We picked up 2 different items when visiting our son. He is a regular and loves them. Now we know why. We had the Chicken Empanada, tender and very flavorful. Also on the menu was the cream cheese croissant. Not too sweet, but the top of the roll is sprinkled with large sugar granules. Always a nice touch. This will be a regular stop now, whenever we visit our family in Decatur. . . read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

Still riding a Latin food high from the day before and wanting something more authentic to the area I now call home, I stumbled upon this spot. It's tucked inside a strip mall filled with other restaurants -- most of which, based on their health scores, I don't plan on visiting anytime soon. Thankfully, this was one of the very few (and by few, I mean two) with a good health score. Everything here was fresh, warm, filling, and affordable. Naturally, we had to start with a Cuban sandwich -- and bless whoever put hands on that masterpiece. Then came the bakery treats: I ordered the guava and cream cheese pastelito and the beef pastelito -- both were gone before I even made it outside. (Evidently, you're not supposed to eat inside, so my apologies to the owners!) We also tried a beef empanada, and I immediately regretted not ordering two because I was ready to claim that one as mine alone. The ham croqueta sealed the deal and put a smile on my face. They've got Cubanos and plenty of other options that I'm sure are just as good. I definitely plan on coming back -- because based on what I had, I don't think there's a single thing on that menu that wouldn't be delicious. And for the area, the prices are surprisingly reasonable. read more

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As a Cuban living in ATL I can't say how pleased I was to find a bakery that served up real Cuban pastry's, bread and cafe con leche. The girls serving were very friendly and kept a clean bakery. I would say that I was slightly disappointed that they didn't have other Cuban bakery staples such as papa rellena, yuca rellena and pan con lechón maybe you guys could consider adding that to Your already delicious menu. It was over an hour drive for us but I will definitely do it all over again read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Cuban bread half gone already, lol - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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Hard to come by Cuban spots and I was excited to try this one! Got a cuban coffee, guava pastry, and guava cream cheese pastry. The coffee was strong and sweetened just enough (not too sweet club yay)! The pastries were flaky, delicious, and had a great filling to pastry ratio. Can't wait to come back and try some savories and tres leche cake. Staff is friendly, quick service, and fyi no seating. read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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I have a few things I wish about this place, but I also recognize they are doing pretty well for how small it is. There is no seating inside or outside, so it is a grab and go situation, but do not expect a quick stop. Ever since they opened, the lines have gotten longer every single time I have been. They have delicious food, but no gluten free options. Very traditional Cuban coffee. Again, do not expect a quick visit or seating, parking is a plenty and the service is fine, but they are small and that is a factor in coming here. read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

The guava and cream cheese pastelito is soooo good!! The pastry is flaky, decently large, and the filling of guava and cream cheese is so delicious. If you go home and warm it up, mmmm. At first when I tried the tres leches, I was meh about it, but when I tried it the next day, it was much better! I think I initially tried it after the pastry, but the pastry is sweet and strong in flavor, so it was overpowering every bite of tres leches. Will definitely return to try other goods here. Note that there is no seating inside and this place is card only! read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Guava & Cream Cheese Pastelito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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Three years after I made my first review, not much has changed. I still love this place. The staff is pleasant. The lines are still long. But overall, it's still a solid place. I usually get the pastelitos, a beef or chicken empanada. Not a fan of croquetas so I haven't tried those but I'd imagined they're good. The only downside is that they have limited hours so on the days when I'm randomly craving a cafe con leche, they aren't open. And much of the menu hasn't changed except for one new item I believe. For vegan options, they have a chick pea and chorizo empanada and a spinach w/ cheese empanada which is a plus. So yeah, I hope they still around for the long haul. There's not too many Cuban pastries here in Atlanta. read more

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These are good people, good food! The coffee was too sweet for my taste-- I ordered a cortado. I would totally go back for empanadas. They were delicious!!! The service is efficient and there's a nice area you can wait outside while you wait for your Coffee or food to be done. :) read more

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Finally made it to Buena Gente and I'm mad it took so long. Food and cafe con Leche were perfect. I ordered a few chicken coquetas, a Cuban, and a coffee. The latter 2 are served fresh to order and I believe the croquetas are likely cooked fresh every day. I ordered 2 to take home for later, but they were so delicious I ended up eating them while I wanted on my Cuban. Of the 3 Cubans I've had in my life, Buena Gentes ranks along with Ball & Chain. Melty cheese, ham, pork, mustard, crusty bread...yes please. The Cuban is a very generous size and could likely feed 2 people. A cool mojito & an ocean breeze would put it over the top, but the Fall breeze in Decatur will have to suffice. And I'll be back. It's really more of a order and go spot, but there are 2 hightop tables out front where you can stand and eat. read more

