James Beard Semifinalist Casey Renee is Opening a Bakery Cafe in Regent Square

PHOTO COURTESY OF CONFECTIONS

Pittsburgher Casey Renee spent a decade on the savory side of New York City’s culinary scene, working in Michelin-starred restaurants and volunteering at a butcher shop to earn her chops.

Then she discovered she had a knack for sweets; she never looked back.

On April 11, the pastry chef and two-time James Beard Award semifinalist will open Confections in Regent Square.

Unlike Confections by Casey Renee, the special-order bakery she opened in Wilkinsburg in 2020, the new, larger spot will offer cafe hours for walk-in customers five days a week. The menu will feature French macarons, cookies, truffles, cake by the slice, scones, garlic cheddar biscuits and a variety of gluten-free and vegan specialties.

Renee will be accepting a limited number of custom cake orders while she gets the South Braddock Avenue storefront up and running.

Last September, the Confections crew started remodeling the 1,500-square-foot space.

“It’s fun, it feels good and has positive energy,” she says. “It still has the Casey Renee signature to it, but I took the name off the logo because it’s not just me making stuff now. I have a full staff who bring all sorts of ideas to the table. Confections has become its own thing — that’s always been my goal. It’s a new evolution.”

“Delightful baked goods” is the company’s tagline — and specialty.

If you’re new to Renee’s brand of desserts, start off with the chocolate cake made with her signature buttermilk frosting.

She’s also excited to turn Confections into a destination scone zone. For years, she wasn’t a fan of the British pastries, thinking they were too dry and crumbly to enjoy. Patron requests, however, kept pouring in, so she tweaked the traditional recipe and began churning out fun, seasonal flavors that pair perfectly with Redstart Roasters coffee.

The bird-friendly beanery is located in the same Point Breeze building as Chef Kate Romane’s Black Radish Kitchen, where Renee launched her pastry business in 2019. By then, she had already earned a pair of James Beard nominations as pastry chef of the former Whitfield at Ace Hotel Pittsburgh. Now all three of those businesses are flying high.

“Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom,” says Renee, who, after a brief stint in advertising, graduated from NYC’s Natural Gourmet Institute in 2011. “Cut your teeth somewhere that’ll let you learn everything there is to know.”

The staff at Confections will spend the spring educating themselves on the wants and needs of the neighborhood. The bakery neighbors Rockaway Pizzeria and is a scone’s throw from Hemlock House, Frick Park Tavern, El Burro Dos, D’s Six Pax and Dogz and Famous Cafe.

After eating a savory meal, stop by Confections for something sweet.

Confections is at 1141 South Braddock Ave., Regent Square. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.