Melanie’s Eats-N-Sweets offers homemade desserts and lunches

For years, Melanie Rozler has been in high demand for her specialty cakes, pies and baked goods from family members and friends.

“This was really just a hobby that I did, but everyone kept encouraging me to give up what I was doing and open up a business of my own,” Rozler said.

At the time, Rozler, who has a degree in community mental health, was employed by Aspire of WNY, working with people with disabilities.

“I found that making cakes was my ‘happy place’ and that maybe it was time to try a different challenge,” she said.

Not unfamiliar with the dining trade, she worked as a waitress while earning her bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo. She decided that opening a small cafe/bakery would be right up her alley and set to work on it.

So on May 1, with the support of her family, Rozler opened Melanie’s Eats-N-Sweets in the cafe portion of Monroe’s Place, 182 Lake St. in Hamburg.

Inside the bright and airy cafe/ bake shop, the customer is offered a selection of freshly baked cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and cupcakes, along with soups, salads, sandwiches and daily lunch specials.

“My ‘perfect ending’ desserts are very popular,” Rozler said. “I make a variety of cakes, pies and cheese cakes that are small enough for one or can be split between two. The pies just fly out of here.”

The popular pies include peanut butter fudge, chocolate, banana cream, coconut cream, cherry, blueberry and lemon meringue, along with special ones, like turtle pies, on occasions.

She also makes cake pops, (iced dollops of cake on a stick) and right now she offers Cake Pops for a Cause, a pink lemonade iced cake pop, with the proceeds donated to Breast Cancer Awareness.

Rozler, who does all the baking and also lends a hand at serving, has a small staff helping her in the cafe, which includes cook, Pam Canazzi; servers, Richy Hernandez and Korey Wigdor, and step-daughter, Alle Rozler.

“On the weekends my mom, Donna Ludwig, and my mother-in-law, Linda Rozler, help out, they all are really great,” she said.

Along with the desserts, the full-service cafe offers a variety of freshly made sandwiches, wraps, salads, daily specials and soups, on those colder, damp days.

“I also do catering and I make pies and cakes to order. I love a challenge and have made cakes in the shape of ladybugs, Ninja turtles, you name it, I’ll try to bake it,” she said.

Along with baked goods and the luncheons, there is a brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m on Saturdays and Sundays, offering three types of meat, three types of eggs, home fries, muffins, pancakes, fruit, coffee, tea, juice or milk for $9.99. On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17, dads get brunch at half price.

“I’m really having a great time with this. I’m meeting lots of new people and I’m already getting regulars, which is really exciting,” Rozler said.

To celebrate her new venture, there will be a special event on Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17, during regular hours, where customers will be able to participate in raffles, there will be cake pops for children and free baked gifts with purchase.

Entrance to the cafe is facing the parking lot on the side of Monroe’s Place and hours are: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s closed on Monday.

For more information call 238-0920 or visit www.melanieseatsandsweets.com. to check for extended summer hours.