There are churros and there are churros. Sure, you can buy one at the bottom of the subway station stairs, a tray of pre-baked cinnamon- and sugar-sprinkled dough precariously balanced on top of an Igloo cooler. And then there are the light and fluffy baked-to-order LA churros — the dough is carefully piped into the acronym for Los Angeles — crisp on the outside and hollow inside. The churros, along with an assorted mix of pan dulce (sweet breads) and other baked goods, are just one example of how bakery Santa Canela is changing the way Angelenos think about Mexican sweets.
At the helm of Santa Canela, which opened in March 2025, is chef and owner Ellen Ramos, who is drawing on her Mexican and Salvadoran roots to create traditional items with a California twist. Prior to opening the bakery, Ramos brought what she told Pastry Arts magazine is her “elevated street style” to LA restaurants like Cha, Cha, Chá and Loreto. In addition to the LA churros, Ramos takes on some favorite Mexican desserts and gives them her signature California flair. These include vanilla cream-filled and orange blossom conchas. Conchas are the slightly sweet buns similar to brioche often eaten for breakfast. The buns often have a seashell design (concha means shell in Spanish). Other specialties include guava monkey bread and maple bars iced with champurrado, a hot drink made with chocolate and corn.
Consumers and critics crave the conchas at Santa Canela
Since opening, Santa Canela (canela is Spanish for cinnamon) has won enthusiastic reviews from critics and online praise from customers. “We’re already big fans of the crunchy house conchas dusted in cinnamon and piped with vanilla chantilly,” Infatuation said, “but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.” One reviewer on Yelp said, “I ordered one of everything to try and every pastry was amazing with each bite!” And on TikTok, @camberapp said, “These are some of the best pan dulce around. You really can’t go wrong here.”
In addition to sweets, Santa Canela also offers savory sandwiches served on focaccia and creative coffees like café de olla — coffee steeped with cinnamon and raw dark sugar — and iced burnt cinnamon latte. Both have received almost as much praise as the pastries. Describing the shop’s Cecina Focaccia Sandwich, which features thin slices of cured beef, queso fresco, and a kale chimichurri, Infatuation said, “this beast is what we refer to as a five-napkin sandwich.” And even though many of the pastries are sold out by 11 a.m., when the savory offerings are first served, “this sandwich is worth a little sacrifice.” A café de olla latte and croissant monkey bread with guava glaze elicited another positive Yelp review: “And ohhhhh myyyy gaaaawd ! I was in heaven.” Given the international roots of many Mexican dishes, it’s no surprise that Angelenos have embraced this Mexican bakery with a California twist so enthusiastically.
