Passing by the old Cambuci district, in São Paulo, we see a small façade, fully decorated in pink and blue tones, reminding a dollhouse.
Bellatucci Café is inside it. Recently open, all in pink and blue tones, we find behind the counter the owner, Jéssica Pereira, 26 years old. Legal partner and creator of Bellatucci, Jéssica makes of it a special place.
She was born with Down syndrome, the famous 21 chromosome, and the syndrome has never prevented her from doing what she wanted. As a little girl she liked to observe her mother, Ivânia, cooking. After attending classes at Instituto Chefes Especiais, Jéssica wanted to open her own space, where she could put into practice what she had learnt.
With the help and participation of the whole family, she opened Bellatucci Café. Her sister Priscilla and her brother-in-law Douglas paid for part of the investment (the other portion was paid by Jéssica). Her mother and her father, Carlos, help in the kitchen and with services. The coffee shop only hires persons with Down syndrome, in order to promote inclusion.
The idea came from Priscilla, when she returned from a travel to Argentina, where she saw a large number of coffee shops. She noticed that cafés were quieter than restaurants, calm to spend the day and noticed that it would be ideal for Jessica to put into practice everything that she had learnt.
Then they met barista Débora Mafra, who taught Jéssica about coffee and how to prepare it. Débora also made a special coffee blend to Bellatucci Café, in a partnership with Café Muzambinho, at Fazenda Santo Antônio do Campestre, in Minas Gerais.
In the coffee shop, all drinks are made with the special Bellatucci blend, and 250g packages can be bought there, as well as a special Red Bourbon, from the same farm.
At Bellatucci Café teas are also served and the place counts on a small emporium that sells products like cachaças, honey and dulce de leche. As apetizers, snacks, pastas, pies and sweets, all of them prepared by Jéssica.
Attention: it is a place to be appreciated without haste, according to Jéssica time, which is different, special. This is Bellatucci café proposal! Don’t miss it!
Bellatucci Café
- Address: Rua Hermínio Lemos, 372 – Cambuci, São Paulo – SP, 01540-000
- Telephone: (11) 3208 – 1127
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 09:00 am – 06:00 pm
- Saturdays: 09:00 am – 06:00 pm
- Closed on Sundays
