Pasteleria y Panaderia La Ideal is a small bakery shop in the South Park neighborhood where traditional Mexican baked goods, including flan and sweet breads (pan dulce), are made fresh daily. Seattleites in the know pop in to be transported to Mexico by the sweet smell of bread. At La Ideal, visitors get to experience the traditional system of trays for self-service used in bakeries (panaderias) all over Mexico, where you pick your own bread and then pay at the counter.
La Ideal is at its most bright when special holidays like Dia de Muertos or Dia de Reyes arrive. People come from near and far to pick up their orders for Pan de Muerto and Rosca de Reyes to take home. By preparing these traditional confections, La Ideal plays an integral part in the preservation of the Latino heritage around Seattle, providing Mexican families with the goods to sit around the table and continue the traditional festivities from back home.
Next door to La Ideal is another taste of Central America. Fruteria Sandoval is a produce vendor specializing in fruits and vegetables commonly used in Latin cuisine.
