When food tells a story and flavors work in a way that brings you back home, the whole experience will entice not only your palate but also your ability to travel and experience culture by delighting in fresh homemade goods close to home.

That was Rui Teixeira's dream come true when his passion for baking and cooking, passed down through his mother, Deolinda André Flamino, became the home of traditional Portuguese, freshly baked artisan breads, pastries, handcrafted coffee, and meals at Deolinda’s Artisans in Danbury, CT.
Rui Teixeira, 53, a native of the town of Vila Real in the province of Trás-os-Montes, Portugal, arrived in the United States in 1989.

He recalls vividly spending time in the kitchen watching his mother cook. The seed was then planted, and what was once his mother’s passion became his own.

“I was a young boy, and I was always near my mother. She baked cakes often, and I helped her scrape the pan, clean, and lick the spoon with the remaining dough.”

During the COVID pandemic, when many were trying to adapt and reinvent themselves to cope with the new reality, Teixeira’s interest in cooking grew even stronger. He moved on from baking bread for his family to realize a dream. On March 3, 2025, after a two-year process of designing, renovating, and getting all the necessary permits in hand, he opened Deolinda’s Artisans.

In addition to Teixeira’s training at the Cannes culinary program in France, he and Deolinda’s staff' trained with Diego Marin, known as “The Baker,” who was proclaimed Spanish Bakery Champion 2024. With over 24 years of experience, Marin was the 2024 National Champion in Artisan Baking and the winner of the Best Nutritional Bread award at The Baker 2023.

“I offer Portuguese pastries that are rarely found in this country. All pastries and fillings are freshly made here. I replicate some of my mother’s cakes and also recipes from the best baker in Spain, Diego Marin, as well as Portuguese breads from Padaria Dias (Dias Bakery), a reference in bread production that uses massa  mãe and has no additives.

"Pão de massa mãe" which translates to "sourdough bread" in English, is Deolinda’s Artisans staple. Teixeira explains that it is bread made using a sourdough starter, a culture of wild yeast and bacteria developed over time from flour and water. The sourdough starter, also called "massa mãe," is used as the leavening agent, allowing the bread to rise naturally through fermentation, which is better for your digestive system.

“Almost every bread we make is with massa mãe, except for the ‘papo seco’ (Portuguese wheat bun), which is traditional in Portugal, too.”

“At Deolinda’s Artisans, we honor tradition by crafting Portuguese and American-inspired baked goods with simple, high-quality ingredients.  From our naturally fermented sourdough bread to handcrafted cakes and pastries, every bite reflects our commitment to quality and love for baking.”

In addition to artisan breads and pastries, gelato, Brazilian hors d'oeuvres, and a Portuguese food menu are also available at Deolinda’s.

Texeira’s mother, Deolinda, passed away six years ago at the age of 63, leaving her husband, Rui Antônio Madureira, and three children. Teixeira is married to Nancy Gutierrez and is the father of Rui, Victoria, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Naraly.

“I want to invite everyone to visit Deolinda’s. I want them to feel at home and experience the Portuguese culture through our products, our music, and our inviting atmosphere,” concluded Teixeira.

Deolinda’s Artisans is located at 5 Padanaram Road, in Danbury, CT. It is open Sunday thru Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, please call 203-616-5294 or visit https://deolindasartisans.com.