New Artisanal Bakery To Bring Decadent Treats To Metuchen

METUCHEN, NJ — A new bakery is all set to open in Metuchen and they are bringing artisanal delights to the Brainy Borough.

Beans & Bread will focus on delivering high-quality artisanal pastries, bread, cakes, and baked goods, said proprietor Erik Diamond.

“Our products will come in from the best bakeries in Brooklyn,” Diamond said.

During the height of the pandemic, Diamond and his wife Rebecca moved to Metuchen from Brooklyn and immediately fell in love with the vibe of the borough.

“Everyone here is so incredibly nice and we made so many friends. It’s very easy to get involved in activities in the borough,” said Diamond who is also on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Having worked in the food and hospitality industry, including the famous Magnolia Bakery, Diamond wanted to bring quality American baked products to Metuchen. Along with his business partner Clinton Straub, Diamond came up with the vision for Beans & Bread.

“When you look around, there aren’t any artisanal classic American bakeries in the neighborhood. I'm talking cookies, bars, and brownies. There are some really good Indian and Spanish bakeries. But there's a dearth of traditional American bakeries and that's what we're trying to establish,” Diamond said.

Beans & Bread will be bringing fresh products from Brooklyn bakeries every day. The baked goods will include fermented sourdough bread, cakes, croissants, chocolate chip cookies, lemon bars, blondies, brownies and more. They will also be serving the “perfect cup of coffee to go with it,” Diamond said.

With inflation and COVID-19 hitting many small businesses, Diamond and Straub wanted to build a consistent business model that was sustainable.

“We're not doing any of the baking on site. We’re buying a product at a set price that will help us control costs and allow us to hire amazing staff,” Diamond said.

The business partners are focused on providing jobs locally. “We're not focused on hiring people that are specifically trained as baristas. Our focus is on hiring amazing personalities that feature our community,” Diamond explained.

The tentative opening date for Beans & Bread is March 1. Ahead of that, a few community events will be held to build excitement around the inauguration.

“Metuchen has a vibrant downtown, but they don't try to bring big businesses. We are holding on to what we are and are focused on supporting local,” Diamond said. “A bakery will be a great addition.”

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