MANITOU BEACH — After 25 years of working in the hospitality industry in downtown Toledo, partners Shalene Beard and Jordan Hunyor decided to make a go of their own business.

“We’ve wanted something of our own for a long time,” Beard said.  

For Beard, starting the Blackbird Cafe & Baking Company at Manitou Beach seemed like returning to her childhood experiences of having a cottage at Devils Lake. The cafe opened on May 2. Beard said the focus of the items on the menu is that everything is homemade on site.

“We do all of our bread, cookies, cinnamon rolls, fresh-baked brioche buns,” Beard said. “We make all of our own dressings, all of our own sauces.”

“Everything is from scratch,” she added, including the chicken salad and granola. She even makes homemade dog treats, which she gives away to the dogs that visit the cafe with their owners. 

The menu includes baked items, including croissants, cinnamon rolls, focaccia, and sourdough loaves.  Breakfast items include a variety of breakfast sandwiches on homemade baked items. 

Brunch includes sandwiches such as the “Fungus Amungus,” “Chicky Salad” and “The Portland,” among others, as well as a choice of salad bowls. Side items include the Blackbird Slaw, which includes smoked blue cheese and a champagne vinaigrette dressing.  

“Our Blackbird Slaw is a favorite,” Beard said. 

Coffee beverages and cold drinks, such as smoothies and homemade lemonade, are also on the menu. Beard and Hunyor said they squeeze the lemons themselves, in keeping with the homemade style of the cafe.

“Our personal mission is to make as much as we can from scratch,” Hunyor said. 

The cafe seats 28 people, with additional seating outdoors. Beard said that the upscale interior, which features dark gray walls, might not be the bright interior some people would expect.

“Some people think it’s a little dark in here, but that’s our vibe,” Beard said.

Other amenities include a chess table, board games and a community “Leave a book, take a book” library. Beard said she would eventually like to start a book club as well. 

Menu items are available for quick-service dine-in and takeout. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

The Blackbird Cafe & Baking Company is located at 135 Devils Lake Highway in Manitou Beach. The menu is available online at blackbirdcafedevils.com. More information can be found at Facebook at facebook.com/blackbirdcafedevilslake.