Online baking sensation launches cafe

Leeds baking entrepreneur Savannah Roqaa who built her online business the Savvy Baker almost overnight as lockdown commenced in 2020, is preparing for her next step.

Having started out creating brownie care packages she was dropping off to lift the spirits of friends and family, she stumbled upon a (very hungry) market of devoted foodie fans and is now launching her first cafe.

Savannah Roqaa aka The Savvy Baker

The journey saw her go from creating 30-40 boxes of brownies per week from her small Roundhay kitchen, to moving to a commercial bakery last year as she saw demand rise and now following a series of pop-ups across the UK, she’s launching her first Savvy Cafe in Roundhay.

Roqaa said: “I’ve lived in Roundhay my whole life, so I couldn’t think of a better area to launch! The Savvy Baker is something I want to share with the local community and being surrounded by residential properties it made sense to put the cafe right in the middle of it all.”

The menu will feature all the sweet treats which made the brand famous including brownies, brookies, cookies, flapjacks, cakes, tarts, sticky stuff and will all be served up with North Star coffee.

Looking ahead Roqaa said that the plan is to expand the menu and offer breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, shakes, ice cream, and more.

The entrepreneur isn’t alone in this new venture as she’s opening the cafe alongside her partner, Jordan Simms, so that the online side of the business can continue whilst they settle into their new Roundhay premises.

She added: “I’m so busy with the bakery and running that side of the business that having someone I trust to help run the cafe was a must…plus not having to make every decision alone is a bonus! We’re both really excited; it feels like the most natural next step. Initially, we were solely online, but as the world changes, we have to adapt! So that’s what’s happened.”

The Savvy Cafe is set to open on 31st March, and hours will be 8.30 – 16.00, Tuesday to Sunday.