WEST COVINA, Calif. -- Word to the wise; walk into a Porto's Bakery on an empty stomach at your own risk. The beloved Cuban cafe is a dessert lover’s paradise, filled to the brim with pastries, cakes, and other savory temptations.
First established in 1976, Porto's attracts thousands of customers from near and far. But now, even more people will be able to enjoy it.
This week the bakery celebrated the opening of its fifth location in West Covina — a 22,000 square foot storefront, complete with a standalone coffee bar. It's a project that's been in the works for almost two years.
On the run-up to the opening, the almost 300 employees of the West Covina location have been busy training at the bakery's other four locations.
“Everything here is just so beautiful, it’s so magical here,” said Angel Quezada, a decorator at the new location. “It will be a full year for me on opening day, so training has already caught up with me.”
By training each employee ahead of time, Porto’s is hoping to run its latest location like a well-oiled machine. And locals in the San Gabriel Valley will be the ones to reap the benefits.
Not only will they get the chance to sample the famous food, but Porto’s Bakery also has a lot to offer the community.
“We’re hoping to bring number one, jobs. We bring a lot of jobs to the community,” said Betty Porto, a part-owner of the company. “Also, taxes. We pay a lot of taxes, so the city is happy about that.”
Porto is a familiar face to many cafe regulars. Now that the West Covina storefront is open for business, she’ll be a mainstay in the new location.
“I’ll be there almost every day because we want customers to know this is Porto’s, it’s not anybody else,” she explained.
The new bakery is located at 584 South Sunset Avenue in West Covina and as many would tell you, it’s worth the drive for the chance to experience the Porto’s legacy.
“As long as we open our doors, we keep telling the story and we keep sharing the legacy,” Porto said.
Potato Ball Lovers Rejoice, Porto's Bakery Now Open in West Covina
PUBLISHED 1:15 PM PDT Apr. 30, 2019