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Pasteleria San Antonio: Quality for more than 50 years

By Diana P. Olano

The search for quality food at a reasonable price is the same worldwide, I think. Five-star restaurants in Lima charge exuberant prices, just as five-star restaurants in my home-state of New York do. Are they worth it? Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren’t. On the other end of the spectrum, some New York diners offer cheap meals that aren’t even worth the tacky china they’re served on. A Chifa here might use day-old rice in your chaufa. However, for four soles, what did you expect? To find those gems in the middle—that not only serve great food but do so without emptying your wallet—takes a bit of effort. Peruvians have had it a bit easy, though, thanks to well-established café shop and bakery, San Antonio.


The Peruvian eatery is the brainchild of two Spanish men, with the help of a little Italian inspiration. The Christini family moved to Ica from Italy in the late 1940’s and opened “Bodega Christini”, which sold goods such as imported sardines and cheeses. Daughter Laura Christini met and married Spaniard Emilio Fernandez, who decided to move to Lima in hopes of expanding the store. In Lima, Emilio found a kindred spirit in Jose Vila, who also hailed from Spain and was owner of a bakery named “Baruch” on Av. Petit Thouars. In each other they found inspiration for what the first San Antonio would become and what would lay the foundation for the others: a bakery and delicatessen, founded on tradition and hard work.

While the family-run business would see tough times during Juan Velasco Alvarado’s military regime,  many of the ingredients San Antonio used were imported from Spain, and thus the quality of the food differed when imports were banned—they strove forward, expanding to Chacarilla and Lima with newer generations of the Fernandez and Vila family taking charge. This new era for San Antonio was also characterized by a change in technology for the shop, with a new method of freezing dough at -40 C that helped make food production more efficient. During this time, the “café” idea was also introduced by the managers, with the bakery now also serving as an eatery and coffee shop. It was “fast food” but done in a classy way and in an elegant atmosphere.

The one thing that has never changed, however, is the spirit behind San Antonio. Fernandez and Vila named the eatery after San Antonio de Padua, a Spanish saint. Both men were faithful followers of San Antonio and thought it fitting to use his name for a business that represented their diligent efforts and passion for success. From its inception, that drive and attitude to create something great has never faltered. Want proof? Visit any of Peru’s five San Antonio locales. I did, for the first time, earlier this week.

I’m not new to Lima—my parents were born here, so I’ve visited from time to time—but I was definitely new to San Antonio. I stopped by the San Isidro locale one early weekday evening, a busy time for the café. I was floored by how beautiful venue was and amazed at the service. My order came quickly: a fresh, light pionono and probably one of the best cappuccinos I’ve ever had. A review this is not. I’m not going to talk about the details of my dessert or the consistency of the cream in my cappuccino. What I will express is what everyone had told me beforehand: at San Antonio you get quality food at a great price, a truly rare find in any city.

San Antonio is so well-known and so well-loved here, that it’s hard to find someone who’s not familiar with it and doesn’t sing its praises. Anyone who has visited can attest to their slogan of “La Tradicion de Ayer, La Tecnologia de Hoy y la Calidad de Siempre” (The Tradition of Yesterday, the Technology of Today and the Quality of Always).



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3 comments

Andrea Burniske says :
10-10-07,04:07:43

I couldn't agree more with Ms. Olano. My family moved to Lima in 2000 and stayed for two years while my husband was heading up a project. At that time I was looking for someplace with food that was lighter than arroz con pollo or other traditional Peruvian food, but also lighter than those 4-story sandwiches with mountains of mayo that are also mainstays of lunch here. I wanted food that was lighter, and also innovative and tasty without breaking the bank for my daily lunch allowance. San Antonio was a great find that completely filled these requirements, and only a few blocks away from where we lived. 

I must have gone there almost every day while I was pregnant. My older daughter and I had a ritual of doing this after got home from her colegio. 

As for deserts, not just gooey, and too sweet the way traditional Peruvian deserts are, but really diverse and good quality deserts. Our youngest child's first birthday cake came from San Antonio. 

When my brother and his wife and child came to visit, we went as often as possible. The San Antonio sandwiches are still legend in their home back in the Pacific Northwest of the US. 

Now I am back for a few months and I head to San Antonio whenever possible. I intend to take my husband back a desert so he can relive our times there through this gastromonic experience. 

Gabby says :
23-11-07,08:45:36

I am Peruvian, and I went here and this place is the bet I have ever been to.

luis saldarriaga says :
31-01-08,10:56:27

I just want to say the the restaurant offers a good quality of deserts as well as sandwiches for the variety, that they have.  It has a great seating arrangement as well as good service. prices are reasonable for the many tourist that go there i rate it from 1 - 10  a score of 9



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