Ivana, the business’s current owner, speaks proudly of this anniversary after the many challenges they have faced over the years: “For me, it is very satisfying, because we have been in charge of the new management for 35 years. Knowing that this can continue for much longer and that we have managed to overcome everything we have had to overcome is a great source of satisfaction.”
THE HISTORY OF AN ICONIC PASTRY SHOP IN CENTRAL ZARAGOZA
It all began in 1856, when two families took the first steps toward a business that would eventually become part of Zaragoza’s history. “Fantoba pastry shop was founded by two families, the Palacios and the Fantobas. Over time, they went their separate ways and the business remained solely in the hands of the Fantoba family,” its current owner explains.
“When Don Antonio died, he was the soul of this establishment. His daughters were involved in something else, and taking charge of such a pastry shop was impossible,” Ivana explains. When she arrived, she kept the same workers and, of course, Fantoba’s essence. “The only thing is that we have adapted to the times, but we have always done things the way they should be done, as they were in the past: with patience, care and good products.”
THEY PRESERVE THE BEST TRADITIONAL RECIPES
“We keep the old recipe book and what we have done is add new products,” Ivana admits. One of its star products is undoubtedly the meringue. “People come from very far away to have a meringue, but our local specialties, which we still make as they were made in the past, are Aragón fruit and Guirlache nougat.”
However, according to Ivana, the real secret lies in the way the product is handled: “We work as we did in the past, that is, with respect for the product and with care in doing things properly.”
PRESERVING ITS ESSENCE AND CARE FOR CUSTOMERS
Without a doubt, one of the aspects that stands out most is the care with which they treat each of their customers. “You dedicate time to every person who comes into the shop, you advise them...,” Ivana says. This personal attention, she assures, makes all the difference: “Those moments of giving advice with great care are something that has been lost in many places.”
“At Fantoba, that love endures because, besides working well, every customer is unique,” she adds. And that is where much of the essence lies that this historic Zaragoza business has managed to preserve year after year: artisanal work, attention to every detail and, above all, the personal service offered to everyone who walks through its doors.
