Natalia’s Elegant Creations

We ordered a cake from Natalia (from her house since her storefront has closed). The cake had to be dairy free and gluten free. We served the cake at a bridal shower, and it was AMAZING! Guests were raving about it, and no one could tell the cake was missing dairy and gluten. Natalia was very easy to work with, made a full list of ingredients used so we could show our guests with allergies, and order only had to be placed a few days in advance. I would highly recommend her, as it is hard to find cakes of this quality (moist, rich, flavor, beautiful design) anywhere else!

Store signage says Natalia had her baby, store is now closed.

Natalia’s is a charming little daytime café along Route 7 in the City of Falls Church. I enjoyed a coffee macaron and a vegan coconut cupcake to-​go yesterday. Rather than just a subtle nuance, the cupcake was bursting with coconut flavor. The shaved coconut and creamy icing were sensorially pleasing as well. Same deal with the dainty macaron as there was a healthy dose of espresso throughout. Though everything else under the bakery counter also looked so delicate, I’m betting they’d score high points on flavor profile.

Simply the best latte in town (I only get them with whole milk… who’s counting calories in a pastry shop??) and the vanilla macaroons are perfectly balanced sweet/​crisp outside/​soft center.
Natalia and her staff are very nice, friendly, and hard-​working and it’s nice to have a place where they remember your face, name, and favorite order.
My five-​year old daughter adores their cannoli, and their tiny hazelnut sandwich cookies are a hit with the kids. My «special treat» dessert would be the lemon squares.
The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Overall, another Falls Church fabulous find.

I had a chicken salad sandwich. There were large pieces of chicken and fruit in it. Mostly it was delicious, but it did had somewhat of a mustard-​y flavor that I could’ve done without. The whole wheat bread it was served on was fresh and moist. All their sandwiches come wi a few veggies & fruit on the side (cherry tomato, carrot, grapes). I enjoyed it, but certainly couldn’t affford an $ 8 sandwich every day.
I looked but didn’t see the hazelnut torte that Joanne raved about in her review. I was disappointed, because hazelnuts are a real favorite. They did have a small hazelnut chocolate mousse thing, but I’m not a big chocolate fan. Instead, I tried a cannoli that was fabulous. Definitely one of the best I’ve had, and not at all soggy even though it already had the filling in it. One of the reasons was that both ends of the inside of the shell were coated with chocolate. The filling with chocolate chips was very yummy. I also sampled some small hazelnut cookies, both chocolate and vanilla cookies. They would have been better with coffee or hot chocolate as they were somewhat on the dry side. The other items (cookies, cupcakes, etc.) all looked good too.
If you park in the lot behind the restaurant, beware of the stairs. I fell down them and someone who came out of (another) establishment tomhelp me said at least once a week someone falls.
The place is cute and has small tables. You order at the counter & they bring the food to your table.
All in all, I’d definitely return, if only for the desserts, if I’m in the area.

I came to Natalia’s just the other day with a close foodie friend, who highly recommended it for gluten free desserts. He has an allergy, so it’s hard for us to find places to get dessert. When we get word of one, we always check it out.
I was pleased with the atmosphere, for the most part. Anyone can tell that the owner is a female. Her decorating made me want to put on a big red hat with a purple silk ribbon and talk about nothing. Good environment for pastry consumption, if you ask me.
I was a little irked by the attitude I received from the staff when I asked for a box for what was leftover of our flour-​less chocolate cake. They were cleaning up for closing, so I guess I was being a bother. Perhaps they would have liked in more if my friend and I would have just sat there for another hour or two, and let them wait on us to leave at our own pace. I think they actually got the lesser of two evils, don’t you?
The cake itself was nothing less the rich, decadent, and explosively chocolate. No way one person could finish it, unless they were suffering from a clinical level chocolate jones. That being the case, the flour-​less would surely satisfy. I felt it needed something to cut through the heavy velvet taste and texture. My suggestion would be a mascarpone whip cream and some salty toasted walnuts. Yummos!
Despite the few hiccups, Natalia’s is on my list for a revisit. Although, next time I will hope for a little less attitude and little more balance of taste and texture.

