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photo credits: shuucafe.com
Starting off with our first feature: Shuu Cafe, a local dessert and coffee shop nestled in Plainsboro Township, one of West Windsor's neighboring towns, founded by two college grads who turned a holiday baking project into a full-scale neighborhood hangout.
After graduating college in June of 2020, Charles and Mandy chose against the traditional job-hunting route. Instead, Mandy had already started a small holiday baking business, selling pastries and cookies to friends and family members, and it was gaining traction. Charles, a Plainsboro local, knew there weren’t lots of places where people could come in, hang out, and eat a pastry, so together they decided to create Shuu Cafe—a cozy dessert and coffee shop with a community-first focus.
Shuu Cafe, opened in August of 2023, was always designed to be a communal “third space.” Charles, co-creator of Shuu Cafe, comments, “We want to have a place where people can come in and be comfortable, to sit for a little bit, chill, or come with friends.” Not so worried about the early morning crowd, Shuu Cafe opens at a comfortable time at 11 AM in the morning, just in time to see the locals come in to enjoy lunch or grab a sweet treat after dinner, before closing their doors and preparing for the next day at around 9 PM. This way, Shuu Cafe offers a place to land with your laptop or catch up with friends over pastries without feeling rushed. While they don’t have strict time limitations or expectations for their customers, they gently remind customers that like any small business, they do rely on sales to stay open and keep providing their services. Thankfully, there’s a wide array of menu options to choose from, with fair prices (about $5 / $6) and generous proportions.
But opening a shop wasn’t easy. The pair handled everything, from dealing with township permits and contractors to negotiating commercial leases and creating the perfect menu. On their soft opening day, they posted an announcement online and put up posters; a trial run to get the shop started, and by 10:45 a line of 20 people had already formed outside the door. “We sold out of creampuffs by 3 PM. Had to close to make a second batch and sold out again by the end of the day. Yeah, it was a little overwhelming, but also one of the most satisfying days of our lives,” says Charles, reminiscing on the moment.
Shuu Cafe: What’s It Like?
If you walk into Shuu Cafe, the first thing you’ll find is a warm, welcoming environment with open spaces and lots of places to relax. The owners are there almost daily, helping behind the counter and connecting with their customers. Mandy and Charles prioritize the staff and customers above all, making sure that customers feel welcome no matter what and the staff are enthusiastic, creating a great vibe for everyone.
Their menu consists of a variety of options; from Bubble Waffles to their newest item, the Matcha Latte, as well as one of their most popular pastries: The Creampuff. Every day, the baking process is handled by Mandy, with 100% of their pastries and sweets made by her from scratch using real ingredients. Fresh and delicious, guaranteed, every day.
Customer Review: Shuu Cafe
To give a little more information on these local small businesses, the West-Windsor Voice has also interviewed customers on their most popular item: The Creampuff.
“The flavor is sweet and tasty, with the outside bread perfectly capturing the filling inside.”
“The filling is light, which I really like, cause it’s not heavy and doesn’t fill you up. The outside is crunchy, but soft and fluffy inside.”
“It’s a great combination, it’s not too sweet and light, and the proportions are generous!”
“Very well balanced. Usually pastries need a good tea to wash it down with, but this is really good on its own.”
“Will definitely come back and buy this.”
“If there were larger options for this, I would buy it so quickly.”
Creampuff: 9/10
To our Readers: If you like this article, please come support and visit Shuu Cafe! And comment down below: What is something you would like to see them do/add to their menu in the future?
