Food & Drink: Gideon’s Bakehouse at Disney Springs

(COURTESY GIDEON’S)

If you haven’t indulged in a sumptuous treat from Gideon’s Bakehouse, it’s time to hop on board before the brand becomes a household name. What has been a “tucked-away, local secret”—owner Steve Lewis’s words—is branching out. Big time.

Gideon’s, known for its nearly half-pound cookies and dreamy cakes, will open a new flagship shop in Disney Springs by year’s end. It’s a huge move for a bakery that started out only three years ago in a stall at East End Market with a budget of only $800.

There seems to be an element of destiny about the expansion. “The whimsy of our brand and Disney Springs are a natural fit,” Lewis says.

He knew he would need help making the jump, however. Enter noted local pastry chef (and Orlando magazine Hall of Fame recipient) Kristy Carlucci. “I needed to be sure that nothing changed about what makes Gideon’s special. Her experience and reputation for quality and detail are a perfect match for Gideon’s,” Lewis shares. Chef Carlucci is guiding the company’s efforts to increase production, while also continuing to develop ideas for the bakery’s limited-edition and secret menu items, both of which are wildly popular.

So what can we expect from the new store? Plenty of surprises to be sure, but Lewis is spilling the beans about a few details. One tidbit worth sharing: the Coffee Cake Cookie (pictured above) will be a daily morning exclusive at the Disney Springs location, and promises to be the perfect companion to your morning iced coffee.

Longtime fans of the brand may worry that Gideon’s will lose some of its charm as it scales up to meet what is sure to be incredible demand. They needn’t. Rather than becoming something it isn’t, Lewis sees this move as Gideon’s metamorphosis into what he had always envisioned. At Disney Springs, “You can expect to see Gideon’s as it was originally intended!” he says.