Already at the helm of a Portuguese cuisine restaurant at 54 rue de la Grotte in Lourdes, Faustino and Maria have opened a grocery store on the Place du Champ-Commun in the city centre.
Pega leve is the common name for the restaurant on rue de la Grotte and now for a grocery store located in a former greengrocer on the Place du Champ-Commune, near Sica.
On the initiative of these two places that smell of Lusitanian cuisine and traditions, the young couple Maria and Faustino Afonso are determined to offer the simplest flavors of their country to the inhabitants but also to the many pilgrims who pass through the Marian city. There, under the brand “Mercearia Pegaleve”, Maria welcomes the first customers since the opening on May 10: “It is a grocery store where you can find all Portuguese products and we plan to add more exotic ones, African for example, we find dried cod or “Frozen is like the fish we buy in Portugal. We also have fruits, vegetables, wine, rice and jam. We are the typical Portuguese brands with products that the Portuguese are generally looking for.” On the shelves, chorizo, charcuterie or even cheese, it is still better to go to the site to discover the good flavors on offer.
Open daily from July
Right now, Maria only stands behind the cash counter and closes her shop on Wednesdays and Sundays, but from July that should change: “It’s going to be the two of us, so we’ll be open every day from 9am to 6:15pm. A moment, as I have children in school, there are days when we are not free.”
Delivered direct from Portugal, the couple hope to pick up speed and offer more complete shelves quickly, it’s only a matter of days.
On the restaurant side, it’s also quite a bit of business with an establishment that’s open every day, except, again, on Wednesday and Sunday evenings, at 54 rue de la Grotte.
In any case with a smile on their lips, Maria and Faustino welcome clients and guide them in their choice with an impeccable experience in the trade with such a clear desire to please all those who push the door of Mercearia Pegaleve, Place du Champ-Co in Lourdes.
