Leavity Bread & Coffee
Address: 1000 South Main Street, Suite 101
Telephone: 801-252-5022
Website: LeavityBread.com
District: Ballpark
“It was my dad who introduced me to cooking,” recalls the owner, Todd Bradley, of Leavity Bread & Coffee, a brand-new bakery and coffee shop. “I’ve always been my father’s son, and cooking together in the kitchen was something special we shared. That early connection to food sparked a lifelong passion that’s led me here.” Not to forget Todd’s mother, her spaghetti and salmon dishes will always have a special place in his heart.
In a world where culinary inspiration often comes from mothers or grandmothers, it was refreshing to hear a story where a father played such a pivotal role. Growing up in Salt Lake, delicious food always surrounded the future baker and entrepreneur. Todd's father, the family cook, would often bring him into the kitchen, although as a child, his attention was more often focused on playing outside. It was not until college that he truly began to appreciate the art of cooking, realizing he had a knack for it that outpaced his roommates.
Todd's first taste of the restaurant industry came at Market Street Grill, where he started as a server before transitioning to the kitchen. Over the course of four and a half years, he worked his way through various roles, from server to cook to manager, immersing himself in every aspect of the restaurant business. This experience solidified his appreciation for great food and the intricacies of running a successful operation.
A move to California introduced Todd to a whole new level of culinary craftsmanship. Over the course of several years, living in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, he was exposed to farm-to-table dining and innovative chefs who expanded his understanding of what food could be. “The food scene in California was incredible. The creativity and quality were inspiring, and it made me want to someday be able bring that level of excellence back to Salt Lake."
After his time on the West Coast, Todd moved to Boulder, Utah, a small town nestled in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. There, he worked at the renowned Hell’s Backbone Grill and Farm, a destination restaurant that draws visitors from around the country. “Boulder is a tiny town, but it’s surrounded by stunning nature, and Hell’s Backbone Grill is a gem,” Todd said. It was during his time at the restaurant that he first learned to bake bread. A coworker introduced him to the art of sourdough, and Todd was hooked. “I wasn’t even eating wheat at the time due to some digestive issues, but the European-style sourdough bread I had in Los Angeles didn’t cause any problems.” Todd continued, “I thought I can make my own bread here, and that’s where it all started.” Todd spent one season at Hell’s Backbone Grill, about nine months, where he honed his skill and deepened his appreciation for artisanal baking.
Over the years, Todd has traveled the world in search of his other passion: great coffee shops and cafes. His journeys through Europe, South America, Central America, and most recently South Korea, allowed him to immerse himself in each country’s cafe culture. He recognized the quality of the coffee and the subtle nuances that places like Germany, Switzerland, France, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, and Seoul brought to both exceptional coffee and food.
Returning to Utah in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, Todd brought with him a dream of opening his own coffee shop - one that would combine his love for great coffee with the artisanal bread he had started baking in 2018. “I’ve always loved working in coffee shops, and when I travel, I seek out the best ones. I wanted to create a space in Salt Lake that offers not simply great coffee, but an experience that people will remember.”
During the pandemic, with time on his hands, Todd dove deeper into baking, particularly sourdough bread. It was not an easy journey. “At first, I was frustrated with the results,” he admits. “Baking good bread is as much a science as it is an art, and I had to learn to be meticulous in my approach.” His persistence paid off. After months of trial and error, he began to produce bread that he was proud of - bread that others would love too.
Todd’s path to opening Leavity Bread & Coffee was not without its challenges. He experimented with starting a bread business out of someone else’s bakery, but that did not work out. So, he found himself back in the restaurant industry, this time at a wine bar where he shared his homemade bread with coworkers and customers. “Bringing my bread to the wine bar was a turning point. It gave me the confidence to pursue this dream more seriously.”
In early 2023, Todd took over Bread Riot Bakehouse, a well-regarded bakery that had been around for several years. “Taking over Bread Riot was both exciting and daunting. The previous owner was an incredibly talented baker, and I had big shoes to fill,” Todd revealed. Sam Pew, a talented industry professional and passionate home bread baker joined Todd after volunteering a few shifts. Together, they began to make the bakery their own.
Todd was fortunate enough to maintain clients such as Caputo's and Liberty Heights Fresh. "They kept me going." At this point, Todd approached the beloved Rose Establishment restaurant, which quickly became one of Leavity’s most important accounts. "They were looking for a certain sized sour dough and owner Erica O'Brien told me if I could make this, they would love to buy it." Sam worked on it for several weeks and finally nailed it. "Erica really helped propel us forward."
In 2024, Todd was ready to make Bread Riot his own. With the support of his family, friends, and the amazing team he had built in the bakery, he decided to rebrand and named his company Leavity Bread & Coffee. And in the autumn of 2024, Leavity Bread & Coffee has become the newest addition to Salt Lake's coffee scene. The café features coffee from King’s Peak Coffee Roasters and a range of artisanal breads, including whole grain and sourdough - varieties made from organic flours sourced from mills that prioritize sustainable agriculture.
“I want Leavity to be more than a bakery or a coffee shop.” Todd’s vision is for it to be a meaningful destination for the community - a place where people can come together, enjoy something special, and feel good about supporting a local business that cares about quality, sustainability, and its employees.
