Perhaps the most asked question we’ve received over the past year, since Asaro Bakery & Cafe’s “Coming Soon” signs appeared at 32 Church St., was “How soon is soon?” After a reader gave us a heads up that the signs are now down, we swung by to take photos, revealing a whole lot of nothing behind the windows.

We first reported on Asaro in February of 2022, and temporary signage was installed not longer after in space occupied by Lyn Evans before it moved to 87 Central St. Asaro would have been a welcome addition to Church Square, home to a slate of retailers selling clothes, bikes, and more.

But converting the retail space into a restaurant would prove to be a challenge, with word that getting a grease trap installed was a big obstacle in meeting the town’s food codes and bylaws.

There were signs of hope as recently as December, when we checked out the plans submitted to the Health Department and heard Asaro’s lawyer had been in contact with the department. What’s more, a firm called Matz Collaborative Architects touted its vision for what Asaro might look like. This included outdoor seating along the side and rear of the building, and Matz dared to hashtag it #comingsoon in its Instagram post.

While we were not able to reach the team behind the planned bakery and cafe, we checked in regularly with the town about the plans. When we last inquired a month ago, we were told “Crickets from Asaro, again.” We hoped the insects wouldn’t be on the menu, though understand they are highly nutritious.

People looked forward to a new bakery option, though fortunately Wellesley’s not starving for treats. We’ve still got offerings from Tatte, Quebrada, Wellesley Bakery, Truly’s, Starbucks, the supermarkets, Jejes, and more.