Saratoga Business Journal
By Rod Bacon
A local business that started out serving delectable sweet treats has expanded its offerings to include breakfast and lunch items.
Owner Darren De Vietro, the son of a chef who grew up creating Italian baked goods with his mother and grandmother, was director of restaurant operations at the Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs from 2018 until last April. In 2021 he launched Saratoga Dessert Bar, which he operated part time out of a commissary kitchen at 41 Washington Street.
“We were doing online only and I wanted to move to a retail store for more opportunity, so I completely shut down that kitchen and moved,” he said.
He left his position at the Adelphi to open his storefront in the Wilton Mall, originally continuing to offer a large variety of cookies, cheesecakes, brownies, and other dessert selections. Last month he added breakfast sandwiches, New York-style bagels, and cinnamon rolls, which are served all day. Lunch items include tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, BLTs, and turkey clubs. There is also coffee, espresso, and iced drinks. This prompted a name change to Saratoga Dessert & Food Bar.
“When we first opened we weren’t really busy until the afternoon or evening so we had to evolve,” he said. “There are a lot of employees in the mall, especially with the satellite offices of Saratoga Hospital, and they’re looking for other options.”
De Vietro is assisted in food preparation by his store manager, Sarah Himmelwright, who has been with him for two years.
“She knows all my recipes and is a tremendous help,” he said.
He has four employees who are primarily responsible for the front of the house. They wait on customers at the counter, take online orders, make the coffees and espressos, and do light prep.
He said he looked for quite a while for an appropriate location for his expanded business. He explored opportunities at the Wilton Mall, among other places, and new owner Faraz Kahn reached out to him about joining the shops in the food court.
“Faraz is in the process of creating a food court with local owners representing international cuisine, he said. “I wanted to be part of that.”
De Vietro said the 600-square-foot space was in pretty good condition. He just had to clean it up a little and install the proper equipment to create his baked goods.
Wilton Mall hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Saratoga Dessert & Food Bar typically stays open an hour or two longer. Online orders are accepted until 8:45 p.m. to give employees time to fill them.
“We get a late night rush, which is one of the busiest times of our day,” said De Vietro. “People enjoy getting a sweet dessert after dinner.”
To peruse the selections at Saratoga Dessert & Food Bar go to saratogadessertbar.com.