Fire setback leads to sweet new beginning for Wading River bakery

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What began as a setback for a popular Long Island food truck has turned into a sweet new chapter in Wading River.

For Goodness Cakes, founded by sisters Sydney Ferraro and Samantha Eiserman, has officially opened its first brick-and-mortar bakery after a neighboring fire left the business unable to use its longtime commercial kitchen.

The sisters, who grew up in Port Jefferson Station, launched For Goodness Cakes as a food truck in 2019, serving baked goods from a mobile kitchen parked in Manorville. The concept quickly gained a following, particularly during the pandemic.

“The food truck really gained traction during COVID,” Samantha told Greater Long Island. “Because we were outdoors, people were looking for things to do, and social media helped us reach a lot of new customers.”

In 2021, the sisters expanded into a commercial kitchen in Wading River to support the growing business. But in November 2024, a fire at a neighboring pizzeria left several businesses dealing with extensive smoke and water damage, forcing For Goodness Cakes out of its space. (The fire was also allegedly intentionally lit.)

“It affected us a lot because of the smoke and water damage,” Samantha said. “Luckily, there wasn’t any fire in our space, but we’ve been unable to use the building since November.”

Rather than simply rebuilding the kitchen, the sisters saw an opportunity.

“We thought, why not try doing a bakery and keep the food truck for special occasions?” Samantha said. “That’s how we ended up here.”

Located at 6278 Route 25 in Wading River, the bakery opened over Memorial Day weekend and currently operates on weekends with a rotating menu that changes weekly.

Customer favorites include double-chip cookies, rainbow cookies, cupcakes and cinnamon buns. The bakery also offers specialty creations such as rainbow cookie cheesecake cannolis, along with vegan and gluten-free options.

For Sydney, the bakery is the realization of a lifelong goal.

“I started baking in fourth grade,” she said. “I’ve always worked in bakeries, and I’ve always known that opening my own bakery was what I wanted to do.”

While Sydney leads the baking operation, Samantha handles much of the business side. Together, they’ve transformed an unexpected challenge into a permanent home for the business they started six years ago.

The food truck will continue operating for rentals, catering events and occasional pop-up appearances throughout the year.