New très chic bakery-café from pastry chef offers sweet, savory treats in Bonita Springs
Entrada Plaza is quickly becoming Bonita Springs’ destination hub for great grub. The Bohemian, a JLB favorite, set high standards. Waffle Monkey has been packed since its May debut.
New to Entrada: Wolfmoon, a contemporary, casually chic bakery café with indoor and patio seating, opened June 16. It wouldn’t be out of place on Collins Avenue in Miami, perhaps across from the tres chic 1 Hotel South Beach.
Wolfmoon’s energetic vibes are fun. The food? Heavenly and notable for towering flaky croissants made with French butter and organic flour.
But there’s more to Wolfmoon than its “alpha” croissants. In addition to pastries and sandwiches (choosing between bread baked in-house and croissants may take a while to mull at the counter), consider the substantial salads and bowls. The menu offers a selection of powerful brews plus “low to no jitters” teas. The café also offers vegetarian and GF options plus a vegan chia pudding.
Longtime entrepreneurial dream comes to fruition
Owner and executive pastry chef Clara Fasciglione prefers you call her Cla, just like on her chef’s coat. Her passion for all things pastry started as a toddler when cooking with her grandmother in Argentina.
“She made me beat butter and sugar with a big fork she especially had for this task. When adding eggs, 'one at a time' she would say. At 9, I made scones and pancakes for everyone in my family.”
When her mother ― a great cook ― opened a restaurant, Fasciglione worked there during breaks from school, sometimes 10-hour shifts, gleaning the necessary discipline to run a restaurant successfully.
At 16, she graduated from Instituto Superior de Arte Culinario, her hometown high school in Mar del Plata, a resort city on the Atlantic coast. Next, she was off to the big city, Buenos Aires, to study advanced pastry and restaurant management at Instituto Argentino de Gastronomia.
A niche business idea
Before moving to Southwest Florida, she initially landed in Michigan on a student work-study visa, developing her skills working as a private chef. Colorado’s ski slopes soon followed and the state's thriving resorts and restaurant scene held a four-year sway over her career.
But entrepreneurship was always her goal.
Fasciglione takes inspiration from her constant search for artisanal treats she couldn’t find locally. Baking in a commercial kitchen, she started wholesaling her pastries to several prominent Naples coffee shops, including Kunjani and Badass. In 2021, she launched an online store.
“I always wanted to create a brand for the American market, not just for Argentinians. I live in the USA and am very proud of that. I thought croissants were a better approach, and there weren't any homemade croissants in town. I've seen many other business models based on just croissants, and they were very successful. So I decided to go for it.”
Wolfmoon’s name is partially derived from medialunas, Spanish for half-moons. “These are like the twin treat of American doughnuts but from Argentina. Like croissants, but better." A baker's demanding hours also have a hand in the name; most nights, it's bed by 8 p.m. to start baking at 3 a.m.
Black linen napkins and lovely gold cutlery are impressive. Another noticeable difference is the packaging used; all no-waste materials.
“Single-use packaging is my pet peeve. It really bothers me how much waste we create. But it's also part of running a business. So, I made a commitment to find the least harmful packaging. It is definitely not cheap, but I am committed to this. It is important to me.”
An attitude of gratitude
Fasciglione graciously credits everyone who made her vision come to life. She also acknowledges Cameron Mitchell’s Del Mar on Fifth Avenue South “for giving me the best job I could have to financially support my dream.”
“Things don't happen from one night to the other, and certainly not how you imagined them, but they do happen at the right time if you are working on it, never give up and are aware and attentive to circumstances. Then, it's even better! Inspiration needs to find you working. And if there's fear, you should go for it."
Wolfmoon’s prices range from $5 for a croissant to $22 for substantial salads. Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
(27975 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs; 239-494-3046; wolfmoon.co)
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: New tres chic bakery-café opens in Bonita Springs: What to know
