There is a lot of flavor and texture overlap between this and the mango rare cheesecake. If you're not looking to get both, I would recommend this dessert over the mango rare cheesecake.
-["Who Moved My Cheese?"*]: A really unique dessert. While this isn't my go to choice of dessert, I think it's worth trying at least once. The cheese flavor surprisingly works for the dessert and is not too overpowering to the point of feeling savory.
-["Rose Meets Lychee"]: One of their Valentine's Day limited time cakes. I prefer the "The Key" cake over this one but, if you like lychee, you'll probably enjoy this cake.
-["The Key"*]: One of their Valentine's Day limited time cakes. The cake is mainly guava flavored and I like that it's a little tart and a little sweet.
- [Lychee Calpis*]: Calpis is a Japanese light yogurty drink. I like the bits of lychee in the drink and it's my third favorite Calpis drink out of the ones I've tried.
-[Mango Calpis]: I like the bits of mango in the drink but the drink is a bit too sweet for my taste. I can appreciate that the mango flavor doesn't taste artificial though.
-[Passion Fruit Calpis*]: Passion fruit is naturally very sour so I think the passion fruit pulp pairs nicely with the slightly sweet Calpis. Once the ice in the drink starts to melt, I think the drink gets to a good sweet spot in terms of sweetness. It's my second favorite Calpis drink out of the ones I've tried.
- [Grapefruit Calpis*]: This is my go to Calpis drink. I love grapefruit flavored things so it makes sense why this is my favorite Calpis drink out of the ones I've tried.
When Cake & Joe first debuted their brunch menu, I really liked what I ordered, with the Oven Roasted Beef Sandwich and Green Summer (Honeydew Matcha Dessert) being standouts. Sadly, the original brunch menu is no longer there. I've tried their recent brunch offerings like the Cajun Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, Fried Chicken & Honey Cornmeal Waffles, Smoked Salmon Benedict, and Shrimp Salad Sandwich but they were all pretty mediocre in taste. I think their mousse cakes and beverages are more worth spending money on.
Would I go back? : Of course! If they weren't a bit on the pricey side, I would go more often haha. The place is very inviting and always has good vibes as the staff is always friendly. My husband and I have also visited in different capacities: we've ordered their whole cakes for birthdays and gone there as an event space where a Wagyu Tasting Menu popup was held. I'm very happy to hear about their recent expansion to Fishtown and hope for their continued success.