In a nondescript strip mall plaza in Brampton, Ont., Bella’s Pinoy Bakery owner Virgilio Veloso takes a batch of fresh Spanish bread out of the oven.
The self-taught baker still remembers their first year of operating the panaderya, when he had to juggle working as a concierge while delivering their products to grocery stores in the area.
“Ten years na ako’ng nag-operate”, Veloso said. (I’ve been operating for ten years.)
“Ako ang nag-bake, tinuro ko sa staff,” he added. (I baked, then taught it to staff.)
Veloso said that their best selling items are the ube ensaymada special, Spanish bread, and their newest addition, chicharon.
A friend from the Philippines suggested he make chicharon, as it has a very long shelf life (a year at the most).
The woman behind the bakery is Veloso’s wife, Bella, who was passionate about starting the bakery, located at 105 Kennedy Road South in Brampton.
“Pangarap niya talaga ito. ‘Yung pinsan nya, siya yung marunong (mag-bake). Wala akong choice kundi mag-resign sa trabaho,” Veloso said.
(This was her dream. Her cousin was the one who knew how to bake. I had no choice but to quit my job.)
The bakery also serves as a turo-turo restaurant and grocery store.
On the day of Mabuhay Canada’s visit, newcomers to Canada Kevin Espino and friends Jordan Benguelo and Jefferson Tan were happy to have found a place to eat Filipino food.
As they ate their lunch, they talked about being excited to be in Brampton to start a new life, and thankful that there’s a Filipino restaurant close to their workplaces.
The bakery opened in 2014, and is now delivering their products to Seafood City and many other grocery stores in the area.
“Ok naman ang business, concentrate kami sa mga supermarket,” Veloso said.
(Our business is ok, we concentrate on supermarkets.)
His loyal customers are usually Filipinos, but he sees a lot of non-Filipinos as well.
“Mga asawa ng Pilipino—sila ang inuutusan na bumili,” he said.
(The husbands of Filipinos—they’re the ones told to buy our products.)
The restaurant’s turo-turo sells a huge variety of Filipino meals such as munggo, bopis, kinilaw, dinuguan, dinakdakan, lechon paksiw, Bicol Express, adobong pusit, papaitan, menudo, sisig, pinakbet, pork barbecue and grilled fish.
The bakery has pandesal, Spanish bread, munggo bread, pan de coco, hopia, ensaymada and more.
For the concierge-turned-baker and his bakery-loving wife, this unassuming bakery and restaurant in Brampton is truly a Canadian dream come true.