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Authentic flavors is always an easy way to lure me into an eatery ten times out of ten and I certainly got that here at Buena Gente. The Cuban sandwich, or Cubano, was probably the most distinct Cuban I've had to date. I'm used to a slightly softer bread and the bread they use here is crunchy. I did think the mustard really overpowered and flavor of the meat to the point I couldn't taste much else. The pastries were fine. The guava and cheese heats up nicely. The beef empanada was decent but the ham croqueta really didn't do much for me. Just a heads up, there's a big chance there will be a line and also a chance much of the menu will be unavailable due to selling out. Sounds like an easy-to-fix inconvenience and other reviews here seem to be saying the same. read more

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Went once and I'm now addicted. Everything here is so fresh, tasty, and fast. I'm done for it's too good read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

2 sandwich options, order at counter, and restaurant prices for take out food. They don't allow dining inside at their high tops, but they also took away the few outdoor seating they had before. We saw a family of 5 about to walk in and even grabbed the door handle but decided instead to go next door to Po Boy Shop for their seating availability. There was also a father with a young child who just took their order over to a table at Po Boy Shop. Both sandwiches are average sized and $14 without any sides or drink, or any add-on options. So they charge restaurants dine in prices without offering restaurant services. In addition, they ask for tips at the counter check-out screen for fastfood style services minus the seating. It used to be a great lunch place with poor hours. Now it's been reduced to just an overpriced takeout spot. It doesn't justify the 20+ minutes round trip and to haul my family out just to end up getting take out. I am not planning on returning. read more

Amazing. Being from Miami, good Cuban food is hard to find anywhere else and this place is authentic and great!! We loved the guava pastries, you can tell they make the fruit filling from scratch. The croquettes are hand rolled and the quality shows through. Homemade, roasted pork in the Cuban Sandwiches. Very few places have the fruit milkshake selection they have. We loved the Mango, Mamey and Guanbana flavors. If you're anywhere close to Atlanta if you have to stop by. Come early cause the line gets long and the food sells out. Also check their hours because they are closed Monday to Wednesday as of now. read more

Coming for Burbank where Porto's was literally a walk across the street, this place is a nice find. I meet the owner and as a Latina I'm so proud of her! The Cubano is amazing, the croquettes and picadillo delicious I only wish they had more space for indoor seating but knowing the cost of having your own space- she's doing great! I hope others help support and grow this business because quality and great service along with authenticity is always hard to come by. read more

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I've been meaning to try this place ever since it was on Yelp's 2023 Top 100 in the nation and I'm so glad I did!! This place has such great pastries and likely the best empanada I've ever had. The pastries are so flaky but also moist, the guava flavor is unique but also so fitting. The empanada was piping hot, fresh, the dough was flaky and melt in your mouth, and the beef was delicious. The cuban sandwich was alright but I think it's because I'm not a huge fan of this style of sandwich (it was my first Cuban) rather than how they made it. Otherwise the bread was fresh and crispy, they're VERY generous with the cheese and it's gooey. Overall, I'd come back for sure to get the empanadas and pastelitos, and try some of their pastries like the tres leches and arroz con leche. Parking was relatively simple, service was great, there was a line when we got there but it moved quickly. There are tables but we're not actually allowed to use them (oops!). The inside is super cute, I wish they had more extensive hours but I guess they don't need it with their great business. read more

I found this place in the middle of a strip mall. Parking is tight but it is well worth it. The bakery is small and you cannot dine in but they have some tables outside and the carry out is not bad either. I found out that they do not make sandwiches until 11 AM. The empanadas still make the morning trip worth it. They sandwiches are made fresh to order but the pastries and empanadas are pre made and sit in a warmer. I have tried beef empanada, chicken empanada, spinach and cheese empanada, pineapple milkshake, Trigo, and media noche. The empanadas were already made, tasted great, and filled. I was surprised by the amount of protein packed in the empanada. The pineapple milkshake was great and simple. Taste like they simply blended some pineapples into milk and ice. The Trigo tastes just like honey smacks. The media noche is supposed to be a cuban with sweet bread but it didn't taste sweet. The cuban was really good. Quite filling. I had the chicken croqueta and ham and cheese croqueta. I cannot remember how they tasted but I believe it was good. Nothing bad comes from here. I must return every month because this place is amazing. read more

