¡Pan Para Todos!
Fans of pan dulce can now enjoy the vegan versions of these delicacies. Photo by Dora Yela.
As the vegan lifestyle has grown in popularity significantly in the last decade, Latinx foodies can now enjoy classic favorites as vegan panaderias are also on the rise.
Earvin Lopez, owner of the vegan panaderia Soy Concha Bakery, just opened his second storefront location in East L.A. As someone who grew up with parents who owned traditional panaderias, he thought he would continue with what he knew from the family business, while incorporating new ways that could include a whole other audience. Falling in love with the vegan scene, he was inspired to open his own bakery.
“I went to a couple [vegan] bakeries but there were a lot of donut shops and cupcakes and stuff like that, and it was all good, but I was missing our culture, our pan dulce,” said Lopez.
Once he decided he would create vegan pan dulce, he immediately entered as a vendor at SoCal Vegfest–a two-day event for people to be introduced to new vegan businesses–as his first ever pop-up, back in 2017. At first it was slow, as a good amount of attendees didn’t know what pan dulce was, but as more Latinos approached his booth, he started receiving so much praise. Lopez said people would comment things like ‘Wow, pan dulce, I haven’t had any in like 10 years since I was vegan.’
As word of mouth grew about there being delicious vegan pan dulce, Earvin and his sister began selling out of their first location in Santa Ana. Fast forward through not being able to do events during the pandemic, and solely working hard through pickups and custom orders, Earvin was able to open a second location in August of 2023, that he solely runs in East L.A.
At the bakery there is a wide variety of conchas sold, as well as other traditional treats like smiley face and sprinkle cookies, elotes, Gansitos, conos filled with custard, etc…and on weekends they offer their more specialty items like flan and tres leches cake.
Catalina Luna, owner of plant-based pop-up bakery Cafe y Cocina, shared how she’s also a huge fan of Soy Concha Bakery, and is happy that there are more traditional Latinx food options that can be found within the vegan community.
Luna started her business that she runs with her sisters, back in 2011, when they were only making cakes. A couple of years later she became vegan as she learned more about being health conscious. She and her sisters quickly converted their recipes and expanded their menu to be vegan, and to not include any bad chemicals, additives or dyes. As a plant-based business promoting healthier alternatives within the Latinx community, it’s important to her that they taste just as good as the originals.
“I want to change the perspective on food, and I want that also for our community, because I know a lot of our community doesn’t believe that [it’s possible],” Luna said.
Luna said her signature pastries are their Gansitos and pop-tarts, and that she frequently experiments with the flavors and decorations to keep things fun.
Cafe y Cocina does custom orders for pickup through their Instagram, as well as posts their rotating menus for upcoming pop-up events. You can sometimes find them set up at Long Beach Night Market, or on weekends, they provide pop-tarts and cinnamon rolls to East L.A. food truck, Vida Pura.
Although not easy, the pandemic did inspire many people to start small side businesses, including Amanda Crane-Fernandez, owner of Sneaky Vegan Bakery.
As a full-time teacher, Crane started her bakery business as a fun side passion project to further connect to her Mexican heritage. Growing up in Oregon, there wasn’t much there to connect her to her family’s roots, but once she moved back to California as a vegan and started to learn more dishes, she thought it would be great to share what she was learning with others.
“It’s just really special, that cultural aspect of sharing food,” said Crane, adding that making conchas gave her a sense of community she had been missing.
And even though Crane’s favorite thing she bakes is conchas, she also offers other treats when she attends pop-ups like Meatless Mondays in Long Beach. You can also find Sneaky Vegan Bakery originals such as scones and her coffee cake at the vegan coffee shop, Wood Coffee Co., or riding around SoCal through donation-based coffee cart, Cafablanca.
So now if you’re vegan, or even if you’re not, be sure to check out these bakeries as they connect traditions and culture with the plant-based lifestyle through their delicious pastries.
@soyconchabakery on instagram
locations:
709 N. Bristol St. Suite J, Santa Ana, CA 92703
6164 Whittier Blvd., East Los Angeles, CA 90022
@cafeycocinala on instagram (no storefront location)
@sneaky_vegan_bakery on instagram (no storefront location)
