The Sweet Life in San Miguel de Allende: My Favorite Pastry Stops
If you have a sweet tooth, San Miguel is a dangerous place. There are buttery croissants, Mexican pan dulce, sourdough pastries, cakes and confections everywhere you turn. But these are the places I go when I want something made by hand, made on site, and worth the calories.
A note about this list: This is very much a work in progress. I’m always on the lookout for a great pastry, so if you have a San Miguel favorite that you think belongs here, send it my way. I’m always happy to add another stop to the list!
Panina
Panina is one of my favorite pastry stops in San Miguel, and I have a particular weakness for their ham and cheese croissant. The lamination is lovely: crisp, buttery layers on the outside with that soft, tender center you want from a really good croissant. The coffee is good too, which makes it an easy place to settle in for a morning.
Inside, there’s a big communal table that gives the bakery a warm, neighborhood feel.
Outside, the lively terrace is my favorite spot, especially when musicians are playing. There’s usually a little buzz around the place, and it feels like the kind of café where you can easily linger longer than you intended.
And the location makes it even better. Panina is just around the corner from the Saturday farmers market, so most Saturday mornings you will find me there.
Panina was founded by chef Paulina Carreño, with sourdough and slow fermentation at the heart of the bakery. She came to bread after working in restaurant kitchens in Mexico and Europe, and that experience shows in the beautiful technique behind the pastries.
They make beautiful sourdough bread.
My order: Ham and cheese croissant + cappuccino
Saturday tip: Pair it with the farmers’ market, Mercado Sano.
La Colmena
Even if you don't buy a single pastry, go inside La Colmena.
This is San Miguel's great old-fashioned panadería, and the bakery has been here since 1901, when Florentino Rayas opened it on Relox. More than a century later, it remains in the same location and is still a family business.
La Colmena means “the beehive,” and the name couldn't be more fitting. Look up as you approach and you may see bees buzzing around the open front of the bakery. For reals, there is a beehive in the shop and bees swarm all over the pastries.
Inside, grab one of the metal trays and a pair of tongs and wander through the rows of traditional Mexican pan dulce. There can be an astonishing variety, from conchas and empanadas to orejas, elotes and other breads and cookies. Much of it is still made right there, using the bakery's traditional methods.
It isn't polished or precious; these are classic old-fashioned pastries. Get there early on a weekend, as the locals come early and they often sell out of pastries.
Address: Relox 21, Zona Centro, 37700 San Miguel de Allende, Gto.
