Southern Sweets Bakery

As if you'd like anything more to eat than finely made cakes, incredible pies and the tastiest tarts around, Southern Sweets Bakery now has upped the ante by adding some of the best sandwiches, soups and salads in Atlanta.

The mother/daughter tag team of Nancy Cole and Ashley Nelson has been serving desserts for nearly 2 decades to many of Atlanta's leading restaurants, country clubs and hotels (you'll have to sample and compare to figure out where, as they keep their clients a secret). For the past ten years, the bakery has been open to the public in an out-of-the-way spot near the DeKalb Farmer's Market. Friendly greetings are the norm, and you won't feel any pressure to buy. Employees know that once you step through the door, you can't say no. It's hard to pass on a slice of the lemon gingerbread layer cake. Or the Key lime pie. Or the cappuccino bar cookies. In fact, it's hard to pass on any of the desserts. They're all made from scratch from Cole's recipes and are temptingly presented within finger's reach in refrigerated display cases. The sandwich selections vary from day to day, as do the soups. You can normally get a cup of the house chili along with sandwiches made on fresh artisan breads from the Bread Garden (which is where the excellent loaves, available on weekends only, come from). The chicken salad sandwich on cracked wheat berry bread was a hearty mix of large chunks of chicken breast meat, diced red pepper and celery topped with lettuce and tomato. Try the Italian hoagie, tuna salad or roast beef. And let's just see if you can get out of there without a big chocolate chip cookie to go with your sandwich -- unless, of course, you choose the almond toffee. This beautiful little bakery has captured my heart and taste buds for the rest of my life. You can't miss the opportunity to indulge in Atlanta's Southern Sweets. DwD.