Pasteleria Y Panaderia La Ideal

Been going here for years. Best panadería around hands down, never disappoints. Used to be cash only, so glad they accept cards. Friendly family-ran business. I highly recommend

Literally the best pan dulce in the Puget Sound region. From Tacoma to Bellingham, you will find no better pastries with better selection. I have tried everywhere. I dream about this place. The empanadas are especially good, perfect Mexican and Tex-Mex style and they have all the RIGHT flavors- calabaza (pumpkin), manzana, piña, cream. Every concha flavor you could want, gingerbread pigs, ojos, pan de muerte. They are also very nice and speak English and Spanish. I only wish there was a second location on the Eastside, maybe Bellevue or Issaquah. A close second is Plaza Latina in Shoreline, but Pasteleria is much easier to park, bigger selection, not so crowded and much cleaner inside tbh. Thank you for nourishing all of Western Washington!

Huge variety of Mexican pastries, mostly sweets. Prices vary between $1 and $4. Lots of different flavors, fillings, incredibly beautiful and very delicious

I'm not in South Park very often, but when I was in the area on a Friday night, I decided to pay a visit to Pasteleria y Panaderia La Ideal. Notice that I mentioned that it was night when I visited. This is one of the few bakeries that I have visited that is open until 10pm. They were still putting out fresh pastries at 8pm when I visited. They have a pretty large selection of pastries to choose from. They have cakes, tres leches, cookies, breads, buns, flan, etc. I ended up getting a churro, the molasa(?) which is basically Irish soda bread, a slice of cake with pink frosting and sprinkles, and a savory bread with no filling. The molasa was hot and fresh out of the oven so it was lightly sweet and soft. The slice of cake was delicious as well. The churro was my favorite because it was crisp and also had dulce de leche in it. Actually the bakery was so great that I went out of my way to return the next day. They had more to choose from and I got two more churros, another molasa, a flaky pastry filled with pineapple filling, and a chocolate cupcake with raspberry filling. I'm really glad I visited and will keep it in mind when I want dessert.

Update: we love this place so much we used their conchas as our wedding cake 😊😊 This place is everything that is good and pure about Seattle. Combine a stop-in to the panaderia with a visit to the fruteria next door for a delightful afternoon. <3

This is a rather small location, but the fact that there even is a Panadería in Washington at all makes it for a magical spot. While one of my breads was a little over baked, overall, I'd rather that than finding more donut shops. Pan dulce is amazing.

Absolutely delicious bread! We got 6 pastries for around $11 and they were all fresh. My favorite is the toasted mini loaf with cream cheese and jalapeño filling. Just go in, grab a tray, and fill up! The shop smells amazing too, and the staff are very polite.

GO FOR THE SMELLS AND LARGE PASTRIES. This is the best smelling bakery I've been in. And, unlike other bakeries they bakery throughout the day. I walked in af 2PM and they rolled out fresh baked goods warm outa the oven. Pastries are LARGE.

The custard is out of this world, insanely good! A bit smeared on the side of the box and I scooped it up with another bread; it'd be a shame to waste any bit of it! I could definitely order a side of it as a dip for any of these breads if I was feeling crazy. This bakery smells amazing. It's a small business but they have so much variety and all the favorites you're looking for! We panicked bc we saw the "cash only" sign at the end but they fortunately had a reader they set up quickly and we greatly appreciated it. This is a true gem of a bakery.

Came in, got a tray and grabbed two pastries and a drink for 5$. It was awesome, my concha was crumbly and wonderful. It is a small place and it smelled heavenly, all that fresh bread hitting you right as you walk in. Checkout was quick and the cashier was so sweet. Definitely coming back again.

The haul minus the bolio. You have to get some bolios!! We're from out of state and I'm used to have a panaderia nearby at all times. While I stayed in Seattle I was looking for some pan dulce and this spot did not disappoint. We got lucky and some of the bread had just come out of the oven Grateful for the bread y por mi gente.

My boyfriend loves Tres Leches and I happened to be around the area and heard that this was a great Mexican bakery... and it sure freaking is! I got the Tres Leches and Niño Envuelto (Mexican jelly roll). I gave her a $20 and she gave me back $14.... So you mean I got two items for $6?! I usually spend about $8-11 for a Tres Leches, smaller size and okay tasting. Be sure to stop by for amazing Mexican pastries and be sure to bring cash! There's an ATM next door at the grocery. I will be back! :)

The bakery had so many delicious selections! I loved the custard horn and quesadilla. Will definitely come again soon!

