The opening of Park Side Eatery, at noon Friday, is fulfilling a dream culminated by the couple for over 10 years now.
“We’ve actually been thinking about this for a decade,” said Heidi, who is in control of the culinary side of the business. “Just, the timing wasn’t right. We weren’t in a situation where we could do it. It wasn’t until about two years ago when we actually began the hard pursuit of it.”
With the opportunity arising right next door to Black Diamond Caterers, it seems as though it was “just meant to be.” On the same day one possible business location closed for Park Side Eatery, the current business location opened up.
“It was serendipitous because we’re here anyway,” Heidi said. “It feels like it was really meant to be.”
“Home,” added Michael, who runs the business and analytical aspect of the company.
Being married for 26 years and working together for 22 of them, the Hoyt’s have been a proven “yin-and-yang” balance in the area.
“I think we’re at our best when we’re working on a project,” Heidi said.
This particular project is opening up two new lines—Glazed Bäckerei bakery and Jewish-style food.
“Nobody fills the Jewish market segment,” Michael said. “It’s wide open, so we picked it up and took it. The product line that’s in here is really a reflection of Saratoga. We looked all around and said, ‘Is anybody substantially filling this market?’”
Setting up shop in the “Old Palmetto’s” building, Park Side Eatery wanted to separate itself by not going head-to-head with other Saratoga menus similar to that of “Restaurant Row,” which includes Hattie’s, Seven Horse Pub, Phila Fusion, Capriccios and Four Seasons.
The Jewish-style, Lower East Side food will include matzo ball soup, house-made corned beef and pastrami, knishes, white fish salad, chopped liver and pickled herring.
The bakery aspect will have fresh doughnuts made every day, including filled ones called Bismarcks.
Adirondack Barbecue, another division of Black Diamond Caterers, will also be mixed into Park Side Eatery, with their own barbeque sauces, recipes and smoking techniques etched into pulled pork, St. Louis ribs and Texas-style beef brisket.
Always looking to re-invent themselves, the Hoyts are adding even more to the new lines brought in. With the recent growth of fermentation, Park Side Eatery will also be pickling their own pickles, tongue and corn beef with the incorporation of old family recipes.
“It’s a labor of time,” Heidi said. “This is a thought process that has to take place 14 days or more in advance and you always have to be preparing. Corn beef and whatnot, we’re always having different stages of corn beef pickling.”
For the catering company that has spent years in the dining restaurant-style industry, Park Side plans to build its reputation around the concept of an eatery—a convenient and accessible counter service option for people to either order and take out, or order and sit.
“It takes time to dine, so we eliminate that here,” Heidi said. “We eliminate the dress-up factor. We eliminate the gratuity. It’s just—you’re here to pick up great food and eat it here or go home.”
People will also be able to see where the food comes from thanks to an open kitchen with a 15-foot double-sided hood system.
Park Side Eatery is still hiring, as is Black Diamond Caterers, and expects to start with about 45 employees.
“We’re excited and waiting for it to happen,” Michael said. “The most important things to us is how supportive Saratoga has been. We just had a ton of people help. Once we explained what we were trying to do, it just went above and beyond. I guess what we would like people to know is that there are resources out there, but you have to dig for them. That’s how something like this comes together for people like us who have a dream.”
The eatery is also planning on getting wine and beer into Park Side Eatery, but that isn’t expected for another six months. The tap systems are set up and will be running root beer.
Park Side Eatery is located at 40 Phila Street in Saratoga Springs. Their hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The business can be contacted by calling (518) 907-4337, emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by visiting parksideeatery.com.
