4 Best Restaurants in San Antonio, Texas

In a city filled with Mexican bakeries, brothers José and David Cáceres kicked the whole pan dulce (pastry) game up a notch with La Panadería. Their love for baking comes from selling their mama Doña Josefina's loaves of fresh-baked bread on the streets of Mexico City, and they've translated that passion into a winning combination of fresh, quality products available for only a limited amount of time each short day. Bestsellers include empanadas, tres leches (three-milk) croissants, and Nutella cruffins (a croissant-muffin hybrid). Brunch items include avocado toast with grilled chicken, ranchero eggs Benedictine, and tequila-butter steak and eggs. They also have salads, tortas, cakes and cookies, and a nice assortment of freshly baked breads. Ordering can be fast and furious at peak times—grab a tray, get in line, pay for your selections, and settle in to a nearby table. To avoid disappointment, check the website to see how many of what you want they have left. Aficionados have been known to drive from location to location in search of their favorites. Their other locations are 8305 Broadway (Alamo Heights) and 17030 Fiesta Texas Drive (La Cantera Heights).

Here expertly crafted croissants, cookies, muffins, macarons, rolls, tarts, and danish pastries are as delicious as they come. Heartier breakfast fare includes quiche Lorraine, croque madame, Turkish eggs, and French toast, while lunch features Cuban roast pork loin sandwiches and other options on their homemade breads. You can even take home fresh loaves of sourdough, whole wheat, and white bread.

Pick up fresh Mexican pastries from this long-standing neighborhood panaderia (bakery) in Monte Vista. They make all the traditional pan dulce plus novelty cakes and frosted cookies. Conchae are soft and fresh, while pumpkin empanadas are a favorite. The fastest sell-outs are the campechana flaky glazed pastry—they can sell through three batches in the morning alone. They also have fresh flour tortillas and a tiny produce display if you need a lemon or avocado. The line can get long on weekend mornings, so plan accordingly. They have another location at 2714 Hillcrest Drive.

This is a popular old-school neighborhood Mexican bakery. Their pastry-laden cases contain Mexican pan dulce staples like conchas, empanadas, and campechanas, plus cupcakes, cookies, donuts, apple fritters, pink cake, and fresh bread. They also take orders for weddings, quinceneras, and other celebrations. They open at 6 am, and if you have favorites it's best to get there early, especially on weekends. Call with any questions, as they have no website or social media.