Delicious Bakery — Restaurant in Waterbury

I stopped by today in search of pan de bono (similar to pão de queijo) from a Colombian bakery on our way home from NYC. I found this place and it was close off the highway enough for us to make a quick stop before continuing our trip home. It came up first on my Colombian bakery search, so we said okay let's go. I found out quickly it was actually a Brazilian bakery and they didn't have much out for me to look at. They didn't know what pan de bono was of course, so I asked if they had anything similar to pan de queso (Colombian cheese bread which is similar to pan de bono). She said she didn't have any ready but had a bag frozen that I could take home and bake in the oven, which I thought was better. She gave that to me and said she had to go back because she was too busy, but I was only one of three customers. I asked the cashier if they had any empanadas and they said yes so I asked for two cheese and two beef. She made them fresh, which was nice. I paid and then waited. The cashier didn't speak any English, only Portuguese, which was fine because I can only understand Portuguese but can't speak it fluently enough to be confident with strangers.

The empanadas were enormous, nothing like I've ever seen before. The dough seems to be wonton dough. The beef was too dry and too salty, there was no salsa or sauce to cut down the saltiness either. One beef empanada barely had any beef and all the beef was on one end with just fried dough on the other side. It also had no other seasoning and barely any vegetables. The other empanada was stuffed correctly but had a weird Asian flavor of ginger and heavy soy sauce that I wasn't expecting, but did have some vegetables. Both cheese empanadas didn't have enough of cheese to fill the entire empanada, so one side had all the cheese at the bottom and the other side had melted cheese around the dough. When we bit into the cheese empanada, hot air came out and burned my fiance a little on his face and burned me on my lip.

We got home and made some of the pão de queijo and followed her instructions: 350° for 30 minutes. We ate them and they were also way too salty for pão de queijo, which I actually have had and made before.

I'm only writing this review because I feel like the others weren't very honest and I feel like I just wasted $41.22 for 4 empanadas, and a bag of frozen pão de queijo. We had to drink a bunch of water because we're closer to our 40s and that was A LOT of salt that was in that food.

They were really nice but none of it can make up for the fact that I paid that much for all that food and I didn't like any of it. My fiance thought the cheese one was alright, but she gotta fill it up with more cheese so it doesn't get full of hot air or she gotta make them smaller because...

A Taste of Brazil – A Hidden Gem in Every Bite

From the moment you step into this delightful Brazilian bakery, you’re immediately transported to the heart of Brazil. The warm, inviting aroma of freshly baked pão de queijo (cheese bread) fills the air, blending perfectly with the sweet scent of confections that promise a delicious escape.

Each item on the menu feels like a lovingly crafted piece of Brazil’s culinary heritage. The pão de queijo is a standout – golden, crispy on the outside, and delightfully soft and cheesy on the inside. It’s the perfect start to any meal, or even a mid-day snack to accompany your coffee. Speaking of coffee, their Brazilian cafézinho (a strong, sweet coffee) is brewed to perfection, making it the ideal pairing for the bakery’s wide selection of pastries.

The brigadeiro (chocolate truffles) are a must-try, rich and melt-in-your-mouth with that perfect balance of sweetness. And the torta de limão (lime pie) is refreshingly tangy, with a velvety, smooth filling that’s sure to leave you coming back for more.

But it’s not just the food that sets this bakery apart; it’s the warmth and authenticity that radiates from every corner. The staff is welcoming, always ready to offer recommendations and share the stories behind their beloved recipes. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a regular, you feel like part of the family here.

Every visit to this bakery is an invitation to experience Brazil’s vibrant food culture, wrapped in the comfort of a small, cozy corner bakery. Whether you’re craving a savory treat or indulging in something sweet, this Brazilian gem will always leave you...

Went here this morning for the first time after seeing good reviews. After letting the woman working there know that we had never been there, she took the time to show us everything they had to offer and explain what they all were. We got chocolate cake and brigadieros. The cake was RICH, but it was so so good. And the brigadieros were DANGEROUSLY good. I will have to keep myself from going back and getting more immediately. There is very little parking, so you may have to walk a little bit to get there, but it is...