It’s a little-known secret that Extraordinary Desserts was why Instagram was invented. Highly unreliable sources tell the story of young Mike Krieger seeing one of Karen Krasne’s desserts—just a normal one, 27 feet tall with 343 edible flowers and gold shavings and a fondant replica of The Louvre on the top layer—and decided he needed an app to document her cakes. It wasn’t until later that sunsets, puppies, “feet by the hotel pool,” and babies were also deemed good for the Instagram.
Krasne’s Extraordinary Desserts has always been over-the-top. Her location Downtown boasts titanic metal doors opening into a massive wonderland of cakes and desserts, but also fresh breads, toasts, cheese boards, sandwiches, and charcuterie boards.
Now Krasne has partnered once again with the architect behind it, Jennifer Luce, for a brand new location on Fourth Avenue in Bankers Hill, just blocks away from her very first store. It’s the attraction on the bottom floor of The Louie, a mixed-use project from another star architect and designer in town, Lloyd Russell.
The concept for the design: Luce created a little fantasy of being inside a cake box with one of Krasne’s elaborate cakes. The 2,500 square-foot interior has a custom 40-foot glass facade, 13-foot steel and glass doors. Inside the walls are textured gray eucalyptus, with glass boxes displaying all sorts of creations. A central 30-foot bar with bronze panels anchors the room. Outside is a 1,200 square-foot patio with a long, communal table and seating for 65.
In addition to Krasne’s cakes and desserts (that blueberry coffee cream cheese cake is one of the best bites in the city), there will be savory toasts, cheese boards, charcuterie boards, dips, spreads, vegan options, a host of to-go options, as well as a bar full of bubbles, wine, and local beer (all with a female-produced focus).
The new space quietly opened yesterday, and will be open weekdays (8:30 a.m.-11 p.m.), Saturday (10 a.m.-Midnight), and Sundays (10 a.m.-11 p.m.).
Enough with the words. Take a look at the first known photos in the universe of Extraordinary Desserts, Bankers Hill.
Extraordinary Desserts bankers hill exterior
Extraordinary Desserts Bankers hill exterior
Extraordinary desserts Bankers Hill interior
Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill pastry case
First Look: Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill
Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill merch
Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill bathroom
First Look: Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill
First Look: Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill
First Look: Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill
First Look: Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill
First Look: Extraordinary Desserts Bankers Hill