This place is so charming from the inside that I for sure thought that this would be a five star review. My coworker and I stopped in looking for high quality soups and sandwiches as advertised on their cute chalkboard sign but we were sorely disappointed.
My coworker’s sandwich was pre-​prepared and was given to her so fast that it didn’t really seem like there was any love put into it. I ordered a cup of broccoli and cheese soup and the sales person had the audacity to ask me if I wanted my soup warm.
Ummm…yes? If I am paying $ 7 for a small cup of soup I expect it to be at the very least warmed up without asking.
The soup was MEH. I don’t know if it was because I was already given the illusion that it was either canned or made a few days ago and refrigerated but I was not impressed at all.
I will admit though — their chocolate cakes are banging! We have ordered them several times for the office and they are rich, moist and super chocolaty. Perhaps their high point is their desserts? Either way, I won’t be returning for lunch anytime soon.

I really love this place. They make excellent iced coffees, and while I’m not the biggest pastry fan, I do enjoy an occasional cookie from Natalia’s.
Sandwiches are great as well, and its generally not too crowded. I only wish they had more outdoor space, but alas, its a small storefront on a busy street.
Also wish they were open on Mondays.

I am officially a regular now at Natalia’s. Any time I have the slightest sweets craving, I am out the door and driving up the street to this adorable café. Natalia and her staff make the most beautiful and delicious adorable desserts.
My FAVS (so far): Cannolis (best I’ve ever had — even better than one I had in Florence, Italy) and a multi-​layered full-​on hazelnut torte (pricey slice for $ 6.25 but HEAVENLY for anyone who wants the ultimate hazelnut dessert).
Last, but certainly not least, her staff are always a delight that will turn your frown upside down!

I stumbled upon this place after I went to a paint your own pottery place near by. They have such a cute variety of desserts and the cakes were pretty good and a good snack size.
The environment was nice for meeting up a friend or a quiet date.

Being so close to where I live, I have been here a couple of times. Really like this small cozy bakery. Love the fact that they promote and use local produce rather than stuff brought from Giants!
Start with the watermelon and crumbled feta chilled gazpacho — You will NOT be disappointed. Since their menu is inspired by what is available locally, this soup is obviously seasonal.
Go on to the yum yum eggplant and red pepper sandwich with an assortment of jams and butter on the side with extra bread. Let’s just say that the carbo-​freak inside of me was satisfied at the end of this meal! :p
Their cakes are delicious and the ambiance is so fun! :)

This should probably be 3.5 stars but I had to make a choice. I so wanted this place to be good when I first discovered it because there are few Mom & Pop’s coffee shop /​café in the FC area. Starbucks coffee is barely drinkable most of the time. I grind my own coffee beans at home and use a simple French press that tastes better. But I need to break it down with this place because some things are better than others:
1/​The sandwiches & soups — very limited choices but probably the best thing about this place. Never been disappointed. Quality fresh ingredients and flavourful.
2/​The pastries & sweets — the red velvet cupcake is the best. The other stuff I’ve tried have never been that great.
3/​the coffee & teas — I don’t understand how people can fail so much at making a decent cup of coffee or brewed tea. Even with fancy Baristas coffee machines. A common theme amongst most coffee places is that the coffee tastes too watered down and/​or bitter like when the coffee beans have gone stale. I need to get that velvety, rich, chocolatey, nutty-​ness of a decent cup of coffee. And tea — can’t u use loose tea leaves instead of generic bags? This is a coffee shop that sells mostly desserts and so most people will be ordering coffee and teas when they come in. You HAVE GOT to get this right.
If anyone knows of a good coffee place in the area — TELL ME!

I have yet to walk through the door, so the 5-​stars is for what comes home from Natalia’s every time my wife is there with a friend for lunch.
4″ chocolate torte. Served warm. Ding-​dong.

My favorite Euro-​styled bakery/​café, ever. It’s the adult version of your childhood tea-​party, with real, instead of imaginary food. Only, even you couldn’t have dreamed up the stuff that Natalia does…
I was quickly addicted after the first visit and love to go on a Sunday morning and enjoy whatever they serve as the house special, which is usually something sinful, accompanied by something that makes you feel better about the sinful part. (I.E. Quiche and salad or French toast and salad.) The coffee is always perfectly fresh, clean, never burnt tasting and hot, but not scolding, so you can’t enjoy it. Little butter cookies always accompany any coffee order.
The place is small and intimate, so not ideal for a large group, but more suited to a single, couple, carry out. The French toast with cherries and white chocolate whip cream is amazing, but then so is their turkey sandwich. I just don’t have enough good things to say about this place. Everything is always top notch, fresh, healthy, but with something a little extra to make it the best experience possible.
If you are ever in Falls Church, stop in, but be warned, you will want to go back again and again and they don’t do «lite» foods. They are all about European style decadence!

