Cheesecakes by Alex is located at 315 S, Elm Street (just south of Washington Street, across from Blu Martini and Scuppernong Books). Hours are Tuesday & Wednesday 7:30am – 9pm, Thursday & Friday 7:30am – 11pm, Saturday 9am – 11pm, and Sunday 10am – 9pm.
Alex R. Amoroso, Jr. loves what he does. You can tell by the way he delightedly greets guests, schmoozing and joking with the regulars, and by the sparkle in his eye when he talks about his business, the eponymous Cheesecakes by Alex. From a hobby pursued at home to a booth at the Greensboro Farmer's Curb Market on Yanceyville Street to an honest-to-goodness bakery cafe that has become a Greensboro institution with its cheerful awning, gorgeous brick patio with al fresco seating and its fabulously long hours (I have been known to crave cheesecake at 10pm, and I'll bet you have, too). With the bustle of activity at the counter, the smells of pastries and fresh-brewed coffee wafting through the air and Frank Sinatra on the sound system, this place feels like your favorite hangout in New York City, except—lucky you!—it's right here in Greensboro.
As one could guess, Cheesecakes by Alex offers specialty cheesecakes in a wide variety of flavors (they currently offer 20 different flavors, and Mother Murphy's Extracts makes custom flavors just for them), but the store is also a genuine patisserie, with pastries such as muffins, eclairs, and traditional scones (moist, biscuit-looking treats, not those horribly dry triangles you find at other places). Also popular are the layer cakes, sold whole or by the slice, and there is a large menu of specialty coffees, as well as a selection of other beverages. Even the cheesecakes themselves come with various options: Alex offers sugar-free cheesecake, sweetened with xylitol (although xylitol is perfectly safe for humans, please don't share with your canine companion, as it can be harmful to dogs). In addition, Cheesecakes by Alex also makes gluten-free cheesecake. See? There's no reason to miss out on the goodness!
Cheesecakes by Alex was established at the former location of Simple Kneads in December of 2002 as a natural outgrowth of Alex's very popular booth at the Farmer's Curb Market, which he supplied by baking his treats at home. But now that he has a commercial baker's kitchen, he can serve the needs of more cheesecake-craving, scone-munching customers. However, business is so good that another expansion is in the works, planned for Spring of next year, which will physically expand the current location into the building next door. Not only will this provide more seating, including a banquet room for private parties, it will also allow Alex to increase his product line. Currently, Cheesecakes by Alex offers homemade bread only at the Farmer's Curb Market (try the sourdough, a fan favorite), but the expansion of the kitchen facility will enable the bakery to produce fresh bread on location. In addition, Alex anticipates being open seven days a week at the new location, for those of us who slink wistfully by the place on Mondays.
Cheesecakes by Alex is in full swing for the holidays, with special new seasonal treats: Currently available is an egg nog cheesecake and a bourbon butter pecan cheesecake, and Alex is developing a pineapple sage layer cake, coming soon. You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that in addition to being a wonderful bakery cafe, Cheesecakes by Alex can also provide made-to-order baked goods for private parties and events (they will work with your caterer and will even deliver your order to the location). They also ship nationwide, so if Great Aunt Sheila in Idaho needs her cheesecake fix, some yumminess from Cheesecakes by Alex could be a great Christmas present—order soon!
I loved the ambiance of this shop. The sales area is open to the kitchen, so one can watch the staff busy at work while waiting on line, and the indoor dining room is filled with wonderful original artwork. It was a little cold during my visit for outdoor seating, but the lovely and spacious brick patio with its charming Mediterranean feel looks like a great place to sit and visit with friends over a post-shopping scone or late-night dessert. It's no wonder that Alex loves his work, because he is in the business of making people happy, and he is doing a smashing job.
I agree 100 per cent with your post. Alex's cheesecakes are the best and he is a sweetheart. He also makes the most delicious pancakes in the world. Check them out when he is making them at the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market.
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