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We had a Togo order for guava cheese pastries. They are so good. The outside if croissant that's glazed for crunchiness. I will definitely go back to try more products read more

We decided to come back here to get more pastries. It was around 1ish pm so most of their items were already sold out. We didn't get to order any pastries as they were all sold out which was disappointing. We ordered 8 ham croquettes, 4 chicken empanadas, 2 vegan empanadas and it all came up to $46 which seemed a bit pricey. We definitely like this bakery & their choices tho we haven't tried most of their other things yet but we can't come too often based on their prices. One suggestion for those coming here for the first time, the parking lot gets full very quick, it was a challenge finding a spot to park. So, come early if you can & be prepared since they close at 2 pm. read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Beef, Spinach & cheese, Chicken, Vegan empanadas, beef pastry, guava & cream cheese pastry, guava pastry, croquetas de jamón, papas rellenas - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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I believe Buena Gente started as a cutie food truck but they now have a brick and mortar in the North Decatur area. There are other restaurants around the bakery and plenty of parking spaces. We arrived around 10:40 am there's a line to order, which I'm not surprised about. They start serving sandwiches at 11 am and luckily by the time we got to order it was a little past 11. We ordered a cafe con leche, both croquette flavors - ham/cheese and chicken, vegan empanada with chickpeas and vegan chorizo, beef empanada, guava/cream cheese pastelito, and a medianoche. All of the pastries were given to us right away by the super friendly employee at the counter and were given a buzzer for our coffee and sandwich order. After a short wait, we received our coffee order. However, we did wait for what seemed like forever for the medianoche. I get it, they probably had to transition from breakfast to lunch but dang, I wish we would have known it was going to be a 20 min wait for a sandwich. Other than that, every thing we ordered was delicious. My fave was the ham and cheese croquette though, and ofc the cafe con leche. read more

Finally a good cuban bakery. This was a great find for cuban bakery items, as close as it's going to get to a cuban bakery in Miami. The pastelitos were filled with just the right amount of filling and flavor, the papa rellenas are delicious, empanadas were flavorful and well seasoned. The bakery is small and the selection not as expansive as a regular cuban bakery in Miami, for GA it will do. The service was great, staff was very nice and helpful. Its small in the inside however they have a few small tables and chairs outside that you can sit and eat and have coffee, however come early and get your bakery items early because they close early and only open Thursday-Sunday. Prices are a bit high for bakery items. We spent a little over $50.00 for a few bakery items. Well regardless we will return when we have a craving for cuban pastries. read more

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This was my first time coming to Buena Gente for breakfast and it was worth it! They finally had the papa rellena in stock (I believe they sell out by 11 AM) and I completely understand why. Everything was fresh baked and delicious. I'm definitely a bit sad by how reduced their sandwich menu is now, I used to love the chicken sandwich, but at least the pastries are still there and hold up! read more

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Incredible coffee and pastries. The beef empanada in particular was so good. Super friendly and fast service too. We will definitely come back when we are in the area. read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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We stopped by for the first time and picked up quite a few goods! We love Cuban food and knew that we wouldn't be disappointed after hearing from others about how much they enjoy what they've tried here. We were actually the first to show up in the parking lot just after 8:30am (we'd heard they've been selling out pretty early recently), but it was pretty cold, so we decided to wait in the car. Over the next 15 minutes or so, about about 5-6 more cars arrived in the parking lot and people started to form a line in front of the door as we waited for the 9 a.m. opening time. The doors were unlocked promptly at nine, and we were all greeted warmly. As many people as could fit stepped inside, and the line moved at a fair pace considering there is only one register plus a small team of people packing orders and preparing coffee and milkshake orders. We ordered a few different items to share: empanadas de pollo, empanadas de espinaca y queso suizo, croquetas de pollo, pastelitos de guayaba y queso crema, pastel de tres leches, tarta de lima & café con leche. Just like we thought, we have thoroughly enjoyed every single thing. Everything is full of flavor and very well balanced. The crust on both the chicken empanadas and spinach & Swiss empanadas isn't too thick or thin and stays crispy in transport. The guava and cream cheese pastelitos are perfectly flaky and have just the right amount of filling. The tres leches cake and the key lime pie are the freshest and tastiest we've ever had. This was my first time having chicken croquettes, and they were great. And the café con leche was delicious as well! We'll be back sometime for more and to try the chicken sandwich whenever it's back on the menu (limited sandwich menu while they are short staffed). All in all, get here! Come early and try a little bit of everything. read more

