Scotland's first specialist Portuguese pastel de nata bakery launches in Glasgow this weekend.
Pastéis Lisboa opens its doors in Byres Road in Hillhead on Thursday. Making up to 1,200 custard tarts from scratch every day using an award-winning Portuguese recipe, the bakery and deli is being touted as the first of its kind in Scotland, with 'nothing like it beyond London'.
Tapping into the famous 'Glaswegian sweet tooth', owners Emma Airley and Sebastian Bacewicz have been working on Pastéis Lisboa for five years, spending time with top pastry chefs in Lisbon ahead of the launch.
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Vegan options are available, while on the deli counter punters can peruse a selection of cured meats, cheeses, seafood and other delicacies from Portugal and Spain. Or they can pick up craft sodas and fresh juices, small batch coffees, fresh bread from Freedom Bakery and handmade sandwiches made from Scottish ingredients.
Free samples were handed out to West End locals this week too, with chiefs teasing prospective customers with images and video footage from inside the bakery. Boasting a fresh, modern interior, the unit has a crisp blue and white colour-scheme with hints of custard yellow.
Co-founder Emma is convinced the sweet treats will 'go down a storm' in Glasgow.
She told Glasgow Live: “What we’re launching is a unique concept to Scotland – in fact, there is nothing like it beyond London. While many people will have tried a Pastel de Nata before, they most likely won’t have had a fresh one made with fresh, high-quality ingredients to an authentic, traditional recipe.
"We specifically went to the people who made the best Pastéis de Nata in Lisbon and learned the art of making these delicious treats during frequent trips there over the last four years. Glaswegians are known for having a sweet tooth and we are absolutely convinced they will go down a storm – the tarts are already familiar to many people, yet new to Scotland at this level of quality.
"Pastéis Lisboa will be the only place in the UK where you can try this authentic, artisan recipe. All the products we plan on selling will be unique, with really interesting background stories, and their provenance is incredibly important to us – we know all of our independent suppliers well.”
The couple said that their intention is to look at multiple locations once the first bakery is up and running, with plans to open in Edinburgh next year. They also intend to offer catering services for offices and private events, and wholesale supply.
Emma added: “We’re hugely excited to be realising a long-held dream of opening our own unique food business – we both have a passion for food and cooking. We started planning Pastéis Lisboa five years ago after being inspired by the new wave of modern Pastelarias in Lisbon, and seeing how successfully the model worked in other international markets.
"We think it’s perfect for Glasgow and will fit really well into the market right now.”
For more information about the exciting new opening, make sure to follow Pasteis Lisboa on Instagram here or visit their website here.
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