The art of pastry with a soul
Sàbat: The legacy of the master who sketched sweetness in Sant Cugat
Inside the Sàbat family workshop, time is measured not just in baking hours, but in generations. We visit an institution born between paintbrushes and flour that became a beacon of signature pastry in Catalonia.
Barcelona 23/03/2026.
There are places that belong not only to a city’s map but to its emotional palate. In Sant Cugat del Vallès, that place has a name: Sàbat. We aren’t just talking about a pastry shop, but the love story between Jaume Sàbat i Aumasquè—a man of artistic temperament who never put down his brush—and the craft of transforming sweetness into culture.
The art of liberating recipes
If we understand pastry today as an open and constantly evolving discipline, it is thanks to visionaries like Master Sàbat. In an era when pastry chefs kept their recipe books under lock and key, he decided to do the opposite: share the knowledge.
In 1957, Sàbat was not only selling panellets on Santiago Rusiñol Street but also founding the first international pastry school in Spain. This was the moment the craft gained the academic dignity it deserved, blending the local traditions of Can Sant Joan with the refined techniques learned in Barcelona’s finest workshops.
“Sweetness and color, brush and pen: in the hands of Jaume Sàbat, creation knew no boundaries between the canvas and the cake.”
Three generations under the sign of craftsmanship
Stepping into either of their two establishments today means feeling the essence established by Jaume and Joana Grané in 1951. Pastisseria Sàbat has grown alongside Sant Cugat, but its heart beats with the same standards of seventy years ago:
Uncompromising raw materials: The secret (no longer a secret) lies in the reverential treatment of local products.
Generational continuity: The love for the craft has passed from parents to children and grandchildren, keeping alive a technique that shuns industrialization.
The spirit of the “mona”: Their connection to Catalan traditions, such as the Easter mona exhibition, remains an aspirational meeting point for families seeking excellence.
Why is it a Gourmenials “Excellent”?
Because Sàbat represents the luxury of consistency. In a world of fleeting trends, they have maintained the artisan rigorof authentic flavor. It is the place to go when seeking a classic executed with a watchmaker’s precision and a painter’s sensitivity.
Practical Guide: Where to find them
The emblem (Santiago Rusiñol): Ideal for a Saturday morning, enjoying its tea room with the aroma of butter and history. Carrer Santiago Rusiñol, 46. Sant Cugat.
The expansion (Ribatallada): Perfect for picking up desserts for a special celebration where you know you can’t go wrong. Rambla Ribatallada, 8. Sant Cugat.
The essential: Ask for their seasonal specialties; at Sàbat, the calendar is set by the ingredients, not the clock.
More information:
pastisseriasabat.com
@pastisseriasabat
Gourmenials.cat +
