Best Bakery Restaurants in Downtown LA (90012)
4 hand-picked restaurants, AI-analyzed and critic-validated
Notable Picks
8.1
A Chinatown institution since 1938, Phoenix Bakery is best known for its light strawberry whipped-cream cake and old-school American-Chinese bakery lineup. The counter-service setup is quick and efficient, making it a reliable stop for celebration cakes or a nostalgic pastry run.
Must-Try Dishes:
Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake, Bear Claws, Egg Tarts
What makes it special: Nearly nine decades of Chinatown cake-making anchored by the original strawberry cream cake.
Worthy Picks
#2
Cafe Dulce
7.9
Part coffee bar, part bakery, Cafe Dulce pairs strong espresso with a rotating case of donuts and pastries that feel very Little Tokyo. It’s a small, lively stop that works equally well for a quick sugar fix or a casual hang.
Must-Try Dishes:
Green Tea Donut, Sausage Donut, Blueberry Matcha Latte + Pastry
What makes it special: Signature mochi-adjacent donuts and matcha-leaning pastry culture.
7.8
A compact Japanese bakery inside the Miyako Hotel lobby, specializing in soft milk breads and filled buns with a modern Little Tokyo coffee program. It’s the kind of low-key place you duck into for a quietly excellent curry pan.
Must-Try Dishes:
Curry Pan, Milk Bread Loaf, Sea Salt Taro Latte + Bun
What makes it special: Hotel-lobby Japanese buns made from Hokkaido flour.
#4
Mitsuru Cafe
7.7
A long-standing Little Tokyo sweets counter focused on fresh mochi and imagawayaki-style pastries. Seating is minimal and the line can be steady, but the treats are warm, handmade, and very tied to neighborhood tradition.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fresh Mochi Assortment, Imagawayaki (Red Bean Cake), Dango Skewers
What makes it special: Fresh mochi and imagawayaki made daily in Little Tokyo.