Driving by Art City Sweets and The Ragamuffin, I just assumed it was a walk-up ice cream shop. However, what awaits inside is so much more. Creamy authentic gelato. Delicious Homemade soups. Muffins. Cinnamon rolls. Desserts. All wrapped up in a charming cottage that feels welcoming and homey.
The Ragamuffin and Art City Sweets is owned by Spencer and Stephanie Cooper. After serving in the military as a chaplain, Spencer decided to retire and create a comfortable place for people that served healing soup and bakery items. When you walk in, it doesn’t feel like a restaurant, but a comfortable cafe with eclectic art and beautiful stained glass windows.
The decor fits the Art City vibe and makes for a homey feel. There are tables by the windows and larger tables with seating for up to eight people. Books by local authors as well as affordable used books are also sold inside, adding to the cool ambience.
Soup du Jour: Something for Everyone
Everything they serve at Art City Sweets is homemade on-site. First, we tried out the soups. The chicken noodle soup ($6.95 cup/ $8.95 bowl) has a savory, satisfying broth with carrots and real homemade noodles. It is perfect for those days you just want to warm up or are starting to feel sick. It is the ultimate comfort food. I’m always wondering where to go when I need some fresh chicken noodle soup and now I have my new go-to spot.
Tomato basil soup ($6.95 cup/ $8.95 bowl) is a classic. This soup was homemade and had a rich tomato flavor. One touch that was a little different was the jasmine rice which gave a nice starchy compliment to the savory tomato flavor.
Chicken noodle soup and tomato basil soups are served daily, but they also have soups of the day. I was able to try two of the other soups. The white chicken chile has a great creamy flavor. It had chunks of chicken and white beans that managed not to take away from the creamy, light texture.
If you’re looking for spice,the chicken tortilla soup had a nice level of heat to it. It was a more robust soup and had a lot of flavor and seasonings.
The surprise hit for me was the roast bowl ($7.95 cup / $9.95 bowl). It was a hearty meal with tender, perfectly cooked beef along with carrots, celery and a savory gravy. It was all served over a bed of jasmine rice, and was very comforting and filling.
Each soup bowl was served with delicious, light and fluffy garlic bread that almost tastes like focaccia, but it is more dense. I don’t know how to describe it but it is just delicious and so yummy when you dip it into your soup or roast bowl. They also offer a cheddar melt which has their signature garlic bread grilled with cheese.
We also had a smoothie with our meal. The Bermuda Breeze is a blend of strawberry, coconut and pineapple. It was absolutely refreshing and the perfect blend of fruit to make it taste fresh without being bitter. Often, when I get smoothies, there is a hint of sour to them. This one was absolutely perfect.
Bakery Delights
Art City Sweets also has pastries and bakery items. We had the blueberry muffin, which had a nice lemon flavor and big blueberries. The cinnamon roll was huge and fluffy with delicious cinnamon and frosting. The signature ragamuffin has blueberry, banana, walnut, and cinnamon. It is a hardy muffin with a lot of flavor. The star of the show was the cranberry white chocolate artisan bread. WOW! It had the perfect crusty bread with delicious cranberries and bits of white chocolate mixed in. AMAZING.
Dessert Anyone?
We had the brownies and cream which had coconut syrup, fresh raspberries and cream gelato ($7/$9 with gelato scoop). The brownie was chocolatey but not overpowering and provided a great foundation for the sweet cream gelato and raspberries. The tang of the raspberries was complemented nicely with the chocolate and creaminess of the gelato.
The surprise favorite, however, was Manna from Havana ($7/$9 with strawberries). It was an angel food cake that was light and airy with coconut syrup and strawberries. The flavors just blended so perfectly and it was delightful. I didn’t know angel food cake could taste this good. The addition of coconut really took it to the next level.
Gelato Perfection
The gelato has the perfect, creamy consistency and it is just purely delicious. The flavors are traditional Italian flavors with a few other options. I am not normally a cherry fan, but I adore the amarena (black cherry). The flavor is very simple but just delicious and refreshing. I also really, really, liked Frutti de Bosco which had a variety of berry flavors and is surprisingly dairy-free. It was the definition of light and refreshing. The dark chocolate was divine. They also had the stracciatella with the delicious chocolate shavings.
All of the ingredients are authentic and many come from Italy. Additional flavors include passionfruit, Biscoff and cream, sweet cream brownies, coconut and caramel. Gelato is 4.95 for a small, 5.95 for a regular, and 6.95 for a large.
Spencer told a story about a lady from Italy who stopped at every gelato place she drove by to try it. She stopped by and ordered gelato at their store. She took a bite and burst into tears because it tasted like the gelato she grew up with.
Comfort Food At Its Best
Art City Sweets is a gathering place for the community. While we were there, we saw a variety of people come to visit, from couples on dates to families to single people looking for a treat. One neighborhood lady told us that she stops by almost daily and loves it. It is a welcoming place with food served with love and care. It is truly a treasure and I hope that everyone takes the time to come try it.
Whatever you are in the mood for, you can find it at Art City Sweets and Ragamuffin. Comfort food at its best. So stop by for dessert or lunch or dinner.
Art City Sweets and the Ragamuffin is located on 391 N Main St in Springville, Utah. They are open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11a.m. to 10 p.m.
