With the opening of San Martin Artisan Bakery and Restaurant in the bustling Uptown area of Dallas, North Texans can enjoy the flavors of Central America without leaving town.
Popular Guatemalan restaurant group San Martín opened their picturesque bakery/market/restaurant in a spacious new building on McKinney Ave. The lot was formerly occupied by The McKinney Avenue Contemporary (MAC) gallery. A team of Guatemalan owners and executives and large local staff has worked diligently to transform and translate their concept into English. And into Texan!
San Martin Artisan Bakery & Restaurant Uptown Dallas
San Martín Artisan Bakery & Restaurant in Uptown Dallas is the fiftieth store for the group, who began operations in 1974. Their concept has forty-one stores in Guatemala and eight in El Salvador. The Dallas store is the first in the United States. San Martin boasts a total of more than 3,000 employees.
“We are excited to have Dallas as the launchpad for our U.S. operations,” says Gabriel Castillo, son of founder Andrés Castillo and head of U.S. operations. “Spending time here when my brother attended SMU, we fell in love with the city and thought the dining scene presented exciting opportunities. We hope to open additional operations in North Dallas and beyond, perhaps later this year.”
The new San Martín store includes a bakery, pastry shop, and restaurant. The store is designed in unique Guatemalan style, setting SM apart from competitors. Guests can enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, as well as shop for baked goods and pastries. Entertaining Mother’s Day displays grab attention, along with hand-crafted Guatemalan items that add to the ambiance of a Central American market.
Whether you are looking for a mid-morning pick-me-up or afternoon energizer, La Martin’s coffee is specially crafted from Guatemalan beans. All drinks and dishes are prepared in the moment with fresh ingredients. I will be going back soon for another delicious guava strudel and latte. Their specially crafted pizzas like Balsamic with bacon, Da Vinci, and Quattro Stagioni are also worth another trip. So is the smooth and yummy Sopa de elote (corn soup) I tried recently.
Master Baker Leonel Rodriguez Trains Dallas Team
Master Baker Leonel Rodríguez has more than thirty years of experience in his field. Rodriguez traveled all the way from Guatemala to train each of the bakers in Texas. He shows them the right technique of baking artesanal bread, just like they do it in Guatemala.
San Martín is located at 3120 McKinney Avenue in Dallas, and welcomes anyone who wants to enjoy a unique experience. Hours of operation are: Breakfast 7 a.m.-12 noon, M-Fri; lunch & dinner 12 noon-8 p.m. M-Th, 9 p.m. Fri-Sat; brunch, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Parking is plentiful and free in San Martin’s large lot, accessible from either McKinney Ave. or Oak Grove.
For more information, call 469-802-6652 or visit sanmartinbakery.com.
