Extraordinary Desserts

"Crowds flock to Karen Krasne’s 7,000-square-foot palatial dessert destination to take in her decadent cakes, featuring Valrhona chocolate, gold leaf, and fruits. The menu offers more than just sweet treats with charcuterie boards, salads, and paninis also offered at the Little Italy location." - Candice Woo, Helen I. Hwang

"Fabulous cakes, cookies, and morning pastries draw crowds to this hallmark dessert cafe from master pastry chef Karen Krasne. Her signature cakes and desserts also feature at another location in Little Italy along with savory items, plus beer and wine." - Darlene Horn

"Long-known for its blockbuster desserts, local sweets palace Extraordinary Desserts has announced plans to open another location on Fourth Avenue in Bankers Hill. Owner Karen Krasne, a master pastry chef who was called the “Queen of Cakes” by Gourmet magazine, debuted her first dessert destination on Fifth Avenue near Balboa Park, where her lease is being terminated after nearly three decades. And so, the dawn of the new location in the nearby area will coincide with sunset of the original one; Krasne says, “we wanted to continue to serve the neighborhood that has been so loyal to us.” The transition won’t happen right away, as the Fourth Avenue storefront isn’t scheduled to open until Fall 2018. It will anchor a 2,500-square-foot space in The Louie, a mixed-use retail and residential building designed by award-winning architect/developer Lloyd Russell, AIA. Extraordinary Desserts is moving in next to James Coffee Co., into a site was once in development for local sandwich shop Big Front Door. Krasne is reuniting with architect Jennifer Luce, FAIA and principal of LUCE et Studio, on the fresh Bankers Hill location; Luce designed Extraordinary Desserts in Little Italy, the modern stunner which launched in 2004. The new LEED certified space will include indoor seating and a cozy patio on Fourth Avenue. It will also feature an expanded menu of sweet and savory items as well as wine and beer." - Candice Woo