I’m not sure what some people are complaining about, but I’m first generation Portuguese, and I have to say this is the best Portuguese bakery in town(and arguably, the best bakery). Everything is always good and fresh, especially in the morning. If you come in at 5 or 6 in the evening, do not expect anything to still be at the peak of freshness, as bakers only work in the morning hours; it’ll still be good but won’t be at its best. The place is always packed especially in the mornings, everyday of the week. That tells you something. I recommend the tosta mista(grilled muenster cheese and imported ham on a Portuguese roll), a Bacon egg & cheese on a pão de avó(traditional peasant bread), pastel de nata(chocolate, Belém, or traditional flavors), Bola de Berlim(with sweet egg or sweet cream), and the almighty Galão(a traditional Portuguese breakfast drink made with steamed milk and a shot of espresso). Everything is delicious at this place, but make sure you come in the morning. Long lines, but definitely worth the wait. If you have time, have a seat and enjoy your tosta mista with your galão(the most traditional of all the breakfast options) and just let yourself be transported to a small café in one of the best countries of Europe!
Paulo P.
Place rating: 3 Rutherford, NJ
I like their coffee but those pastries are hot and miss. They ate usually not fresh but their sandwiches ate not bad.
Mark C.
Place rating: 4 San Mateo, CA
Sounds like a Portuguese bakery, looks like a Portuguese bakery, and pumps out pastries like a Portuguese bakery, but this place does something MORE than the usual Portuguese bakery: Pasteis de Nata(Custard Cups) infused with chocolate! Chocolate lovers(unfortunately, that does not include me) — rejoice! You can bite into a tasty custard cup that has a layer of chocolate on the bottom. Even my girlfriend who’s not a huge fan of custard cups admitted she was quite taken by this confectionary twist. I’m not a fan of chocolate so I can only judge them on their regular Custard Cups: to be honest, I still prefer Teixeira’s, but if you want to change it up, this is the place to try.
Nathaly V.
Place rating: 2 Hackensack, NJ
I was told this café shop had my fave Portuguese pastry– Nata! I thought it was going to be an easy walk in and walk out. Boy was I wrong !! I was third in line on a Friday — 530pm. I left the café shop at 555pm — There was only one girl attending the register, taking orders, making espressos, lattes, Capps, sandwiches etc. The owner could have helped her but decided not to ! And it was so annoying because the café shop is tiny and customers were coming in one after the other — I felt trapped ! Anyways bottom line — service was slow, the«Galao»(Portuguese espresso with steamed milk) was good — the nata pastry(custard) was not up to par but edible.
Michael F.
Place rating: 5 Harrison, NJ
I’ve used them for every family affair and feel very comfortable sending Friends and family here. I’ve never been disappointed with their cakes.
Erik C.
Place rating: 4 Kearny, NJ
I love coming here for breakfast, best coffee in town! As soon as you walk in you can smell all the fresh bread being baked in the back. I recommend getting the grilled sandwiches, and trying out their custard cups! This is my to go place when being on the Ave.
Dan B.
Place rating: 4 Manhattan, NY
I used to work in the area and this was my go to bakery for lattes and grilled cheese sandwiches. I recommend just about anything but I do recommend going in the morning when they have full inventory of bread and delicious pastries.
Amanda S.
Place rating: 5 Kearny, NJ
LOVE this place! It’s my little hidden gem on Kearny Ave. I’ve been coming here for 3 years, mainly for breakfast and an afternoon snack… oh yeah and COFFEE :) Let’s start with how amazing their lates and espressos are. And this summer they finally started serving iced coffees and lates! Delicious! You will never want to go back to Dunkin or Starbucks. Aside from coffee, they also make a really good Portuguese style lemon tea(with just the lemon peels and hot water, but you have to make sure you order with lemon peels only, not slices). They have a variety of breads inside a nice display of baskets. Love their«Pao d’avo»(water bread). I usually like to order the«tosta mista»(pressed ham and cheese on a roll) or egg whites with cheese and peppers on a small wheat roll for breakfast. I especially love their«pastel de nata»(custard cup)! Crispy crust and creamy sweet filling made to perfection. I’ve been lucky enough to get them fresh out the oven on some days! They taste even better served warm! Also, on Saturdays they make this coconut cake for only 6 bucks. Amazing! And I don’t even like coconut, but it’s worth giving a shout out on Unilocal since it’s that good! I wouldn’t really recommend the cupcakes or chocolate deserts. The few times I’ve needed a chocolate fix they never tasted too fresh. But everything else is delish! Décor: pretty small inside with about 10 tables. Bright Miami Art Deco colors, and really awesome portraits on the wall, a few depicting Portuguese culture. Ambiance: people usually take their food to go. Tables get packed quickly. I like the Euro homey feel I get when I’m there, surrounded by a rush of people speaking English, Portuguese and Spanish in a small space. I love it! Service: everyone is always very nice and orders are done fairly quickly. Tip: mornings are always packed! Unless you don’t mind waiting on line for about 15 mins, call in advance and pick up your order(which is usually what I do). Anything else, just ask :)
Edward I.
Place rating: 3 Jersey City, NJ
It’s a small place but comfy, it smelled like bread dough when I came in. The custard cupcake was done right and they also steamed the milk that was mixed with the cocoa I ordered, so it was pretty good. I’d probably try out their different breads next time.