Everything is coming up roses for Florencia Breda. The renowned local pastry chef, who launched Breda Pasticceria e Cioccolateria from a shared space at Mistura Restaurant in San Luis Obispo three years ago, married her soulmate in March and celebrated the grand opening of her own shop on April 14.
Florencia and her wife, Christine Breda, who co-owns and manages the downtown SLO shop, formerly occupied by Saints Barrel Wine Bar, have completely redesigned the space to reflect chic Italian décor.
Upon entering Breda, guests are transported to Venice and nearby Treviso, Italy, Florencia’s hometown.
“There is a lot of black, gold, and white,” Florencia said. “So it’s more elegant and refined. And then moving out on the patio we want to re-create the south of Italy.
“So it’s like the north in front with Venetian masks and landscapes, and then there is a wall of flowers—perfect for Instagram photos—which is a focal point in the room where we transition to the south.”
On Breda’s rear creekside patio, the color scheme switches to bright white and yellow with “lemon trees and more of an Amalfi Coast terraced scenery with cast iron furniture,” she said.
To complete the Italian theme, front-of-house staff don official gondolier tops from Venice-based retailer Emilio Ceccato.
A merchandise corner set up alongside a Vespa, the traditional scooter of Amalfi’s narrow, winding roads, will feature both Breda logo items and Emilio Ceccato gear.
“We are going to be the only place in California that sells their official gondolieri merchandise,” Florencia said.
Also on display and available for purchase is artwork by local botanical photographer Maz Ghani that depicts Florencia’s elaborate handcrafted bonbons amid floral arrangements.
“I’m excited to showcase a different level of elegance for our community,” said Christine, a Fresno native who moved to the Central Coast a decade ago. “I recently visited Italy with Florencia, and I fell in love with the lifestyle. I am so excited to bring a piece of that here to SLO.”
Formerly a phlebotomist at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, Christine said she is thrilled “to be changing careers and embarking on this incredible journey with my wife.”
“I’ve always felt that I’d find a career that would allow me to express my creativity and passion,” she added, “and this new adventure is the perfect realization of that dream.”
Breda will be open from morning to evening with a variety of sweet and savory treats, most of which are gluten-free.
“Grab an espresso and pastry before work, tea and charcuterie in the afternoon, or dress up for a girls’ day—like I do with my daughter—and enjoy a variety of piadinas (filled Italian flatbread) followed by chocolate delicacies,” Christine said.
The eclectic European-focused menu reflects Florencia’s professional journey, including stints at Michelin star Ristorante Il Pievano in Gaiole, Italy, and restaurants in England, France, Portugal, and Spain.
The beverage menu is particularly extensive, with Illy coffee from Trieste, Italy; British tea service; and a fresh fruit-juice bar. Wine, beer, and bubbly will soon join the lineup once the alcohol license is approved.
While Italians primarily drink coffee, other Europeans enjoy afternoon tea, which the Bredas are passionate about.
They have retained certified tea sommelier Jennifer de Tréglodé, of SLO, as a consultant “to source our tea—primarily from China, Japan, and India—and put together tea pairings with Flor’s desserts,” Christine said.
“She collaborates with a community of tea professionals who seek out the highest quality teas beyond conventional certifications, known as ‘living tea,'” she added. “The tea is cultivated using traditional, time-honored methods that preserve the plants’ vital life force.”
The Bredas will source some ingredients locally, such as honey from Avila Valley Barn and strawberries from Corona Family Farms, but most products will be imported from Europe.
“I cannot not have Prosecco, because I’m from Treviso, and it’s where it was born,” Florencia said. “We are also going to have sgroppino, which is super Italian. It’s lemon sorbet mixed with Prosecco. And we’re going to have the bellini, which is like a mimosa, but instead of orange juice we do it with peach juice.”
While the Bredas will be offering multiple options for light meals morning through evening, they stress that they are first and foremost a chocolate and pastry shop.
“I don’t want to go far from what I am,” said Florencia, who has built a solid reputation as a premier pastry chef on the Central Coast.
In fact, the opening of their new shop, with nearly 2,000 square feet of space, reflects growing demand for Breda desserts at events and partner establishments.
The team has even hired an event coordinator, Hannah Lange of SLO, “who is going out from Solvang and Santa Barbara to Monterey to grab more hotel and restaurant accounts,” Florencia said.
“Once we are settled here,” she added, “we are going to open online selling nationwide for chocolates.”
Lange will also coordinate catering, private rentals of Breda’s space, chocolate-making classes, and, in the future, extended workshops for more immersive experiences, such as learning how to run a dessert kitchen.
Florencia and Christine agree that their future is looking pretty rosy right now.
“I always dreamt of having my own space, but I never imagined it would be this good,” Florencia said. “Everything fell into place at the right moment, when I was not expecting or trying to make it happen. It came very naturally.
“I am so blessed I met my life partner. Sharing this journey and adventure, it feels like a dream that I didn’t know I had. Doing this with your family is way better than doing it alone.” Δ
Flavor Writer Cherish Whyte is living la dolce vita at Breda. She’ll be binging on bonbons at cwhyte@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Apr 17-27, 2025.