Blue Heron Euro Cafe & Bakery + Farm — Restaurant in Springfield

A little back story to go with my 5/5 star review. About 8 years ago I was pregnant for the first time, and with twins! I had few cravings because I was so sick. But one day I wanted a chocolate filled donut. I went to krispy kreme and at the time they didn't have any so I settled for raspberry filled. That is when the ultimate craving was born- a delicious donut filled with chocolate AND raspberry, every where I searched I couldn't find it. So I emailed donut makers but never heard back. And because donuts really are not the healthiest staple in ones diet the craving was put to bed. However over the years anywhere we would travel through out the US and Europe when a donut would catch my eye, my heart would skip a beat, could there be potential? I was hopeful!

After several years and donut trends such as bombolini, rolled croissants, brioche etc I didn't think it was possible. Then one day I stumbled upon a Blue Heron, on Facebook. Because of my work schedule at the time their open hours didn't match with mine. But finally one Friday I rearranged my schedule only to be greatly disappointed to realize they only have their donuts on Saturday & Sunday, so we settled for their sandwiches and buttery/crunchy "croissants". Because the location of the Cafe is on a side of town where energy can feel dark at times, I left it at that and didn't plan on returning.

Fast forward to this past Saturday, my kids wanted donuts so of course we stop at a typical donut location which was just that typical- taste one, you've tasted them all. And because we had a few moments to spare Blue Heron came to mind, so as most of Commercial street was still asleep we picked up our donuts and headed home...

The moment I picked up the raspberry chocolate truffle in my hands, I knew something was different. It felt heavy, with filling brimming at it seams! I took a bite and to my great surprise all of my unmet craving expectations over the last 8 years came to fulfillment. It was the perfect fix. Chocolatey Chocolate cream was deliciously paired with a tart fresh raspberry jam, it was worth every cent and...

I've been eager to try this place but often forget because of their limited hours. We finally remember and went here for a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast. The place is easy to spot because of its blue entrance from which you are immediately distracted upon walking in because everything smells AMAZING!

The good: hot, fresh, and such nice people working! 💙

The bad: I had a little sticker shock. We ordered two savory pastries and two drinks for dine-in and one sweet pastry to go for a surprising $47 before tip.

The dine-in experience was airy and bright but it's definitely not a sit and stay kind of place. Seating is limited and everything is bolted in place. I'm much shorter than my fiancé and struggled to comfortably eat so I definitely got crumbs everywhere. I felt like a little kid again with my feet dangling and croissant crumbs everywhere 😅

I was also disappointed to see that they don't make hot lattes (only drip coffee for $3.50 + $1 for syrup), and they don't make drinks to order. Even water to go is $1. My fiancé tried to order a lemonade with strawberry added only to be directed to the mini fridge next to the register. If it's not in the fridge it cannot be ordered/made, so he settled for the only lemonade in the fridge. It's on the menu as sparkling which I assume meant carbonated. Not sure how long it had been in there because it was flat. Flavorwise though I appreciated that it wasn't overly sweet.

I was pleased to see that they continued to bring out different, fresh pastries, and all the diners seemed just as friendly as the staff. We heard interactions from regulars which was fun, and as we spent the morning shopping Commercial Street, we got the witness the excessive amount of foot traffic they had over a few hours time.

All-in-all, I'd say this bakery is...

Wanted to give them a five star review because their food is so delicious. We always desire to sit down and eat in the shop but the benches and tables are homemade from raw wood and are built too tall for your feet to touch the ground, which causes your legs to fall asleep. The wood cuts into your skin also. The bolted-down, wood slab tables are very narrow and can’t fit much food on them. It’s a table with only one bench on one side so two couples or a family with children can’t sit together. So we generally find somewhere besides their store to eat their delicious homemade pastries and savory dishes. It’s a very neat location and historical building. It has a lot of potential. The acoustics are loud inside but could be settled with some rugs and textiles.

Standing in line for food during busier than normal hours can usually take up to 30 minutes quite possibly because they are short staffed… there is only one person working at the register. But again, their amazing food more than makes up for that.

We are regular customers and our overall experience is always positive and we love the owners and their...