Peruvian Bakeries in Los Angeles: Where to Find Panettone, Alfajores, and Empanadas

There isn't a single "Peruvian bakery" in Los Angeles that covers everything you need — but there are Peruvian restaurants that bake their own alfajores, Latin stores with a Peruvian section, and Ecuadorian/Colombian bakeries that stock Peruvian goods when there's demand. This guide covers the key products + where to find each.

Panettone — December only

Panettone is the king of the Peruvian Christmas table. Top brands: D'Onofrio, Motta, Bauducco. Some LA stores hike prices in December, so buying in November can save you $5-10 per box.

• Vallarta Supermarket (multiple) — D'Onofrio + Bauducco. Generous stock from early November.
• Cardenas Markets — good selection, similar prices.
• Small Peruvian shops in the South Bay — some import direct from Peru, with gift boxes (pricier but nice presentation).
• Amazon — Bauducco at good prices in 2-3 box packs. D'Onofrio less common online.

Manjar blanco alfajores

The Peruvian alfajor is different from the Argentine one: two cornstarch cookies sandwiching manjar blanco (thicker dulce de leche, almost like caramel) with powdered sugar on top. No chocolate, no coconut.

• Peruvian restaurants that bake them: Mario's Peruvian and Peru's Taste almost always have them fresh at the counter.
• To make at home: Peruvian manjar blanco (brands Nestlé Manjar Blanco or Gloria) is at Vallarta + Northgate stores.

Peruvian empanadas

The Peruvian empanada is baked (not fried), with softer dough than Chilean, and classic fillings: beef with olives + boiled egg, shredded chicken, and cheese (the "empanada de queso" for kids).

• Mario's Peruvian and El Rocoto have the classics as menu starters.
• Some Colombian bakeries in LA bake similar ones — ask for "Peruvian empanadas" or "empanadas with olives."

Everyday Peruvian bread

Types the Peruvian community misses:

• Peruvian French bread — softer than a French baguette, perfect for chicken or avocado sandwiches. Hard to find exact in LA; closest is Mexican-style French bread (not the same, but works).
• Pan de yema — sweet bread filled with egg yolk. Some Ecuadorian bakeries make it.
• Pan chapla — Andean flatbread. Nearly impossible to find in LA — some families make it at home.
• Pan tres puntas — traditional Cusco triangular bread. Not available ready-made in LA.

Pastries, cakes, desserts

• Turrón de Doña Pepa — the Purple Month (October) dessert. D'Onofrio brings boxes to Vallarta and Cardenas during October.
• Suspiro a la limeña — Mario's has it on the menu most of the time.
• Picarones — only at festivals or if you make them at home. Recipe here.
• Mazamorra morada — some Peruvian restaurants serve it as a seasonal dessert (October / Creole Music Day).

What you CAN'T find (yet) in LA

Honestly, some Peruvian products the community still misses:

• Regional breads (chapla, tres puntas, chuta de Cusco) — not available.
• Tunta (Andean dried potato) — some stores carry imported occasionally.
• Fresh-roasted cancha corn — packaged cancha (Inca's Food, La Preferida) is fine but not the same as just-roasted.

If you know a bakery with good Peruvian products that we missed, let us know and we'll add it to the directory.