Real Patisserie opens in Worthing: We tour this cute new bakery and try some French treats

I was invited up to the new Broadwater store today – the opening day – to take a look around, meet the staff and try some of their delicious French delicacies.

When I arrived at lunchtime, the store was packed with locals eager to try a coffee, cake, baguette, pastry, tart or patisserie – with some things flying off the shelves so quickly they were already starting to sell out.

Located at 12 Broadwater Street West, the space was previously occupied by The Pet Emporium and has undergone a complete transformation.

There is no indoor seating, as it operates a grab-and-go model, but there are two outside tables under an awning.

Founded by Alastair Gourlay in 1997 with the opening of its bakery in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, it now has other branches in Church Road and Western Road in Hove, and a wholesale bakery space in Southwick. Broadwater is its fourth café.

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Director of the business Marie Do Dhont said: “It’s been so welcoming since we opened the doors this morning. It’s actually been quite overwhelming with lovely local people coming in to try us out. We’re so excited to be here and the reception has been wonderful.

"You can really feel the sense of community here in Worthing, which is why we liked this location so much. What we do at Real Patisserie is offer pleasure. We make delicious food to entice your taste buds. Here, you can have something that’s made fresh, and people have worked hard on it to make sure it’s perfect.”

Real Patisserie sources local ingredients wherever possible, and also sells a range of local products in store, such as Sussex chocolate, eggs and jams.

I tried one of its most popular breads, the multi-cereal, and I can confirm it was delicious. I also got to sample a canelé – a French treat originating in Bordeaux which is cork-shaped with a caramelised crust and soft middle.

And the croissant and pain au chocolat I tried were so buttery I’m going to be dreaming about them for weeks.

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This shop has created more than eight jobs and will offer NHS and NUS discounts, plus loyalty cards for coffee and bread purchases.