Mexican Panaderias and Pan Dulce

Aurora Bakery is located on Nolensville Rd. between the Zoo and Thompson Lane.

You'll recognize its bright pink exterior.

Panaderia de Espiga is harder to find.

It's located on Nolensville Rd. between Harding and Old Hickory, just across the street from Big Lots.

We were impressed with the variety of beautiful pastries and breads at both panaderias.

Aurora Bakery is customer friendly and slightly more expensive. Panaderia de Espiga is staffed almost completely by Spanish speakers, but cheaper.

Pastries cost anywhere from fifty cents (at Panaderia de Espiga) to $1.75 (at Aurora). The former even sells slices of flan in the refrigerated case.

I first discovered these wonderful-smelling bakeries when I looked for a Pan Muerto for All Saint's Day. Here's the beautiful bread I brought to a party:

Here's what we sampled and how we liked it:

• Tres leches cake (3 milk) is a sweet, moist cake with a milky texture.
• Bolillos are like a French baguette, only smaller, with an oval shape and softer crust.
• Conchas are breads shaped like seashells and coated with sugary icing.
• Orejas are flaky ear-shaped pastries much like Elephant Ears.
• Cuernos were my favorite. Like a big, fluffy croissant dusted with a sugar crust.
• Empanadas are soft, smooth pockets of dough with cream cheese or fruit fillings.
• Churros were long sticks of chewy pastry well coated in cinnamon.
• Marranitos are dense gingerbread cookies shaped like pigs. Cute!

We sampled tons of pan dulce, but we'll have to make another trip to discover even more of the flavors sold at Aurora and Panaderia de Espiga!