It may be called The Roaming Biscuit, but Shawnda Moye’s beloved biscuit pop-up has finally landed a flagship brick-and-mortar shop of its own.
Previously, west siders could only snag Moye’s homemade breakfast sandwiches at one of her temporary locales around the city or by making the trek to Tyler Village in Asiatown, where her Bake Shop & Café serves a breakfast and lunch menu that extends beyond biscuits.
As of this Sunday, though, The Roaming Biscuit will also operate a flagship location in the heart of Hingetown, taking over the storefront vacated by Bigmouth Donuts.
“What I'm most excited about is having a standalone shop to provide breakfast and deliciousness to this community,” says Moye, who started her roving biscuit business in 2019. “For folks on the west side, it’s much more convenient.”
When you set foot in the new space, you’re welcomed by a neon mural that reads, “Thanks for getting serious about biscuits.” It’s become Moye’s catchphrase since opening The Bake Shop & Café in 2021 — and it’s immediately clear that she and her hardworking team are indeed serious about what they serve.
The Roaming Biscuit’s menu is small but mighty, with just four staples and room for a rotating special. Each option features a thick, fluffy, buttery biscuit that’s light enough to melt in your mouth but somehow still sturdy enough to withstand the weight of whatever’s stuffed in the middle. It's so good it made Cleveland Magazine's list of 101 Dishes to Try Before You Die, earlier this year.
In the category of “simple yet satiating” is The Humble ($4.50), a plain biscuit with your choice of topping, like a drizzle of sweetness from Akron Honey or a fruity spread from The Home Pantry. On the other end of the spectrum is The OG ($8.50), a weighty creation piled high with bacon, egg and either Colby jack cheese or creamy pimento. And of course, you’ll need something to wash it all down, like coffee from Guardian Cold Brew or a citrusy sipper from Lemon Waves.
If you’re noticing a theme, it’s intentional: Call it the pay-it-forward approach. Moye says it’s important to her to raise up other small businesses, given all the support she’s received from the likes of Cleveland Bagel Co., Saucisson and others.
“Cleveland is a small community for entrepreneurs,” she says. “We all know how hard it is to build your dream — to be constantly hustling and grinding — so I always want to support other business owners.”
She hopes to help her staff advance their own entrepreneurial aspirations, too. Although The Roaming Biscuit’s menu will stay intentionally minimal, Moye will make space to sell pastries from baker Sasha Ramsay, who you may see slinging biscuits behind the counter on any given weekend.
“I want my team to have their own goals,” she says. “This is my passion project, but I want to know: What’s theirs, and how can I help them achieve it?”
That generosity of spirit that has endeared Moye to her customers just as much as the food she serves. Take Dave Giacomo, for example, a longtime customer turned friend, who says he’s thrilled to have easier access to her food now that The Roaming Biscuit has landed on the west side.
“I'm from the south, and I love me a biscuit,” he says. “It’s exciting to support somebody who’s been working hard at this for a long time.”
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