"La Especial Bakery" is a local bakery with a long history in this small town of San Benito, TX. Several generations have grown up on the Mexican sweet pastries and passed on the traditions to new generations. Walking through the doors is nostalgic invoking your own walk through history. If you've never been you won't be disappointed and begin your own experiences. Grab a box with one of everything and you still will have plenty more to sample. Ive traveled through many states and places specializing in this sweet pastries but never find anything as delicious. The staff is very friendly eager to help and always smiling. Even the owner will be there in the front lines assisting. Like the olden days. You can even get a cup of coffee and talk story. They also have a few grocery items in case you need to grab milk, eggs and a soda. The ambiance is just down home. Maybe I'll see you there grabbing your favorite piece of "pan dulce". Yes, they are "Special".

This place in run by my grandpa and I can rest to say that this is the best place to look for bread at

As always, great service and amazing bread. La Especial bakery always has fresh bread and a wide selection to choose from.

Came here the other day to pick up some pan dulces. Small town vibe--of course, you're in The Valley! But very warm and welcoming spot. Small, but busy. They have quite a selection of freshly made items. I would suggest getting there early if you are looking for something specific as they did have several empty trays. Everything we ordered was delicious as usual. I did not see or get to try any barbacoa or tamales, but maybe next time. This place has a history and is an important part of San Benito. If you're ever in the area, put it on your list of places to visit.

We absolutely love this bakery! The heart shaped cookies are the best and their iced sugar cookies are addictive.

Great sweet bread, great service, they're cakes and cookies are so good. Get there early if you haven't placed an order. Best of the best!

They have a big selection of sweet breads, and the owner and staff are very nice. Once we tried them, we were very pleased with the pan dulces.

Our favorite for Conchas and semitas! Place is not self service so You have to make your mind fast!

A South Texas gem! I've been coming to this bakery since I was a child and have only had their sweet bread (amazing). After reading reviews for their cakes, I decided to give them a try. Absolutely delicious! I was ordering from out-of-town and the team was very helpful with all my questions and overall order. Thank you for this very special cake!

Some foodie experiences make you feel like you're back in time. That describes La Especial Bakery to a T. Built in 1940, this bakery has been serving pan dulce to the city of San Benito for over 70 years. Its baking methods are timeless, and its bread is top notch. It's probably the best bakery I have ever been too. When you walk into La Especial, there is a vibrant energy that accompanies the delicious smells of freshly baked bread. My family and I went to this bakery three times during the four days we were in San Benito, and each time there was a line of customers waiting to order bread. With such a rich history in San Benito, everyone in town (and in the surrounding towns) knows the quality of baked goods at La Especial. During our last visit, my family and I had the incredible fortune of meeting the owner, which included a tour of the bakery. We were able to see the oven that was built in the 1940′s that is still used to bake bread everyday. The owner's father built the oven when he first opened the bakery. It's made out of bricks, and can fit up to 30 turkeys during Thanksgiving (to give you a sense of scale). We also saw the modern ovens that are used to cook barbacoa. Customers can bring in raw barbacoa, and the bakery will cut, season, and cook the meat. They had about 10 trays of barbacoa cooking in one of the ovens when we toured through the kitchen. On a personal note, it was really cool for my family to see this bakery. My Grandmother used to buy bread here when she was a child growing up in San Benito in the 1940′s. She would tell us stories about how much this small Texan town (located 15 minutes from the border of Mexico) had changed over the years. Despite that, it's incredible to see something that has stood the test of time. Not only has La Especial lasted - it has truly thrived. It reminds me of simpler times - before cell phones and internet. Before microwaves and the onslaught of American fast food chains. La Especial reminds me of the rich history of San Benito, and offers an opportunity for the next generation to create memories of their own. I wish there were more food establishments like La Especial Bakery. They're not concerned about expansion plans. They're not too busy to carry on a conversation with customers. They've found their niche and have stuck to it. They build relationships with the people that walk through the door, and do their very best to produce the highest quality bread possible. There's something comforting in knowing that businesses like this still exist. I can only hope that the next 70 years will be just as prosperous for this bakery as the last 70 years have been.