My Mom's Bakery is the first new Czech/European bakery to open in the Cedar Rapids area in quite a while (it's located in the quaint town of Ely, just 10 minutes from Cedar Rapids by car, or a fun 45 minute bike ride on the Cedar Nature Trail), but despite being so new, they are already a strong contender for baking the best kolaches in the region. My Mom's Bakery opens EARLY every Tuesday through Saturday: they start baking their goods in the wee hours of the morning, and by 6 AM, their front doors are open and their kolaches and other baked goods are ready to be enjoyed. Their hours technically go until 11 AM, but they actually close for the day when they sell out, which is almost always earlier than that because they are so popular. So, it's important to get here as close to 6 as you can if you want the best selection. As I mentioned earlier, their kolaches are some of the best I've ever had. This quintessential Czech pastry, which comes in many different fruit (or possibly cheese or poppy-seed) varieties, is a very popular treat in this part of Iowa. However, even though it's easy to find kolaches around Cedar Rapids, it's difficult to find really good, traditional ones. The kolaches here remind me of the types I used to enjoy when I visited Cedar Rapids as a child, with a super light, airy dough and generous helpings of fruit in the middle. Their other pastries, including pecan cinnamon rolls and lemon bars, are fantastic as well. My Mom's Bakery also has a brand new, state of the art espresso machine, and they offer a full range of espresso drinks. I really enjoyed their plain espresso, but you can get drinks with milk as well. The shop itself is small, with just some counter seating (as well as a couple tables out front), so it's probably best to plan to take your baked goods to go. They do have a large, clean bathroom. The staff here is super nice, and we really enjoyed chatting with them about their story and operation. They obviously put their whole heart into this little shop, and it shows. We can't wait to come back the next time we are in Cedar Rapids. read more