Pastelaria Adega is closing its downtown San Jose storefront on November 25, ending a seven-year run that turned the small bakery into the city’s go-to source for pastéis de nata. Owners Carlos and Fernanda Carreira plan to begin selling the bakery’s goods at Adega, their Portuguese fine dining restaurant, starting November 28.
A Downtown Lease Runs Out
As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, Carlos and Fernanda Carreira decided to close the bakery because its lease was ending and operating costs were climbing. Carlos Carreira said downtown operating costs had become too expensive to sustain, according to the same report. The storefront sits at 30 E. Santa Clara St. #130, per the bakery’s own site, and the Chronicle notes the location also came with limited parking and difficulty for delivery drivers trying to stop nearby.
Fernanda Carreira said customer feedback repeatedly flagged the location itself as a problem, and the Chronicle’s report adds that some customers complained about safety issues outside the bakery. Pastelaria Adega began in 2019 as a Saturday pop-up at Adega before growing into its own standalone spin-off bakery that same year, the outlet reports.
Pastries Relocate to Little Portugal’s Adega
The bakery will sell most of its menu at Adega, the Portuguese restaurant the Chronicle describes as the first in San Jose to earn a Michelin star, located in the city’s Little Portugal neighborhood. Fernanda Carreira said the move is meant to reach customers who do not want to come downtown, per the same account. Pastelaria Adega’s pastéis de nata come in plain, lemon and ube flavors, and the bakery also makes malassadas filled with hazelnut chocolate and guava cheesecake, along with bolo de arroz and Portuguese breads, according to the Chronicle’s reporting.
Once settled at Adega, the bakery will operate five days a week, closed Monday and Tuesday, the station’s report notes. Customers will still be able to order pastries online for next-day pickup or delivery. The bakery’s own website currently lists hours of Wednesday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and says it is available for delivery through DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Weekend Brunch and a New Coffee Bar
Pastelaria Adega will also host sit-down brunch in Adega’s restaurant space on weekends, with chef Jessica Carreira, daughter of Carlos and Fernanda Carreira, hoping to serve classic brunch dishes with Portuguese twists. Possible dishes include eggs Benedict with bacalhau, per the Chronicle’s report. The bakery also plans a coffee bar with specialty drinks, including a pastel de nata latte…