For almost 21 years, Ambrosia Bakery Co. has served Hot Springs a wide selection of breads and sweets including cakes, cookies, cupcakes, pastries and pies.
Now, the bakery is doling out its delectable products from the downtown area, having recently relocated a block from the Hot Springs Farmers & Artisans Market near the Hot Springs Greenway trailhead, at 307 Broadway St.
In addition to the classic treats that customers have grown to know and love Ambrosia for, visitors to the bakery can now enjoy a variety of breakfast and lunch options in the store's new expanded seating area with a view of the Greenway.
Owners Millie Baron and Mick Stoyanov and Millie's son, Adam Baron, opened the new location on May 3, and Adam says the new location has generated a lot of interest so far.
"I think there's a lot more traffic downtown, even probably more so than there was a couple of years ago and that's thanks in large part to the Greenway park behind us, and of course the farmers market pavilion," Adam Baron said. "We've had a lot of really great reception, I think from loyal customers who have followed us and some new people who have seen us in a new location."
The new Ambrosia is located in a building that dates back to the 1920s, he said. In addition to the need to expand the bakery's production capacity and offerings, he said the decision to move the bakery to its new location was also based on Millie Baron's wishes to "be a part of revitalizing an area of downtown that she has loved so much and take a really cool, old part of downtown and re-use it for a cool, new purpose."
"We're very, very proud of the interior. It's sort of recycling and reusing parts of Hot Springs in our effort to be as green as possible. We are going to be doing a pretty extensive recycling program here with all of our trash and rubbish, but also using the building itself; we've got a lot of the original exposed brick, the original concrete floors and everything," Adam Baron said.
For breakfast, in addition to the freshly baked bagels that Ambrosia has been making every day for years, customers can now enjoy a ham and egg puff pastry that he said is "out of this world" and a daily quiche special that will soon be made with fresh produce from the farmers market.
On the lunch menu is a variety of sandwiches and salads, with most of the sandwiches featuring bread that is handmade in the bakery. Sandwiches can be made on whole grain bread, braided egg bread or a French baguette.
"So, hopefully people will come, enjoy the lunch, enjoy the sandwich, and realize those are loaves of bread that their family needs to be enjoying throughout the week and take some of it home," he said.
Ambrosia Bakery is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
Local on 05/07/2017