Mystery Diner in Woodstock: Enjoy decadent cafe fare at Ethereal Confections

Every townie has their go-to coffee shop, and for this diner, it’s Woodstock’s own Ethereal Confections.

Located at 140 Cass St. in the Historic Woodstock Square, Ethereal Confections is a bean-to-bar coffee, chocolate and pastry shop with unique tea, coffee, cocktail and chocolate truffle combinations. It even houses a speakeasy, Emerson and Oliver, and serves as a venue for weddings, private parties and corporate events.

The cafe’s atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a sugary smell that will entice you to stick around.

Ethereal Confections moved in October 2019, from its former 113 S. Benton St. location to the remodeled former Elks Lodge site where it currently does business. Although the previous spot felt cozy and welcoming, the new space’s brick-and-wood interior provides a more upscale feeling and open environment.

Not long after the reopening, however, the shop’s owners had to adjust their services last year amid COVID-19 closures and restrictions.

Staff rallied together to box ingredients and goods typically available for in-store purchase and instead sold them as deliverable groceries. A reconfigured window facing the sidewalk additionally allowed for drive-thru-style curbside pickup and online order service, while a weekly fried chicken dinner offered locals an easy meal option.

The shop has since reopened to customers; however, its complete menu, which typically includes heartier dishes such as avocado toast with sliced radishes and microgreens, isn’t available just yet. A copy of the current menu is available online at www.Etherealconfections.com.

A beautiful display of creative, house-made, gluten-free and dairy-free truffles greets customers in line at the register.

The pastries include both gluten-free and vegan options, each of which is clearly labeled. The menu notes that most of Ethereal Confections’ bread and pastries are made with almond flour, so it’s important to alert baristas of any allergies you might have.

Drinks come with a variety of both dairy and non-dairy milk options, as well, making the menu more accessible to people with dietary restrictions and preferences.

My fellow diner and I ordered the lavender vanilla latte ($5.05 for a 12-ounce with oat milk), the le hammeau tea latte ($4.05 for a 12-ounce with oat milk), and a mixed berry smoothie ($6.15 with oat milk). We also ordered a “Scandalous Brownie” ($5) and a chocolate-cherry scone ($4.25).

The lavender vanilla latte has become a personal favorite of mine. All of Ethereal Confections’ beans come from Conscious Cup in Crystal Lake, and are used to make pour-overs, nitro brews and lattes among other drinks. The vanilla bean and lavender in the latte this diner ordered created a subtle and smooth flavor without tasting too sweet. The drinks also could have been prepared sugar-free upon request.

The le hammeau tea was a sunny caffeine-free blend of lemongrass, lemon verbena, chamomile, lavender, rose petals, mint and sage. I ordered this drink as a latte with oat milk, but found that the tea’s flavors were strong enough to likely be just as enjoyable on their own or poured over ice for the summer.

The mixed berry smoothie was a refreshing combination of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry. The strawberry and blueberry added a sweetness to the tart kick of raspberry for an overall well-balanced taste.

The brownie was moist and rich, baked in a cupcake liner and topped with a crumbly but soft chocolate chip cookie. The brownie was a little too sweet for a morning snack for this diner, but would make a perfect dessert for a chocolate-lover.

The scone was less sweet, with cherry and chocolate flavors that complemented each other well. Both pastries appeared to come from a Mundelein-based bakery called Holcomb Hollow, which specializes in gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan baked goods.

Overall, Ethereal Confections is a one-of-a-kind cafe that makes a clear effort to support other local businesses and meet the needs of its clientele.

• The Mystery Diner is an employee at the Northwest Herald. The diner’s identity is not revealed to the restaurant staff before or during the meal. If the Mystery Diner cannot recommend the establishment, we will not publish a story.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Ethereal Confections

WHERE: 140 Cass St., Woodstock

PHONE: 815-687-0320

INFORMATION: www.Etherealconfections.com