POULSBO — This is no average, run-of-the-mill cafe.

No, The Village Baker Cafe is much more of a rarity. A sight both for sore eyes, and savoring taste buds.

Since its opening on Mother’s Day 2007, Village Baker owners Michael and Molly Klupfell have expanded their Port Hadlock bakery business to include the retail shop in the heart of downtown Poulsbo, adding to their repertoire a host of scrumptious retail goods categorized as nothing short of divine.

Easily appreciated by all five senses, The Village Baker Cafe offers a full espresso bar and loose leaf teas from all over the world along with a line of certified organic artisan breads, an array of breakfast bakery favorites and menu of gourmet sandwiches for lunch. Making it even more unique, the shop also carries distinctive designer cakes and an impressive assortment of other desserts as artistic as they are edible.

The shop itself was designed to reflect a French cafe, Molly Klupfell said. Its warm wood finishes add to the comfortable atmosphere that sits before a wall of windows, offering a full view of Liberty Bay. The Village Baker Cafe also carries Longbottom Coffee from Oregon, just one in a long line of things the shop’s regulars have already come to enjoy.

“I think we’re different,” Klupfell said. “The fact that we’re so well received in the community proves that fact.”

Klupfell said the shop always has sample items for customers to try. Though making the decision between sweets can be agonizing, she joked any decision made will be a good one.

The Village Baker Cafe also offers specials, including the Cake-O-Rama. With the purchase of one sandwich and drink, a slice of cake costs just $1. Normally they run from $3-4, Klupfell said.

The cafe is currently showcasing Esther’s Orange Marmalade Layer Cake, a cake Klupfell said readers of Jan Karon’s Life in Mitford books will recognize. Other cakes offered include the Marie Antoinette, White Diamond, Cherry Swirl Cheesecake, Princess Cake and the infamous Tiramisu, one of which was once auctioned for $450.

Some cakes, cookies and other treats are offered seasonally, or decorated specially for certain times of year.

The Village Baker’s two pastry chef’s continue to outdo themselves with elegant, aesthetically pleasing goodies, Klupfell said. The Port Hadlock-based bakery was opened 12 years ago, and purchased by the Klupfells in 2005. It serves baked goods to Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam counties.

It’s a place she hopes those just starting in a baking career can learn and be mentored by her dedicated staff, of which all members are team players.

“Everyone wants to make it a success,” she said.