A Ukrainian-born baker and her husband have turned a four-year dream into The Bakero, a European-style bakery and café now open at 1900 Main St., Suite 104, in downtown Sarasota.

Nataliia Lugowski, who was born in Ukraine and moved to Poland at 21, opened the shop in April 2026 with her husband Piotr Lugowski after relocating to Sarasota about two years ago. She discovered baking while raising three children at home, then worked as a professional baker in Warsaw before the family's move to Florida.

"Step by step, I fall in love in a baking culture," Nataliia Lugowski told WGCU in a profile published Friday, July 31.

Piotr Lugowski left a roughly 30-year corporate career to become the bakery's managing partner. He calls himself the "right hand" to his wife, who he said is the creative force behind the business.

The Bakero sits on what the Sarasota Herald-Tribune described as a "booming stretch" of Main Street near the Regal Hollywood theater, a corridor that has seen multiple restaurant openings and closings this spring.

The menu

The bakery's signature is a sourdough made with four ingredients: organic flour, filtered water, salt, and sourdough starter. Each loaf ferments for more than 20 hours and is baked on hot stone daily. No commercial yeast, additives, or seed oils are used.

Beyond bread, the menu features Copenhagen-inspired breakfast plates, a roast beef sandwich, the Big Bakero Plate with smoked salmon, Biscoff cinnamon buns, walnut plum bread, and croissants. Breakfast dishes use organic eggs, vegetables from nearby farms, and house-made extras like hummus, jams, and pesto, all served on fresh-baked bread. Lunch rotates daily with sandwiches, salads, and soups.

All pastries are made in-house each morning.

A connection to home

For Nataliia Lugowski, the bakery is also a way to stay connected to her roots while her parents remain in Ukraine during the ongoing war. She told WGCU her parents live in a relatively safe area but still must shelter on some nights.

The idea for the bakery first came to her on a walk through downtown Sarasota shortly after the family arrived, she told WGCU. The community's welcome since opening has meant a great deal to the couple.

Hours and details

The Bakero is open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed Sunday. Free parking is available at Links Garage, 25 S. Links Ave. The phone number is 941-404-5565.