Sarah N.
Yelp
That Simon Trefzger who arrived to the US from Germany in 1856 would be tickled a "strawberry cream pink" to see a customer like myself from Hong Kong in 2017 sitting in his family's bakery store with a smile on her face thoroughly enjoying her baked good treats.
I grew up in a small town in Indiana and love small town bakeries. There is something authentic, glutenous and real about these places. If you live in a small town, you know what I am talking about. The Trefzger bakery started in Ohio before ending up in Illinois, but has been around since 1861. Clearly they are doing something right to be in business after all these years!
Despite Trefzger's newer larger location to accommodate more room to bake and a bigger show room to serve the public (I never had a chance to visit the smaller original location, although in photos you can tell it was a piece of Peoria history!), this place is soaked into the same feeling as walking into a small mom and pop shop. Brick walls, wood floors, welcoming staff, fresh baked goods put out daily, warm bread/dough smell coming from the back.
And the variety and assortment of stuff is extensive. There is something for everyone from cakes, cupcakes and turn overs to cookies, breads and coffee cakes. But be warned, stuff sells out and choices can be more limited later in the day.
I was hooked from the first time I ever walked in, bought a pecan sandie thump print and a fresh cherry danish and sat down with a container of milk in their store. I have enjoyed bringing back to my folks in Terre Haute, IN their strawberry chiffon cake of the month this July, their blueberry coffee cake, a few turnovers and some bread.
I enjoy going in when I am in Peoria, looking around, grabbing a pastry and a drink to sit down and enjoy right there to ponder what I am going to purchase to take home (there is so much good stuff to pick from, I have to pause to absorb it all!). Grab a number from their machine if they are busy the moment you arrive before you start looking around. Someone the crowd can be extensive, other times, not so much.
I often bring home stuff and my folks freeze it. I have found most things freeze pretty well from Trefzgers.
I also like that they recycle and have clean, welcoming bathrooms for guests.
You can take the girl out of a small midwest town, but you cannot take the small midwest town nor the love of an authentic small town bakery out of the girl!