.Best Mexican Bakery

Pan dulce means “sweet bread” in Spanish, and while it is sold at Mexican stores all over the Bay Area, Peña’s really has a knack for this soft, satisfying classic. As is typical in Mexican bakeries, customers grab tongs and a tray and choose their favorites from the shelves, but the best pan dulce in the store is a special sugar-coated kind kept behind the counter and sold for just fifty cents apiece. Despite their coatings, these crescent-shaped delicacies are surprisingly light rather than rich, and not as sweet as you might expect. For a more decadent treat, though, try the pastries filled with cheese or pineapple or pumpkin, the heavy slices of cake and cookies, and even a version of that English standby: scones.