Victor Guzman, the dad behind Victor's Sweet Delights in Waterloo, is preparing to expand his business once again as demand for his handmade desserts continues to grow. The 49-year-old, originally from the Dominican Republic and now living in Vauxhall, has announced his second shop will take over another unit on the same street to create “a bigger and better space for all”.
From sell-outs to social media fame
The ECHO first spoke to Victor in September 2025, just months after he opened his first site on South Road, Waterloo. At the time, the shop hadn't been open for six months, but he said he sold out every day thanks to his loyal customer base. Following that report, he said things got “even crazier”.
He said: “It has been non-stop. You wouldn’t believe it. After speaking with the ECHO, some people visited the shop and made TikToks, and one has nearly 600,000 views. It has been crazy.”
“We are selling more than we are making. I had to put out an announcement [on social media] to let customers know we would be shutting the shop for four hours to make more desserts. When I said ‘OK, we are ready to open again’, there were people waiting within 15 minutes.”
“I had to ask four other chefs to come in and help me. The queues were non-stop for three weeks, I said to myself, ‘Oh, my God’. It’s exactly what we wanted, it is a good problem to have.”
Second venue opens in Covent Garden
In July 2026, Victor’s dream of a second venue became a reality when he launched a shop at Covent Garden, behind the Pig & Whistle pub. Minutes after opening, a steady stream of customers were queuing to get their hands on his famous desserts.
At the time, he told the ECHO: “To see all these beautiful people here, supporting me all year, it is very emotional. It makes you feel good because people respond to what you are making.”
“They love it. When you see someone else and they never come back, that's not what you want. That is sad. But for me, it is emotional because they are all regulars, like family now. I interact with them everyday. It's passion and love.”
Like the Waterloo venue, the Covent Garden shop offers handmade cakes, pastries, cheesecakes, tarts, coffee and ice cream.
A family tradition
Victor is no stranger to the baking industry. His family operate several bakeries in the Dominican Republic, and he said: “My family are all bakers, my father started it and he taught us all. It’s been in my life all my life. My brothers, my son, my uncle, my nephew, it is what we all do.”
“So now, to have my own bakery is amazing. I love living here in Liverpool, when I first came, within minutes, I had made 20 friends. It is a lovely place. This is the first shop in Liverpool, but it definitely won’t be the last.”
Before starting his own venture, Victor was head chef at Panoramic 34 for six years. He said: “It’s a perfect situation being your own boss. Its long hours because you only have yourself to do it all. You need to pay the bills, but it is all worth it. When I wake up in the morning, it feels all worth it everyday.”
The team behind Victor’s Sweet Delights said they “couldn’t be happier” with the expansion and hinted this was just the “beginning” of the new chapter.
