You’re in for a sweet surprise, as The Glass Knife Cakes & Café officially opened today. You might have witnessed the transformation of the building that used to be Italio along 17-92 in Winter Park.
Inspired by a bygone era, this café serves elevated, decadent cakes, elegant desserts, savory comforts, and other sweet treats in a luxurious, nostalgic atmosphere that takes you back in time – from the custom terrazzo floors to the rotating cake-stand display and collection of 1920s-era glass knives showcased in the long, communal table.
The café was developed by local entrepreneur Steve Brown, as a way to share his memories of baking alongside his mother, Jacque, and his vision to establish a sophisticated, yet comfortable community gathering place that encourages togetherness and celebration. The glass knives were a treasured collection of Steve’s mother and serve as the origin of the name.
Steve brought in Executive Chef Stuart Whitfield, who has worked for some of the country’s premiere hospitality brands (Four Seasons, Le Cirque, David Burke & Donatella, The Walt Disney Company), to oversee the creation of the classic cakes (like Red Velvet, carrot and coconut), signature cakes, and made-from-scratch donuts, scones, croissants, cookies, and other comfort sweets (even Twinkies and oatmeal pies!).
And perk up coffee lovers, The Glass Knife is bringing its guests’ everyday coffee routine to the next level with the reveal of two firsts for Central Florida – an exclusive brewing partnership with Onyx Coffee Lab, a celebrated, one-of-a-kind coffee roaster; and, the installation of Modbar’s suite of brewing systems. The café is equipped to serve up an exquisite cup of joe or tasty, beautifully, presented cappuccino, latte or hot cocoa. There’s even a selection of wines and beers to sip and savor.
We were invited to a special media preview and got to sample all (well, almost all) of the offerings. Below are our personal picks.
Savory Selections:
Avocado and Egg Toast – poached Orlando Farms pasture-raised egg, sliced avocado, house-made tomato confit, arugula and pickled onion garnished with lemon creme fraiche and pomegranate seeds on toasted sourdough bread.
Old South Biscuit Sandwich – Egg souffle topped with bacon jam, Neuske’s Applewood-smoked bacon and aged cheddar cheese on flaky, house-made cheddar biscuit.
Sweet Selections:
Artisanal Donuts – there are more than 12 flavors to choose from, but one of our favorites was the lemon meringue.
Sweets – The Chocolate Onyx; gorgeous, rich, creamy, luxurious morsel.
Classic Cakes – Southern Red Velvet and Carrot; moist, flavorful and perfectly portioned!
The Glass Knife is open 7 days a week from 7am – 10pm, and is located at 276 S. Orlando Ave. in Winter Park.