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About
La Especial Bakery
Welcome to La Especial Bakery, the heart of Mexican sweet bread in San Juan, Texas. Nestled at 114 W 3rd St, this beloved bakery has been a local treasure for years, delighting customers with its delectable offerings and welcoming atmosphere.
From the moment you step inside, you're enveloped by the warm, sweet aroma of freshly baked goods. The highlight of La Especial Bakery is undoubtedly its pan dulce. This Mexican sweet bread, often enjoyed with coffee, has captured the hearts of many, including visitors from across the country. Rodolfo R., a satisfied customer, remarked on how perfect it is to pair with your morning brew, noting, “Good tasting pan dulce with your morning coffee."
The reviews speak volumes. William J. noted the incredible selection, especially praising the softness of the roles de canela (cinnamon rolls) and the delightful conchas. If you're unfamiliar, conchas are iconic Mexican pastries, and you won't want to miss trying them here. Meanwhile, Charlie F. describes La Especial as “the best prices anywhere around," a testament to the value offered without compromising quality. You don’t just buy bread here; you buy memories, reminiscent of childhood afternoons indulging in sweet treats.
Another passionate aficionado, Alfonso G., declared that this bakery offers "some of, if not, the best pan dulce" he's ever had, with a life-changing experience tied to biting into their freshly made chonchas. This signifies that at La Especial, every bite is a journey into tradition, flavor, and nostalgia.
Irene Galindo-Cantu S., a long-time patron, shares her heartfelt connection to the bakery, highlighting that for her family, this has always been the go-to spot for authentic Mexican sweet bread. Her memories of getting fresh bread after school reinforce the notion that La Especial Bakery isn't just a place to get pastries; it’s woven into the fabric of the community. Whether she’s reminiscing about the beloved empanadas de calabaza or the delightful array of sweet bread, you can feel her love for this family-owned business that honors traditional recipes through every batch of dough.
In conclusion, if you find yourself in San Juan, La Especial Bakery is an experience not to be missed. With its commitment to quality, rich tradition, and unbeatable prices, this bakery stands as a pillar of the community and a guardian of delicious Mexican baking. Join the locals in savoring the flavors and essence of La Especial Bakery, where every bite tells a story.
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“ Good tasting pan dunce with your morning coffee. Right after your breakfast . Open early in the A. M. And you might have to wait. ”
“ Incredible pan dulce. We're in town from Minnesota visiting family and absolutely loved the selection. The softest roles de canela and delightful conchas. We'll be back again before we leave. ”
“ Good ol fashioned sweet bread , best prices anywhere around . This place has been here for many years and will be here for many more ! So good!!! ”
“ If you want some of, if not, the best pan dulce you've had in your life for a price that is little to nothing? Then this is the spot you need to hit up. My life changed when I first bit in to a choncha from this place. ”
“ Since as far as back my memory permits, (I'm now 48 --yikes lol) this is my family's go to for Mexican Sweet bread. At least twice a week after school my mom would get fresh bread for us from there. Our house always had a bowl in our kitchen with pan de dulce. I have gone to other places since and I will take a look at it or take a bite and push my plate back. I do not like to eat any other bread from anywhere else unless it is from La Especial. I live now in North Central Texas and when I visit RGV I we take a couple of bags with us. My absolute favorite is the empanadas de calabaza. But really ALL OF IT IS DELICIOUS! This is when you appreciate when a family business sticks to traditional recipes!! ”
“ I've been going to this place since I was a little girl and now that I'm not local to the valley, I always try to make a stop here when I visit. Now, trying pan dulce from basically everywhere (Nevada, California, North Texas, The RGV) I'm able to honestly say that this place is my favorite. Also has the best prices. There really is no marketing or signage directing you to them, but the building is next to an antique shop. Closed Mondays My favorite pastries are the conchas, pigs, pink and yellow cookies, rainbow cookies, pink donuts, and the Sweet potato empanadas are amazing. Okay so basically everything haha! Pastries are usually 3 or 4 /$1 ”
“ Stopped here to pick up some pastries on our way to McAllen. So glad we did. The staff was friendly and all the items looked and smelled delicious. We got pan fino and a few other time that were all warm and delicious. ”
“ When researching for the best quality AND best prices for local make and local offerings of baked goods for a large event we recently hosted in the RGV, we were told about La Especial Bakery in San Juan. The first time we went to check it out, it was closed (closed every Monday) and looked empty and rather run down. The store front is small, older "vintage" and the sign's paint was a bit faded. I felt rather dubious. However, my friend and fellow researcher insisted that we come back on another day to give them a try. Oh my. Folks were lined up out the door and down the street, qued up to get in and buy the wonderful goodies they bake. By the end of the day, everything is gone! One of the nice things about this bakery is that some of the items are sized a bit smaller. In an event like we were hosting, we wanted folks to get to try a number of things. For example, the little pig cookies, maranitos, were just perfect. Great taste but a bit smaller than from some other places. Prices were very reasonable at this bakery, and everything we tried was excellent. The sweet potato empanadas = exquisite! The magdalinas, a sort of slightly sweetened biscuit type pastry, which contained raisins as well, were so very good, too, as well as some pastries for which I don't know the name like those with apple bits on top, and the ones covered with colorful sprinkles, and the Mexican type of oatmeal cookies.All good. Another wonderful thing are their conchas. Those from places are either just so-so, or are dry and not very good at all. These conchas were tasty, moist, the frosting just right, and again, their slightly smaller portions sizes was a plus for us. You all need to try this place. It's THE place for local baked goods which are both excellent in quality and reasonably priced. ”
