By Flavor & The Menu
May 6, 2021

Russell Ping

Chef/Owner Russell Ping directs his servers to “walk slow and carry low” when delivering a baked-fresh and served-warm Cinnamon Roll to a table during brunch service. “We watch as everyone in the dining room eyes it and waves their server over to add one to their order,” he says. “It’s served with a dollop of cream cheese icing on top that we purposely don’t spread in advance, so it is just starting to melt when it hits the table.”

If that doesn’t explain its popularity, Ping’s description does: “If you’ve never cut into a hot, sweet cinnamon roll and smothered it with whipped butter, you are missing out. The perfect bite is a fluffy cinnamon interior, buttery, crunchy top, and a bit of that slightly melted icing.”

The build, a recipe from Ping’s grandmother, is classic in its construction, which is not a surprise, given that Russell’s Café & Bakery is known and loved for its nostalgic fare. Guests like to share that love. The Cinnamon Roll is the restaurant’s most photographed menu item, proving once again how comforting indulgence wins the Instagram game.