On Friday, Oct. 1, bakery and restaurant The Toast opened at Hamilton College, located in the Sadove Student Center.
Tonya Duffy co-founded The Toast with her daughter, Kylie Gunnip, six and a half years ago in Canastota, New York. The business moved to Cazenovia, N.Y. in Oct. 2020, allowing for a larger menu and an expansion of their wholesale operations. The Toast currently sells baked goods to three cafés in Syracuse, Manlius and Cicero, N.Y.
The new storefront on Hamilton’s campus marks The Toast’s second location.
The College initially reached out to Duffy when Café Opus closed their doors. Fojo Beans was ultimately selected as the replacement, but The Toast and Hamilton remained in contact. Shortly after, the closing of Euphoria Smoothies provided another opportunity for the bakery.
“We’re so lucky to have been asked to do this,” said Duffy. “It’s a beautiful college, and we’re super excited to be here.”
Duffy started working with Nicole Fuller three weeks ago, and she now manages the on-campus bakery. Though The Toast only recently opened in Sadove, Fuller and Duffy expressed enthusiasm for the Hamilton community. “Everyone’s super nice,” said Fuller. “All of the staff upstairs are super nice, the bookstore people are nice, Cory the cleaning lady is amazing.”
The Toast is replacing Euphoria Smoothies, which operated on campus for 11 years and announced their closing in late Aug. For some students, the simultaneous loss of Euphoria and Café Opus, long-term fixtures on the Hamilton campus, felt both sad and sudden.
“It’s a little jarring,” said Caitlin Moehrle ’24. “But Hamilton students are adaptable. We’ll get right back on track and have it feel like normal hang-out places again.”
The Toast’s menu has been well-received by students, particularly the panini and pastry options. Duffy’s personal favorites are the Reuben panini and PB&J tossed in cinnamon sugar, while Fuller loves the Jive Turkey, which is one of their best-sellers. The bakery also offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. “There’s a little something for everybody.” said Duffy.
Many also appreciate the new dining option simply for the community space it provides. “I’m from a bigger town,” said Rosie Villa ’25. “[At home] we would always go out to restaurants or cafes and just sit together. I like having a space on campus like that where I can get together with friends.”
The Toast’s opening also offers a sense of normalcy following a difficult year. While the bakery’s goods are not included on Hamilton meal plans, the location allows for a greater variety in students’ dining options.
“We can just get coffee, or a smoothie or a nice little pastry. They sell paninis, which is fantastic,” said Villa. “It also just makes me feel like a college student — going to a cafe on campus on my way to the library.”
Duffy and Fuller specifically created the menu for The Toast’s on-campus location. Various students are hoping to see an expanded selection soon, which Duffy and Fuller plan on. They aim to introduce grab-and-go options and weekly panini and pizza specials.
“We’re going to change it up,” said Fuller. “We’ll keep them on their toes.” The Toast is open Mon.-Fri. from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sat.-Sun. from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
