macrina Bakery
BElltown CAFÉ
2408 First Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
206.448.4032
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Sunday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
SPECIAL HOURS:
Sunday, August 17: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Seating Capacity: 36
Outdoor Seating: Limited
A Little History
The Belltown Café is the original Macrina Bakery and Café. We opened with six employees, a French Bongard oven as our centerpiece, a stack of convection ovens, one mixer and an espresso machine, an antique display case and a lot of ambition. Right off the bat we offered a full line of artisan breads, ranging from full-flavored, naturally leavened sourdoughs to American favorites like our Rustic Potato loaf. The pastry section was limited to a few muffins, coffee cakes and tarts. Our cozy bakery was soon bursting at the seams, and we took over an adjoining retail space in 1994, which became our café. Today, our line of breads, pastries, cakes and savory selections is extensive.
Meet the Belltown Café General Manager
GRETCHEN MILYKO
Belltown General Manager
ABOUT GRETCHEN
Baking and people are twin passions of Gretchen’s, which makes it no surprise that she found Macrina Bakery. After working in two bakeries in the Pike Place Market for a few years, she applied at Macrina Bakery, hoping to advance her career. Three years later, after working her way up to shift lead, then Assistant Manager, she took over the leadership role.
“I really care about the staff and like helping guide them,” Gretchen says. “And I enjoy seeing our regular customers every day. Working at The Confectional and Three Girls Bakery in the market was excellent training for what I do at Macrina. I enjoyed baking from the get-go, and I like the customer interaction in the front of the house.
Gretchen’s passion for baking doesn’t stay at work. She lives with her sister and her best friend, a pastry chef. “We bake all the time at home,” she says.
When Gretchen is not baking or working, you'll often find her reading a book or writing stories of her own.
Hometown: Missoula, MT
First Job: Face Painter
Alternate Universe Job: Novelist
Pastry You Couldn’t Live Without: Dill Scone
Dessert Specialty: Cheesecake
Weekend Getaway: Anywhere I can swim
Binge Food: Teriyaki
Dream Vacation: Scotland or a secluded island
Favorite Seattle Restaurant: Wann Izakaya
Seattle’s Best Kept Secret: Swimming at the tip of Seward Park
Food You Despise: Barley
Guilty Pleasure: Skyrim
Last Book You Enjoyed: “Fire & Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
What You Listen to Now: Townes Van Zandt, Thin Lizzy, and Nina Simone
Philosophy for Living: “Be truthful, gentle, and fearless” -Gandhi