Santa Canela

Los Angeles’s 2025 Eater Award Winners | Eater LA

"An embodiment of Angeleno identity in Highland Park, this bakery and coffee shop led by executive pastry chef Ellen Ramos turns out freshly fried Long Juans (think strawberry with morita chile jam or a creamy champurrado glaze), sugar-crusted conchas in orange blossom and burnt vanilla, and a piped, fried-to-order “LA” churro that arrives blistering hot and crusted in spiced cinnamon sugar — arguably the most distinct pastry in Los Angeles right now with a nostalgic flavor that matches its playful aesthetic. Drinks lean Mexican, from sweet cafe de olla and horchata con espresso to an aromatic burnt cinnamon latte, and the pastry case shifts with the seasons as Ramos channels her El Sereno upbringing. A veteran of Loreto and LA Cha Cha Chá, she also offers concha croissants, pepita-infused financier cakes, and champurrado-flavored maple doughnuts; menu consultant Odette Olavarri adds twists like kouign-amann with cajeta. Savory options include a potato soyrizo croissant and a cured beef and kale chimichurri focaccia sandwich topped with fried chile güero. The sleek, mid-century-leaning space — designed by Studio Lena’s Lena Kohl with striking marble countertops and rich wood cabinets — would fit in a trendy Mexico City colonia, but Los Angeles is fortunate to have it here, right next door to vinyl bar Gold Line." - Rebecca Roland