Pan Y Cafe is located on the corner in historic Cary Square. This storefront was once occupied by Sparta’s Spa, a favorite neighborhood place to meet over a cup of coffee or cold drink. Pan Y Cafe continues this tradition. The bright and friendly atmosphere is great for doing some work on your laptop or conversation with friends.

Owner Roy Avellaneda appreciates tradition. His father was a baker in Argentina before arriving in Chelsea. Avellaneda grew up upstairs from his father’s business, Tito’s Bakery on Broadway. The bustling spot was a local landmark for decades before closing in 2020. Today, at Pan Y Café, Tito’s son Roy creates his own bakery as a place for neighbors to gather.

Pan Y Café’s menu embraces Latin American culinary traditions with pastries, desserts and coffees from across much of the region.

Beverages include an array of coffee and espresso based drinks as well as smoothies.

Inside the display case find ready-to-eat items, all fresh baked on site, including Colombian cheese rolls called pan de queso, Brazilian yucca cake, a sweet dessert similar to a crust-less pumpkin pie, and quesitos, a Puerto Rican treat of cream cheese filled puff pastry. Be sure to try to arepas. Originating from the region that now makes up Colombia, Venezuela and Panama, they’re soft yellow cakes filled available with cheese in the middle. There’s a number of sweet treats from Latin America too including Tres Leches (Three Milks) cake, a light sponge cake soaked in a mixture of evaporated, sweetened condenses and whole milk. Mil Hojas (Thousand Sheets) are stacked layers of puff pastry with cream and fruit fillings. Flan is a smooth, sweet custard with a caramel sauce.

Have a bigger appetite? Empanadas are a filling, savory stuffed pastry that travel well and are easy to eat while on the go. There’s a number of made to order sandwiches including the popular Cubano packed with smoked ham, pork loin, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard.