My next encounter with Porto’s happened by chance, on my way to the Natural Products Expo West. Early morning, I exited at Beach Blvd. in Buena Park, en route to Anaheim. What was this wonderland of architectural beauty? It was Porto’s latest location, which had opened only a few days earlier.
“The three cafes serve 4.5 million customers a year.”
Visitors can watch bakers work their magic on pastries. The food, coffee and juice low prices surprised me. For example orange juice squeezed on the spot was $3.50 for about 12 ounces. I wondered how they made a profit…before reading that they serve 4.5 million customers a year. Volume, baby!
When I returned a few days later, about 100 people were waiting outside for a chance to try out the new spot.
“Last year, Yelp named Porto’s bakery the best restaurant in the country based on positive reviews.”
Read all about Porto’s Bakery & Cafe’s slow growth and cult following since their founding by a Cuban woman whose cake-making fame preceded her when she came to Los Angeles in 1971. It’s nothing short of inspirational.
