©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com
By R.J. DeLuke
A new restaurant serving breakfast and lunch has opened on the west side of Saratoga Springs, specializing in fresh breakfast sandwiches, homemade baked goods and its unique blend of coffee.
Beekman Street Cafe opened in April at 51 Ash St. in the Beekman Street Arts District (at the corner of Beekman and Ash streets), “quietly,” said co-owner Darren DeVietro, and its official grand opening was held May 1.
He owns the business with his father, Dominick DeVietro. The pair has owned the restaurant 62 Beekman St., just down the block, for nearly three years.
DeVietro said about a year and a half ago, 62 Beekman started making its own homemade desserts (he is the baker) and “they just took off” in popularity. With the demand growing, and limited space, they started looking for another place where the baking could be done.
The building, formerly Rena’s Fine Flowers, became available and “we jumped at it,” DeVietro said. “We love the arts district. We love where we”re at and all the locals.”
The idea then developed from just a baking spot to a place for breakfast, coffee and lunch. DeVietro said the local residents often expressed there was so such place on the west side for that type of service.
Beekman Street Cafe fills that void. He said breakfast sandwiches, in particular, are popular because the eggs are made to order, on the spot. “A lot of places around here microwave their eggs,” he noted. “Our are fresh-cooked, to order, something that was missing on the west side.”
There are also pancakes, omelettes, bagels in addition to the popular baked items, like cookies, muffins and scones. Lunches include salads, soups and a variety of sandwiches. He said the first menu was already tweaked a few times as input came in from customers, including a call for gluten-free and vegetarian dishes.
People can order breakfast at any time of day.
The cozy space seats 15, but to-go food is popular.
DeVietro said the cafe has a variety of coffees and espressos, with product from Capital City Coffee Roasters. The house blend is a mixture of five beans and unique to Beekman Street Cafe.
DeVietro and his father co-manage both arts district establishments. The elder is an executive chef who has been in the restaurant business for some 30 years. He creates the menus for both places, but cook staff at the cafe handles preparation and cooking in the cafe.
Darren DeVietro worked for a few years at a cafe the family owned in Connecticut.
“So far, it’s been great,” DeVietro said of the business flow thus far. “Each day is busier than the last one.”
The cafe is started with hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but will be expanding to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its website is www.beekmanstreetcafe.com and its phone number is 886-1606.