Pacific French Bakery

"Before you pull up and question whether you’re in the right place: there’s nothing French about this Arlington Heights bakery. It did sell baguettes in its previous life, but after quite the rebrand, came into its own as an excellent panadería. Expect long lines on most days, which means plenty of time to stare at beautiful sugar-crusted pan dulce and mentally debate which you’ll eat on the drive home. Their selection is massive, but highlights include buttery custard-filled pastelitos, gusano rolls with crumbly streusel, and fluffy tortas de azucar that are so airy they tend to magically disappear in your morning coffee. Cash only. " - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore

"The morning line is long, but the wait is worth it! Pacific French Bakery is an unassuming corner panaderia that specializes in fresh-baked bread and tasty treats. It’s a family-run business that’s been in the neighborhood for over three decades. Bolillos, conchas, cream puffs, flour jello, flan, tres leches—you name it, it’s here! As this is being written, pieces of a delicious stuffed jalapeno and cream cheese bolillo are crumbling onto the table." - Ben Loiz Studio

"Before you pull up and question whether you're in the right place: there's nothing French about this Arlington Heights bakery. It did sell baguettes in its previous life, but after quite the rebrand, came into its own as an excellent panadería. Expect long lines most days, which means time to stare at sugar-crusted pan dulce and debate which you'll eat on the drive home. Their selection is massive, but highlights include custard-filled pastelitos, gusano rolls with streusel, and fluffy tortas de azucar that are so airy they magically disappear in your morning coffee. Cash only. " - Sylvio Martins, Nikko Duren

"Pacific French Bakery, West Adams. The morning line is long, but the wait is worth it! Pacific French Bakery is an unassuming corner panaderia that specializes in fresh-baked bread and tasty treats. It’s a family-run business that’s been in the neighborhood for over three decades. Bolillos, conchas, cream puffs, flour jello, flan, tres leches—you name it, it’s here! As this is being written, pieces of a delicious stuffed jalapeno and cream cheese bolillo are crumbling onto the table."

"Nothing about the name Pacific French Bakery alludes to it being a panadería, and that’s mostly because it originally wasn’t. This Arlington Heights shop started off as a French bakery specializing in French rolls and baguettes before catering to the local Latinx community. Next thing you know, this family business underwent quite the rebrand and now offers traditional pan dulces, cakes, and Latin American desserts at three locations. Their beautiful pastries grab our attention every time we walk in, like the perfectly round and airy torta de azucar with a crimped spiral design and coating of sugar crystals on top. Not only is it the most symmetrical ball of dough we’ve ever seen, but it’s surprisingly light and the perfect loaf to gnaw on during long morning commutes. The gusano roll is another picturesque bite with its slightly curved shape, deep brown color, and slits of sweet butter paste poking through (similar to the crunchy topping you’d find on a concha)." - Sylvio Martins