Considering I live in Los Angeles, it’s strange to think I have a regular haunt in Miami, but it’s true. I’ve spent eight days in Miami in the past three months and managed to eat at Confiteria Buenos Aires Bakery three times. Sure it helps that my oldest friend lives down the street. But even if he didn’t, I’d still find a way to make it to this Argentine bakery set amidst a stretch of South American restaurants and stores that feels worlds apart from the glitz of nearby South Beach.

A silver plaque above the empanada “incubator” reminds customers that Buenos Aires’ pastry pockets were “Voted best empanadas in Miami.” By who, I have no idea, but after eating one of each, I won’t argue.

The chicken and beef were shaped like half-circles, the ham and cheese version looked like a giant tortellini, and the spinach version was reminiscent of a dumpling. The chicken featured juicy shredded clucker. The beef was savory, a model version. The other kind featured oozing white cheese and big chunks of tender ham, a winning combination. Only the spinach could have used something to amp up the flavor. More cheese?

My favorite non-empanada item was an incredible slice of warm spinach tarta (pie, $2) with a thin, flaky crust and a topping studded with onions and cheese.

Considering confiteria translates from Spanish as a confectioner’s shop/candy store, I wasn’t surprised to find an entire display case filled with small candies and mini pastries known as masas finas.

Those were tempting, but not as enticing as the star-shaped syrup-soaked pastries behind the counter. One was filled with a square of what I thought was candied guava and studded with sprinkles. Turns out guava is unknown in Argentina and what I ate was dulce de membrillo, sweet quince paste.

The other pastry was filled with a cube of candied potato and drizzled with jimmies. That’s right, CANDIED f-ing POTATO! [FYI: To my way of thinking, the only difference between sprinkles and jimmies is the shape; jimmies are like candy-colored buckshot, and sprinkles are stick-shaped.] I digress. My friend Ben thought the candied potato pastries were “gimmicky,” but they actually tasted good. Dense, but good.

There was a cheese pastry topped with a thumbprint of guava jam that I really liked. A fluffy toasted coconut pastry was flaky and buttery. A soft yellow pastry “stick” featured a burnt sugar crust. Come to think of it, a lot of pastries involved variations on guava, cheese, or dulce de leche, the caramelized paste of sugar and condensed milk. I’m not complaining.

Buenos Aires does good things with custard too, especially when striping pastry sticks. Come early and the pastries will even be warm. Thankfully, the café con leche, coffee with milk, is available anytime, and it’s always hot and sweet, a great pairing for the pastries.

Eating at Confiteria Buenos Aires Bakery has become a fast tradition, and I’m sure the next time I’m staying with my friend in Miami Beach, we’ll take another drive up Collins. I can practically taste the empanadas already.

Also located at:
2220 North Flamingo Road
Pembroke Pines, FL 33028
954 499 4604

90-09 Roosevelt Avenue
Jackson Heights, New York 11372
718 672 4046

Note: The Queens location opened first, where it’s been “serving the community since 1972.”

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This entry is filed under Bakery, Florida, South American.