photo by Lauren Rodriguez
In Spanish, Comadre is a term of endearment and reverence between women. Comadre is your homegirl, a friend who looks out for you.
Our aim is to nourish our community’s body and soul through our pan (bread), grounded in experience, intuition, tradition, and responsibly grown and harvested ingredients. We believe that our tiny operation can make a difference in America’s inequitable food system.
Mariela Camacho is the owner and founder of Comadre Panadería, a Mexican American bakery, in Austin, Tejas.
She is the proud daughter of Mexican Immigrants and channels her inherited strength, ingenuity, and ancestral knowledge into her work. She found her passion for baking while working in San Antonio restaurants and developed her skills in Austin and Seattle.
The first Comadre pop-up was held in Seattle in 2017; the culmination of her homesick isolation from her culture and the need to raise funds for natural disaster victims in Mexico and Puerto Rico.
She moved the business to her home state (TX) in 2019 and opened her brick and mortar in Austin’s Chestnut Neighborhood in April of 2023, with hopes and dreams for the business to provide wholesome, nostalgic nourishment for her community, and security for her parents, her employees, and herself (plus all the dogs she wants to adopt).
The bakery is now a two time James Beard Foundation semi-finalist, and has been recognized by local and national publications including Eater, Bon Appetit, the NY Times, & TX Monthly.
For current hours of operation, check the main page.
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¡CHINGOS DE GRACIAS!
photo : Charity Burggraaf
PUBLISHED WRITING/RECIPES
How To Make Conchas with Claire Saffitz | Dessert Person
King Arthur Baking Co. Blog “Conchas: Mexico’s Beloved Pan Dulce”
Thrillist “Weekend Project: DIY Pan de Muerto for Día de Los Muertos”
PRESS
TX Monthly: Comadre Panadería’s Riding the Wave of Popularity, One Concha at a Time
“Comadre Panadería is a shrine to the possibility of Mexican pastries and the imagination of 36-year-old baker Mariela Camacho.”
Bon Appetit: The 9 Most Exciting Bakeries in the US Right Now
“The Earl Grey concha at Comadre Panadería is striking: a plush swirl of dough dotted with chocolate chunks and draped in a ridged sugary armor.”
The New York Times: The 25 Best Restaurants in Austin Right Now
“Every creation from the baker Mariela Camacho feels simultaneously innovative and nostalgic”
“Mariela Camacho of bakery Comadre Panadería, a 2021 Eater Award winner, was given a nod in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category”
Eater Austin: 6 Austin Chefs and Restaurants Are James Beard Award Semifinalists in 2023
“Austin baker Mariela Camacho of Eater Austin Award-winning bakery pop-up Comadre Panadería in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category”
“Mariela Camacho's project aims to nourish the Latinx diaspora and fuel food system rebellion”
“A Guide to Austin’s Most Exciting Pop-Ups Right Now”
“Her inclination to help others stems from growing up with immigrants and watching them get taken advantage of at work. She just wants better for people. “In my mind, how can you not be furious and actively try to change things,” said Camacho. “That’s also me coming from my privilege. I totally understand that not everyone can do something or be proactive about stuff, but I am luckily able to do something. So as long as I can, I will.”
“Mariela Camacho bakes the pastries of her youth — and finds community through her increasingly popular pop-up bakery Comadre Panadería.”
“All the ingredients for Comadre were there, waiting for someone with the skill and passion to knead, fold, roll, and whip it into life… It was a hit with everyone but [Mariela] was especially proud of the huge support from the Latinx community, many of whom told her how they longed for the conchas and empanadas and galletas of their childhood. Some were moved to tears.”
“Delicious genius.”
“A whole slew of Mexican pastries, which are made using local whole grain and stone-milled flours...Pro-tip: Get there early; things have sold out within the first few hours.”
“There’s no need to feel guilty for eating delicious sweets for breakfast, especially if it’s for a good cause.
photo : Lauren Rodriguez