Behind the glass case at Sugar Toof in Hercules: ube crinkle cookies, buko pie, banana pudding and cannoli. Getting back to that point took the owners nearly two years, Richmond Confidential reported.
The fire and the comeback
On Aug. 4, 2023, a fire at 1500 Sycamore Ave. damaged a commercial plaza that housed Sugar Toof and several other businesses, forcing the bakery to close. In May 2025, Kate and Joe Zecchin reopened across the way at 1511 Sycamore Ave. in the Creekside Center. They declined to disclose what they spent rebuilding but said it was far more than expected.
"We just want to build something that can last, because we've already invested blood and sweat, literally," Kate Zecchin said.
What they sell
The bakery describes itself as a Filipino-Italian bakeshop, reflecting the couple's blend of influences: pastries, cakes, cookies, breakfast items and drinks like strawberry matcha. Business was steady in 2025, but Zecchin said 2026 has been less predictable, with catering and corporate orders filling slow stretches. "For this type of business and industry, it is always a roller coaster ride," she said.