Cheese bread should not be able to stop a road trip cold, but one golden, puffy pandebono in a Florida strip mall did exactly that. It was warm, a little crisp on the outside, and so soft inside that the cheese stretched with every bite.
Made with cassava starch and salty cheese, this Colombian favorite is simple food that tastes like someone’s grandmother made it just for you. Here are the bakeries across Florida where that first warm bite is worth the drive.
1. Pandebono Bakery, Miami, FL
When a bakery names itself after one bread, it had better deliver. On Miami’s busy SW 8th Street, this family-friendly Colombian spot backs up the promise with pandebonos that come out fresh and golden, right alongside buñuelos, empanadas, and arepas.
The menu stretches well beyond the pastry case. Breakfast is a big deal here, and hearty dishes like sopa de res and tamales make it easy to turn a quick snack into a full meal.
The empanadas come with a spicy sauce that regulars treat as mandatory.
Prices run about $10 to $20 per person, a touch higher than some neighbors, though the homemade quality explains a lot. Doors open at 6:30 AM daily, closing at 7 PM Monday through Saturday and 3 PM on Sunday.
A free on-site lot makes the stop painless, but Saturday mornings get crowded, so a weekday visit is the calmer play.
2. Leo Pan Colombian Bakery, Miami, FL
Made to order is the magic phrase at Leo Pan. The pan de bono and buñuelos here are prepared fresh once you order, which means they reach your hands hot, puffy, and at their absolute peak.
Everything is handmade and baked daily, and the menu leans deliciously traditional. Think arepa de choclo with cheese, migao, empanadas, chicharrones, and a pan de bono sandwich that turns the cheese bread into a full breakfast.
For something unexpected, try the Dubai Chocolate Latte or a classic chocolate caliente.
It is a small, charming spot built for takeout and late breakfasts. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday 7 AM to 3 PM, Friday and Saturday until 4 PM, and Sunday 8 AM to 2 PM.
It is closed Mondays, so plan accordingly, and enjoy the free parking lot out front.
3. The Bakery Cafe, Orlando, FL
Walking in feels a lot like stepping into a family kitchen. This intimate, family-owned cafe in east Orlando’s Founders Square brings Colombian classics like buñuelos, pandebonos, and arepas to a quaint room with a fun, bustling vibe.
Freshly baked pan de bono is the headliner, but the coffee earns its own fan club. Try a cappuccino or the Ice Pink Latte, then consider going bigger with ajiaco, caldo de costilla, or an arepa con carne a la plancha.
The tamales are famously enormous.
Newcomers to Colombian pastries should simply sample widely, because the case is full of favorites from back home. Hours run 7 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday and 8 AM to 4 PM Sunday.
Wi-Fi, restrooms, and free parking round things out, and weekday afternoons are pleasantly quiet.
4. Cafe De Colombia Bakery, Orlando, FL
Early birds, rejoice. Cafe De Colombia opens at 6 AM every day, so a warm pan de bono can be in hand before most Orlando coffee shops unlock their doors.
The shop is unfussy and fast-paced, with breads baked right on site. The cheese bread lineup alone is impressive: pan de bono, pan con queso, pan de yuca, and almojabanas, all ready to pair with excellent coffee.
Crispy empanadas, chicharrón, buñuelos with natilla, and fresh juices fill in the rest.
Variety is huge and prices stay friendly, generally $10 to $20 per person. Closing time is 6:30 PM Monday through Saturday and 3 PM Sunday.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings bring the biggest crowds, but the quick service keeps the line moving.
5. Ricopan Bakehouse, Tampa, FL
Precision and soul rarely share a pastry case, yet Ricopan pulls it off. This bright, modern bakehouse on Causeway Blvd turns out Colombian baked and fried goods with real care, and the pandebono and buñuelo are the two you should not skip.
The space is clean and inviting, with outdoor seating for lingering. Beyond the cheese breads, there is cheese-stuffed pan dulce, arepas, empanadas, croquetas, meringues, and a chocolate mousse cake.
Hungry for more? Cubano and tripleta sandwiches or huevos pericos make a full meal.
Hours are generous: 6 AM to 8 PM Tuesday through Saturday, 6 AM to 5:45 PM Monday, and 7 AM to 6 PM Sunday. Curbside pickup and delivery are available if you are in a hurry.
Weekend mornings are busiest, so an evening stop is a smart shortcut.
6. La Antioqueña, Tampa, FL
Melt-in-your-mouth is not an exaggeration here. The pan de bono dough at La Antioqueña is famously tender, the kind of bread that practically begs for a cup of cafe con leche beside it.
Fresh breads come out daily at this small bakery on West Waters Avenue. Alongside the cheese bread, look for flaky puff pastry, Colombian donuts, surprisingly good Cuban bread, and empanadas.
Natural fruit shakes add a refreshing twist on a hot Tampa afternoon.
Doors open at 6 AM daily, staying open until 8 PM Monday through Saturday and 4 PM on Sunday. Mornings are the busy stretch most days, so arrive early for the warmest batch.
Dine in, grab takeout, or order delivery, and park free in the lot.
7. Santa Ana’s Colombian Bakery & Sandwich Shop, Town ‘N’ Country, FL
Budget travelers, meet your new favorite stop. Santa Ana’s keeps prices in the $1 to $10 range, making it one of the easiest places on this list to stock up on pandebono without a second thought.
The cheese bread here is always fresh, and plenty of locals call it the best in the Tampa area. Pastries like empanadas and buñuelos share space with a serious sandwich game, including Cuban sandwiches and hearty breakfast sandwiches.
A smart move is buying extra pastries to save for later in the day. The shop is clean, casual, and open 7 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday, closing at 2 PM on Sunday.
There is no delivery, so swing by in person and use the free parking.
8. Café Colombia Restaurant & Bakery, Kissimmee, FL
Theme park days in Central Florida can leave you craving something real. Café Colombia, inside the Plaza Del Sol food court on West Vine Street, answers with pan de bono that often arrives straight out of the oven.
It is more than a bakery counter. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all on offer, with dishes like carne asada with rice, beans, and plantains, plus buñuelos prepared to order and tasty empanadas.
Desserts and coffee are highlights too.
Families are well served with a kids’ menu and high chairs, and the atmosphere stays casual and cozy. Hours are 10 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday and 11 AM to 7 PM Sunday.
Parking is free and plentiful, perfect for a relaxed stop between attractions.
9. Antojitos Colombianos Panaderia, Jacksonville, FL
Northeast Florida has a Colombian secret on Baymeadows Road. Antojitos Colombianos pairs a bakery counter of pandebonos, pan de yuca, and cheese-stuffed bread with a kitchen serving big, comforting plates.
Go for the bread, stay for the food. Beef empanadas come packed to the edges with homemade aji on the side, while bandeja paisa, pork chops, chicharrón, and daily soups make serious meals.
Portions are generous, and everything arrives hot.
The room is casual, cozy, and good for groups, with both counter and table service. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 8 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 8 AM to 1 PM, with Mondays closed.
Weekend mornings get lively, so come early to catch the freshest pandebonos this weekend.