Cheesecake Alert: The Confectional Grows To Capitol Hill

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake. Image Credit: The Confectional

The Confectional, a small 490 square-foot bakery, has been a cornerstone of Pike Place Market since 2006. We fully admit to the hundreds of times we've walked by the shop, dismissing it as just another "tourist spot." However, there's a whole lot more to the people behind The Confectional and the products they serve.

They quietly opened a second and much larger bakery/storefront on Broadway in Capitol Hill this month. We had a chance to visit the second outpost, meet the man behind the counter, eat some very delicious cheesecake and learn more about a growing local business.

Part of the reason for the second location is that they needed a larger facility to keep up with the demand. Each day they sell between 500-1000 cheesecakes, according to owner Paul Verano. And we know why: our first bite of the traditional New York Style cheesecake was heavenly. Made with organic free-range eggs, real cane sugar and rich cream cheese, plus a crunchy Maria Biscuit crust, the mini cheese cakes a real treat. Better than homemade, these pint-sized desserts are destined to be a crowed pleaser--and one that you can feel good about. The Confectional's sweets feature no hydrogenated oils and a fraction of the calories compared to a slice you'll find at, ahem, unnamed chain cheesecakeries.

And, owner Paul Verano is committed to keeping it local. He's partnered with Autumn Martin of Hot Cakes to use her caramel sauce in his products, and at the new location, The Confectional is serving up hot Stumptown coffee, Dry Soda and Twinbrook Farms milk. Feel like a little ice cream? They also have Whidbey Island ice cream bars. The chocolate cheesecakes and cheesecake truffles contain Guittard chocolate. Quality is key and it shows. Cheesecakes are baked daily by hand with great attention to detail from start to finish. You know the tagline "Alway Fresh Never Frozen." That's a motto The Confectional lives by.

Verano and his team are excited about the expanded capabilities with the spacious new Broadway location. An additional cheesecake size added to the catering menu; a two bite uber-mini plus increase catering abilities. Many may not know this, but they can ship anywhere in the US and have a budding wedding catering business. Gluten-free? Most of the cheesecake truffles are gluten-free and cheesecakes can be special ordered minus the crust. Want a special custom flavor? You got it! Which flavors sell the best? They say the Raspberry White Chocolate, Quadruple Chocolate and Caramel, but the unsung hero might be the Lemon White Chocolate. Yum!

So why the endorsement or informercial of sorts from Seattlest? Simple: we like their mission and product, and think we need more dessert in Seattle. Cheesecake has that universal appeal. Plus, moving beyond the market gives them the opportunity to promote themselves to actual Seattlites. They and (we now too) want their local community to know more about their artisan cheesecakes.

Stop by The Confecional at 618 Broadway Avenue E on Saturday, June 4th from 11am-9pm for their celebratory grand opening. Did we mention free samples? They'll debut a special new flavor, passionfruit with the seeds (the seeds pack the flavor punch) for their grand opening.

Hours are yet to be determined. However, we at Seattlest encouraged them to consider late night hours for those late night sugar cravings. They are considering extended hours on Friday and Saturday and are listening to customer feedback, so voice your opinion if you are like us finding yourselves in search of a post dinner sweet treat.