Jose Perez, Rodrigo Lopez, Nicolas Lopez, and Juan Garcia inside Luxe Cakes on July 28. | Michael Romain
Friday, August 2, 2024 || By Michael Romain || michael@wearejohnwilk.com
Rodrigo Lopez, 34, started baking in Mexico when he was 19. When he moved to the United States, he worked in Italian and Polish bakeries. Now, he and his family have a bakery of their own.
Luxe Cakes opened two months ago at 1602 N. Mannheim Rd. in Stone Park—a step up from the Maywood home where Lopez and his family perfected a range of sweet recipes that reflect his rich baking experience.
“We started baking from home about eight years ago,” said Lopez’s son, Juan Garcia, 23. Garcia and his brother, Jose Perez, 15, were manning the store during a visit on July 28.
“We thought it was time to open a bakery,” said Garcia, who also serves in the military. He works at the bakery full-time when he isn’t deployed.
Garcia said his mother, Maria, his 4-year-old twin brothers and a sister are also in on the act. He said the 4-year-olds do more eating than baking but that’s also part of learning the ropes.
Some of Luxe Cafe’s most popular authentic Mexican items include bolillos bread, mantecadas (or sweet muffins) and polvorones (also known as Mexican wedding cookies).
“Since my dad worked in an Italian bakery, we sell things like cannoli cookies and cannoli cake slices,” Garcia said.
The restaurant also sells tamales and Mexican torta sandwiches on the weekends.
Sidebar
If You Go
Don’t forget to order their tasty Aguas Frescas drinks with your baked goods. The drink, which means “cool waters” in Spanish, is a rich combination of fruits, flowers, seeds, or veggies blended with water and sugar.
Luxe Cakes is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Contacts
Online: facebook.com/sweetpiece17/
Phone: (708) 835-8754
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