Name of business: Corvelos Portuguese Bakery
Type of business: Portuguese bakery
Location: 1676 Countryside Drive
Contact info: 669-8163
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
History of business: Few things encapsulate Portugal better than its bakeries, where people from all walks of life mingle over coffee and cake. Corvelos Portuguese Bakery brings all aspects of Portuguese cuisine in the convenience of a bakery shop.
“We want people to feel like they have a little piece of home when they visit our shop,” said Corvelos co-owner Jeanette Corvelo.
Turlock Portuguese Bakery, owned by Gilbert Corvelo, first opened in 2008 on Golden State Boulevard. Six months ago, the bakery changed its name and moved to its current location on Countryside Drive. The new storefront has attracted customers from different cultures to the store.
“We have completely changed the concept of our Portuguese bakery,” said Corvelo. “We have a lot of Portuguese product in our store. We carry tuna, Portuguese olive oil and also its famous cheese. Our goal in opening this new store was to incorporate more Portuguese products in the Portuguese community where they don’t have to shop around and can find it in the convenience of this bakery.”
Business specialty: Corvelos' name gives no hint of the specialized Portuguese confections it churns out. Each item is baked to perfection every morning. One of the biggest sellers is its “pastel de nata” or Portuguese sweet bread.
“Our sweet bread sells out almost every day,” said Corvelos. “It is made from my husband's special recipe and it is unlike any other bread out there.”
Corvelos also serves breakfast and lunch with a menu inspired by Portuguese culture in a café setting.
“Everybody in Portugal drinks espresso first thing when they wake up. Here at Corvelos we serve Portuguese espresso and latte and pair it up with a Portuguese breakfast sandwich which includes Portuguese cheese, butter and ham. We serve it all day long.”
There is an abundance of desserts beyond the Portuguese specialty. The store's cake, pastry cream, and bittersweet chocolates offer indulgent choices for customers.
Corvelos also sells a line of more traditional food during lunch including linguica and pork sandwiches.
