Breaking bread: Brown Bear Bread Cafe in Mt. Oliver creates more than loaves of dough
Mt. Oliver has a neighborhood bakery again — and if Kate Clemons has her way, just maybe a greater sense of community because of it.
Brown Bear Bread Cafe opened last month in spot that once housed the hyped Kevin Sousa restaurant Mount Oliver Bodega and most recently The Finer Diner. Both folded not long after opening.
Prior to that, Kullman’s Bakery was a staple in the neighborhood.
“Bread is universal,” said Clemons, co-owner of Brown Bear. “Breaking bread creates a sense of community. We want people to feel welcome at our tables.
“We are hoping to make the space full of life again. Happy to be bringing fresh bakery items to the area again.”
Sitting recently at one of the cafe’s wooden tables was Johno Prascak, of Johno’s Art. He and wife Maria Prascak, of Maria’s Ideas, co-own a studio two blocks away in the South Side Slopes.
“Everything about this place is great,” said Prascak, who was having a bread-and-butter breakfast on sourdough. “The people, the food. We love to support a neighborhood business. We are always willing to try something new.”
Clemons and her boyfriend, Dan Galusha, moved to Carnegie from upstate New York in April 2020 because they believed there were better job opportunities here. She said her best friend also lives in Pittsburgh.
They and co-owner Kaylie Carini handle day-to-day operations. Business partners Joe Calloway and Deanna Seruga of RE 360, a real estate investment company, own the building and also are in the Brown Bear ownership group.
“This space is perfect,” Clemons said.
The cafe’s name was derived from a nickname — “Big Brown Bear” — that Clemons and Galusha call their mixed-breed rescue dog Luke. The logo has a design of the dog’s ears. They also have Tippy, a disabled pit bull, who they rescued. The cafe’s name had been decided before she came along, though.
The idea to make bread came while Galusha was working at Il Pizzaiolo in Mt Lebanon in 2020. The couple started to experiment with baking at home.
“When we realized that people really loved his bread, we decided to pursue a commercial kitchen,” Clemons said.
They heard about their eventual location from the owner of The Cheese Queen, a custom charcuterie board business in Mt. Oliver.
Daily offerings at Brown Bear Bread include sourdough, focaccia, sourdough English Muffins, cinnamon rolls, specialty breads, hot breakfast items and cold lunch sandwiches.
The breads are made with unbleached, unprocessed flour. They utilize leftover bread for items such as bread pudding or croutons.
“This is another jewel in the crown of Mt. Oliver,” Johno Prascak said. “It’s another piece to the puzzle in this area.”
Everything is made daily from scratch on the third floor, where the large kitchen is located.
There is an exposed wall on the first floor that shows the decor history of the building. There are several tables, shelves and display cases for breads and sweet treats.
On the second floor, the plan is to display local artwork, such as that by the Prascaks. The art welcomes the community, Clemons said.
Just like breaking bread around a table.
Brown Bear Bread Café is located at 225 Brownsville Road, Mt. Oliver. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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