The courtyard at Montecito Country Mart was abuzz with guests flocking to the much anticipated opening of Oat Bakery last week.
Oat Bakery — the creation of Louise Ulrich-Fontana and her husband, Lou — got its start at 5 W. Haley St. in downtown Santa Barbara in 2017, then expanded in 2022 to 231 Magnolia Ave. in Old Town Goleta.
Now it’s added a Montecito store, at 1014 Coast Village Road, near James Perse and Poppy Store children’s boutique.
The space is intimate, at just 120 square feet, and was so crowded Thursday night that I couldn’t even sneak a peek at the display case inside.
To make up for it, the Fontanas set up a cart outside filled with a yummy variety of their focaccia, olives and vegan dips.
The sunset soiree included a bar serving Oso De Oro dry vermouth from T.W. Hollister & Co. and pours from locally sourced Âmevive wines.
“We are a small family business with Danish roots from my wife, Louise, based on a family recipe from Louise’s mom in Denmark, where healthy breads were always on the family menu,” Lou Fontana said.
Louise was born and raised in Copenhagen, home to some of the world’s best restaurants and an amazing array of bakeries.
The dynamic young entrepreneur’s goal is to change the way bread is created and eaten, by using whole grains, local produce from the farmers market, and superfoods like oats, chia seeds and flaxseeds to make Oat Bakery’s bread the healthiest and most nutritious.
The menu includes Scandinavian-inspired super buns, charcoal sesame sourdough focaccia, super seed Danish rye bread, pumpkin seed shiitake/shallot sage/garlic/organic date/almond bread, country sourdough, Danish hygge buns, seeded sourdough, and truffle cashew cream cheese and cilantro walnut pesto.
The Fontanas started by baking out of their kitchen and doing pop-ups around Santa Barbara, from Paseo Nuevo to the Montecito home of their friend, Susan Moe.
Juice Ranch encouraged them to make bread for its café, and the bakery still does business together with many other restaurants, like The Satellite Bar, Aperitivo Wine Bar, Gala, Melville Winery, Field + Fort and Green Table.
Oat Bakery’s breads are all organic and handmade in small batches at the Goleta store. The Fontanas aim to be a part of the community by providing an experience as well as a healthier choice.
“The Country Mart and other businesses have been very welcoming,” said Lou, who added that he and his wife are big fans of neighbors Bettina and Merci, as well as soon-to-be neighbor Alma Fonda Fina from Ramon Velazquez of Corazon Cocina fame.
“It’s great to be in such good company,” he said.
After driving all over the South Coast for Oat Bakery bread the last few years, I’m especially excited to be able to pick up some of my favorites right here at home in the 93108.
Oat Bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Catering is available.
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April 22, 2024 at 05:30AM
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