Los Angeles Eats | Porto's Bakery & Cafe

Hello 2018! It’s been quite some time since my last post! (2 + years) Crazy how time flies! After moving to NYC in the fall of 2015 - life and work got in the way. Currently still working full time in NYC while trying to manage somewhat of a work life balance. The last couple of years have been very eventful, but more of that in a later blog post. I’m excited that EMK is making a comeback after a long hiatus.

This year I’m introducing a new Lifestyle category to the blog with an exciting new series and new contributors. This blog will not only focus on food, but also on lifestyle topics, such as wealth, life experiences, and favorite food places from coast to coast. This week I’m introducing our west coast contributor, and brother, Fidel who will be bringing you his Los Angeles favorite eats - this week reviewing Porto's, one of my favorite places to go when visiting LA.

xoxo,
Ana

Hi all! I'm Fidel, and I'll be looking at the best places for food, coffee, desserts, drinks, sweets, and more in the Los Angeles area. Kicking off this new blog post series with delicious desserts from Porto's Bakery & Cafe. The first time I tried Porto’s was more than 5 years ago, and the quality has not waivered since that first memorable experience. The cookies and coffee are their staple go to of perfection and value that keep people coming back for more. Each sandwich on the menu is simple, yet ideally crafted to suit its own mix of flavors. Porto's has much more than just coffee and desserts. It truly has a little bit of everything: pastries, sandwiches, coffee, smoothies, cakes, soups, and so much more keeping you eating here from dawn till dusk.

Even with the infinite amount of times I've been to Porto's, I still haven’t ran out of new items to try on the menu.

Here are my personal favorites:

• Guava strudels are crispy, flaky pastries with a guava jelly filling. There are two options for these: with cheese and without. I prefer mine with cheese, it adds an extra flavor that mixes well.
• Who doesn’t love cookies? The Porto’s cookies are made fresh everyday. When I go with my family we normally get a full dozen with half chocolate chip and half oatmeal. These cookies are so good that Ana and Jerry constantly request that we ship them 3,000 miles, and we do!
• The muffins are moist, fluffy, and rich. The chocolate chip muffins are absolutely the best on the menu, but blueberry is a close second.
• The Porto's iced coffee is a must. It’s the best value for a premixed iced coffee with milk that you’ll find anywhere. It’s the perfect balance of that strong coffee flavor that we all love, with the right amount of sweet, keeping you wanting more and more.
• The Cubano is my top sandwich pick. It’s served with freshly baked Cuban bread and thick slices of pork, ham, swiss cheese, and pickles. Your traditional go to Cuban sandwich, but with Porto’s magic touch.
• The Guacamole and Cheese Omelet Croissant is my favorite way to start my morning. I die a little inside when I don’t get there before 11am to get it. Plan for a line and get there early!

If you're a pastry lover then you definitely have to visit Porto's Bakery & Café when you are in the Los Angeles area. Aside from having delicious cookies and great tasting coffee, they are also super affordable. For reference, I spent just under $50 on my most recent trip there, which isn't even my average expense per trip.

Here's what I bought:

• Two guava strudels at $1.50 each
• Dozen and a half chocolate chip cookies for under $10
• Cubano sandwich with plantain chips (called mariquitas) $6
• Porto's iced coffee $3
• Fruit tart cake - supposedly 11-inches (it seemed bigger) for my dad's birthday $24.

A cake for maybe 10-15 people for only $24 is a steal. Truth be told, the only reason some of us customers spend so much is because it’s so cheap that we get our money’s worth in full boxes of food.

Porto’s is a must when visiting the LA area. With four locations you’ll never be too far away, but that doesn't mean the traffic will make getting there easy. Good luck! Make it happen!