ST. GEORGE – The wait is over. The doors of the new Kneaders opened this morning at 7 a.m. The restaurant is located at 199 N. Bluff St., and the owners anticipate several hundred of Washington County residents to occupy the lobby throughout the July 24th weekend.
The owners of Kneaders held a special family and friend’s preview Wednesday night for relatives to enjoy the delicious food, and last night the owners held a VIP event for other community members to attend.
Valorie Hanson, a St. George resident who attended the VIP evening, said: “I just love the food at Kneaders. Their salads, bread and French toast [are] amazing. I am so excited for it to be in St. George so I don’t have to drive up north to get their great food.”
The owners of Kneaders are Lowell and Kathy Hansen of St. George and Andrew and Shauna Smith of Alpine. The Hansen family is the operating arm of the business and relocated to St, George in order to do such. The Smith family is the owners of several other Kneaders in the state, and looks forward to opening two more locations in Northern Utah within the next month.
Kneaders has found its unique niche as a café. They offer fresh baked pastries, breads, and desserts all day. They cater, deliver and also have a drive-thru for convenience, as well as provide a casual dining experience. The menu is comprised of baked goods made from scratch only using fresh ingredients and no preservatives.
“We have a really nice breakfast as well as dinner,” Kathy Hansen said. “Even if you’re just looking for a treat late at night, Saturday nights from 8-9 p.m. pastries and breads are half price because we are not open on Sundays.”
The Kneaders menu includes: gourmet soups, salads and sandwiches, tarts, carrot cake, bread, cheesecake, pastries, smoothies, and more. Customers can buy the cakes per piece or whole. The lobby also contains a small area of treats and gifts for any occasion.
Kneaders provides half off specials on Saturday nights to try to sell as much possible. The remaining food is donated to Dixie Care and Share and the Dove Center.
Over 900 Washington County residents applied for a position at Kneaders and owner Andrew Smith wishes he could have provided a job for all applicants.
“This is why I do what I do, [in order] to provide employment for as many people as possible,” he said.
Call 435-767-9450 to order, or visit kneadersbakery.com/stgeorge for more information and a complete menu.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2011, all rights reserved.