History
Before Leila Bakery & Cafe, Chef Kelly Ball ran Naturally Curly Cook, a playful name for what was to be a blog about food and joy of cooking. With some hard work and soft luck, we found an affordable industrial kitchen near downtown Dallas, and started on our journey: wholesale baked goods, catering, and 3am Farmer's Markets. The more we baked, the more our fan base grew, and soon we were really known for our hand-made, finger-pushed quiche, and stand-alone flaky crust. And when we finally found the perfect spot for our bakery in Lakewood, it was also time to change our name. The name Leila comes from my husband's aunt in Serbia, as does the colorful warm lamp that hangs over our register. The relationship with aunt Leila was from the start colorful and warm, augmenting the language barrier between us with stories of love, family, cooking and connections between them. We invite you to come into our space, be served, feel loved, and enjoy delicious food, music and life.