ABC7 Unite: Black-owned cafe provides community foodies with trendy treats and drinks
BALDWIN, New York (WABC) -- There's always something new on the menu at the Sweet & Savory Café and that's how the owner, Antoinette Burrows, likes it.
Burrows opened up her café in 2014 and has not stopped changing the menu since. There was a time when she would change the menu every day, so that every customer who would come in, would have to try something different.
However, that began to be too much to keep up with, so now Burrows switches out her menu every week. Her café not only offers a wide variety of coffees and teas, but she also serves scrumptious bites ranging from baked goods to savory meals.
"It wasn't fun anymore doing the same thing over and over and over," said Burrows. "You wouldn't know what you would get when you walked through the door, but people gravitated to us because of that."
Burrows takes a lot of her inspiration from her grandmother who was a chef herself. Burrows wanted to honor her by continuing her legacy of bringing joy through food.
"I think food is like the constant thing that can make anyone smile," said Burrows. "For me, that's nice to change someone's day in a positive way."
Burrows isn't afraid to take risks when it comes to food and she encourages customers who come into the shop to step out of the box and try something different.
"We first learned about the café I was excited to see something different," said customer Silvana Diaz. "I wish we can have more like this in Baldwin, it's just so needed."
Burrows loves that her café has become a staple in the Baldwin community and that her daughters can see how her hard work and passion for food has made her confident in her abilities to run a business.
"Coming into this industry was quite challenging because I didn't see people like me in this industry," said Burrows. "I figured I can actually kind of get in this industry, conquer it, and actually set an example for people coming behind me."
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I usually stick to a plain iced coffee as my drink of choice, but Burrows suggested I try an oat matcha latte. I do not usually drink green things, but the drink was refreshing and healthy. I'm glad she encouraged me to try something new that I probably would not have gotten before.
If you are unsure what to get from the menu, Burrows recommends to always get whatever is new. She guarantees you will not be disappointed and you'll be experiencing a new food or drink journey that you might have not been on before.
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