Are you the kind of person who’d rather eat dessert first? Us to! That’s why Columbus Underground’s popular event Best Bites: Sweet Treats is returning this year, and to celebrate all things sugary and sweet in the City. We are bringing you a preview of our featured vendors before the event on February 23rd! What would a dessert festival be without cookies and cakes? Read below for a few you can expect to see there:
Elena’s Specialty Cakes is giving you choices, with four different cake samples at the event: Russian Honey Cake, Lemon Ecstasy, Strawberry Romanoff and Chocolate Raspberry. Owner and Master Baker, Elena Birukow, specializes in high-end European style treats. Each goodie is handmade and decorated by Elena herself, who spent over 25 years learning the craft in European restaurants in her native Russia before coming to the U.S. 10 years ago. Located in the Short North Arts District patrons can swing by for a daytime indulgence or order for a special occasion.
Cincinnati-based Donna’s Gourmet Cookies is bringing their baked goodness into the Columbus market and giving Best Bites attendees a chance to try their treats. For 30 years, Donna’s has been whipping up their cookies in small batches from scratch. At Best Bites: Sweet Treats, they will be sampling bite size chocolate chip cookies, brownies and pecan bars. Currently Donna’s Gourmet Cookies can be purchased online or various markets and restaurants around Ohio.
Upper Arlington’s Nothing Bundt Cakes will be showing off four flavors of their signature bundtinis. These mini bundts are topped with a signature butter cream cheese frosting for an added indulgence. Each bite is crafted to perfection to melt in your mouth. Their cakes are made with real ingredients using the recipes hand-crafted by their founders to remind patrons of home baked treats.
Mrs. Turbo’s Cookies is a retro themed 50’s style bakery that offers hand crafted gourmet cookies made from scratch. Their thick and chewy cookies are all natural with no trans-fat, no additives or preservatives. These treats can be found at their storefront in Gahanna or ordered online. Mrs. Turbos’s will be featuring samples of their chocolate chip cookies, whoopie pies and famous buckeye brownie at Best Bites: Sweet Treats this year!
The third edition of Best Bites: Sweet Treats will be held on Thursday, February 23 from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. at the Columbus Athenaeum. This year’s event will feature additional space and activities for new and returning guests to enjoy! Tickets to the event are on sale now! Entrance to the event includes samples of each featured sweet treat, live entertainment and a cash bar featuring Modelo Negra, St. Brendan’s Irish Cream and Meier’s Wine.
All participating treat makers include Three Kids and a Kitchen, MMELO, J-Pops Gourmet Ice Pops, Rime Time Curiously Crafted Pops, Velvet Ice Cream, Early Bird Food Truck, Elena’s Specialty Cakes, Mrs. Turbo’s Cookies, Lopaus Point, Winans Chocolates + Coffees, Bailey’s Drive Inn Donuts, Dough Mama,Short North Piece of Cake, Nellie’s Natural Ice Pops, Two Little Buckeyes, Fantasy Cupcake, Positively Sweet, LLC, Torlitas, Handel’s Ice Cream, The Guild House, Nothing Bundt Cakes,Coco Cat Bakery & Chocolates, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Pouf Cotton Candy, Donna’s Gourmet Cookies and Jeni’s Ice Cream.
A portion of the proceeds from all ticket sales will be donated to the The Columbus Foundation’s Gifts of Kindness Fund, a community-focused fund that helps Central Ohio families with emergency needs. The Columbus Underground Best Bites events have helped to raise over $16,000 for local charities in 2016!