La Panadería Bakery & Café

Review! San Antonio, Texas // Latin American Restaurant & Bakery // local classic

the ELEVATOR PITCH

Did you know, this bakery was featured on USA Today’s 10 of the best artisanal bakeries in North America and Food & Wine’s The 100 Best Bakeries in America? Owners José and David Cáceres are carrying on their mother’s legacy, blending Mexican and French pastries with quality ingredients and detailed execution (we’re talking stone-milled flour, European butter, doughs with up to 100 hours of proofing!). I learned about the concept of a Mexican merienda through this bakery, and instantly fell in love. Life is just better when spent with artisanal pan dulce, a mug of coffee, and “people you can share the day’s stories with” 💕

the vibes 👇

the order 👇

honest reviews on the food food 👇

Latte: they didn’t offer a syrup to go with and I didn’t order one of the Especialidades, so I had it plain with whole milk. Great microfoam (as you can tell with that intricate leaf!), and I highly enjoyed the drink even without the sweetness! (rating: 10/10)

CroLuna Tequila Almond Croissant: is featured on Food Network with Guy Fieri, is one of David’s most popular creations, and is a La Panadería staple, this almond croissant uses Tequila in making the Almond frangipane! I was able to pick out the tequila, which melded nicely with the almond flavoring so neither were too strong but both were equally present. Since this was twice-baked (evident by the croissant being sliced in half), the croissant parts were drier, but were salvaged by the moist frangipane (which there was a lot of). (rating: 9/10)

Ham & Cheese Croissant (with Jalapeño): thoroughly enjoyed the ham they used in this, so flavorful and substantial, and paired with the jalapeño was a match made in heaven! I got this toasted so the croissant was a little soft and melty, and only slightly flaky/crisp (but I also think the croissant itself was more on the buttery side by default). Delicious combo! Only note would be for the croissant itself to have more structure, then it’d be perfecto! (rating: 9.5/10)

Croncha: if a croissant and a concha had a child (aka, a croissant baked in a muffin tin and topped with the sugar-butter-flour crunchy topping that gives the seashell look)! This is David’s take on the Manteconcha in Querétaro, Mexico (mantecada = a muffin). Since I had never had a concha and I love croissants, this had to be included in my order. Overall, the croissant base felt more like a fluffy bread (though I can see the airier structured bubbles of a croissant), and the sweet topping wasn’t overly sweet, but just right. I don’t know if I’d order it again because it felt like a dinner roll and not too interesting against everything else, but it’s not bad! (rating: 7/10)

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the RÉSUMÉ

address // 301 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78205

⭐ they have multiple locations, check out their site for the others 👇

operations // every day, 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

logistics // located in the “downtown” area of San Antonio, I only spotted street parking and parking garages available (and not sure if those would be free since I walked)

amenities //

• free Wi-Fi and plenty of outlets available; #workingcafe & #laptopfriendly

• public restroom available; changing tables available

• family-friendly

recs // get the Ham & Cheese Croissant with Jalapeño. It’s not **that** spicy and it’s a flavor combo you don’t often get to order at just any bakery :)

site // La Panadería Bakery & Café

~ cath!!

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for more San Antonio recommendations, check out the post below 👇