Steam curled out of a paper bag the first time I bit into a strip-mall empanada, and I burned my tongue without caring one bit. California is packed with tiny bakeries like that, places you could drive past a hundred times without noticing.
Inside, though, bakers fold dough by hand and pull golden trays from the oven all day long. These six spots prove that the best warm, flaky bite in the state might be hiding right next to a laundromat.
1. La Farola Empanadas & Bakery, Costa Mesa, CA
Spicy chicken is the order regulars whisper about at this compact Harbor Boulevard spot. The filling stays moist and full of flavor, and the dough wrapped around it is delicate enough to flake at the first bite.
Beef, corn, ham and cheese, and spinach round out the classic lineup.
La Farola leans into Argentine baking, so the pastry case deserves a long look too. The dulce de leche cookies are soft, sweet, and dangerous to leave the counter without.
Beyond empanadas, the kitchen turns out pasta dishes and Italian-style sandwiches for heartier appetites.
Every empanada arrives filled right to the edges, with the beef version running especially juicy. Prices land around $10 to $20 per person, and the quiet, casual room works well for a solo lunch or a family stop with kids.
Plan around the hours: closed Monday, open Tuesday through Saturday 9 AM to 8 PM, and Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM, with free parking out front.
2. Panchita’s Kitchen & Bakery, San Diego, CA
Set an alarm. Panchita’s empanadas disappear fast, often soon after the morning trays come out, so the early bird truly gets the chorizo.
This established Mexican bakery sits in an unassuming space on 32nd Street, and it has been feeding the neighborhood for years. The empanadas carry a flaky crust and bold fillings like chicken pesto and chorizo.
Shelves of traditional pastries, breads, and cakes fill out the rest of the room.
Huge breakfast burritos and tacos make it easy to turn a pastry run into a full meal at friendly prices. Here is a fun twist: there is a drive-thru for pan dulce, which might be the most San Diego thing ever.
The bakery runs daily from 7:30 AM to 2 PM, and weekend mornings get busy, so a weekday visit is the calmer bet.
3. Nova Bakery, Long Beach, CA
Venezuela shows up in delicious form on East 7th Street. Nova Bakery is a charming little shop serving empanadas alongside arepas and cachapas, the sweet corn pancakes folded around cheese.
The cheese empanada is light with a flaky shell, while the beef and chicken mix gives you two classics in one trip. Feeling playful?
Try the pizza pastelito, which eats like a mini calzone with a fluffy crust. The Nova plate is a solid pick for anyone wanting a bigger spread.
Food comes out fresh and hot, and the cozy room suits groups as well as solo snackers. Late hours set it apart from many bakeries, with Friday open until 10 PM and Saturday running 3 to 10 PM.
Weekdays and Sunday go from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Tuesday evenings tend to be the quietest.
4. Milohas, San Jose, CA
Size matters here, in the best way. Milohas turns out large Colombian empanadas stuffed generously, with a crust that balances crispy crunch and a little fluff inside.
The beef empanada is the star, but sweet and savory fillings both get their turn. Pair one with a cup of hot chocolate, a classic Colombian combo, and a guava pastry for dessert.
The shop is named after milhojas, the layered cream pastry, so ordering one feels almost required.
Fun fact: milhojas means thousand leaves in Spanish, a nod to all those thin layers of pastry. The counter-serve shop is clean, friendly, and built for quick visits, since there is no restroom.
Hours run Tuesday through Friday 7:30 AM to 7 PM, Saturday 8:30 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday until 6 PM, with Mondays off.
5. Mariposa Baking Company, Oakland, CA
Gluten-free and flaky in the same sentence? At Mariposa, that combo is the whole point.
This dedicated gluten-free bakeshop makes pastries with a texture that surprises even die-hard wheat fans.
The smell of fresh baking greets you in the parking lot before you even reach the door. Inside, empanadas share space with bread, bagels, donuts, cinnamon rolls, key lime pie, whoopie pies, and cupcakes.
Many items are vegan, and labels clearly mark what is soy free, nut free, or dairy free.
For anyone who has skipped empanadas because of allergies, this Telegraph Avenue stop feels like a gift. A daytime cafe menu adds savory meals for a longer stay.
Doors open Monday through Thursday 9 AM to 5 PM, Friday until 6 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM.
6. Lolita Artisanal Bakery- Cafe, San Mateo, CA
Walk in, and a display case stretches out in front of you, crowded with sweet and savory treats true to Argentina. Lolita is a family-run bakery, and the warm welcome at the counter makes that clear right away.
Handmade empanadas come in chicken, beef, chorizo, and mushroom, all baked in-house. A spinach and cheese pastry and a puffy ham and cheese bite make great sidekicks.
Grab a mixed box to take home, and dinner with a simple salad is basically done.
Save room for alfajores, the cookie sandwiches filled with dulce de leche that inspired the bakery’s roots. Good coffee and croissants make it an easy breakfast stop on El Camino Real, and there is parking in the rear.
Lolita opens Wednesday through Sunday from 7 AM to 4 PM, with Sunday mornings the busiest.