Opening news
Homey bistro-bakery in Cleburne brings some Southern joy to Fort Worth
Southern Joy in Cleburne is mighty sweet.
A sweet and cozy new bakery and bistro has found a home in Cleburne. Suitably named Southern Joy Bakery & Bistro, it focuses on home-style cooking, the type of comfort food you might get at your grandma’s house, if she’s a good cook and from the South.
The business is open at 208 E. Chambers St., in a quaint, 125-year-old building formerly occupied by local hot dog joint Loaf’n Dog, which relocated to a new spot in the same neighborhood.
Southern Joy is owned by Heather Aikman, a first-time restaurant owner who grew up in southeast Texas but moved to Cleburne in 2005 when Hurricane Rita struck. After a career in the corporate world, she decided to switch into something that always brought her joy: cooking for friends and family.
She got started by catering events and cottage baking out of her home before fully launching as a restaurant. Southern Joy opened in Cleburne in mid-February and Aikman is planning to hold a grand opening March 16.
“The support from the community has been amazing, and getting to do what I truly love to do and knowing that it makes people happy is the biggest accomplishment,” Aikman says. “I love knowing that when people walk in my doors, they can just relax and breathe for a moment and know that for however long they choose to linger, everything is going to be OK. We can give them that kind of respite in such a crazy time.”
She has no formal culinary training, but she has always savored the therapeutic nature of cooking from scratch, kneading doughs, and baking sweet treats. For now, her menu is fairly simple, but Aikman wants customers to know she’s open to feedback and even special requests.
“If you don’t see what you want, it’s probably because somebody hasn’t asked me to make it yet,” she says.
The menu has sandwiches, soups, and salads, but daily options may rotate based on what ingredients Aikman has on hand, or really, what she’s feeling inspired to create — “A lot of times, I don’t know what I’m going to make until the day of,” she says.
Depending on the day, Southern-inspired dishes might include mashed potatoes, chicken and dumplings, or enchiladas.
Sandwiches are $12-$13, and come on sourdough bread with choice of side salad (made from upscale spring mix), broccoli salad, potato chips, or, for an extra $2, soup.
Options include:
- Monte Cristo: raspberry jam, turkey, and ham
- Berries and Bacon: blackberry jalapeño jam, bacon, and Swiss
- Spinach and Sundried Tomato with provolone and basil pesto
- Turkey Cranberry with spiced cranberry jam, turkey, Brie, and arugula
There are also grilled cheese and PB&J sandwiches for kids.
A soup of the day is available for $5 for a cup or $8 for a bowl, with flavors rotating every couple days.
“I’ve always gravitated towards foods that are comforting,” Aikman says. “There are some things that you’re familiar with, but it’s more elevated than what you would do at your house.”
Desserts include pies, cookies, Danishes, cupcakes, and muffins, cinnamon rolls, and a coconut pecan loaf.
“It’s going to be whatever’s in the case that day,” Aikman says. “But if you want something, ask me and let’s see if we can do it.”
The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch during the week, with extended dinner hours on the weekends. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 7 am-3 pm; Friday and Saturday 7 am-9 pm; and closed Sunday and Wednesday.
