This Is The California Bakery To Visit If You Want To Try Latin-Inspired Breads And Pastries

California is home to a variety of unique foods including those hailing from up and down the coast as well as plenty of inland delights. Between the best bakeries in Los Angeles, iconic restaurants beloved by Hollywood's biggest stars, and a dessert affectionately known as the "Tom Cruise Cake," there's no shortage of memorable food and experiences to share. When you're looking for the ultimate spot to try Latin-inspired breads and pastries, simply take a short trip to Long Beach where you'll find a bakery lauded as one of the best in America by the New York Times in 2024. 

Specializing in baking with wild fermented sourdough culture known as masa madre as well as fresh corn masa, or nixtamal, which is made in-house, Gusto Bread has quickly become more than just a local favorite. In addition to ranking among NYT's best bakeries in the U.S., Gusto Bread has also received two nominations from the James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Bakery and Rising Star Baker.

Behind all of the well-deserved acclaim is founder and self-taught baker, Arturo Enciso. With a vision to bring ancient techniques, locally-sourced ingredients, and a multicultural appreciation to a greater audience, Enciso established Gusto Bread in late 2017 from his home, eventually opening a brick and mortar shop in 2020. The menu is filled with mouth watering pastries, breads, and much more including doñas, conchas, polvorones, and empanadas.

Enciso had no formal training when he started his journey as a baker. Drawing inspiration from local farmers markets, Enciso discovered a love of sharing food and an admiration for the intricacies of artisan breads. With flavors that reflect the rich and diverse cultural landscape of Southern California, Gusto Bread is referred to as a panadería, Spanish for "bakery," to emphasize accessibility to the entire latinx community and beyond.

The wide array of breads, pastries, and other dishes for which it has become known comes from a sense of creativity and cultural appreciation. The use of masa madre and nixtamal is part of what makes it's products so notable and delicious. In an interview with Pastry Arts Magazine, Enciso noted that the nixtamal queen pastry is his recommendation for those who might be checking out Gusto Bread for the first time. The process takes more than a day to create the caramelized sweet bread made with heirloom corn masa and yields delicious results that are well worth the wait.

The panadería also makes seasonal jams using local fruits as the perfect complement to a loaf of scratch-made artisan bread. For those planning to visit SoCal in the near future, make time to head down to Long Beach to discover Gusto Bread.