The Torta Concha at El Tesoro in Atlanta
Haz clic aquí para leer esto en español
By Kathleen Furore
When Popeyes® adds a concha sandwich to its menu — something the company did when it partnered with Tequila Don Julio — you know the concha truly has arrived on America’s culinary scene.
Popeyes’ Concha Chicken sandwich featured a chicken breast fillet marinated in reposado tequila, coated with Popeyes crunchy buttermilk breading, and topped with tequila lime slaw, spicy spread, and a barrel cured pickle. And although it was a one-day LTO, the fact that a sandwich made with the Mexican sweet roll was on the menu at a chain that sits atop the fast food world shows how far conchas have come, and how far they still can go for bakers and chefs willing to get creative with flavors and fillings.
The 2025 Hospitality Trends Report presented by AF & Co + Carbonate, in fact, identifies conchas as a trend to watch this year.
“Pedigreed bakers, many of whom are first generation Latinos, are turning more attention to conchas, taking the classic shell-shaped Mexican pan dulce (sweet bread) from an inexpensive sweet snack to star status,” the report says. “Bakers across the country are playing with new flavors borrowed from a global pantry, incorporating premium ingredients, adding a variety of fillings, and finding innovative ways to use the bread in different sweet and savory preparations.”
Conchas at Floracita
Examples include the conchas from Floracita Panaderia, a San Franciso pop-up, where conchas are made with real butter and without egg. Flavors featured at various times throughout the year include Zesty Citrus, Churro, Choco Chunk, Blue Corn, Matcha, Strawberry Hibiscus (a customer favorite), Apple Spice, Champurrado during the holidays, and Sprinkles for Pride Week.
Beyond Panaderias
It isn’t only the conchas rolls that are making headlines; it is how they’re being used in creative ways in sandwiches and desserts on restaurant menus.
At Burnt Bean Co in Seguin, Texas, the “La Babe” concha sandwich stacked high with smoked pulled pork served with a chamoy barbecue sauce, chicharron, and pineapple slaw pops up every April during Fiesta San Antonio. MySA, a San Antonio local news site, has written about the sandwich, and Burnt Bean’s Facebook cover photo features “La Babe.”
A similar story is playing out at El Tesoro in Atlanta, where what the restaurant describes as “Our mighty Torta Concha!” comes with a choice of any protein filling, lettuce, pico de gallo, black beans, guacamole, cotija cheese, and crema layered in a sweet pan de concha.
Another restaurant offering a concha sandwich as a limited time offer is Up Late STL in St. Louis. The Cinco de Mayo Concha Breakfast Sandwich, made with a concha from nearby Lilly’s Panaderia, is layered with sausage, bacon, or egg plus the restaurant’s special “late sauce,” blackberry jelly and American cheese.
Cavaña in San Francisco’s LUMN Hotel also includes a concha breakfast sandwich. According to information from the AF & Co report, the sandwich is an upscale rendition made with a chorizo patty, runny egg, queso pimiento, rocoto aioli, and arugula.
Conchas are making waves as dessert offerings, too.
Yuzu Concha Ice Cream Sandwich at Ensanada
Cavaña’s “Dulce” menu features a Concha Cream Puff, a warmed concha filled with sweet cream.
And at Ensenada in Miami — the recently opened Florida outpost of the popular New York City Mexican seafood restaurant — Raven Simone Walker of Pachamama Helados has created a yuzu concha ice cream sandwich as part of her seasonal ice cream program, according to a story in Eater Miami.
Has your restaurant created a special menu item made with conchas? Let us know and we’ll feature it at elrestaurante.com. Email Editor Kathleen Furore at kfurore@restmex.com.
SIDEBAR: Collaborate to Create
No time to make your own conchas? Try collaborating with a local panaderia to create concha sandwiches and desserts to offer as limited time offers on your menu or as specials featured at your food booth during local street fairs and festivals. One example: the chorizo sandwich on a maiz azul concha created as a collaboration between Chef Eder Ramirez’s San Francio pop-up restaurant Provecho and Floracita last year.
Click here to go to the next article, The Chef's Table Trend