A new coffee shop and patisserie in Chesapeake offers shoppers a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping.

Ginger Sweets Pastry Cafe opened on Sept. 20 near the Harris Teeter at Kempsville Road and Volvo Parkway, specializing in espressos, lattes and a rotating menu of baked goods, ranging from cookies to cinnamon rolls to scones. Its seasonal creations, such as a Pinkmas Tree Latte made with white chocolate, cake batter and pink vanilla cold foam with a mini Christmas tree cake, can boost holiday cheer.

Bailey Potterf, a self-taught baker, opened Ginger Sweets Pastry Cafe in Chesapeake a couple of months ago. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Owner Bailey Potterf, a Navy wife, started baking from home in 2020, focusing mainly on macarons. She turned the hobby into a business after family and friends offered to pay her for the French sandwich cookies and other items.

A self-taught baker, she pushed her pink cooler to the curb every weekend to attract new customers. It worked: She would sell out every time. When she added more treats, folks would gobble them up too, but meeting this demand left no room in her house to create more confections. So she decided to expand to a brick-and-mortar.

Ginger Sweets Pastry Cafe in Chesapeake offers oatmeal cream pies, including this apple butter one. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

I visited twice to see what was new and to snag a chai oatmeal cream pie. It reminded me of a well-known national brand. This one, however, was bigger and more delectable. Both times allowed me to experience decadent cream cheese buttercream sandwiched between two soft cookies as a hint of spice lingered on my tongue. Outtasight!

The salted chocolate chip cookie is a top seller at Ginger Sweets for good reason. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

On the second visit, I tried the salted chocolate chip cookie, a top seller. (It was sold out the first time.) This large, crispy cookie proved worthy of its top-seller honor, with its flat shape and delicate balance of sweet and salty. It also had a nice chew that made me hum with delight. 

Amp it up: The salted chocolate chip cookie latte includes a Ginger Sweets favorite, espresso and more. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

The experience got even better when I paired the cookie with the salted chocolate chip cookie latte. The latte is made by soaking the cookies in milk, blending them, adding espresso and topping it all with a vanilla cold foam. This might explain why the coffee taste didn’t bother me, as I’m not a coffee fan. Sips and bites reached new heights.

Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com

If you go

Where: 1400 Kempsville Road, Chesapeake

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, closed Monday and Tuesday

Prices: $4 to $7 pastries, $3 to $8 drinks

Details: Instagram

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