Specializing in German and Latin treats, Bettina’s Bakery is bringing a unique combination of flavors to Newton Upper Falls. Bettina Scemama, along with her partner Naun Rivera, opened their homey bakery on Oct. 5.
“I’m originally from Germany and my partner Naun is from Honduras, so we have always talked about the home-baking culture from both those countries,” Scemama said. “We thought it’d be a really interesting mix. Coming from two kinds of traditions that make really good home-baked goods from scratch and translating that into a cafe was something that we’d thought would be appealing to a lot of people.”
All of the bakery’s selections are made fresh every morning and often sell out by closing time, especially its signature treat, the concha, according to Scemama. She described the concha as a popular Mexican pastry made from a soft, yeasted roll, slightly sweetened with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping.
The mouthwatering selection of desserts includes mainstream favorites like lemon pound cake, along with more specialized Honduran and German treats. The bakery offers tres leche cake, a moist Central American sponge cake soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream, and Apfelkuchen, a German two-crust apple cake.
In addition to baked goods, Bettina’s Bakery has a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, and soups that reflect the German and Honduran influences. For breakfast, customers can choose from a wide variety of German and Honduran dishes, two being the Honduran breakfast plate and the Streuselkuchen. The Honduran plate consists of sweet plantains or two soft flour tortillas, refried beans, eggs, queso duro or crema, and avocado, while the Streuselkuchen is a German crumb cake served with fresh fruit.
The lunch menu offers both a schnitzel sandwich, consisting of thinly pounded breaded chicken on a brioche roll with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and German pickles, and Honduran chicken tacos with cabbage salad. All items on the menu are generally under $10, making it affordable to customers looking for a quick snack or lunch on the go.
With its entrance framed with two hanging flower pots on either side, Bettina’s immediately feels welcoming. While seating is limited, the bakery is cozy with an order-at-the counter selection of baked goods and pastel blue walls.
What makes Bettina’s Bakery even more inclusive is its choice to go completely nut free, making it one of the few bakeries in the greater Newton area that has chosen to do so. Helen Geckle, a local resident and fan of the bakery, said this element of the menu draws her back to Bettina’s.
“It’s awesome to find a local bakery where I can buy treats without triggering my severe nut allergies,” Geckle said. “That, and its really cozy atmosphere makes it the perfect place for me to pick up baked goods for me and my family.”
Although it is never easy opening a business amid a pandemic, Scemama has remained optimistic about business.
“Due to the pandemic, we have a limited number of seats,” she said. “But the nice thing is, we have had people sitting in, since the employees all wear masks and are vaccinated … and I’d say probably the majority of the business is takeout, which is helpful.”
Taking all these factors into consideration, residents in Newton and across the Boston area who are looking for a local bakery with a diverse selection of delicious pastries should pay a visit to this up-and-coming business.
Featured Image by Rachel Lee / for The Heights
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