Morning Rituals at Angela’s Pastries in Paso Robles
Story by Katie Herzog
Photography by Sarah Kathleen
Opening the glass door to enter Angela’s Pastries in downtown Paso Robles is accompanied by the sound of an analog metal bell, an auditory indicator that sweet culinary delights await. A visit to the bright and welcoming space is a ritual for locals, as well as foodies passing through the area.
“There are customers who frequently drive between San Francisco and Santa Barbara who always stop here on their way,” says Antonio Perez, Co-owner of the shop. “[We] have lots of regulars whose order [the staff] already knows when they walk through the door.”
Antonio and his wife, Angela Rivera, have been baking together for the Paso Robles community since 2007. “We settled in Paso Robles after traveling through California in my 20s,” explains Antonio. “I loved the community, the quietness, the safety and the people. Angela and I knew that this town would be where we would love our family to grow up in.”
They began making cakes for friends and family. “I baked [my] first cake for my son’s eighth birthday, and have been baking ever since,” says Angela in Spanish. “He is now 31 years old.”
Confections hold a special place in the minds of children and remain part of our morning or celebration rituals throughout our lives. Many of Angela’s current menu items stem from her core memories of eating “slices of chocolate cake at the market in Mexico City, and tres leches at birthday celebrations,” she recalls. And a childhood introduction to pan, or bread, inspired Antonio for years to come.
“When I was young, my favorite pastry was whatever bread I could get a hold of,” he recalls. “I lived in a small town; we didn’t have bakeries, so the bakers would come from other towns nearby to sell. Since we didn’t have a lot of money, we could only buy one or two for our family. My dream when I was a kid was that ‘When I grow up, I will have all the breads I want.’”
Those sweet memories are made into tangible desserts thanks to decades of experience in the kitchen. Angela baked with Pure & Simple for many years prior to starting her business, and Antonio’s expertise in French desserts stems from 12 years of work at the defunct Panolivo Family Bistro in Paso Robles. Angela and Antonio now supply local restaurants and caterers with baked goods, including the storied olive oil cake at Thomas Hill Organics.
Angela’s Pastries is the realization of a dream shared by the entire family. When their first brick-and-mortar bakery opened on Thanksgiving Day of 2015, it was a cozy spot on Spring and 18th Street. In 2022, they expanded into a larger space on Park Street between 14th and 15th Streets. Since its inception, the family has worked as a team. “The kids are always helping in everything we do. What we achieved, we did it together,” says Antonio, noting that their kids “work [at the bakery] on weekends to have resources for school.” Daughter Jessica Perez is pursuing a business degree at Cuesta College while she helps run the bakery.
The offerings at Angela’s Pastries include a wide variety of both traditional Mexican and French desserts, presenting a unique cross-cultural education in global treats. A customer familiar with conchas or pan dulce — the traditional Mexican shell-shaped sweet bread with a crunchy exterior — may encounter their first palmier — a crunchy, sugary French puff pastry in the shape of an elephant or pig ear. Similarly, a customer with a fondness for French macarons — a small sandwich cookie made from meringue and almonds with a filling — may delight in their first flan — a custard topped with caramel.
Cultural expressions shine through with seasonal offerings and custom orders that range from traditional French croquembouche wedding cakes, pastry puffs piled into a cone and bound with threads of caramel; to Rosca de Reyes, a sweet bread decorated with candied fruit that contains a baby Jesus figurine (whomever receives the slice with the surprise will be tasked with preparing the tamales for Día de la Candelaria on February 2). Customer favorites include daily offerings of Quiche Lorraine, lemon curd tart and the almond raspberry croissant, as well as seasonal offerings of Yule Log (also called Bûche de Noël), Pan de Muerto (for Day of the Dead), and Thanksgiving pies including pumpkin, bourbon pecan, apple and tarte tatin.
The expansion of the family-run business broadens the community’s access to the morning rituals found at tables around the world. The taste of a butter croissant transports us to France, and the empanada de piña (pineapple) to Mexico. The elevated quality and creativity that Angela’s Pastries strives for is evident in each bite. Now in their tenth year of business, the couple is grateful for the support of their community.