Hands down one of the very best panaderias I've ever been to. There were conchas of all sizes (the mini ones are so cute but also full of flavor - and at .40 each you can't beat it). They also had butter bread, sponge cake, fruit-filled mini "pies," puerquitos, many different flavors of gelatin, flan, cakes, and other baked goods that I have never seen at the panaderia near my house. One of my favorites was a dense cake with a thin chocolate coating. I considered taking a star off because they did not offer champurrado - but then we got home and tasted everything. Heavenly! Prices are extremely reasonable, from .40 to about 1.25. South Park is quite the drive to make if you don't live anywhere nearby - but if you're up for an adventure, and want to see what Georgetown looked like before it became Brooklyn, come here. Highly recommend it - and we drove from Federal Way! Pro tips: be prepared - it's CASH ONLY. Check out the warm case to the right of the display cases for the freshest goods right out of the oven. Be careful walking up to the front door - the cement is uneven!

The sweet bread is amazing!!!!!! Okay so it's tucked away in a parking lot towards the end. There is always parking but the parking lot is a little bit of a mess with no visible lines, extremely bumpy, and pot holes (be careful driving here in the rain). There is usually no wait, unless you arrive Saturday and Sunday before 10. I have also seen long wait on special occassions, like Dia De Reyes or Kings Day - January 6th, because they make delicious King's Bread. The bolillo (rolls) are also the best I have had in Seattle. This bakery reminds me of the typical bakery in LA County back home. They take cash only!!!!!!!! $14 gets you enough bread for 2 people to eat for a week :) The bread does not have prices posted. The most expensive bread will be to your right. You can catch a glimpse of the hard working bakers who work at all hours. They run out and restock immediately. Best Mexican sweet bread I have had in Seattle so far.

Pan Dulce heaven! This is an authentic panaderia that I drive 10 miles just to get my fix. They only accept cash. El pan esta para chuparse los dedos. Solo aceptan dinero en efectivo.

I am from LA and was visiting WA, I will say hands down this is very much the same and maybe even better than the pan dulce in LA Latino neighborhoods! The conchas and panes rellenos are soo good. I wish there was one out here in CA

Best Mexican bread In town . Reminds me of the Mexican bakeries in LA. Try one of each you will be happy and your yummy will thank you .

Great mexican baked goods. Hard to find in Seattle and these are authentic. Only thing is that I wish they were more covid cautious. Any customer can grab the baked goods with tongs.

YES! FINALLY! I have been searching for almost 2 years for some conchas in WA. Until I came here, everything else was dry, bland & just a disappointment. This place has awesome bread!!! It is not just my opinion, I have purchased two boxes, 3 different times & everyone agrees that it is delicious! I have friends from Mukilteo who have driven down to this place, which in Burien, just to get some more bread. I am sucker for a good Concha & I can say- This place has AMAZING CONCHAS. I love how they even have the small, mini ones as well, which are perfect for parties & guest.

Best place to get your rosca! Their sweet bread is pretty good and their chocoflan is to die for! Every time I come they are out of conchas so I have had to try their other sweet breads and they've all been pretty tasty. The cashiers are really friendly too.

This bakery is simply fantastic--everything I've had tasted great and is fresh. I especially enjoy their flan and churros. The custard filling in their pastries taste like they were with quality Ingredients, not cheap artificial stuff as is the case at some other places. Prices are extremely reasonable so that encourages me to try all their treats. Parking is easy but as others have noted, this is a cash-only business so be prepared. I only wish this bakery were located closer to Redmond; otherwise, I'd be there every other day.

The BEST Panadería/Bakery in WA state! This place has the freshest most scrumptious pan dulce i have ever tried here in Washington (and we've lived here over 18 years) I'm glad we found it. We moved to Bothell and at least once a week we get down there to get some pan dulce.

My family loves this bakery and we always get good friendly service when we go here. Its a big treat for my son and I to walk over

Decent little Mexican bakery. Not a huge selection of different pastries/breads for a panaderia, but it'll do. If the fusion bahn mi place a couple of doors down uses their bread for their sandwiches (and I believe they do), the bollilos are quite good. I didn't buy bolillos directly, but opted for a variety of the Mexican pastries. They were standard. Prices are always good at these places.

All the real ones know about this place. Best Mexican bakery in Seattle. Their mini conchas, and bolillos with cheese and jalapeño are my favorite.

I'm a very picky person when it come to my food and let me tell you this place has the BEST bread. I moved out of the area years ago so I've tried breads closer to home and nothing compares. I will keep driving to get my bread and cakes here every time!

Great selection and prices! A must visit if you want to have the best Mexican sweet breads ever!!

Glad I found this place! Delicious pan dulce! And the price is great. Best to have cash.

I placed a special order for a birthday. I paid in advance and came couple of days in advance to order it. When I came to pick it up they told me they were to busy to make my order. This was very important to me. They seemed not to care and will never come here again. This place is very dirty anyways.

