Sugar High Bakery is newest addition to Belleville’s ‘Sweet Street’
At 18, Amber Weiss’ dream was to open her own bakery. Nearly 25 years later, she’s found the recipe for making that dream come true.
Weiss is the owner of the newest sweets source on Belleville’s Main Street. Sugar High Bakery and Cafe, located at 100 E. Main St., is slated to open Nov. 3.
Sugar High will offer custom cakes, cookies and what Weiss calls “crazy sweet, over-the-top” treats, as well as breakfast, brunch and lunch food items, a full line of coffee beverages and some adult drinks.
Weiss had originally planned to open her bakery in February. When the COVID-19 pandemic started closing restaurants and other businesses, she decided to step back and take her time to better prepare for launch.
The building needed a lot of work, Weiss said. She and her boyfriend did most of it themselves, learning as they went. Sugar High has new wall tile, custom counter tops by Sikorski Signs, and new equipment.
The floor was stripped down to the original maple flooring and refinished.
In the meantime, Weiss accepts custom cake orders that she fills at home. With inspiration photos provided by customers and a few days’ time, Weiss is able to create her own designs. She bakes a cake the day before the event and decorates it the morning of. She tends to avoid using plastic decorations, making as much as possible out of cake. She said she also prefers buttercream icing to fondant, the stiff clay-like icing often used to decorate cakes.
Sugar High is on a corner of what’s become a “sweet street” in Belleville. The bakery is located a few doors down from Crafty Sugar Company, Sugar Fix Bakery, which also offers custom decorated cakes, and Pour@322.
Three things to know:
Weiss’ interest in cake decorating started when she was 15 and working as a bagger at Schnucks in Swansea. There were times when extra help was needed in the bakery and she would gladly fill in. It wasn’t long before she was decorating and baking cakes full time.
Downtown Belleville is important to Weiss, who has many memories of visiting the different shops with her grandmother. She felt strongly that Sugar High needed to be located at 100 E. Main St., the same space that was once home to Lerner’s clothing store, where Weiss’ grandmother once worked.
The storefront windows at Sugar High were painted by art students from Belleville Township High School West, Weiss’ alma mater.
What’s on the menu:
Cakes and other sweets are the main draw at Sugar High. Other menu items are quick, easy-to-grab items. Breakfast/Brunch fare includes burritos and quesadillas, breakfast calzones and hot sandwiches, some with egg whites and avocado, and bacon, egg and cheese. Lunch includes mostly cold sandwiches. Some vegan-friendly options will also be on the menu. Beer, wine and limited mixed drinks will be available, as well as Goshen Coffee and specialty coffee beverages.
Location and hours:
Sugar High Bakery and Cafe is located at 100 E. Main St., Belleville. The hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. They are closed Sunday and Monday.
For more information about Sugar High, visit the Facebook page or call 618-340-6943.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 7:00 AM.