A stroll down Gayley Avenue in search of sweet treats may have gotten a little more fruitful these days. With a large selection of confections available, Eat Sweets Pastry could be called a dessert deli. Or, as owner Megan Driscoll describes it, a boutique bakery.
With renowned sweet shops like Diddy Riese and Stan’s Donuts already in Westwood, Eat Sweets Pastry is designed to fulfill customized confectionary orders, while also serving as a one-stop shop for freshly baked goods.
Located where La Galleta used to be, the shop offers a selection of cupcakes, tarts, truffles, shortbread cookies and brownies, among many other sweet treats, all of which Driscoll hand decorates daily.
The treats, which are baked fresh every morning from scratch, range from $1.50 to $7.00, varying with the size and complexity of the dessert. While the selection of different confections may seem a bit overwhelming, there is something to satisfy every craving, whether it’s fruity or chocolatey.
The concoctions are decked out with great detail and come in many different varieties, ranging from cookies in the form of cupcakes, elephants, sailboats and ice cream cones, to gold-dusted chocolate truffles and fruit tarts.
The shop also offers vegan and gluten-free options to accommodate all dietary desires and restrictions.
The vanilla shortbread cookie crumble with almond icing crumbled in your mouth, with a soft texture that was neither too sweet or too bland.
The salted caramel pecan squares were a mix of salty, sweet and crunchy, a great combination for someone who is looking for something other than pure sweetness.
The dark chocolate sandwich cookie with Nutella buttercream is perfect for chocolate lovers, providing a thin layer of light Nutella buttercream sandwiched between two moist dark chocolate cookies.
Another option for chocolate lovers is the peanut butter brownie, a creamy and gooey treat that easily melts in the mouth.
Despite the lack of space for tables and chairs for customers to sit and enjoy their desserts, Eat Sweets Pastry does a good job packaging purchases to preserve freshness and visual aesthetics, a custom the owner brought over from the business’s previous home-based arrangement.
Before attending culinary school, Driscoll’s food career began at a young age when she worked at her father’s restaurant.
Driscoll, who has also worked as a producer on Food Network and has had experience with food styling for weddings and special events, started the business as somewhat of a catering company, with many of her customers residing in Beverly Hills and West Los Angeles.
Once the bakeshop took over the vacant storefront on Gayley Avenue, Driscoll and her father renovated the space, filling it with teal and white wallpaper and glass display cases that provide the walk-in bakery with a fittingly very cute but elegant feel.
Driscoll, who works in the shop six days a week said that since the shop has opened up, she has been able to fulfill orders in the area more conveniently because of the location, and has also received orders for custom made treats from UCLA organizations.
With experience in the restaurant industry, food styling and producing for Food Network, it’s safe to say that Driscoll may have found her niche in a environment full of sugary goodness where she delivers delicious desserts on the daily, and does it well.
““ Marjorie Yan
Email Yan at myan@media.ucla.edu.