High on the hills of Santa Teresa, way above the rattling bonde and almost under Cristo’s feet, Ana Lima has created a unique bakery inside her house complete with tearoom, stunning views of the Atlantic Forest, and all the charm of a children’s fairytale.

Having already turned a legion of fans on to the varieties of artesanal breads she has been creating for the last twenty years, the dona de casa opened the doors to Cereal, serving a breakfast every Sunday where R$30 (half price for children under 10 years-old) will get you a feast to reward your efforts to find her. “For a long time I have been baking bread in my lovely home, and began to think other people would also like it here, tasting the things that I make with loving care", says Ana, who also welcomes guests for bed & breakfast.

The smells that these lucky few wake up to must be the stuff of dreams. Brownies, cookies and cakes roll out of the oven throughout the day, which, along with the breads, are made only with the finest ingredients and without conservatives or additives. For the same reason an early arrival makes it the perfect place to begin a day’s exploring of the neighbourhood, fuelled up and ready to roll.

Having left behind her busy lifestyle to enjoy her domestic labours and dedicate herself to the cakes and pastries (and the four little children she now has much more time to look after), you would be hard pushed to argue with the decision once you too have been there.