Manresa Bread, the quintessential neighborhood bakery born from Manresa’s kitchen, announced a new Campbell location debuting fall 2018, and representing an evolution of the concept into an all-day café. The opening is the third in as many years from Partner and Head Baker Avery Ruzicka and joins existing brick-and-mortar California locations in Los Gatos and Los Altos. The new bakery and café opens its doors from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. and features Ruzicka’s beloved house-milled sourdough breads as toasts and sandwiches, alongside small plates. Laminated pastries, artisan loaves, and seasonal specialties exclusive to this location join the menu as well. Additionally, a curated selection of beer and wine accompany the tea program and Verve Coffee offerings.
Notably, the location, 195 E. Campbell Ave., 50 miles south of San Francisco, sits directly opposite Ruzicka’s first farmers’ market stall, at which she debuted the Manresa Bread Project in 2013. The project, driven by Ruzicka’s determination to offer the bread outside of the three-Michelin-star Manresa experience, quickly gained a following. The resulting Manresa Bread concept rapidly grew to include two retail locations, a commissary, farmers’ market stalls in Palo Alto and Campbell, and a wider network of distribution including Verve Coffee’s Northern California cafes, and national shipping available for the lower 48.
“We are in the midst of an exciting time for the bakery, from a new mill that enables us to mill 90 percent of our grains in house, to the upcoming Campbell all-day café,” Ruzicka says. “We want to serve as a new community hub for the town, offering more ways for guests to enjoy their local bakery experience, from stopping in for a morning coffee and croissant to-go, to sitting down for a leisurely breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”
The menu includes offerings for any meal, from a Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwich on an Onion Mustard Bun or Coconut and Pearls with Fresh Fruit and Manresa Bread Granola to Grain Bowls featuring puffed and cooked local grains or Sourdough Cacio e Pepe for dinner. For “On Bread” Ruzicka’s naturally leavened fresh milled sourdough bread will be topped with simple, seasonal toppings created in house like fresh butter, Salted Valrhona Chocolate Spread and ’Nduja and Burrata. “Between Bread” features exceptionally prepared sandwiches such as Fried Banana Almond Butter and Jam and Grilled Cheese with Onion Jam. In addition, a cold case will include seasonal quiches, salads, and cheese for a quick meal, whether dinning in or out.
Guests will find their Manresa Bread bakery favorites including the signature Levain, Fruit and Nut Loaf, hand-rolled Croissants, and Whole Wheat Chocolate Walnut Cookies, as well as rotating selections like the Whole Grain Salted Caramel Sourdough Donuts, Triple Chocolate Orange Panettone, Chocolate Babka, and more.
The cafe’s beverage offerings will continue to feature the Verve coffee and Song Teas found in current Manresa Bread locations. They will be joined by local beers, a curated selection of wines featuring California selections and international finds, and a cocktail program featuring fresh pressed juice and vegetable-driven drinks. A happy hour will run daily from 4-8 p.m.
Designed by San Francisco’s r.vH design studio alongside Eaton Hall Architecture, the 2,100-square-foot café features a clean aesthetic with the bakery case as its main focal point. Pops of colorful tiles, geometric design features, and bright wood highlights punctuate the space, which offers seating for 35 guests.
