We Went to The Grand Opening of Porto’s in Northridge—Here’s What The Community Says

With gas prices still through the roof ($5.99 last time we checked), Angelenos in the North Valley can relax knowing they no longer have to drive 20-plus miles to their favorite Cuban bakery. The Porto’s in Northridge is finally open—and located at 19467 Nordhoff St.

This location has been a long time coming, with the project being repeatedly delayed due to the pandemic. The original opening date was December 2020, which was later pushed to April 2021. Now, a year after the second opening date—and a lot of treks to Burbank later—their newest location has finally opened its doors.

But how does the community feel? In a word: elated.

Prior to their opening at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, eager eaters started lining up as early as 4 a.m. to be one of the first to experience this monumental launch. In addition to the excitement over their own trips to this new location, a lot of locals are anticipating sharing the love with their non-Valley friends. “Porto’s is one of my favorite restaurants in the city,” says Carolina Matamoros of Reseda, adding that this is a dream come true for her. “Every time I have friends visiting from out of town, I have to take them there.”

Of course, there’s also a particular pride within the Valley’s Cuban community. “For as long as I can remember, 30 years to be exact, my family and I have been driving to Burbank and Downey to get our Cuban bakery fix,” explained Angela Díaz of Northridge, whose father was born in Havana, Cuba. “The pastries, the delicious sandwiches, and their signature drink, mamey, remind me of being back in my dad’s hometown. I’m so happy that Cuban culture [is in] my city. We need some Cuban flavor in the neighborhood.”

Upon its grand opening on Tuesday, April 12, the Northridge location became the sixth Porto’s Bakery in Southern California—and the first in the North Valley. After getting its start in Glendale, the beloved Cuban bakery expanded to Burbank, Downey, Buena Park, and West Covina. 

Now, you can find cheese rolls, besitos, Cubanos, tres leches cake, and, of course, potato balls on the Northridge menu. Plus, there are some new treats exclusive to the north Valley location, including a sure-to-be-delicious strawberry pistachio tart.

After such a long wait, it’s safe to say the community fully seized this moment. Nearly every person walking out had Black-Friday-sale-sized bags filled with pastries as they walked back to their cars. (If you’re gonna wait in line for two hours, you might as well stock up!)

Whether you were born and raised in Los Angeles or you googled “best food in LA,” Porto’s is a name that comes up again and again—and with good reason. Now, the Valley is part of that legacy. Don’t believe us? You don’t have to take just our word for it.

“From the moment we decided to call this amazing community our newest home, we knew this location was going to be special,” the bakery wrote on social media. “You welcomed us with open arms, you never missed a farmers market, and you waited patiently while we worked through unprecedented times to bring our family bakery to your neighborhood.”