Lindsay N.
Yelp
Ooh la la--Hen & Heifer is the bakery to splurge and indulge. Every bite of cake, cream puff, cookie or sip of coffee transports you on a flavorful journey. The pastries, cakes, and other treats have high-end price tags, but are unique, meticulously crafted, carefully curated flavors & spices, and visually works of art.
Hen & Heifer has been on our list of places to try this year and it was so worth the hype. The hours were nice, unlike other bakeries that you need to arrive at the crack of dawn before they sell out. They are currently open Thursday-Sunday, 12pm to 5pm. The shop is tiny, but the walls, counter and shelves are a beautiful French blue (literally the colors of my parent's kitchen). There were shelves filled with jars of jams, honey, pickles, mustards, tea and more. There were a few small seats and tables tucked in there too. On full display at the counter were cakes, pastries, tarts, cookies, drinks and etc. with very descriptive name tags including allergy information. A few treats that we decided to eat in were a slice of Gateau Breton, Caramel Cream Puff and Rose Cream with a Vietnamese Iced Coffee. The Gateau Breton slice was a dense, buttery cake, similar to a very rich pound cake. The cream puffs were the best I have ever had. The outside texture was a nice crispy texture like an old fashion doughnut, but light and airy on the inside. The creams were full of flavor, the rose one being my favorite. They are presently pretty with the colored white chocolate caps and powder sugar dusted on top. I tried the Vietnamese Coffee Latte and the flavor was surprising. I have had Vietnamese coffee before, but not like this. It was rich with warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, orange-citrus and star anise. To go, we got a fresh loaf of bread, a few cookies, and a beautiful Mother's Day decorated shortbread cookie.
There is a patio outside with tables and a lot of shad to enjoy your treats on a nice day. The staff were so kind and friendly too. For the items that we were enjoying there, they were brought on a nice tray with plated on small saucers and the cutest like fork. While we were there, the shop was slow so we were able to relax and take it all in.
If you have a sweet tooth and have appreciation for French pastry, Hen and Heifer in Guilford is the spot to try. I've been dreaming about the cream puffs and the iced coffee ever since.