Warning: Reading this article will cause your mouth to water and your stomach to growl.
Just as its name implies, this fairly new spot along Middlesex Avenue in Metuchen has a selection of coffee and bread – and so much more.
Seven days a week, James Straub travels to Park Slope, Brooklyn, to Buttermilk Bakeshop, Baked NYC and Runner & Stone to get the best cookies, cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, bread, croissants, sweet Danishes and brownies.
Erik Diamond and his wife Rebecca Sabreen, along with their business partner Clinton Straub (James’s father), wanted a “beautiful, trendy, cozy spot,” said Diamond, who moved to Metuchen a little over two years ago.
They opened in March, realizing they were missing their favorite items from their Brooklyn home.
“The whole idea was to bring fresh items from Brooklyn,” Diamond said, noting, although it’s only about a 40-minute drive, they wanted “that New York experience in our little town.”
Bakery items are just part of all the deliciousness. There is a brand-new sandwich menu. Over the summer, patrons were able to enjoy a caprese with pesto with fresh Jersey tomatoes from the farmers market on a sesame semolina. Yum! Also, there is a year-round peanut, butter and jelly, or PB&J made with pistachio butter and strawberry preserves on buttery brioche bread. Double yum!
Some specialty items include salted caramel bars (their version of a Twix); and a Rocher cake made with chocolate cake, hazelnut buttercream and topped with the truffles. Woah!
Diamond and Straub have been wanting to co-own a business together, and this was the perfect opportunity. They decided on three core business concepts: great food, great service and being part of the community.
Diamond said their Middlesex Avenue location is “really welcoming and a safe haven – and [just] a fun, good energy place to hang out.”
Special events have been planned for the LGBTQ+ community, the Metuchen Milers, the Metuchen Arts Council and Picture Perfect Studios. There is local artwork adorning the walls and a DJ or jazz band may play at night on occasion.
They recently held a pop-up shop for the YMCA so that parents who were dropping off their kids to camp on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the summer could grab some sweet treats including a DiCosmo’s Italian Ice’s special ice cream sandwich collaboration.
“We want to bring everyone together,” Diamond said of their vision. “The great food, the great service and being a central go-to spot for the town and surrounding areas (is key).”
Diamond and his wife “fell in love with the town” and they wasted no time getting involved. He is on the Parks and Recreation Commission and she is part of Shade Tree Commission. Diamond has a background in the food and hotel industries; his first job out of college was serving the athletes at the Olympic Village in Athens, Greece. So cool! He also worked for Baked by Melissa, the vegan chain By Chloe (now known as Beatnic) and Pop Up Bagels.
Sabreen is a nutritionist, and “a zero waste advocate.” So, they partnered with Too Go To Go so that anything left over at the end of the day is offered at a discounted price through the app.
“We have not thrown anything out since we started with them,” Diamond said proudly.
They have about 10 employees on staff – half of whom are local high school students, and many who are from Metuchen and the surrounding towns.
At Beans & Bread, they are a “tight-knit” family working together in the 1,300-square-foot space.
“The emphasis for me always has been on the quality of our food and having a great team behind that, and being part of a community,” Diamond said. “Our home is your home.”
Beans & Bread is located at 660 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen. The hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
There are gluten-free, vegan and nut-free options available. There is no set kid’s menu, but they offer plenty of options for a kid’s sweet palate.
For more information, visit www.beansandbread.com or follow them at @beansandbreadbakery.
