Photo: Provided by Urbana Cafe
Lou Turner of Moxy (left) and Daniel Noguera of Urbana Cafe
Cincinnati coffee chain Urbana Cafe has some sweet news: It is "merging" with local bakery Moxy, says Urbana owner Daniel Noguera in a press release.
"Founded in 2013, Urbana Café (has) always been aiming to have a very daring baking program. Even during the days with the Vespa, before a proper café was opened, we used to bring freshly made treats with us," Noguera says.
Noguera initially opened Urbana from the back of a vintage Vespa, popping up weekends at Findlay Market and at events around town. Urbana Cafe has since expanded to include coffeeshops in Pendleton, which opened in 2015, and East Walnut Hills, which opened in 2018, with an outpost still located at Findlay Market.
And Noguera says this partnership with Moxy is the next step in the cafe's pastry evolution.
"We know now that to have a successful, creative and sustainable baking program, we need a talented leader in front of it and this is how we get to Lou Turner and Moxy," he says.
Turner — who has previously worked in kitchens including at Salazar and Nada — started Moxy as a meal-kit service during the pandemic with her partner, but has since pivoted the operation to its current pastry focus. She wholesales to clients including 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab, Mom 'n 'em and Collective Espresso and says Moxy will continue in that vein while also overseeing food and building a baking team at Urbana.
"Moxy and Urbana Cafe have made the decision and beginnings to completely merge our humble little businesses," Turner writes on Moxy's Instagram page. "What this means simply is Moxy will continue as a pastry wholesale business, finding us at all your favorite coffee shops— along with spearheading our new adventure with Urbana Cafe. This new adventure will include creating an entirely distinct, new, and innovative food program for all your neighborhood Urbana's (sic)."
The merger and new menu are slated to be complete this summer.
In the release, Noguera compliments Turner's ability to create sweet and savory baked goods that play on her German heritage and utilize local produce.
A scroll through Moxy's Instagram reveals items like a danish filled with quark cream cheese, peach jam and milk crumble, topped with a violet from Carriage House Farm, or a pastry loaf flavored with earl grey and imported burnt German honey, topped with lemon and vanilla buttercream.
"When Urbana approached us with an opportunity to merge, our visions simply connected. The firm belief in creating for the community and building a food program that brings nostalgic joy solidified our partnership," Turner says in the release, adding "We’ll be slinging laminated goods, savory options, and now coffee for years to come."
Urbana Cafe is located at 1130 Broadway St., Pendleton; 2714 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills; Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine; and the Scripps Center, 312 Walnut St., Downtown. More info: urbana-cafe.com.
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