It isn’t all about cake and cookies, they serve breakfast and lunch too
Jamie Connelly started cooking professionally when she was 13 years old at a doughnut shop. For the past 16 months, she’s been running the deli and breakfast side of The Buttery’s kitchen, which added savory items to the menu eight years ago. Connelly says word about the long-established bakery’s sandwiches and salads is finally catching on. “It’s like our little baby that we’re trying to nourish into this nice, local community café,” she says.
GT: How late are you open?
Jamie Connelly: Seven. We’re open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Since I’ve been here, it’s shifted: business would die at 1:00, and now it’s busy until 5:30—just as busy as it was in the morning.
What’s the difference between a Croque Madame and a Croque Monsieur?
A Croque Madame has asparagus. It’s the vegetarian version, and then a Croque Monsieur is ham, so it’s a feminine and masculine version of the croque I guess? A croque is an open-faced sandwich.
Do you get to bring home cake?
Heck, ya! Actually, we’re very fortunate here because of all of that stuff. We don’t believe in selling old stuff, but it’s got to go somewhere. We get all sorts of luxuries. Put on the pounds for bikini season.
What’s with the newly expanded patio furniture?
We try to read our Yelp reviews and connect with the community as much as we can. That was definitely something: ‘Well, the food’s good if you have somewhere to sit and eat it.’
Does it get hot in the kitchen?
Even when it’s not hot outside. It’s really small back there, and we pack it with people. I don’t know if you’ve ever been here during the busy times, but it’s always fresh on the deli side. If you’re going to get a salad or any of that stuff, it was made that morning—which means I have all these people, first thing in the morning, busting out food. So from the very beginning, everything gets turned on and starts heating up. There’s all of this stuff happening all at once. There’s essentially five work stations, but I’ve got 10 people in there at all times. It’s two people side by side all over, but it’s the only way we can keep fresh contingency within the building.
INFO: 702 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz,458.3020
