Since Mexico is so close to the US, we usually have a love-hate relationship between countries, similar to the one any siblings would have. Part of this relationship includes the love we have for American brands. Every time a new brand opens in the country there are huge lines of customers wanting to get the new products. I remember when Krispy Kreme opened its doors a few years back, we would wait 45 minutes in line to get a dozen of doughnuts. Well, Magnolia Bakery is no exception to the rule.
Magnolia opened its doors last November in the heart of the trendy Polanco neighborhood in Mexico City. It is minutes away from some of the well-known hotels in the area such as the JW Marriott, the W and the Presidente Intercontinental. The brand opened in the 1990’s in New York City and became famous for it’s cupcakes especially after being featured in Sex and the City, the popular TV series.
The opening in Mexico City marks the beginning of an expansion for the brand in Latin America, Magnolia Bakery also has plans to open 30 more stores in Mexico over the next ten years.
Magnolia isn’t just a pastry shop, its an experience on its own. From the minute you walk into the store you can smell the products being baked and watch how the cooks decorate the cupcakes. To master the icing for the cupcakes, it takes around 30 hours of training! The process is so elaborate that Magnolia will soon open icing classes to the general public. If you like to bake and decorate cupcakes stay tuned for these new classes.
The store offers around 150 different varieties of hand-made desserts, made fresh every day. Customers can choose from cookies and cupcakes to cheesecakes and the world’s famous banana pudding. If you haven’t tried this last one I strongly suggest you do! The store in Polanco as well as the ones in the Middle East offer a savory menu so customers can enjoy breakfast or lunch in the terrace overlooking Polanquito, this area of Polanco which is full of restaurants, shops and people walking by. For breakfast my personal favorites are the molletes, a traditional Mexican breakfast dish which is made with a bolillo (type of bun) cut in half,and spread with mashed black beans, chipotle and some delicious melted goat cheese on top. For lunch I would personally recommend the artichoke and avocado salad and the turkey sandwich. Of course the meal is not complete without one of the extraordinary desserts, I always go for my favorite cupcake, Red Velvet.
Magnolia Bakery in Polanco, will soon open a second floor terrace so customers can enjoy more seating area. This new section can also be used for private events. For those who love Magnolia Bakery you can also buy any of their outstanding pastries for private events and dessert tables. The shop will also start offering traditional Mexican pastries including Pan de Muerto, the sweet bread that’s eaten during the Day of the Dead festivities or the Rosca de Reyes an oval shaped bread that’s eaten during Día de Reyes. If you live in Mexico City I strongly recommend to check out the store and try their variety of desserts, don’t even think about the calories, you won’t regret it!
