Nestled in the hustle and bustle of Little Italy, Café Belém has quickly become a local favourite for Portuguese sweets and espresso drinks. And now, just a year and a half in, the bakery is growing again, opening a bright, spacious second spot in the St. Clair West Village.
Along with more room for baking and seating, the new location introduces something special: a dedicated space for a long-planned side project from the Café Belém and Mercado Negro team.
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“Since the new space is quite large, we set aside an area for a pop-up project that my chefs from Mercado and I have been really passionate about,” says owner Carlos Oliviera. “Alma Lusa, Toronto’s first Portuguese snack bar, will be housed inside Café Belém’s new location.”
While Mercado leans toward a sit-down dining experience, Café Belém and Alma Lusa keep things more relaxed, offering a grab-and-go setup where you can move at your own pace.
“The vibes are hip and light, representing a new Portugal that is fun and diverse, but still respecting the old and the traditions,” Oliveira says. “With the look and taste, we want people to walk in and feel like they’ve entered a travel loop, being transported into Europe, from Portugal. Life in Toronto moves at a very high pace, and we need these small little breaks to balance it all out.”
Café Belém and Alma Lusa are fully licensed, and Oliveira promises a wide selection of Portuguese wines and beers, along with the same beloved food offerings that helped put the bakery on the map: the famous bifana, the piri piri chicken sandwich, a steak sandwich and a codfish sandwich — all made on housemade breads and developed by Mercado’s chefs João Silva and Pedro Santos.
The second Café Belem is located at 350 Oakwood Ave.
