Next month will see the launch of a new Portuguese pastelaria in London named Santa Nata.
Specialising in the increasingly popular traditional Portuguese pastry with egg custard filling, Pastel de Nata, the first site on Covent Garden’s Russell Street will be the first to open, with a second unit opening on the other side of The Piazza on New Row a month later.
Retail analyst, IRI, recently reported supermarket sales of Portuguese custard tarts up 89% in the last year leading up to 29 September 2018. Taking advantage of this surge in popularity is Santa Nata’s cofounder, Francisco Oliveira, whose family have been baking since 1900 and currently own seven successful bakeries in Portugal.
The brand takes its name from Lisbon’s parish of Santa Maria de Belém where the Pastel de Nata were invented in the 18th century by Catholic monks. The tarts will be handmade daily by the Portuguese master pastry chef and his team in full view of customers and a bell will by rung every time a fresh batch of pastries comes out of the oven.
The compact, counter service pastelarias will open seven days a week from 10am to 8pm (closing at 10pm on Friday and Saturday) and feature white metro tiles, black frame panelling, dark wooden flooring and Carrera marble counters with imagery featuring Lisbon landmarks adorning the walls.
Pastéis de Nata are traditionally accompanied by a Portuguese cherry liqueur called Ginjinha, port or an espresso known as Bica and Santa Nata will offer these alongside fresh tea and coffee.
Francisco Oliveira said, “I am proud to be bringing our delicious Pastéis de Nata to London. Our mission is to create the best Pastéis de Nata and share how each tart is made, allowing our guests to experience the sight, the smells and the taste – we want each visit to be a memorable one.
'Both sites will benefit from the area’s high footfall from tourists, local businesses and Londoners. I am confident our authentic offering will be something everyone visiting Covent Garden will both love and enjoy.”
