New women-owned bakery opens in Belleville. Crêpes, ice cream and more on the menu
A sweet new business is now open at The Arcades Center in Belleville.
The Sweet Creamery, located at 6500 W. Main St., Suite 337, is the new to-go place for crêpes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, cookies, ice cream and other goodies.
The shop is pink and white, like frosting on a tasty pastry, appropriate for The Sweet Creamery.
Upon entering, one of the first things customers may notice is a big, pink set of wings.
Owner Ameena Almasri said the wings were inspired by her business partner, Reem Deriyah, who’s known to say, “My life gives me wings.”
“Wings are her thing,” said Almasri.
Almasri said customers are welcome – encouraged even – to take selfies with the wings. Customers can hang out and visit with each other and with the folks at The Sweet Creamery.
Take a seat at one of the café tables or a comfy spot at the front of the shop.
And enjoy something sweet while you’re at it.
On the menu
I first met Almasri last year when Holy Crêpes! (now Crêpes and Cones) opened on the Soulcial Kitchen campus in Swansea.
Even then, one could see her enthusiasm for creating recipes and bringing her ideas to life.
Almasri said all of the recipes she uses are her own.
When she first began baking, it was for her family.
A self-taught baker, Almasri studied recipes online and tweaked them, making changes here and there and adding ingredients to suit her tastes.
She baked at home during the pandemic, about two months after the shutdown started. She posted photos of her creations on Facebook and sold them this way.
She’s also into food art. When she sees something she likes, she wants to create it. She loves decorating things and making them “photo ready.”
I have to say, from what I’ve seen and heard, people will not be disappointed.
Crêpes, baked goods, bubble waffles and waffle towers, ice cream, milkshakes and coffee and specialty drinks are available at The Sweet Creamery. Here are some specifics:
Crêpes include:
Mixed Berries crêpe – strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, strawberry jam and powdered sugar;
Nanna Banana crêpe – strawberry, banana, Nutella, powdered sugar;
Oreo Royal crêpe – Oreo cream, Oreo cookie crumble, white chocolate;
Strawberry Short crêpe – cheesecake filling, strawberry, graham cracker crumble and whipped cream;
crème Brulee crêpe – strawberry filling, whipped cream, white cake and vanilla pudding;
The Fettuccine crêpe Explosion – a butter crêpe with pistachio crème, white chocolate and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Bakery items on offer are cupcakes, cake by the slice, cheesecake, brownies, cake pops and cookies – including macarons!
Order ice cream by the cone or cup. Pints of Biscoff, Nutella and pistachio ice cream are also available.
Get pancake minis, bubble waffles filled with ice cream and other toppings, and other treats.
Wash it all down with a coffee, latte, espresso or a specialty drink. Choose from frappés, crèmes and lemonades, all in different flavors.
Bringing business to Belleville
Opening a shop was something the two women planned for a while.
They bought equipment before they even had a place for it, storing it at Almasri’s house until they were ready, said Deriyah.
They looked at locations in Fairview Heights and O’Fallon, said Almasri, but decided on Belleville because they both live here and love it here.
Opening a business in Belleville “wasn’t easy at all, but we did it,” said Deriyah.
And not for the first or last time.
Almasri is also the owner of Pop’s Market, located in the former Swansea Family Restaurant at 4421 W. Main St., not far from The Sweet Creamery. Pop’s opened in early March.
She mentioned plans to open a second location for The Sweet Creamery in Missouri, in the Lemay area.
Both Almasri and Deriyah would also like to open another business aimed towards families, providing a place for children to spend time.
Almasri feels there aren’t places for children, including her own four, to gather in Belleville after school or on weekends.
Deriyah said there are plenty of places in St. Louis to take their children, but they want something closer to home, somewhere in Belleville.
Almasri feels that Belleville is a family-oriented city, that people are friendly and supportive here.
Opening a kids’ café would be a way to give back to their community.
For now, getting The Sweet Creamery up and running is their focus.
“I’m excited for what’s to come,” said Almasri.
About The Sweet Creamery
The Sweet Creamery is located at 6500 W. Main St., Suite 337, in Belleville (next to Tim & Joe’s).
Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
