Spark'd Creative Pastry

I can't believe I waited this long to write a review about this magical spot.  I know this is long, but there's a lot to kvell about! When you walk into DE.CO, Spark'd is right by the door, by the bar. Just glancing at their station, you'd think it was just a simple coffee stand that happens to offer snackages like pastries and stuff.  But hoo-boy, look around at the details: it's so much more! I don't think folks quite understand what y'all have right under your nose.First off, did you know that their baked goods are made by the Hotel duPont's Executive Pastry Chef and her team? These aren't overpriced, stale muffins from Costco, nosiree.  These are lovingly hand-crafted, creative, moist, magical, inventive things that make your mouth sing. So fresh. So beautiful. It's a feast for all of your senses.If you just stop on by, you'll see a glass case with all sorts of stuff waiting for you:[] Scones? Muffins? Croissants? Cupcakes? Check![] Sweet treats like cookies, cookie bars, crumb-cake squares, mini-cakes? You betcha.[] Not in the mood for something sweet? They've got the savory stuff covered as well with these cute little quiche/souffle things, tartines (kinda like an open-faced sammich?), galettes (flat bread thingies topped with nomz), and...... they've even got BREAD!  Crusty, chewy, perfect breaddy bread bread! Rolls! Baguettes! Semolina breads! Breads with fruits and nuts in them! Get 'em warm, slap some butter on them, and eat a whole loaf in a sitting. Go ahead. I won't judge.And let's not forget the COFFEE! They have all of the coffee drinks you want, lovingly prepared by a skilled barista who cares about making it right. Everything from espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, even cold brew.  Now, I will admit that I can be a pain the ass because I sometimes like to drink decaf (shut up); and sometimes a decaf Americano is where it's at. Might I recommend getting a regular-caf drip coffee with a shot of decaf espresso, so you get that extra coffee-flavor kick without the Cornholio jolt? Seriously: You know a coffee place is exceptional if they can make a damn good cup of decaf.  If you're in a rush, you can order ahead online and your stuff will be waiting for you when you pick it up... easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. The lines at DE.CO can get a little long-ish at lunchtime, so why not order ahead and skip the line like the VIP you are?Also: They cater.  We had an event where we needed enough cookies and bite-sized sweet snacks for 125 people, and they whipped up a gorgeous assortment of cookies, mini-breads, teeny carrot cakes (NOM!), bite-sized cheesecakes, and little meringues, and they arranged them so beautifully so all we had to do was set the trays out and let people help themselves.  Sometimes I wonder what it must be like to be a pastry chef: working so hard on creating bite-sized works of art just to have someone mindlessly toss it in their mouth and schkarf it down.  But these pastries make you think. They're so pretty that they almost force you to stop, look at them, admire their beauty, inhale the aroma, and savor the experience of eating it (and licking your fingers when nobody's looking).Oooh!  I should also mention that I also ordered a custom cake for my in-laws' 50th anniversary, and you should have seen what they came up with. They asked me what my in-laws' hobbies are, and they designed a cake that captured their love of wine, and entertaining so beautifully... nobody wanted to eat the cake because it was just so gorgeous.  Many cake places (I'm lookin' at you, Cake Boss) just make a crappy cake and cover it with sculpted fondant to make it look all impressive, but the whole thing tastes like Crisco-covered styrofoam. But this cake was *delicious* -- even the fondant was delicious. I know this all sounds too good to be true; but when you're dealing with the pastry people from Delaware's only five-star hotel, this is the quality you get.  I need to mention that I am not a buttercream fan. I never liked it; it's always too sweet and cloying for me. However, their buttercream is so good-- it's not as sweet as regular buttercream. It's so smooth and it doesn't feel like your teeth are going to fall out after you eat it... it's just delicious and light.You can tell these were created by people who truly love what they do. Talk to them; they want to work with you on custom orders. I promise you will be absolutely delighted. They are friendly, and they want you to be happy.Wow, this review is becoming a novel.  I'm sorry, I just get excited over things I love... especially here in little ol' Wilmington.  TL;DR: Go here. Get some hand-crafted coffee or some other nice beverage. Enjoy a sweet or savory baked treat, too! Whether it's for breakfast, lunch, or after work, it is all made with the love, care, expertise, and creativity you'd expect from a five-star hotel... but without the five-star hotel snobbery or price.  Trust your pal Jill.  I wouldn't steer you wrong. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Beyond my expectations. Delicious. Reasonable price for exceptional value. Has the classic cupcakes and cookies you've come to expect plus some really unique ones like to die for strawberry basil cookies and lavender lemon bars. Plus really good coffee -- and try their all-natural raspberry iced tea! -- in the nice new DE.CO atmosphere. Bonus: DE.CO is super child friendly during the day and a great bar seem in the afternoon and evening. It's a definitely welcome spot in Wilmington and Spark'd was the literal icing on top! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Various pastry options from sweet tp savory. LOVE THEM❤

Reviewed on Facebook

Gorgeous tea-pot themed cake for my daughter's 13th birthday!! Thank you!!

Reviewed on Facebook