Immediately after we summed up the state of L.A.’s new bakery boom, we got word from La Monarca Bakery that their new Santa Monica location had soft-opened. Following its opening in Huntington Park in 2006 and expansion to Commerce in 2009, Monarca’s newest offspring is a gorgeous slice of gourmet panaderia on Wilshire, featuring their own brand of Mexican hot chocolate, along with sodas, fair-trade Oaxacan coffee to sip there or take home, and a host of house-baked breads and pan dulce, including tres leches cake, cookies, conchas, croissants, and our favorite here, cream or guyaba-filled “tacos.” Even better? There are free samples at the counter!! Check out our slide show of the space and some shots of a few tasty treats.
La Monarca Bakery, 1300 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. 310-451-1114.
