Artisanal Bread, Signature Pastries, and Coffee Roasted in Full View—This Is the First Bread & Friends by the Sana Group.
The view into the kitchen at Bread & Friends, located at number 8 on Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, stops passersby in their tracks. Bakery chef Tiago Vaz starts his shift at 3:30 AM (four hours before opening at 7:30 AM) and his work is visible from the street.
Inside, the space opens up, with a glass wall extending the view. The goal is to make the process completely transparent, inviting customers to follow the long-fermented bread and signature pastry production.
This concept, developed by the Sana Group, embraces the deeply rooted Portuguese coffee culture, featuring a roasting machine right at the entrance, ensuring that the aroma of freshly roasted coffee is part of the experience.
“Making a sourdough starter from scratch takes about a week,” reveals Tiago Vaz, who greets us covered in flour, wearing his apron, around 11:00 AM. “We can make it using just water, flour, and salt, or with a preparation of raisins, apples, quinces, or red fruits. You mix equal parts, cover it, and leave it at room temperature for five days. Once it starts fermenting, you feed it daily [by adding more water and refreshing it].” When it comes to making bread, fermentation here is always slow, with a minimum of 18 to 20 hours and a maximum of 72 hours, the bakery chef explains. But before being sold, each loaf is tested. “We cut it, check the crumb—if it’s soft or not, if it has the right crunch. We taste it, and if it’s too acidic, we don’t serve it to customers. Two or three hours later, if we have dough, we make a fresh batch.”
On the wooden displays behind the counter, a variety of breads are available, ranging from Alentejo bread (€3-€5)—made with a highly acidic dough fermented for at least 48 hours—to chestnut and fennel bread (€1.20-€3.50). The latter, besides being crafted with traditional expertise, reuses the chestnut cooking water to enhance the dough’s flavors. Other options include rye bread and broa (€3.50-€4), Bread & Friends’ signature bread and rolls (€1.20-€2.20), Avenida bread (€3.50), and corn broa (€4).
In the Bread & Friends display cases, the creations of pastry chef Paulo Carvalho take center stage. Highlights include cruffins (€3.50) muffins made with croissant dough, filled with artisanal creams; Bolas de Berlim (€2-€2.20) made from butter brioche with extended fermentation and sourdough addition; and babkas (€2) fermented for 14 hours and filled with chocolate, walnuts, and crunchy praline. Less flashy but essential in any top-tier pastry shop, Portuguese classics are also present, such as pastéis de nata with a cinnamon tuile and a reinvented Jesuíta with chocolate. The selection also includes savory pastries, cookies, and artisanal cakes, available by the slice (€2.50-€4.50) to enjoy in-store or as whole cakes (€25-€45) to take home.
For this Christmas, Bread & Friends is also offering Bolo Rei and even a special Bolo Rainha. “It’s made with sourdough, has an almond crust, 40% dried fruits, and a fios de ovos filling. It’s not overly sweet or heavy,” promises Paulo Carvalho. “This cake is heavily infused with spirits—it includes Port wine, aged brandy, regular brandy, and a hint of Licor Beirão.” This is just the first of many innovations, he assures. “Our goal is to play with pastry, set trends, and introduce international hits that Portuguese customers haven’t yet had access to.”
Among the light meal options, standout choices include smoked salmon salad with red fruit chutney (€12), as well as toasties, toasts, sandwiches, and wraps, all perfect for pairing with tea or fresh juices (€2.50-€3). For colder days, a hot chocolate (€3.50), freshly made and creamy, is highly recommended.
The list of offerings is extensive, but the coffee service deserves special mention. Bread & Friends roasts two in-house coffee blends: one is 100% Arabica specialty coffee, while the signature Bread & Friends blend combines Uganda Robusta and Guatemala Arabica.
In the long term, the Sana Group plans to open more Bread & Friends locations. For now, the focus is on building customer loyalty. The café already has its “super fan” of cheese bread with chicken filling, and another customer “who’s trying out all the tables.” The coziest spot is by the fireplace, but come summer, the outdoor terrace will surely be the favorite.
Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo 8, Mon-Sun 07:30-20:00
By TimeOut
