Ellie Danesh always has a mixed assortment of Persian cookies on hand. Photos: Chris Emeott
Delicate pastries and rich traditions abound at Southdale Center’s Luminous Café.
Growing up in Isfahan, Iran, Ellie Danesh experienced a wildly different childhood than most. Her mother, Azar Salehi, was heavily involved with their family’s local education institute—fittingly named Danesh. This institute offered classes on a wide range of subjects, from computer programming to cooking. It was within these walls that Danesh spent much of her youth, and it was there that she developed a deep respect and passion for baking.
Napoleon cake is a traditional French dessert also known as mille-feuille. The Persian name for it is Shirini Napoleoni or Napeloni.
From there, she started taking online courses for food safety before immigrating to Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada, in 2015 and landing a new career as a food inspector. “I learned everything about safety and learned that when we know every ingredient, we can enjoy sweets and still be ‘healthy,’” she says. Expanding her knowledge and experience as a food inspector, she was also exposed to new concepts, such as baking with different flours and mixing aromas. The key takeaway, however, was that making simple swaps in recipes can make a world of difference for customers and their health journey.
Ellie Danesh
When Danesh moved to the United States in 2022, she began offering baked goods from her home but craved a life bursting with creativity—not just in the margins but as her full- time career. In 2023, she opened Luminous Café and Ellie’s Bakery, located in Southdale Center. The menu is inspired by her Persian roots and infuses many of the traditional flavors, scents and spices into the recipes, such as cardamom, rosewater and saffron.
Persian marzipan is colored naturally with beets, saffron and spinach. Ellie Danesh does not use artificial coloring.
Danesh is passionate about natural products, including those she uses for coloring. “I don’t use [artificial] food coloring,” she says, “The marzipan is dyed with beets, spinach or saffron.” Her focus on nature’s color palette has been at the forefront when planning her menu. Items that say “no sugar added” may be sweetened with dates or cinnamon. The walnut or coconut cookies contain half the sugar. Gluten-free options are available as well, and the chickpea cookies offer a baked-in boost of protein. Rose petals, crushed nuts and delicate stamp designs embellish many of the treats, making them a feast for the eye as much as for the palate.
Baklava-lovers will rejoice at the sight of Danesh’s traditional Persian-style baklava, a timeless treat layered with flaky phyllo dough, spices and nuts—although her recipe uses pistachios instead of the common walnut recipes in the U.S. “Persian products are different from mainstream,” she says. “It combines a lot of the Persian flavors together for a subdued experience.”
Persian gold baklava is layered with pistachio, almond and saffron.
Those who celebrate Nowruz or the Persian New Year in March, will do so with a plate full of baklava. And the Wednesday before Nowruz is Chaharshanbe Suri, or the Persian festival of fire, celebrated by jumping over a bonfire and indulging in a feast with dessert. “We have many festivals and serve pastries at them. It’s an important part of celebrating,” Danesh says.
Saffron honey candy, sohan asali, is made with almonds, honey, rosewater, saffron and topped with crushed pistachios.
Similarly to the baklava, saffron honey candy, sohan asali, is commonly served at celebrations and on holidays, such as Yalda, the longest night of the year in December. The sohan asali is then gorgeously intertwined with almonds and pistachios for a creamy, yet crunchy treat that’s bound to delight. On Tuesdays and Fridays, customers can get their hands on barbari bread. The Persian staple is made from simple ingredients like unbleached wheat flour, water, yeast, salt and sesame seeds, and its versatile and healthy profile is suitable for many uses.
Swiss rolls, in coffee and pistachio flavors. Also known as rollet, roulade and roulette, the light and moist cake has a delicious cream filling.
Danesh’s menu and recipes are influenced and inspired by her culture and upbringing, however, she also loves to hear from customers about what they’d like to see in the store. Moreover, she prides herself on educating others on the art form of the recipes, often taking to her Instagram with tutorials and inspirational photos. “I love to teach people how they can cook similar items at home,” she says.
Persian love cookies are crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and are full of a delightful blend of floral, lemon and cardamom flavors.
Danesh is a people person through and through, with the dream of making Luminous Café a place for community and connection. Through the aromas that waft through the café doors to the intricate display of teapots, guests are welcomed in for a unique experience for the senses. If time allows you to dine in, Danesh serves tea in one of the delicate tea cups that sit on the display wall adjacent to seating, inviting customers to have their tea and enjoy it too.
In addition to herbal tea, hand-crafted coffee beverages and treats made fresh in the café, Danesh also takes custom orders. Whether for a birthday, wedding or other celebration, Danesh’s cakes are next-level decadent. Her pistachio, raspberry and pineapple cake is a repeat request, and the pomegranate or orange cheesecakes are fresh and fruity. “Baking is my passion; it’s an art,” Danesh says, “It’s amazing because I can add my own ideas.”
Persian ice cream, or bastani sonnati, has a rich flavor with a hint of saffron.
Heading into the summer, Danesh has big plans. Fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers markets allow her to keep the best ingredients on hand, while supporting others. In addition, she hopes to make her own ice cream to serve in the café. “The texture is different, as are the flavorings and spices,” she says. Saffron, rosewater and pistachios swirl with vanilla and heavy cream for a rich, creamy treat, known as bastani sonnati or Persian ice cream. Whether an iced coffee or a delicious frozen scoop, Luminous Café will be the place to cool off when things heat up.
Luminous Café and Ellie’s Pastry
10 Southdale Center; 651.502.1435
Instagram: @luminouscafe
