Panaderia Cuscatleca

"This Pico-Union pan dulce treasure trove makes one of LA's best sweet and savory breakfasts. Come early for a Salvi breakfast and freshly baked quesadilla Salvadorena — a rich, buttery pound cake infused with cheese and topped with toasted sesame seeds. For those whose palates lean savory, order un desayuno típico. The traditional Salvadoran breakfast includes Salvadoran-style chorizo links, a vegetable and egg scramble, pureed beans, a side of crema, and thick-cut and lightly fried plantains for sweetness." - Eric Valle

"Echo Park’s Cuscatleca Bakery sits in a strip mall on a busy part of Sunset that we can almost guarantee you’ve driven by before. And in addition to daily house-baked loaves and rolls for tortas, this panaderia has some truly excellent pastries, eclairs, fruit cakes, and one of the Eastside’s best tres leches cakes. Open for pick-up Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation

"Panadería Cuscatleca in Pico-Union bakes bread styles from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala, all of which you can get vegan or not-so-vegan. The Salvadoran quesadilla is their signature—custardy but light, just sweet enough, and even a little salty (there's actual parmesan cheese in the recipe). If you want something equally special minus the copious amount of dairy, the flaky, vegan semita de piña is also delicious, as are the fried tamales meant to be dipped into their refried beans and plant-based Salvadoran "crema." " - Sylvio Martins, Nikko Duren

"Echo Park’s Cuscatleca Bakery sits in a strip mall on a busy part of Sunset that we can almost guarantee you’ve driven by before. And in addition to daily house-baked loaves and rolls for tortas, this panaderia has some truly excellent pastries, eclairs, fruit cakes, and one of the Eastside’s best tres leches cakes. Open for pick-up Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm." - brett keating

"Panadería Cuscatleca in Pico Union makes traditional pan dulces, hot breakfasts, and other baked goods from Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala (along with plenty of vegan-friendly options). The family-owned spot is best known for their not-so-vegan but beautifully golden brown quesadillas–a Salvadoran pound cake that’s super light, semi-sweet, and mildly salty from the recipe’s parmesan cheese, which really helps bring out the cake’s sweetness before you aggressively dunk it in your 8am coffee. Plant-based visitors can instead enjoy the vegan semita de piña, which is a soft square cake with a flaky top and a sweet pineapple filling, or a plate of all-corn tamales that get gently fried and then plated with silky refried beans and a vegan Salvadoran sour cream we’d happily drench anything in, sweet or savory. Food Rundown Fried Corn Tamales We strongly recommend sitting down for a Salvadoran breakfast here, which includes these steamed and subtly sweet corn tamales that are pan-fried for some extra crunch. While the plate’s frijoles are super creamy, they lack some necessary salt, but the Salvadoran cashew crema is decadent, tangy, and precisely what we want to dip our morning tamales in. Quesadillas The quesadillas at this panadería nail the fine balance between sweet/savory and dry/moist that we look for. The rice flour’s mild sweetness pairs perfectly with the salty grated cheese that’s worked into the dough and creates a firm outer crust like a pound cake (without compromising the decadent inside). Vegan Semita de Piña Zero moisture is lost in these plant-based semitas, which come with a buttery crust and plenty of sugar sprinkled on top for sweetness and crunch. The pineapple compote filling is also a delicious combination of tart and sweet and brings even more moisture to the pastry’s golden brown layers. Vegan Bean Torta The not-so-interesting bean paste in this torta gets some help from the delicious cashew cream, avocado, and pickled jalapeños. But besides the kick of heat and brininess from the peppers, this torta kinda falls flat." - Sylvio Martins