Solodko, Ukrainian for “sweet”, is Boston’s newest bakery, and has quite a sweet tale. Not long before founder, Ilona Znakharchuk, opened up her very own pastry shop on Brooks Street in Brighton with her sister, Irina, she was only a sophomore at Boston College when the idea of Solodko started to bake.
After a visit to their family in Ukraine, Ilona and Irina craved the artisanal sweets they tasted that were nowhere to be found back in Boston. Ilona was incredibly inspired by their family friend’s daughter who owned a wonderful French macaron shop in Lviv, Ukraine. Shortly after their trip, Ilona started baking her own assortment of desserts inspired by those she tasted on her visit to Ukraine to satisfy that gnawing sweet tooth.
Not long after, Ilona and Irinia were satisfying the sweet tooth of the entire Boston College campus, getting orders from students and professors after Ilona’s roommate encouraged her to share her confections on Instagram. Then a double-major in math and music, Ilona and her sister Irina would spend the weekends baking and delivering orders at their parent’s home. The Shea Center for Student Entrepreneurship Accelerator Boston College, helped Irina identify the businesses future, which came in handy of steering the course of the business post-graduation in 2021 while working a full-time finance job during the day and baking by night with her sister.
After a few prayers and telltale dreams, the duo decided it was time to go all in on their vision to expand Solodko, especially since they’d outgrown the commercial kitchen space they’d been using. Renovations for their Brighton storefront began in August 2022, and Solodko officially opened its doors in November 2022!
Holiday treats from Solodko Boston
The sweets and ambiance at Solodko are unlike anything else in the city. Irina says she hopes a visit to Solodko feels memorable:
Visitors will get a chance to experience a little feel of modern-day Ukraine when they visit Solodko Boston. The invasion of our home country last February was absolutely devastating, and our hopes are to keep the spirit of Ukraine alive in Boston, among the local community, even if we’re oceans away from our family, friends, and native country.
Their treats pay homage to the early days of their business–Solodko has a a very unique line of croissant pastries on the menu, including a new holiday flavor featuring blue cheese, walnut, and pear! Another holiday special are its festive French macaron flavors, peppermint and orange, complimented with a unique holiday coffee blend only available in December!
Solodko bestsellers are also on the menu, like their raspberry pistachio croissants, Ukrainian cake, with the world famous Medovik (honey cake) being Solodko’s most popular cake flavor. They have a rotating sleection of 5 different macaron flavors at a time and everything is handmade from scratch at Solodko. Prices and flavors are available on the Solodko website! It’s truly what sweet dreams are made of.
If you have a larger holiday party, Solodko offers advanced cake ordering and special event catering. simply fill out the contact form online.
Find Solodko at 38 Brooks St, Brighton, MA 02135
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wed, Fri, Sat from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm