A Selection of Panaderías in L.A.
Panaderías are long-running fixtures in many Los Angeles neighborhoods, offering freshly-baked comfort every day. While there are many that can be found throughout the city, here are a few locations that have caught our eye.
Letters in the map above correspond to the locations listed below:
A. La Monarca Bakery and Café
This local bakery chain started in 2006 with a store in Huntington Park. Owners Ricardo Cervantes and Alfred Livas now operate 12 locations across Los Angeles offering conchas and cheese-and-guava croissants and Mexican coffee.
6091 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (and other locations)
lamonarcabakery.com
B. Pacific French Bakery
Established in 1986, Pacific French Bakery first specialized in French bread, French rolls in baguettes, but has since moved on to cater more to their audience's taste with pan dulce. They now operate three locations around Los Angeles. Their website notes, "Although we sell mostly pan dulce in all it's yumminess, we decided to keep the word 'French' in our name because of our famous French rolls." Expect pegaditos, Guatemalan cuerno con ajonjolís, Guatemalan tortas de azúcar, ombligos, semita pachitas, margarita fresas, pastelito guayaba.
5060 Santa Monica Blvd.
4152 W Washington Blvd.
pacificfrenchbakery.com
C. Delicias Bakery and Some
Founded in 1991, Delicias has the distinction of offering the vegan pan dulce in Los Angeles. It specializes in traditional pan dulce but also offers aguas frescas, artisanal vegan queso fresco, tortas made with house bread, molletes, flan, chilaquiles, potato wedges, elotes and more.
5567 N Figueroa St, Highland Park
deliciasbakeryandsome.com
D. Panadería El Salvador
As its name (La Original Panadería El Salvador) suggests, the panadería specializes in baked goods from El Salvador and also offers a variety of products such as semitas, quesadillas, pupusas and queso frescos.
1901 W Pico Blvd.
Panadería El Salvador's Yelp page
E. Panadería Cuscatleca
In operation for almost two decades, this panadería is a family affair offering sweet breads especially from the Mexican and El Salvador region such as quesadilla dulce salvadoreña, pan de muerto, niño envuelto and semita salvadoreña.
1566 W Pico Blvd.
Panadería Cuscatleca's Cafe City guide
Sweet LA by Cuscatleca
An offshoot of L.A.'s history of mobile culinary experiments, owner Gabriela Monroy was inspired to start a mobile panadería called Sweet LA that travels through Koreatown, Hollywood and beyond, offering pan dulce, deli sandwiches and hot chocolate. She even caters special events, if needed.
Various locations
Sweet LA's Instagram page
F. La Panadería Michoacana
Located in South Central, this panadería offers mantequillas, soft bread spread with thick butter and sugar; pan de yema and flaky orejas.
258 E Adams Blvd.
La Panadería Michoacana's Facebook page
G. La Mascota Bakery
Open almost 70 years, La Mascota Bakery has a wide menu offering pan dulce like besos, conchas, elotes, mantecadas. Cakes, flans and beverages like chocolate Mexicano and champurrado are available.
2715 Whittier Blvd.
lamascotabakery.com
H. Sonora Bakery
Founded by a husband and wife team Hector and Theresa from Argentina in 1986, the bakery has since grown from its humble beginnings. After a decade on a smaller location in East Whittier Boulevard, it has moved to a nearby building, which offered more space to serve its customers. Their pan dulce offerings include cuernitos and bolillo rolls. They also baked giant submarine sandwiches up to ten feet long, which feed a whole crowd.
4484 Whittier Blvd.
sonorabakery.com
I. Gusto Bread
What began as a home business in Long Beach between baker Arturo and his wife Ana in 2017 quickly became a runaway success with its organic baked goods. Gusto Bread has since moved to a brick and mortar space on Retro Row in Long Beach and has earned a place in Eater LA's "38 Essential Restaurants in Los Angeles" and Food and Wine's "100 Best Bakeries in America." Sourdough conchas, nixtamal queens, doñas and heirloom cornbread are staples on their menu.
2710 E 4th St, Long Beach
gustobread.com
The above list is by no means a comprehensive one, but we wanted to pay homage to the role of pan dulce and panaderías in Los Angeles. Do you have a favorite panadería? We would love to hear from you. Please share your story in this Google form.
About This Story
This article is part of a collection of stories exploring the ways pan dulce has been a part of the Southern California sweetscape, connecting us to deeply-rooted traditions and the flavors of home. Find more stories in the pan dulce universe in this collection.
Panadería selection by Juliana Duque Mahecha. Additional text by Carren Jao. Illustrations by Henry Cram. Special thanks to Carla Pineda and Melissa Arellano for pan dulce delivery.
