A Chance Stop in the Ocean State Leads to Pawtucket’s Newest Bake Shop
Owned by a couple hailing from Brooklyn, watUlike is slated to open in late January/early February.
Serendipity brought Mike and Rob Fitzhenry to Rhode Island.
The Brooklyn, New York, couple traveled to Massachusetts in September 2022 to help Rob’s mother move. On the way back, they dropped off their rental car in Providence, but not before being smitten by a bustling East Side, filled with folks strolling around Blackstone Boulevard and Brown University, and bundling up their goods from the Hope Street Farmers Market.
Whatever you call it, that happy coincidence led them back to the Ocean State to open their first bake shop, watUlike. Located at 194 Hillside Ave. in Pawtucket, the eatery specializes in rustic and refined goodies like country cakes, cookies, breads, candy bars, scones, muffins and more, all homemade. It’s set to open at the end of January/beginning of February. It’s just one of a handful of eateries that have opened in the Oak Hill area as of late: Maven’s Delicatessen, casual eatery Hangry Kitchen and grab-and-go Feast & Fettle have all opened within the last year, leading to a dining renaissance of sorts.
Mike, left, and Rob Fitzhenry moved to the East Side of Providence in May 2023 after falling in love with the city during a visit the year before. Photo courtesy of Mike and Rob Fitzhenry.
Their inspiration comes from what they like to make at home, and from their travels — and mandatory bakery visits — around the world.
“These are all things we love to make at home,” says Mike. “We want it to feel like you’re walking into our kitchen.”
Rob, a graduate of Johnson & Wales’ South Carolina campus, has worked as a sous chef, executive pastry chef and head baker at such storied establishments as Eleven Madison Park and Dominique Ansel Bakery. He’s in charge of baking, although they both have wicked sweet tooths, Mike admits. One of their favorite Sunday traditions is relaxing at their East Side home while Rob bakes.
A small retail section will sell take-and-bake goodies and baking ingredients so customers can make their favorite recipes at home — think Icelandic chocolate, Italian salt, Canadian maple syrup and coconut sugar, which will give watUlike’s baked goodies a rich, caramel-like dimension.
The shop will serve Speedwell Coffee, a small coffee roaster out of Plymouth, Massachusetts, because of its quality and the friendliness of the staff, and since Rob hails from Plymouth. They thought it was a nice nod to Rob’s New England heritage, and a way to incorporate their family, stories and the places they’ve lived in and visited into their store.
The cozy squeeze of a building — it’s just 400 square feet inside — will have a walk-up window for placing orders. Come the summer months, they plan to offer outdoor seating where diners can take in the scenery and foot traffic: the store is located at the corner of East Avenue and Hope Street right on the Pawtucket/Providence line. It’s a bustling spot, and Rob and Mike hope curious neighbors will continue to stop by.
“Everyone here has been so friendly,” Mike says. “It’s such a quaint, residential area. We love it. It’s so different than the chaos of Brooklyn.”
watUlike will be open Tuesday–Saturday. In the future, they’re thinking of possibly opening on Sunday morning and perhaps holding baking classes or dessert cafe nights. 194 Hillside Ave., Pawtucket, @watulikeri
RELATED ARTICLES
Staff Picks: Providence Restaurant Weeks
Industrious Spirit Company Launches Some New Strong Stuff
On Tap: The Latest Brewery and Distillery News in Rhode Island
