Rocket Baby: Delighting with artisan bakery

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Mary Catanese

Elliott Tait, 8, stops for a blueberry muffin at Rocket Baby Bakery with his mother, Karri, who gives his twin Norah a bite of her muffin. His dad Chris talks to his brother Aidan, 10 (not pictured).

Mary Catanese

Elliott Tait, 8, stops for a blueberry muffin at Rocket Baby Bakery with his mother, Karri, who gives his twin Norah a bite of her muffin. His dad Chris talks to his brother Aidan, 10 (not pictured).

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Geoff and Shannon Trenholme have accomplished something rare in the restaurant business. In just three short months, their Rocket Baby Bakery has become wildly popular and was named Critic's Choice for Best Bakery by Milwaukee Magazine. Not bad for a tiny bakery and café named after a 2-year-old toddler.

Opened officially in April 2012, Rocket Baby takes its name from a nickname used for the Trenholmes' son, Raiden. The name, accompanying logo, colorful purple facade and of course, the food, make for a local breakfast and lunch spot that is creating lots of buzz.

Geoff Trenholme calls himself a "bread guy" and credits his wife, along with other key contributors, with handling the business side of Rocket Baby.

Of course, the baked goods are the real stars of this Wauwatosa business. Although very tough to choose favorites, Trenholme mentions the Baguette ($3) and the Chocolate Croissant ($3) as being especially popular with his customers. The lunch menu is currently small but early returns show the Sanmitra Sandwich, created by a customer, ($8 including a side salad) as a clear front-runner.

In addition to baked goods and sandwiches, Trenholme is especially proud of the coffee served at Rocket Baby. Or, as he says: "We are very into our coffee."

They serve locally roasted Anodyne coffee brewed in a very high-end machine. His goal was to make sure the coffee met the same standards as the food at Rocket Baby.

Rocket Baby continues to change and evolve. The owners hope to expand their hours and their menu as they learn more about their business and their customers.

What won't change is the focus on high quality food.

"We consider ourselves an artisan, European bakery and café," Trenholme said. "We make everything in house from scratch. We don't use mixes."

Clearly, this has proved to be a recipe for success at Rocket Baby.

The Basics

NAME: Rocket Baby Bakery

ADDRESS: 6822 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa

PHONE:(414) 502-7323

ONLINE: www.RocketBabyBakery.com

FARE: baked goods, sandwiches

HOURS: 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon Sunday

PRICE RANGE: $3 to $8

RESERVATIONS: no

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE: yes

GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS: no

LOOKING TO 'GRAB A BITE'?

"Grab a Bite" is an informal look at the food scene in the Wauwatosa, Brookfield and Elm Grove area by freelance writer Karen Waldkirch. Whether you're looking for a place for a date night or a casual spot for lunch, Waldkirch will be out and about scouting eateries for you. If you have a suggestion for a column, email her at kmwaldkirch@yahoo.com.