Reading about the history of the Monastery of São Bento, we find a strong connection between faith and gastronomy. Since 1998, the Monastery Bakery has been part of the monks’ routine, preparing ancient and secret recipes, kept under lock and key in the abbey’s archives.
The tradition dates back to Saint Benedict himself, who determined that every monastery dedicated to him should have a bakery, vegetable garden, cheese factory, orchard and workshop. After all, his philosophy preaches that a monk’s life should be one of work and prayer, “for idleness is the enemy of the soul”.
With two units in the city, the Monastery Bakery allows us to sample bread, cakes and sweets in a quiet and cozy atmosphere. What’s more, the Gregorian chants in the background add a special charm to the experience!
Meet the São Bento Monastery Bakery
The bakery’s first unit is located in the São Bento Monastery itself, in the Historic Center. The store sells artisan breads and sweets, catering for those who want to take the monastic flavor home with them. The Jardins unit is ideal for a break from routine. After all, the marble hall has a few tables where you can enjoy the delicacies at your leisure.
The Dom Bernardo cake is one of the house’s highlights: it contains coffee, chocolate, walnuts, cognac, peaches and ginger, and pairs perfectly with vanilla tea or cocoa with orange. Among the breads, it’s worth trying the São Joachim, made with Italian semolina, olive oil and green olives.
How to find out?
The Monastery Unit is located on Rua São Bento, in the historic center of São Paulo. The shop is inside the church, on the left-hand side, and only sells products. In other words, there are no tables or other facilities for consumption on site.
The Jardins Unit is at Rua Barão de Capanema, 416, in Largo São Bento, and serves snacks on site. It is also possible to buy the products on the official website of Padaria do Mosteiro São Bento, with deliveries all over Brazil. So you can enjoy the delights of Padaria do Mosteiro even outside São Paulo!
