comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge

Within a year ofย opening Comet Coffee, it became apparent to partnersย Mark Attwood and Stephanie Fischer that the 150-square-foot kitchen would not suffice. Storage of Fischer’s baking supplies was in competition with the milk for Attwood’sย coffee bar in the refrigerator. The highly prized croissant dough could only be hand-rolled out twice a week due to St. Louis’s high temperatures. Of course, compromising on the quality of their products was not an option, so looking for a commissary space became a priority. After they boughtย a dough sheeter at auction, the search intensified, and a suitable spotย was eventually found in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood. Comet Croissanterie & Creamery opened for business in August. In addition to being that needed commissary space for the original Comet cafe, the shopโ€”as suggested in itsย nameโ€”can be two different experiences depending on the day and time:ย Every morning exceptย Tuesdays and Saturdays, you get a scaled-down coffee experience with just espresso-based drinks, pastries, and four seats. Then, four nights a week, it’s an ice cream shop.

comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge
The rest of the space was needed to make all the stuff.

“We wound up here because it’s close to our house,” Fischer says. “We can walk home, and it’s nice to be in a community that’s a little different from our current shop, which is [in] more of a business park. We also thought it would be fun to do ice cream in this community.”

comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge
Mark Attwood and Stephanie Fischer

There’s much more elbow room at the Croissanterie now for the bakers to prep the croissants, muffins, quiches, and other divine treats served at the original Comet Coffee location in the city. Unlike a lot of kitchens, there’s also an abundance of natural light. Two workstation islands anchor the 900-square-foot space, with supplies loaded both underneath the desk and floating above. An on-site freezer allows the team to select local produce when it’s in season and store until needed. After all the goods are prepped, they are delivered to Comet Coffee at night and baked upย in the shop the next morning.

advert but first coffee cookbook now available

 

comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge

“Quality-wise and experience-wise for the customers, the only difference is they’re going to have more selection and more stuff, and it’s just as fresh,” Attwood says of the expansion. “The key thing is that we still bake [at the original location]. We wanted to make it so when the customers came in the morning, they could still smell the pastries getting baked…everything’s still warm.”

comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge
The Croissanterie at work.

The morning menu at the new Kirkwood space isย quite minimal, featuring three croissant options, a chocolate chip cookie, an espresso from local roaster Blueprint Coffee, and plain oldย whole milk stored in a SureShot milk dispenser. Espresso isย madeย with a Mahlkรถnig Peak grinder and the original espresso machine from Comet Coffee, a two-group La Marzocco Linea Classic painted yellow to match the shop’s front door.

comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge

There’s also a menu item offered at the Croissanterie that combines Attwood and Fischer’s skills: the Waffogato. A fresh waffle-cone bowl getsย a scoop of ice cream dropped in. The coup de grรขce is the espresso dripped over the ice cream, finished offย by a Luxardo cherry.

comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge
The Waffogato

“The waffle-cone part adds a little bit of sweetness but [also]ย that textural component,” Attwood, a self-confessed ice cream fanatic, says. “A lot of the great dishes you’ll get in higher-end restaurants, they’ll add something crispy and it really elevates whatever you’re eating. [Our cone]ย adds that textural component…but is also buttery and delicious. It’s a delicate waffleโ€”higher in butter percentage and lower in flour, so it’s a little richer. [Being made fresh] makes a huge difference.”

comet coffee croissanterie and creamery kirkwood missouri st louis cafe sprudge
Almond bear claw croissant (left) and its traditional buttery forebear.

Although they were mum about any future plans to expand, Attwood and Fischer have two clear, simple objectives for their new space: to open on Saturdays, and to offer a great batch-brew coffee.

Comet Croissanterie & Creamery is located atย 640 West Woodbine Avenue, Kirkwood, Missouri. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Evan C. Jones is a Sprudge.com contributor based in St. Louis. Read more Evan C. Jones on Sprudge.

New Rules of Coffee banner advertising an illustrated guide to the essential rules for enjoying coffee