Another option for your sweet tooth: Mexican bakery and brunch spot opens in west Erie

Jennie Geisler, Erie Times-News
·4 min read

While taco places are popping up all over town — see Taco El Chon, Amigo Taqueria & Botanas, Mad Tortilla, State Street Taco and others — the new Casa Cafe has managed to find a niche.

Owners and Mexican immigrants David Saldana and his wife, Montserrat Vazquez, found themselves driving to Cleveland often for their favorite Mexican sweet bread, known as la concha, because there was nowhere in Erie to get it.

Eliza Claudio, center, helps customer Rudy Rodriguez, right, at Casa Cafe, a new Mexican bakery in Millcreek Township, on Nov. 29. Bakery co-owner David Saldana is at back left.
Eliza Claudio, center, helps customer Rudy Rodriguez, right, at Casa Cafe, a new Mexican bakery in Millcreek Township, on Nov. 29. Bakery co-owner David Saldana is at back left.

Saldana used to have a restaurant in Mexico, and spent 10 years at Los Compadres. He even met his wife in a restaurant setting, so they thought a unique take on an ever-more-popular cuisine seemed like an obvious choice for them.

They've set up a Mexican bakery and brunch spot in the former Dairy Queen at 3505 West Ridge Road.

At local Mexican bakery Casa Cafe, nino envuelto, or "wrapped child," top, and a shortbread cookie, or polvoron, are shown in Millcreek Township on Nov. 29.
At local Mexican bakery Casa Cafe, nino envuelto, or "wrapped child," top, and a shortbread cookie, or polvoron, are shown in Millcreek Township on Nov. 29.

"We've been really busy," Saldana said about their opening days. "Really busy. We expected it to start slowly, but it's not."

Long journey to Casa Cafe concept

Saldana was born in Mexico, but he moved to Erie at the age of 14. After graduating from Central Tech in 2006, he decided to reconnect with his roots and headed back to Mexico, where he established a life and that restaurant.

But eventually, he got homesick. For Erie.

"I grew up here," he said. "I knew a lot of people here. My friends are here."

So he packed up and moved back with a head full of restaurant concepts. He picked up some more experience at Los Compadres and opened El Amigo, 333 State St., which he and his wife still own.

"I wanted something different," he said, so Saldana asked his cousin, Isai Jaramilo, a baker in Guanajuato, Mexico, if he would travel to Erie and teach him how to make his favorite sweet breads.

"He's been training us," Saldana said. "He said he'd stay until the end of December. It's working out. I'm already baking and learning."

What's on the menu?

They offer a cabinet full of sweet bread, mostly la conchas, so named because the sugary swirl on top makes the round bread look like a sea shell. Other specialties at Casa Cafe include tres leches cake ("I could eat that every day," Saldana said) and nino envuelto (literally "wrapped child") and besos (two small sweetened bread halves stuck together with strawberry frosting).

They also serve Mexican brunch foods, such as avocado toast, chilaguiles, chicken and beef bowls and much more. You can order online from the menu at https://order.toasttab.com/online/casacafe.

A tray of la conchas (a sweet Mexican delicacy) are displayed at the new Mexican bakery Casa Cafe in Millcreek Township.
A tray of la conchas (a sweet Mexican delicacy) are displayed at the new Mexican bakery Casa Cafe in Millcreek Township.

Some of the sweets in the cabinet (Be sure to use tongs!) include treats that don't even have specific names.

Saldana said they are working with a Mexican vendor on the house coffee, which comes in three roasts, and in winter they serve "abuelita" which is hot chocolate with cinnamon.

They intend to use the drive-thru feature of the building once they get their feet under them, and Saldana plans to work with Door Dash for delivery. And, just like in the U.S., where people go to a donut place and order a dozen assorted treats, he expects people to ask for a dozen assorted types of sweetened breads to take home to their family in the mornings.

Eliza Claudio, 20, helps a customer at Casa Cafe, a new Mexican bakery in Millcreek Township.
Eliza Claudio, 20, helps a customer at Casa Cafe, a new Mexican bakery in Millcreek Township.

'I just can't thank them enough'

What brought him home to Erie, though, are the people and he hastened to thank the community for supporting him and his wife in all their culinary contributions to the community.

"The city of Erie is beautiful," he said. "People treat us well and we have lots of friends here. People I go to church with are customers and I just can't thank them enough.

"I love this place," said Rebecca Cordero, who moved to Erie from Puerto Rico, and was sharing a chicken bowl with her daughter, Kiomarie Cruz, who was born here. "They have good service and can explain anything. And they're bilingual. That is so nice."

Mexican bakery Casa Cafe, in the former Holland Dairy Queen building, is shown in Millcreek Township.
Mexican bakery Casa Cafe, in the former Holland Dairy Queen building, is shown in Millcreek Township.

"My only complaint is about the weather," Saldana said with a laugh. "Winter is too long."

But he said that's easily remedied with a cup of abuelita and some tres leches cake.

Contact Jennie Geisler at jgeisler@timesnews.com or at 814-870-1885.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Casa Cafe in Erie, PA: Mexican bakery opened by El Amigo owners