"The pride and joy of Burbank, Porto’s is a straight-up classic. The family-run Cuban bakery has been serving guava and cheese pastries, potato rolls, and every other Latin dessert you can think of for the last five decades, and has built a devoted following in the process (there are now six with locations across greater LA and OC). Come here at noon on a Tuesday and you'll be greeted by 100 other people who had the same idea as you. Their iconic yellow pastry boxes are a fixture at family parties, office break rooms, and even airplane carry-on compartments as Angelenos tend to bring to Porto's along for any occasion. But despite being perpetually busy, Porto’s operates like a well-oiled machine. Whether you're picking up a tres leches cake for your cousin's birthday, a plate of ropa vieja for lunch, or just some strudels to eat alone in your car, they never fail at getting you in and out in no time. Food Rundown Refugiados (Guava & Cheese Strudel) Flaky, fruity, creamy, and sweet—these iconic pastries filled with guava paste and cream cheese hit all the flavorful notes we want from a baked good, which is probably why they're always the first item to disappear from a box of Porto's. Their name is a nod to Cuban refugees who arrived in the U.S. during the mid-20th century, including the family that founded Porto's. Potato Balls If someone shows up with a box of savory treats from Porto's, there's a 80% chance these are what they're bringing—essentially breadcrumb-coated fried balls of mashed potatoes filled with spiced ground beef picadillo. The original potato balls are great, but the ones stuffed with cheese and spicy peppers are even better. Meat Pies (Pastel De Carne) A sleeper hit that we prefer over their popular chicken empanadas. The picadillo filling inside these is the same as what you'll find in the potato balls, except wrapped in a flaky puff pastry crust. Dulce de Leche Besito Cookies These tend to be a favorite of the ahem older generations, but it's not just your grandmother whose a fan of these petit caramel-filled cookies. They pair especially well with a strong cup of coffee. Medianoche (Midnight Sandwich) The pressed cubano is the most famous sandwich at the Porto's, but we prefer their medianoche by a hair. The fillings are the same—pulled pork, ham, mustard, and pickles—but the crusty baguette-like roll is swapped out for a softer, sweeter egg bread. Plato de Ropa Vieja We don't always order the entree plates at Porto's, but when we do, this solid rendition of saucy stewed beef with rice, black beans, and plantains is our go-to." - Brant Cox
