I’m back again with a recommendation for a sweets fix cure: Suzu’s Japanese Bakery. Located in Downtown Champaign, the bakery opened in November 2020. I recently visited with a group and ordered a plethora of different things to share because sharing is caring, especially with sweets!
The interior had a wall painted bright white with exposed brick. When we walked in, there was some merchandise on the left, and the treats on offer behind the counter on the right. We stepped up to the counter to peruse the items available and order at the counter. It was a quite minimal design aesthetic, but we were not there for design; we were here for goodies! They were so pretty and taste delectable.
I wanted to try out so many distinctive items on Suzu’s menu. For this visit, we ordered drinks, baked goods, and soft serve ice cream.
The first treat was the mini yuzu cake ($3.75). This cake was so cute! Yuzu is a type of lemon, and this cake was shaped like a citrus. The cake was soaked in yuzu syrup with a dollop of frosting and a candied lemon peel on top. The citrus flavor was not overpowering, and it was just the right amount of sweetness. It was a very good, light dessert.
Then we tried the shortbread caramel tart ($5.25). This was a nice size tart! The shortbread crust was light and paired perfectly with the caramel inside, chocolate ganache topping, and sprinkle of sea salt. The crust did not have a soggy bottom; the caramel held its shape upon cutting, and the ganache added a nice richness. The ganache with the sea salt sprinkle was on point. This dessert was decadent!
We also couldn’t resist two mini mochi cakes ($4.25 each), black sesame and matcha, and matcha chewies ($4.50) — all gluten free. The mochi cakes were moist and delicious with a drizzle of white icing. The cakes were gluten free and made with sweet rice flour. Neither of them was overly sweet, and each had their own distinct flavor, either black sesame or matcha. For those unfamiliar with matcha, it tastes like the smell of fresh cut grass to some. It’s very earthy and green flavored; some do not enjoy the flavor, but I love it.
The black sesame was a good sesame flavor, and the cake was lighter in density than the matcha version.
The matcha chewy was very good. The matcha in this treat took on another flavor, almost like corn. It was very sweet. We also couldn’t resist the beautiful green tea mochi with the edible gold glitter, The difference between this mochi and the mochi cake is the cooking method as this bun was stuffed with the traditional sweet red bean paste and then steamed. The mochi was very smooth and super fresh. The bean paste had a good texture that complemented the smoothness of the mochi.
On to the drinks! We ordered a hot hojicha latte ($5.25) and an iced hibiscus pineapple lychee tea ($2.75). The hojicha latte was made upon order and included the option of whole, soy, or oat milk. It could be hot or iced, but because it was a bit cold out, we ordered it hot with whole milk. Hojicha tea is a form of green tea that is roasted to a golden hue and then ground. Suzu’s beverage came out hot and was super whipped. The mouthfeel of the drink was very velvety on the tongue. It had a slightly nutty, rice flavor. The iced hibiscus pineapple lychee tea hit the spot. It was a nice pink hue and was very sweet with flowery undertones.
Finally, I have not previously tried Suzu’s soft serve, so I was very excited to try the black sesame flavor. The soft serve was sold in multiple sizes, and we could’ve even gotten a sundae! We opted for the 4 ounce size since we had quite a few things to try. The color was a soft gray with black specks from the ground sesame, and it came with a shortbread cookie topper. It was very nutty with a sesame undertone. It almost tasted like peanut butter, but we knew it was not. I was amazed at the delicious flavor. The flavors rotate, and I definitely plan to get the soft serve again. Beware: it did melt very quickly, so eat it fast!
Suzu’s Japanese bakery is so delicious, and they offer something different than other bakeries. Everything that we tried was great, and I enjoyed introducing new people to the location.
The Downtown Champaign bakery was quite busy while we were there, though it was close to closing time. Sadly, we did not make it in time to try any of the roll cake slices or the savory breads and sandwiches. This just gives us an excuse to go there again and again — and continue to introduce friends to the bakery’s goodness!
Suzu’s
114 N Walnut St
Champaign
W-Th 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
F+Sa 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Su 10 to 5 p.m.