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Before you read any further, GET HERE EARLY. Many popular pastries sell out fast so make sure you stop in earlier than later to make sure you are able to pick up. I've been a couple times and only once was I able to finally have my choice of baked goods to select. No matter what time you get to Buena Gente, you can and must always order a tasty iced cafe con leche. And basically order anything with guava in it, you won't be sorry! I haven't had a chance to try their sandwiches but they look and sound amazing. Usually, I'm walking out of Buena Gente with a box of assorted guava pastries and an iced cafe con leche. You can't go wrong with a pastelito but if you prefer savory, go for a croqueta or empanada! My one complaint is the hours... Lol it's not even their fault, I just need to be better about planning my visits to Decatur when they're open and before they sell out of all the good stuff! read more

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I stopped in because I've been craving tres leches lately and luckily I love empanadas so this place was a gem for me. I came in 30 minutes before they closed and all the staff seemed like they were in such a wonderful and bright mood, completely the opposite of what I anticipated from my experience going into a restaurant before close. I was pleasantly surprised as to the quick service and how kind the person who took my order was. I got 3 empanadas, the spinach, chicken, and beef. ALL of them are AMAZING. I didn't get to eat them immediately so I popped them in the airfryer and boy was it worth it. The tres leches was so good after one bite I knew I couldn't stop. I'll definitely be back again as my entire experience was so great in the small amount of time I was there! read more

Service was good! Place is clean and very neat!!I'm a Cuban American, who's lived in Miami, FL for 19yrs. I just moved to Savannah and was visiting Atlanta. I've been looking everywhere to find a Cuban place that sells Cuban coffee and pastries in Savannah and Atlanta area for the last 8 months! This place met my expectations! I ended up taking the last two beef patties because they looked and tasted like the ones I find in a bakery in Miami! The Cuban bread was actual Cuban bread, not a hoagie. The Cuban sandwich tasted like the traditional Cuban sandwich. The owner of the establishment should consider extending his horizon to cooking Spanish meals. I'm sure he would do great! read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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My wife and I ended up stopping at this place by accident. They were 4-5 restaurants in this plaza and our original plan was to sample each one. This place was so good we never made it in to the other restaurants. It's hard to find good Cuban food where I live so I could be biased. Either way, this place has some amazing Cuban food. We got the beef empanadas, media noches and the key lime pie. Each dish was really great. The beef empanadas were very large and they were very hearty. I didn't get much of the media noche but my wife did enjoy it. I enjoyed the key lime pie as well. I also had a mango juice to go. read more

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Definitely my new spot in Decatur! We tried the guava and cream cheese and the beef pastries as well as the rice pudding. Everything was so good, especially the coffee! All reasonably priced as well. I will definitely be coming back to try the sandwiches and milkshakes. read more

Everything here is so good. My first time there I tried at least one of everything Guava pastries and tres leches are a must

Buena Gente is the cutest bakery! Trying to decide what I wanted to order was harder than picking out a polish color at the nail shop. IYKYK, lol. There are so many goodies to choose from such as Cuban sandwiches, croquetas, empanadas, pastries etc. I ended up getting a small iced coffee , guava and cream cheese pastelito and a spinach and swiss empanada. Everything and I mean everything was exceptional. I'm not a regular coffee drinker, so the coffee was pretty strong in my opinion. The empanada and pastelito were so fresh! I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't order more. In addition to the awesome food, the customer service was great as well. I'm already plotting my next visit. They close at 2:00pm and I've read that they run out of items near closing , so plan accordingly. read more

