Baked and Brewed Cafe Relocates to Main Street Oneonta

By ESTEPHANIE GOMEZ
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA

Baked and Brewed Cafe has relocated to Main Street in Oneonta, bringing fresh energy to a downtown stretch that has seen several restaurant closures in recent years. Located in the former Roots Public Social Club location at 175 Main Street, the cafe blends a modern, city-inspired aesthetic with a strong emphasis on community, locally-sourced ingredients, and a welcoming atmosphere for residents and students alike.

“It all started with a bagel and a dream,” said Jordan Tolley, one of the eatery’s kitchen managers.

The idea for Baked and Brewed Cafe took shape during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, owner Tyler Bookhout decided to pursue his long-standing goal of opening a food business. He partnered with his brother, Erik Hartshorn, and longtime friends Matthias Wesner and Ian Yoder to launch Everything Bagelry, a New York City-style artisan bagel manufacturer based in Bainbridge.

The successful bagel business began to grow beyond its founders’ original expectations, leading to the opening of Baked and Brewed Cafe in October 2024—originally located in Oneonta’s West End Plaza co-op eatery that also houses Muddy River Farm Brewery and Ty’s Taco-ria.

Tolley and his business partners all grew up in small towns.

“We wanted to bring something [that] typically you can only get by traveling to the city. So, we put our own ‘upstate’ spin on it, and it grew into more than anyone expected,” he said.

From the beginning, the owners aimed to distinguish the cafe from other local eateries by prioritizing quality ingredients and partnerships with nearby suppliers. In a town with several well-established breakfast eateries—Baked and Brewed sits right next door to Oneonta Bagel Co. and across the street from Latte Lounge—the upstart Baked and Brewed focuses on sourcing products that reflect both regional flavor and craftsmanship.

“We’re trying to source local and use the local economy and work with local organizations. And just really be part of the community,” said Shane LoBuglio, the cafe’s chef.

Tolley added to this point by referring to their “hand rolled bagels made fresh in Bainbridge, locally-sourced honey, no preservatives, or refined sugars,” as well as “locally-sourced meats from Steiner Packing in Otego.”

The move to Main Street was both a business decision and a personal one, particularly for LoBuglio, who grew up in Oneonta. He remembers a time when downtown served as a central gathering place for shopping and community life.

“When I was a child, you know, you used to do your Christmas shopping on Main Street. Now it’s very hard to… have a reason to go,” he lamented.

LoBuglio has observed a decrease in businesses on Main Street, especially those that cater to a broad clientele. Baked and Brewed Cafe hopes to help reverse that trend by offering a space that appeals to both longtime residents and younger customers, including Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta students.

“We want to take advantage of the college kids being here, provide them a service, and also don’t forget about the hometown people,” explained LoBuglio.

Multiple staffers described one of the most rewarding aspects of working at the cafe being their interactions with the diverse mix of customers who come through the door. Adella Dapice, one of the cafe’s employees, especially enjoys conversations with local regulars.

“I’d say, Oneonta has the most interesting characters that come in,” she laughed.

Immediately before talking to AllOtsego, Dapice found herself in a lengthy exchange with a local customer.

“He was telling me a lot about various things, about science. Yeah. Physics and whatever. And I find that very interesting,” she said.

With two nearby colleges, students make up a significant portion of Oneonta’s population, and the cafe aims to offer them a place to relax, study, and socialize.

“I would say I would love to promote this place to students, especially because of the open space and the calm vibe. I think it’s a beautiful place to come and study,” Dapice said. As someone who recently graduated college, she appreciates the open space in Baked and Brewed.

Regular customers Kim Catalan and Rodrigo Lopez say the food keeps them coming back. For Lopez, the quality stands out among local options.

“I think the food here is the highlight. It has actual flavor compared to, like, other stores where it’s just so repetitive,” Lopez described. “And we have two delis now, but this one just hits home. I’m from the city, so I like the bacon, egg and cheese.”

Catalan, whose favorite order is the lox burger, says, “No other place in Oney does it with salmon. If you like salmon, it is really good.”

Both customers also believe the value matches the price.

“I would say, as a broke college student, the food is definitely worth the price. I’m especially going back to the lox burger,” Catalan said.

Looking ahead, Baked and Brewed Cafe has plans to expand beyond breakfast service and further establish itself as a community hub. Currently, the venue is only open for breakfast and lunch service, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day.

“Right now, we’re just doing our breakfast service, but eventually we will be getting a license and be doing after hours,” LoBuglio said. “We will probably close for like two or three hours during the day, set up for dinner time, and then we’ll be doing performances and we’ll have comedy.”

With plans for live entertainment and extended hours, the cafe hopes to continue growing its presence in downtown Oneonta. Staff members emphasize that the goal is to create an inviting, inclusive space for everyone in the community—even dogs are welcome.

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.