As soon as you drive over the hill you can see Loretta's Artisanal Bakery and Cafe as you enter Belvue.
One of my favorite things to do is to get in the car and drive. As a REALTOR I get to explore the surrounding areas while also getting the scoop from locals on different places that I need to try! A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of selling a home in Belvue, Kansas. The entire process took me to the town several times, every time I would come into town I drove past a brightly colored building located right off the highway.
On my last trip to Belvue for the final walk-thru, I decided I needed to stop and check it out. I was devastated to find it was closed and swore I was coming back and trying ALL the things! As usual, time went by too quickly and a couple of months had passed. It was Christmas and I needed a couple of desserts for the holidays. I pulled up Facebook and started scrolling when an image of the most delicious cheesecake appeared on my screen. It was a sign, I knew where I was going.
I called to place my order along with a colleague and we headed to Belvue to pick up our sweets and decided to enjoy lunch while we were there. As soon as we walked in we were greeted with tables of fresh bread, cakes, pies, quiches cookies, and more. Once we were done looking at all baked goods, we were seated and begin looking over the menu. We met the owner Loretta Lopez, she and her husband, Galdino, along with their children opened Loretta's Artisanal Bakery and Cafe. Galdino is from Mexico City, he and Loretta have lived in Belvue for 12 years. Although the restaurant has only been open for a couple of years, they have been cooking and baking for families in the area the entire time.
Pambazos, the house specialty!
I noticed on the menu, Pambazo, their house specialty. It was something I had never heard of, I knew it was what I needed to try! Loretta explained that it is a sandwich made with chorizo, potatoes, lettuce, and sour cream smothered on their house-made potato bread. Let me be the first to tell you, IT IS AMAZING!!!
Ever since that trip, I crave these sandwiches. Their potato bread is amazing, it is so soft but has a slight chew that works perfectly with both the Torta and Pambazo sandwiches. On our last trip, in addition to their Tortas, my husband tried their homemade biscuits and gravy. Sadly, there is no photo because it was gone too fast. I didn't even get a bite so I guess I better get my own next time!
Everything is made from scratch!
Enjoy the option of counter seating A double order of Pambozas Torta
As usual, I found myself taking a little stroll by the dessert cooler, you know, just in case! It is strawberry season and I instantly knew what was going home with us, Loretta's Strawberry pie! After we ordered we also placed our to-go pie order. Loretta and her family are so kind. They did not have a pie ready, but she said she would work on one for us. We enjoyed our lunch/brunch with complimentary chips and salsa in a relaxed atmosphere and enjoyed visiting with various people who stopped in. One couple noticed my sandwiches. Yes, I did a double order of Pambazos, I only made it through one! Over ordering is a problem for me. No worries, I am all about leftovers, especially when they are this good. As we finished we gathered our to-go containers and headed to the counter to pay.
Worth it! All of her pies and cheesecakes are so amazing!
Unfortunately, we were ready to go, but the pie wasn't cooled. I had an easy decision to make because I knew it would be worth it! Without hesitation, I signed up for a 25 mile, 32 min car ride holding a strawberry pie level the whole way home! I am happy to report that I did not spill any of the filling the entire trip! Were my biceps on fire by the time we arrived home, oh yeah!! Was I correct that it would be worth it? 100%, yes! We devoured the pie in two days.
Loretta's is definitely a place that is worth the drive to try not only their menu items but their amazing baked goods. I think her bread and desserts would also make a great gift option for something unique and special. You can follow their Facebook here to keep up to date on their hours and daily specials. Enjoy!