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I've been looking forward to coming here for weeks, but they sell out so fast on weekends. I finally got my chance to go on a weekday morning and managed to snag some empanadas and pastelitos, although they were already out of the papas rellenos. The beef empanada and guava and cheese pastelito were incredible!! The coffee was great, and they even had a mamey flavored batido!!! It's so rare to find anything mamey flavored here in Atlanta. And wow what a treat!! read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Cafe con leche and a mamey batido - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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After I tasted Buena Gente, I thought "ok, I can stay in Atlanta." I was missing access to a real Cuban bakery so much. This place is truly excellent (yes, by both Miami standards and Porto's in LA standards). It's small with a limited selection (if they ever bring back the Vaca Frita sandwich or the Frita burger I will lobby Yelp for a sixth star). But what they do they do exceedingly well. We're lucky to have them en la comundiad. read more

The hubs and I have been meaning to try this place, but they close early (2 to 3 PM) and isn't open on certain days (Monday and Tuesday). This has always been a missed opportunity. So, plan folks instead of just winging it here thinking it's open late. The trigo puffed wheat was interesting. It sorted of tasted like the Korean jolly pong snack. It was a hearty shake that can help fill you up. The hubs was happy at its decently priced point ($3.75). The spinach & Swiss empanada was really good! It was decently sized. The inside was also decently filled, though I think more filling could have been crammed inside. But, that's just me wishing for more. For $3, it was a nice and filling snack that was warm and crispy. Ooohh. I want more now! The media noche (which is similar to the Cubano) was superb. The differentiating factor was the egg soaked bread that's slightly sweeter. Everything else seemed to be the same (pressed style, pork, ham, etc.). I would get this again or try the Cubano. Both were priced the same: $9.50. The pan con bistec was okay. There only interesting feature about this was the shoestring potato sticks (which became soggy being within the tightly wrapped sandwich). The steak pieces were juicy, but I didn't find any particularly any amazing flavors. You could say it's more of a plain Jane sandwich. Nothing wowing. The grilled onions, lettuce, and tomato made it messy to consume and keep in place. I don't think I'd be trying this sandwich again even though for $11, it is okay for this area. There were two small dedicated tables and accompanying chairs outside with a high bar top without chairs. There were other tables and chairs around, but it's for the neighboring restaurants. read more

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I absolutely adore buena gente! Being a Tampa native, I feel like I'm in Ybor city's finest Cuban bakery and sandwich shop when I come here. It can be really busy in the mornings especially the weekends! It's a small shop and all of the seating is outside under the covered patio - I haven't had the pleasure of dining out there as it faces the parking lot so I normally get it to go. Note that the sandwiches are only sold after 10, so I often order ahead online for lunch. The cuban & medianoche really taste like home for me, one of the best in the city, and selfishly I wish I could have it at 8am and 8pm or later. read more

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Cute little Cuban bakery at Decatur that serves freshly made Cuban pastries and desserts as well as beverages. Opening hours are unique so make sure to check google maps before visiting (they close at 2pm). Servers were friendly and people usually grab their items and leave, as the indoor space is quite small. Would recommended this local favorite to anyone craving for some Cuban delights! read more

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Was in the mood for some Cuban coffee so I went on my trusty Yelp to see what they had to offer in my area. Located in Decatur off of Clairemont Rd & N Decatur Rd. In a plaza with other stores & plenty of parking. Swiss cheese & spinach empanada Guava & cream cheese pastelito El viandero wrap with grilled peppers & onions, sweet plantains, black beans, and vegan cilantro aioli, wrapped in a flour tortilla. Cafe con leche espresso, steamed oat milk the Cuban latte Everything was delicious. read more

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So glad we have this delicious Cuban Bakery in Atl!-Top 100 in the country per Yelp at that! Everything I tried was delicious! Def can go toe to toe against Cafe Versailles or Las Olas cafe in Miami. Only thing I wished for was dipping sauce for the empanadas (the green cilantro kind:). read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Beef and chicken empanadas - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

Simply delicious! Great selection of grab & go Cuban treats. The empanadas were the best I've had and the cafe con leche (half sweet) was perfect. I can't wait to go back! read more

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Wow. This place is legit. So good. Authentic, excellent quality. Hard not to buy one of everything . read more

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery - Savory offerings - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Georgia

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So happy we tried this place out ! I am always craving a perfect Cuban sandwich and Buena Gente didn't disappoint. We have friend to go atleast once a week since we've tried it. They have great sandwiches, empanadas, and coffee. (Basically ALL THE FOOD IS YUMMY! ). I love getting a beef empanada and a colada for breakfast. If you're wanting to give this place a shot go now! Just a heads up they don't start serving their sandwiches until after 11 though. The inside is extremely clean and the customer service is on point! read more

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