Stromboli at 3 Tiers Cakes

Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table

Editor’s Note: 3 Tiers Cakes is now closed.

As is expected from a place named 3 Tiers Cakes, the small pastry shop near Lake Nokomis in South Minneapolis has an extensive menu items of sweets. Cookies in delectable varieties like ginger molasses, peanut butter, and toffee; petit fours in chocolate, lemon, and raspberry; and a plethora of tortes, cakes, and tarts round out what is sure to be a sugar lover’s dream menu. Quite unexpected amidst these sugary offerings, however, is their savory stromboli.

Owner Sarah Herr left her pastry chef position at The Saint Paul Hotel to follow her dream of owning her own shop. In searching for a quick lunch sandwich option, she found an ideal combination of bread dough and savory fillings in stromboli. Herr’s husband Bryan takes the reins in making the stromboli each morning, rolling out and layering the bread dough with his choice of filling. Herr then proofs and bakes it in time for lunch.

The result is a crusty Italian bread casing that envelops the melted, steaming filling. Sauce may sometimes be used, like pesto or a sun-dried tomato version, but the most popular varieties are simpler versions of meat and cheese fillings, says Herr, such as bacon and gorgonzola or roast beef and spicy pepper jack cheese.

A single variety of stromboli is featured daily and comes in two portion sizes (2 inches for $5.25 or 4 inches for $7.50). Also available is a lunch combo, soup and a 1-inch piece for $6.95. For upcoming holiday parties or other gatherings, stromboli can be ordered for catering. With your choice of filling, you can purchase a 1-foot sandwich for $16 or a 1 ½-foot sandwich for $22.