The Shop

The Fábrica de Pão de Ló de Margaride – Leonor Rosa da Silva focuses its activity on the artisanal production of sweets, including Pão de Ló de Margaride (traditional sponge cake), Cavacas de Margaride (glazed pastries), and biscuits. Located in the city center in a historic late 19th-century building, it is now a central hub for tourism promotion and the local artisanal fabric.

Shop History

The Fábrica de Pão de Ló de Margaride – Leonor Rosa da Silva traces the beginning of its activity back to 1730, according to tradition. The national history of the Pão de Ló de Margaride, the hallmark of the Felgueiras municipality, is intertwined with the history of this shop, as it is the oldest house producing this sweet. Production is said to have begun with Clara Maria. However, it was under Leonor Rosa da Silva, already in the 19th century, that this shop received its greatest title—Supplier to the Portuguese Royal House. Despite her three marriages, Leonor Rosa passed away without descendants. The business was taken over by her last husband, Joaquim Luís da Silva, who, at the beginning of the 20th century, left it to his brother, José Maria da Silva. The business remains in the family today, now managed by the fourth generation of José Maria da Silva’s successors. The building stands out in the municipal urban center, with its facade and interior currently preserved since the early 20th century, the date when the factory and shop were established in that location. The kitchen, which serves as the factory’s production area, the ovens, the mixers, the longevity of the business, and the manual manufacturing process turn this shop, of high historical and heritage value, into an identity brand for the municipality, distinguishing it through tradition and its tourism value for the region.

Products and Services

At the Margaride Pão de Ló factory in Felgueiras, artisanal sweets such as the traditional sponge cake (pão de ló), cavacas, and biscuits are sold. The preserved building hosts guided tours with tastings, as well as regular cultural events like tertúlias, small concerts, and literary sessions.

Business Hours

Contacts

Parish: União das freguesias de Margaride (Santa Eulália), Várzea, Lagares, Varziela e Moure
Address: Praça da República 304, 4610-116 Felgueiras
Postal Code: 4610-116 Felgueiras
255312121
geral@paodelodemargaride.com
https://paodelodemargaride.pt/

General Data

Main activity: Traditional food and drink retail
Opening Year: 1886
Main Code of Economic Activity (CAE): 10712