Beloved Petersham cafe Sweet Belém has opened its second Sydney location in Barangaroo.
The family-owned store is renowned for its cult-favourite Portuguese custard tarts, or pastel de nata, which are egg-custard filled pastries that are hand made in store daily. It was founded by João De Almeida and taken over by chef Jose Silva in 2012.
Talking to Hospitality about what it takes to develop a cult bakery following, Silva said the store’s enduring success, and now expansion, comes down to cooking with “the best possible quality we can, with the best ingredients we can get, and doing it with love”.
“We had been looking to expand the business for some time, so when the Barangaroo location came up we jumped on it,” said Silva.
“We want the new store to feel very much like an extension of Petersham, nothing will change except the audience, and a few exciting menu additions. Being able to tap into the corporates on weekdays and visitors on weekends – it feels like the right step for us. We’re incredibly excited to bring Sweet Belém to Barangaroo.”
Monique de Cseuz, director of retail and place at Lendlease, where the shop is based, commented that Sweet Belém is “one of those rare brands that has amassed a genuinely loyal community on craft and passion alone”.
“Their arrival at Barangaroo speaks to the kind of precinct we are building, one that brings together quality and tradition that gives people a real reason to visit. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome them and introduce Sweet Belém to Barangaroo,” said de Cseuz.
Sweet Belém Barangaroo is now open from 7am – 9pm daily. For more information visit thestreetsofbarangaroo.com
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