Edible Food Find: Zuzu’s Petals

Photos by Adam DeTour

There’s something timelessly authentic about stepping into Zuzu’s Petals, a wine and dessert bar in Inman Square. For owners Alexandra Whisnant and Bobby MacLean, the experience is meant to be nostalgic and transportive, taking visitors on a trip to the past when people played music on records and cellphones did not yet exist. The romantic haunt opened during the pandemic, in 2021, and MacLean says that during this period when the world turned to virtual screens, they had to be “the resistance”: a place free of laptops and devices.

“You travel through time and space to be in here,” says MacLean. “I’ve seen people forget that they are in Cambridge. That’s the goal.”

Zuzu’s Petals is something of an extension of Whisnant’s former chocolate shop, Gâté Comme Des Filles (or “spoiled like the girls”), which was located in Somerville’s Bow Market. The physical storefront did not offer seating and, doling out bonbons from behind a small counter, Whisnant and MacLean dreamed of opening a restaurant where people could linger, where they could unwind and devote their attention to the person sitting across from them. While Gâté’s space closed in 2023, now taking online orders only, Zuzu’s Petals has flourished into a true refuge for Bohemian souls.

The couple eschew the stylization of fine dining—the overworking, the presentation—and hopes that the plates they serve speak for themselves. They believe in a sense of imperfection and originality, and you’ll find that the confections are handmade and the dishes sometimes don’t match. Whisnant’s adventurous life brought her to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, macaron spot Ladurée and Berkeley’s Chez Panisse. But it isn’t just this training that shaped her artistic, whimsical approach to pastry making; Whisnant and MacLean have traveled through Europe and had “life changing” experiences where they learned about the attention to detail and care that go into crafting a dessert.

The Earl Grey dark chocolate mousse is perhaps what Zuzu’s Petals is best known for. Unrelentingly sharp, the treat is served in a vintage teacup with a dollop of cream. The tiramisu uses ladyfingers made from scratch and coffee from Abracadabra Coffee Company in Vermont, pairing well with Pinot Noir. Another classic offering is the tonka crème brûlée, which is infused with tonka beans, featuring almond and cherry notes. Whisnant said that she is conscious about using fine ingredients—Valrhona chocolate, High Lawn Farm’s local cream and candied lemon peels from her sister’s tree in Berkeley.

To find the wines featured on the menu, the duo visits small family vineyards in Europe, meeting makers who welcome them and their young daughter, who travels with them. Some of their favorites include Movia’s Rebula Ribolla from Slovenia, which features flavors of quince, jasmine and vanilla. They also enjoy Domaine de l’Ocre Rouge’s La Perle from France, with its inflections of raspberries and cream, chestnut and vanilla. For those looking to dive into an immersive experience at Zuzu’s Petals, the cozy space offers French Club on Tuesday nights, where visitors can practice their language skills—and native French speakers drink wine for free.

For Whisnant, Zuzu’s Petals is not about spectacle. It’s not about bringing a performance to the table, it’s simply about the pleasure of celebrating a classic night with friends or a significant other. The name Zuzu’s Petals comes from a character in the 1940s film It’s a Wonderful Life, and that inspiration has shaped the world that guests enter when they step into the door.

“I want them to be reminded of all the reasons why life is incredible,” said Whisnant. “All of those best parts of life are condensed here. In the moment, when you’re eating a dessert and drinking wine, you’re feeling the energy. In It’s a Wonderful Life, [George Bailey] remembers that the reason he wants to live is for his family and his friends.”

204 Hampshire St, Cambridge
zuzuspetalscambridge.com

This story appeared in the Spring 2025 issue.