Downtown Indianola’s Savor the Rise’s Little Italy toast stars house-made sourdough, ricotta cheese, pesto, prosciutto and shaved Parmesan over a bed of arugula and finished with their private label extra virgin olive oil. Photo by Duane Tinkey.
Writer: Karla Walsh
A short 25-minute drive away from downtown Des Moines, there’s a lot to savor at Deja Keppler’s bakery Savor the Rise (107 E. Salem Ave., Indianola). Scroll through the @savortherise Instagram account for proof; recent speedy sell-out items include cherry-almond croissants, fig tarts with Mascarpone cream and the Saturday special: cinnamon rolls.
In December 2021, Savor the Rise opened its doors on the Indianola square after Keppler spent more than two years selling at farmers markets, developing a list of wholesale accounts and custom orders, and launching her own olive oil and balsamic company (with the same brand name). She now welcomes guests into her cozy coffee shop/bakery that’s overflowing with good energy—and even better aromas.
Even though the space needed a lot of work and took 2 1/2 months to renovate, “with the preexisting customer base, and almost feeling limited to what I could bring the consumer at farmers markets, it just felt like the right next step,” she says.
Keppler’s love of pastries is nothing new: “I stayed home with both of my children when they were younger, so it allowed me a decent amount of time to tinker with things. Baking ended up becoming a wonderful passion for me.”
Savor the Rise often sells out well before the scheduled close time each day, likely the result of all of the products’ local, seasonal ingredients, Keppler says, paired with a healthy dose of nostalgia. “I really love being able to create recipes that make people feel something—an adult version of a childhood favorite, like banana-mocha lattes, ‘adult toaster strudels’ made with berries and cream in puff pastry, or PB&J toast,” she says.
In addition to pasties, Keppler creates loads of loaves. Homemade breads like potato rosemary and sourdough are popular, as well as sandwiches, toasts with a variety of toppings, sweet lattes, fruit-infused balsamic vinegars and some of the richest-tasting olive oil you can find in the state.
The shop is open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or until sold out).
