I have had this on my list of places to try for a long time, but only just got the opportunity to stop by. Being plant-based and finding fully vegan food isn't too difficult in LA, but vegan bakeries aren't as common, so I'm glad I found Toluca Bakery, which is entirely vegan. An adorable older couple bake and sell everything.
It's worth noting that while I was trying to narrow down which items I wanted to try, a few different customers came in and all of them voluntarily (and very enthusiastically, I might add) voiced their opinions about the food-I don't necessarily need anyone to sell me on baked goods (my headstone might read "never turned down the opportunity to enjoy good food" haha), but it was obvious that they have a happy customer base with full bellies:) I've now joined the ranks!
I didn't realize that the woman who baked everything is a native Spanish speaker until a customer I was talking to about the empanadas and conchitas started talking to the baker (and owner of the bakery?) in Spanish. It was then that I realized why they had so many Latin-American options.
They also have a large selection of gluten-free options. If you are gluten-free, they keep those in separate spaces which, in my opinion, is how that should be handled. If you have a true allergy, you may want to inquire about how they prepare those options. My guess is that they understand and cater to gluten allergy/sensitive customers simply based on the fact that they are in their own cases.
They have a huge assortment of options. Some of these include: tiramisu, empanadas, croissants, danishes, conchitas, cupcakes, cheesecakes, muffins, and so many others.
I'd be shocked to find anyone who would have trouble finding something they liked due to the incredible variety of options.
I tried the tiramisu, and compared to standard non-vegan tiramisu I'd had before I was plant-based, personally think it is as good as some of the best I've had. It was rich, creamy, densely flavorful.... I'm so full but if I'd gotten two I'd be greedily eating that one too!
I also bought what I think is an apple cheesecake..? I can't remember-I had a bit of "decision paralysis" and asked about so many things but I think that's what this is. It is (or, was, rather-before I gobbled it down) in a pie shape, about 4" in diameter, with the cutest classic crust... It's so good I wish I could use expletives right now. Five stars. Creamy cheesecake with a robust apple flavor, decadent and rich with a flaky crust, topped with thinly sliced and slightly crunchy apple slices, and sprinkled with cinnamon... oh man I might need to change into baggy sweatpants today. Can someone come take my keys away from me so I don't drive back over there???
The other three items I chose to try today (try not to judge, I'm not particularly skilled at choosing only one item when there are so many delicious options)- a cinnamon roll, a croissant, and a vanilla cupcake. The only item I would give three out of five stars to is the croissant, because it is more "bready" and heavy, and not as flaky as I prefer. The only other fully vegan bakery I have been to in this area is Chaumont vegan bakery, which has the best vegan croissants I've had and are hard to beat.
That being said, I love the cinnamon roll despite the fact that it had raisins and I don't personally like that in mine. The cinnamon roll was soft and flaky but a little too dense for me-Therefore, I would give that one four out of five stars. The cupcake was dense in a good way, but fluffy and perfectly moist (sorry to those who don't like that word)-It was fantastic.
I personally no longer go to businesses that are only "vegan friendly," due to the fact that those spaces do not always fully understand what plant-based means, and sometimes include items/ingredients that are not plant-based or prep on the same surface (which can leave odors or flavors from meats/dairy).
This is definitely a "hole in the wall" type of small business. I am a big proponent of supporting small businesses and love these types of businesses since they sometimes are better than their "fancier" counterparts.
In my personal opinion, I am giving this business five stars, based on the customer service, large selection, and the fact that three out of the five items I chose exceeded my expectations. I also really enjoyed chatting with their customers and the lovely bakers.
This is one of those places that I'm almost angry I found-How am I supposed to maintain any semblance of a good figure with places like this????
I'll absolutely return for more:) read more