Merlina said one of the most beautiful lessons she has learned from her mom throughout the years of building Temptation’s Bite has been her love for cooking.
“I never really enjoyed being in the kitchen, but seeing her passion—the way she pours her heart into every recipe—has taught me to love creating from the kitchen,” she said. “It’s more than just making food; it’s about sharing joy, memories and a piece of ourselves with others.”
The concept began in Varela’s kitchen at home, Merlina said. After moving from Venezuela to Katy in 2018, she decided to help fulfill her mother’s dream of opening a bakery.
“My mom is the chef. I always say my mom bakes the bread and I baked the brand,” she said.
They opened the brick-and-mortar in November 2022 to cater to a wider range of customers and to finally bring Varela’s dream to life, Merlina said.
Temptations Bite offers a variety of international baked goods, including Venezuelan breads such as cachitos, a kind of croissant with various fillings; golfeados, a sticky bun with sugar and cheese; croissants; cookies; empanadas; chutneys; and lasagna.
Customers can stop in for coffee, smoothies and a pastry, or take products to make themselves at home.
Looking forward
They developed a new way to eat bread—their signature cup bread, which is a variation of a cupcake and a muffin, and can be filled with chocolate for dipping before consuming.
“We try to [make] things that you’re never gonna see anywhere else,” Merlina said.
- 19901 Kingsland Blvd., Ste. F, Houston
- www.temptationsbite.com
