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Cie's Artisan Emporium a partnership between friends

Cie Alletto, left, and Maureen Ruggeri, at the tea bar inside Cie's Artisan Emporium.

By Palm Beach Business.com

DELRAY BEACH — At Cie’s Artisan Emporium, the division of labor between partners Cie Alletto and Maureen Ruggeri is well defined.

“She’s the chef,” Ruggeri said of Alletto. “She can whip up anything. I’m the tea person.”

Cie’s, which has been open for five weeks, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony  Wednesday evening with city officials and members of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce on hand. The bakery and cafe describes itself as “a gallery of teas and kneads," and is situated just south of Atlantic Avenue at 14 South Swinton Avenue in downtown Delray.

Ruggeri and Alletto are not only partners but also best friends. For Alletto, opening the business required some major changes in her life — she had spent her career in real estate and corporate operations in upstate New York. Last December, after spending four days in Delray Beach with Ruggeri, she decided to make the move.

“I’ve always loved to cook and to bake and to serve people,” Alletto said. “I dabbled in it here and there. I had an opportunity to do it full time with my best friend.”

Ruggeri had lived in Delray and had a background in tea, including operating tea rooms, so the move was more natural.

Cie’s offers a variety of breads and pastries baked on site, including some gluten-free items. It has a tea bar that features nearly 50 varieties. It also offers an extensive lunch menu of salads, sandwiches, pizza and more, including some tea-infused items.

“We try to focus on healthy comfort food,” Alletto said. “It seems to be working.”