Bradenton Herald Logo

Variety truly is spice of life at Bonni Bakes | Bradenton Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletters
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Crime
    • Local
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Lakewood Ranch Herald
    • Lottery
    • Nation & World
    • Politics
    • Special Projects
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Breaking News Blog
    • I Am Woman Hear Me Write
    • All Sports
    • Rays
    • Spring Training
    • Bucs
    • High Schools
    • FSU
    • UF
    • USF
    • Outdoors
    • Tennis
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • David Wilson
    • Alan Dell
    • Jason Dill
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • All Business
    • Real Estate News
    • Retail
    • Small Business
    • Port Manatee
    • All Living
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cooking With Local Chefs
    • Gulf Coast Cooking
    • Cravings by Janelle O'Dea
    • All Entertainment
    • Arts & Culture
    • Fairs & Festivals
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Restaurants
    • Local Events
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Marty Clear
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters
    • Opinion Columns
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

  • About Us

Restaurant News

Variety truly is spice of life at Bonni Bakes

By BRENT CONKLIN - bconklin@bradenton.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

May 21, 2009 12:00 AM

BRADENTON

In a cute little teal-painted house in the Village of the Arts, big things are happening in world cuisine.

Don’t let the giant gecko with a cookie in its mouth out front fool you. Culinary ground is being broken here.

Meet Bonni Brown. This is her place — Bonni Bakes.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Bradenton Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Brown’s was the second gallery to open in the village when it was established in 1999.

Aside from the colorfully decorated 1910 bungalow and her two-story home out back, Brown’s artwork is her food. The former New York City social worker bakes cookies and other sweet morsels, and masterfully paints her most scrumptious canvas: pizza dough.

But Bonni Bakes is about more than just Brown’s cookies and pizza. It’s about southern cooking, Irish, Turkish, Greek, Ethiopian, Lebanese, French, British and Persian.

Want to sample the flavors of the world? You can do it here.

From Tuesday through Saturday since December, Brown and a handful of chefs have taken area diners on trips around the world. There’s always lunch and sometimes dinner by reservation.

Birth of a ‘good idea’

The road to now began in May 2008. Brown closed the bakery without knowing what she’d do.

“Every 30 years, I get a good idea,” she said.

“I just thought, I get bored easily. I like variety. There isn’t a whole lot of variety here compared to other places I’ve lived. Wouldn’t that be interesting?”

So she put out an ad on Craigslist for passionate chefs and cooks, and she got 14 responses. She pared down to four: Vicki doing tapas, Anna’s macrobiotic, Walter’s French, and Bonnie (not Bonni) and Hector doing Caribbean-Latin.

Chefs have come and gone since Brown started this culinary journey in December. And once Amy Scott wraps her tenure this month, it’ll be down to Brown and Stephanie Peterson.

“I haven’t met anyone anywhere doing anything like this,” Brown said. “The customers love it. Everyone thinks its a great idea.”

So when’s the next day for Moroccan, French or southern? The next night for Ethiopian?

Brown’s not always sure, so stay tuned to her blog. That’s part of the charm of this place — the not knowing. If you really must know, her blog is usually updated at the beginning of each week (http://bonni bakes.blogspot.com).

So what’s it like?

Something to keep in mind when you come here: It’s not formal — in dress or protocol. It’s like you’re visiting an old friend. Just go inside, walk to the main counter in the back and place your order. No credit cards, please.

Then take a seat. If it’s not hot, sit outside and soak up the day and enjoy wafts of jasmine. Inside, there’s a small dining room with one table and plenty of knickknacks to keep your eyes wandering.

Or sit in the main room. There’s a little more than a dozen chairs there.

Remember, too, this isn’t “fast food.” Leave yourself 45 minutes to an hour for lunch.

I’ve been able to taste three different cuisines at Bonni Bakes: Amy’s Southern, French from Stephanie and Brown’s New York. Some highlights:

n It’s a shame Amy is leaving after this month. (Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday night are your last chances to sample her Southern bites.) The shrimp and cheese grits ($9) were marvelous with a gentle, spicy note at the finish. A side of cool, refreshing apple slaw was a perfect complement. The Key lime square ($3) for dessert (thank you, Amy’s mom) epitomized textural balance: cool, creamy custard with a firm graham-cocoa crust.

n I yearn to dine on one of Stephanie’s Ethiopian nights, but I’ve only been able to sample her French fare thus far. The fish soup Provencal ($4) was my favorite. It’s packed with flavor and chunky bits of fish. The bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce ($3.50) was gone in a matter of seconds.

n Brown’s New York lunches are an old standby here and don’t disappoint. The thin, crispy-crusted pizzas ($6 or $7) are personal-sized and full of pleasing and gentle flavor. She’s generous with the cheese, too.

On the day I visited, she offered a sweet potato bourbon bisque ($4). It was silky smooth and elevated in flavor by the splash of bourbon.

  Comments  

Videos

Watch: Cortez Fishing Festival celebrates ‘changing tides’

Woman removed from JetBlue flight after profanity-laced outburst

View More Video

Trending Stories

Bradenton man was shot dead by masked intruder. Victim was living with intruder’s relatives, cops say

February 16, 2019 12:26 PM

SRQ to add another destination this spring. Service to this city starts in March

February 15, 2019 08:35 AM

Man closed lid on their hot tub while wife was still in it, say police. She died.

February 15, 2019 12:29 PM

Man dies after falling 100 feet to the ground after I-4 motorcycle crash, FHP says

February 15, 2019 05:39 PM

Vegan parents starve 5-month-old by switching out doctor’s formula, Florida police say

February 15, 2019 09:28 AM

Read Next

As red tide odor recedes, here’s one way restaurant owners are trying to get back to business
Video media Created with Sketch.

Food & Drink

As red tide odor recedes, here’s one way restaurant owners are trying to get back to business

By Ryan Ballogg

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 29, 2018 12:50 PM

Red tide has taken a toll on businesses in Cortez and on Anna Maria Island, but the effects have been less prevalent the last few days. Here are some deals and events happening at local beach restaurants attempting to bounce back from red tide.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Bradenton Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE RESTAURANT NEWS

Improper food labeling, no chlorine in dish machine leads to complaint against hibachi restaurant

Restaurant News

Improper food labeling, no chlorine in dish machine leads to complaint against hibachi restaurant

July 18, 2017 07:43 AM
McDonald’s now delivers through UberEATS. But will the app ask: Want fries with that?

Restaurant News

McDonald’s now delivers through UberEATS. But will the app ask: Want fries with that?

January 31, 2017 10:25 AM

Weekend

Dining guide: Oct. 20-26

October 19, 2016 06:27 PM

Business

Cafe Barrister in downtown Bradenton closes for good

August 23, 2016 03:14 PM
This Doctor’s Office says island cocktails are the best medicine

Business

This Doctor’s Office says island cocktails are the best medicine

July 21, 2016 05:24 PM
Realize Bradenton fully debuts first video in Dine Bradenton series

Cravings Blog

Realize Bradenton fully debuts first video in Dine Bradenton series

July 20, 2016 03:12 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Bradenton Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Advertise with Us
  • Special Sections
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story