Be Sure to Drop By for These Sweet Treats

At Suzanne’s Bakery and Eatery in Athens, the Sun Drop rolls are so good, they have devoted fans from here to Japan.

By Amy Antonation on December 5, 2023

Courtesy of Suzanne’s Bakery and Eatery

Plenty of restaurants in Athens boast loyal customers, but Suzanne Coffield, chef and co-owner of Suzanne’s Bakery and Eatery, might hold the record for the farthest-flung fan: The cafe once shipped an order of its Sun Drop rolls all the way to Japan.

“Better than Mountain Dew”

For the uninitiated, Sun Drop is a citrus soda that’s “similar to but better than Mountain Dew,” Coffield says. To incorporate the soda into sweet rolls, Coffield makes jelly out of the beverage, then spreads butter and jelly on the dough before twisting it into a spiral (similar to a cinnamon roll) and topping it off with a satiny Sun Drop glaze.

“We have a customer who’s in the military,” Coffield says. “She was stationed in Japan and her mom asked us to send some to her. That tickled us to death. She says when they got there, they were perfect!”

Courtesy of Suzanne’s Bakery and Eatery

A Must-Stop for Restaurants in Athens

Suzanne’s, which has been in business for 18 years in October 2023, serves up not only sweet rolls, cookies and pies, but also savory lunch specials and take-and-bake casseroles.

“All of it is an outgrowth of what customers have asked for,” Coffield says. “They will make suggestions, and we always consider everyone. We may not put it into practice, but we do consider it.”

That can extend as far as taking on diners’ cherished family recipes: “I’ve had customers bring in recipes and ask us to make them,” Coffield says. Her favorite request? A lemon icebox cake made up of six layers of sour-cream lemon cake and lemon filling.

“The recipe said to let it sit for three days before serving,” Coffield says with a laugh, “but I don’t think that’s ever happened.”