Windhoek has a new patisserie and Photizo’s charms are sweet, savoury and prettily plated.
Situated at 4 Elsa Building in Klein Windhoek, the elegant eatery is all velvet booths, shades of green and blue, gold and glass accents, and a sparkling pastry display that will take your breath away.
Boasting everything from freshly baked petit fours, fruit-topped crème pâtissière, chocolate tartlets, melt-in-your-mouth cakes, decadent profiteroles, flaky croissants and syrupy baklava, Photizo Patisserie is the work of an ambitious local couple who prefer to stay cloaked in a level of mystery.
As one favours sweet and the other favours savoury, Photizo proudly presents the best of both worlds as their bakers greet the early morning with a selection of breads, quiches and filled bagels.
The patisserie’s name and its aim are deeply connected. Intent on “illuminating the local culinary experience”, Photizo derives its moniker from the Greek word for light.
Inspired by the patisseries they have encountered in their travels, the couple, who opened the store just last month, strive to bring a similar experience to Windhoek.
“We don’t have an all-out patisserie in Windhoek. A patisserie is an exhibition of the effort and the craft of creating pastry. The moment you define yourself as a patisserie, you’re setting a vision to bring out a unique experience. The idea is that, if you walk in, you should be spoiled for choice,” the owner says.
“What we’ve gone for is a living display. You get to many places and you’re met with a menu. But there’s a certain beauty to seeing what is there, interacting, asking questions and seeing what appeals in the moment. The culinary experience starts in the mind but it’s largely driven by what you see.”
Traditionally, the French pâtisserie is a shop or bakery that specialises in pastries and cakes. Photizo largely follows this blueprint and also offers a range of hot and cold drinks to complement the eats, collectively known as patisserie.
On a chilly Monday afternoon, a scattering of customers sip on chai cappuccinos, lattes and teas, both in the luxurious interior and out on the spacious patio. A duo of welcoming solo seats overlooking the busy street remain unoccupied but with the adjacent plug points and complimentary Wi-Fi, they are bound to be hot property for those working remotely.
As I take in the ambience, a gorgeously presented crème pat is placed on a gold wing place mat and the feeling of luxury solidifies.
“The vision is just to bring that wow moment,” says the owner. “There are a lot of wow moments for people who drink alcohol. But if you don’t drink alcohol, there aren’t many nice places for you to just go lounge and enjoy. So we thought, if we had that and we have the pastries, with say a mild tea, it just feels good.”
The couple jointly recommend the baklava, crème pat, quiche, Oreo milkshake and red velvet cheesecake with a classic deluxe coffee cappuccino, mochaccino or babyccino for the littlest ones.
Newly open and welcoming customers on the go as well as those who like to linger, Photizo is a family friendly patisserie where “food is love” and the light is in the details.
Photizo Patisserie is open weekdays from 06h30 to 19h00, Saturday from 07h00 to 19h00 and Sunday from 09h00 to 17h00.
Follow them on Instagram for more information.
– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com
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