Fall 2024 12
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An American Family Success Story: Blue Ribbon Restaurant and Blue Rose Cheesecake
Over time, they bought the two properties next to the Blue Rib- bon to create a huge parking lot and expanded the original building from 110 to 205 seats. Angelo’s sister Vicki and her husband, Steve , ran the Broad- way Lunch and were ready to sell. To keep the business in the family, she called Angelo’s son, Philip, who took over the res- taurant on April 4, 2018... Last year, Broadway Lunch was sold to one of Angelo’s former cooks to keep the Menagias’ family tradition going strong—while Philip returned to Blue Ribbon to help his brothers, parents, aunt, and uncle run the day-to- day operations. While traveling to Greece on their honeymoon, by chance, Angelo and his new- lywed wife, Alexandra, met a baker from Philadelphia who gave him a cheesecake recipe. The couple tweaked the recipe until they were happy with it... The cheesecake has won bak- ing competitions in the Finger Lakes, Vermont, and at the New York Restaurant Show at the Javits Center in New York City. As a result, they bought a nearby building and turned it into a bak- ery... See the photo of Jerry and Angelo Menagias with their fa- mous cheesecake... Operating Blue Ribbon since 1977. The family expanded their pas- tries to Greek baklava, bonbons, coffee, cookies, and rugelach, and added new versions of their award-winning cheesecake. The Blue Rose Cheesecake & Bake Shop also specializes in wonderful wedding and spe- cialty cakes for any special oc- casion—look through the picto- rial cake book! Angelo’s sons, Georgio and Philip manage
By Food & Travel Expert David Long, CDM, KOFC
“...Jerry and Angelo Menagias with their famous cheesecake... Operating Blue Ribbon since 1977.”
A ngelo Menagias and his entrepreneurial family are an American family restaurant success story. The patriarch, Jimmy Menagias , was working at Newest Lunch on Al- bany Street when he borrowed $45k to buy boat tickets to bring his brother, his sister-in-law, and their four children to America from Greece... Angelo, his broth- er, Jerry, their sisters, Kathy and Vicki, and their parents Philip and Adamantia arrived in New York on April 4, 1967. Angelo’s first job in America was working at Weston’s Hamburg- ers on Nott Street, across from where the Golub Corporation headquarters are today.
His dad, Philip, and his Uncle Jim- my bought a drug store on Broad- way in Schenectady, and opened Broadway Lunch, in 1967... The kids started working there shortly after that. At age 21, six years after he arrived from Greece, Angelo Menagias became a partner. A few years later, Angelo and his Uncle Jimmy bought the former Mike’s Hot Dogs building on State Street and opened the Blue Rib- bon Family Restaurant on July 28, 1977. Jimmy eventually sold his share to Angelo’s brother Jerry. Today, Angelo and his brother, Jerry, are the co-owners of the Blue Ribbon Family Restaurant and its sister company, the Blue Rose Cheesecake & Bake Shop .
the bakery, diner, and bakery deliveries, while Angelo’s wife, Alexandra , and Jer- ry’s wife, Angela assist their husbands at the restaurant. “Now we are a landmark and an American family restaurant success story,” Angelo told me. Blue Ribbon Family Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and din- ner 7 days a week. The family takes pride in buying and using fresh ingredients, good service, and exceptional quality. They
pay special attention to detail— and offer tantalizing taste in their cuisine and fresh-baked sweets. Blue Ribbon Family Restaurant 1801 State Street • Sch’dy, NY (518) 393-2600 Blue Rose Cheesecake & Bake Shop ADV 1815 State Street • (518) 393-2765 Schenectady • New York
blueribbonrestaurant.com
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