Love this little spot. The most delicious fresh baked goods and the most wonderful people who own and operate.

We live in Bellevue and always drive out even an hour to get there. I sent my husband today, he asked for certain kinds of breads and there was a teenage guy there who seemed upset about the questions... literally said "what the fuck?" And "fucking people" when he would ask questions... guess what? We won't be coming back. And certainly won't be recommending this place to anyone!! HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE... if you don't like your freaking job don't work there, simple.

We visited this place earlier this morning; during an exploration of White Center and South Park. It was worth the stop. When we entered one of the owners [I presume] was making a layer of peaches for a large cake; looked muy yummy. Around us were shelves of fresh pastries, some in cases others in trays. You could smell the 'fresh out of the oven' aroma; wonderful. We bought just a few items [pastry breads tend to fill up the tummy fast, plus we were on the way to breakfast]; two empanadas, churro, and another unique creation. Everything was very tasty and fresh, fresh, fresh.. Pasteleria Y Panaderia La Ideal is the real deal. We've travelled all over Mexico, consumed plenty of fresh pastries from bakeries in each town. Pasteleria Y Panaderia La Ideal is as good as any we've tried in Mexico. Reminder: CASH ONLY, so don't whip out check or credit card when you arrive. Definitely adding this place to the list of favorite ethnic bakeries.

When I visit Seattle I'm coming here to get my Mexican bread. The conchas were fresh warm and tasty. Better than what I'm used to from Sacramento and SF. Good prices!

Fresh, soft & easy. What else do you need? Not as much variety as other reviews said, but I was later in the day on a Sunday. Got my conchitas & pink cake. cash only ! They did have some things I don't see very often.

This was my first time in all I have to say is, Great bread. Terrible customer service. Es la ideal por el pan pero no por su servicio al cliente.

The best for cream cheese/jalapeno rolls and baked goods. Ridiculously cheap and there's always something fresh out of the oven cooling off in a side cabinet. I prefer the Tres Leches cake from the Salvadorian Bakery but otherwise everything I've had at La Ideal has been incredible. Bonus points-open until 10 on the weekends!

Good but not great. I went on a saturday morning and everything was freshly baked. Nothing was bad but just wasn't anything amazing; I like my conchas and bolitos to be a bit sweeter. CASH ONLY.

Best authentic pan in Seattle and cheap too. Make sure to go in the morning when everything is the freshest. Cash only.

The best. It's a little out of the way for me, but worth the trip! Very good and reasonably priced! The people are very nice too!

I love going here. It's the best pan. I used to go to la Guadalupe in Burien but then the pan tasted different. I asked and they said the baker moved to south park panaderia and that's where ive been going ever since. The cuerno is the best here!!!

My mom is Mexican and I've spent a lot of time in that country, and I'm pretty picky about my pan dulce. The stale stuff that has popped up in area grocery stores in the last few years just does not cut it. So when I found myself in South Park this week, I was delighted to find this unassuming gem in a small strip mall. If you ever needed an excuse to go to South Park, this is it. With delicious pan dulce amongst other tasty treats, this is the destination for Mexican pasteries in Seattle. I also like that the bakery uses the self service system common in Latin American bakeries. You get to choose your own pastries from the huge selection, placing them onto bright orange trays with sturdy tongs.

Came in after work one day and got a variety of pastries and breads. They were all very good and extremely cheap! Would definitely recommend stopping by! Cash only

We love this place. I am so happy to be able to go to a quality, family-run small business to get a nice breakfast that's right down the street from where I live. Their pastries and bread are always fresh and taste amazing, and the family that runs it is really nice too.

Here we found Pan de Muerto on November 2nd and it was delicious! they told us they prepare Rosca de Reyes on January 6th, they say Keep the traditions : ) You need to try their Conchas and Orejitas as well. Hey guys you only need to accept credit and debit cards. Thanks,

I lived in Mexico for two years with my wife and I have been craving some good sweet bread since we moved back to the states and this place fulfilled that craving! We found fresh bolillos, conchas, cuernitos, banderillas, orejas, polvorones and my favorite donas de chocolate... It was a great! The doughnuts were like you would find in a local bakery in Mexico and the chocolate topping was chocolate not ganache. I can't recommend this place enough. Go out of your way and visit them. If you appreciate Mexican bread then this place won't disappoint.

I am VERY familiar with Mexican bakeries and I tell you that this place is just like their name ,,,,, Ideal. They are familiar with the various types of bread for specialties used in Mexico City. Their stuff is guaranteed to make you fat and happy. Don't buy for the week, though. There are no preservatives, just every day fresh like it should be. They have the pride of ownership and work ethic that I love to see in small shops. You will be missing a lot if you don't try this bakery.