In fall 2022, an ancient bakery estimated to be roughly 3,000 years old was unearthed in Metsamor, Armenia. The remains of 3.5 tons of wheat flour and several furnaces were found, leading archaeologists to believe that it once served as a mass production site.
The discovery highlights the historic and sacred role that baking and bread represent in Armenia. In 2014, Armenia’s lavash was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
As Armenians migrated to and resettled in different parts of the world, traditions around pastry and bread making were preserved through family recipes, alongside bakeries that served as beloved touchstones for their newfound communities.
The first Armenian bakeries in Los Angeles were founded in the 1980s when Armenians from Lebanon fled civil war. They opened businesses in North Hollywood and Glendale, specializing in lahmajoon, spicy cheese beureks, mantee and baklavas to continue the legacy their forefathers began centuries ago.
Kristel Arabian, chef and founder of Kitchen Culture Recruiting Agency, whose family was among those immigrants from Lebanon, recalls how tiny shops grew to cater to big market chains and establish a footprint in the community. “I remember my mom would pop into Avo’s Bakery after school and pick up hot boregs for us to eat … and of course a dozen lahmajoun to stash in the freezer. Years later, Avo’s products were on the shelves of Trader Joe’s,” says Arabian.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s led to a new wave of bakeries as more Armenians moved to Los Angeles. For these families it was often necessary to establish businesses in order to survive, and pastries and cakes became vessels for them to share their stories.
“When I opened my bakery, there were no bakeries in L.A. that were making the Russian cakes the growing Armenian community was used to. There were only some Russian stores in West Hollywood, but it wasn’t the quality and taste we knew,” recalls Karine Gukasyan, founder of Karina’s Cake House, a Glendale favorite since opening in 1999.
Now Armenian bakers are pointing their rolling pins toward the contemporary pastry world. In addition to traditional baked goods such as honey and bird’s milk cakes, nazook and lavash, long-standing bakeries are expanding their menus with European pastries such as tiramisu, macarons and mille-feuilles, as well as popular American desserts and unique creations that combine influences.
Here are 10 Armenian bakeries in Los Angeles where you can pick up pastries ranging from traditional savory options to creative sweets inspired by the holiday season. Old or new, these bakeries keep the oven warm for every occasion.