From the outside, you’d never guess how this place just envelopes you with this comfortable vibe coming from the pleasant interior. Comfortable tables and seats, and warm staff are the secret. Everything looks very good, but I walked out with a red velvet cupcake. Dense and heavy cake portion, that I wished was more moist and spongy, and the frosting was good, but the texture wasn’t to my liking. It was a little thick, while I prefer it light and airy. Next time I’ll go for one of their many other tasty looking treats and go somewhere else if the mood for red velvet strikes me again.
Something interesting is that they have afternoon tea available if you book ahead of time for the weekends. Tea party anyone?

Addicted to Natalia’s veggie sandwich… healthy, chock full of authentic veggies (not out of a can!) and spreads and little sides of grapes, tomato and apple– I never vary from this sandwich so they know to leave off the celery on the side…
Desserts: my go to place when I want to bring a gift to someone’s house. And the pastries and cookies… amazing, fresh and the carrot cake bars… great indulgence.
About time Falls Church had an authentic bakery with specialized service. The ladies are attentive and hard working.
Natalia is an excellent entrepreneur and I am so glad she has graced the streets of Falls Church — and love the outdoor patio seating too!

I met a friend here based on the very convenient location for those with cars who don’t want to mess with the orange line construction on the metro. As soon as I walked in, I knew I’d made a good choice. The place is adorable! There were people chatting on a lazy Sunday and drinking tea, with teapots on nearly every table. This is most certainly my kind of place.
I ordered a latte and a chocolate custard, and both were delicious. Prices were reasonable for this type of place, and probably cheaper than Starbucks with infinitely higher quality. Service was a tad slow, but the people there were friendly, so I didn’t mind.
This is probably not the best place to grab a cup to go, but rather to sit around and linger with friends. I’ll definitely choose this as a spot to meet up with friends in the future.

Natalia’s is a small, quaint café. I will admit, I have driven by here many times and never even noticed it.
If someone else hadn’t brought me here, I would have never stepped into the place. There is a small lot behind the strip of shops Natalia’s is located in, so park in the back. You can enter through the back door (they are all labeled) or enter through the front.
Entered through the front, and the place is full of Euro décor: pictures of various European sights and destinations. The inside is full of small tables and chairs, and there are a few outside as well. Ordered at the counter, which was lined with signs as well as placed between two display cases boasting lots of baked goods. Too tempting.
Ordered a sandwich for lunch, skipped the dessert. Made it a meal with a small bad of chips and a small bottle of soda. The sandwich came out with a small collection of veggies & fruit, a cute addition. The sandwich was good, and my time spent here was enjoyable.
I give 3 stars until I can return to sample some baked goods and coffee. But Natalia’s is a cute, local business that deserves a visit. If not for the unique approach to a café/​bakery, than for their humble shop, plentiful offerings, and a nice break from the norm. Service really topped this place off: the girls working here were cute, soft spoken but very polite, and dressed nicely.
I like this place, and I hope to like it more.

Only been here once, because my wife loves this place. I had a regular coffee and cannoli. I wasn’t really impressed with the coffee, but the small bite-​sized cookie was a nice touch. I also liked the cannoli too. The ambiance was cozy, and on a Saturday afternoon this tiny café was bustling with activity, clearly a sign that people love this place.
They seemed accommodating and knowledgeable. My wife asked for a smiley face on her cappuccino, although I think they normally do something else… which of course brought a smile to my wife’s face. When I asked how many calories the cannoli had, they seemed to know that too.
I too like to patronize local small businesses, and I’m pretty sure me and my wife will be back to try some of the other creations. 3 stars not because anything was wrong with this place, but because I have yet to discover the true treasures that will make me a fan of this place.

Absolutely yummy, delicious Pumpkin spice latte! A perfect way to herald and celebrate the onset of Autumn!
The shop itself has lots of little café tables and the place is quaintly and cozily decorated. I met Natalia herself — she seems like a nice lady.