El Paisano is an authentic Mexican bakery, right here in the Twin Cities.

El Paisano is a cute stop for all, and one the kids will think is super fun. If you're looking for a fancy, upscale bakery, this is not the place for you, but if you're looking for a real, authentic, Mexican bakery in the heart of Minnesota, this place is great. There's absolutely nothing fancy about it, but it has so much heart. Keep in mind that this tiny bakery only accepts cash as payment, so you'll have to be sure to carry cash when you stop here.

There's plenty of free parking outside, which is always a nice bonus, and it's easy to find, right in the heart of the small suburb of Chaska, Minnesota. The cash-only policy was a surprise for me, only because I rarely need cash, so I simply don't tend to carry it. Luckily, I did have some, but it's definitely something I would personally want to know before driving out there, especially if I had promised my kids a treat. The prices at El Paisano are very, very reasonable, and are just about the cheapest I've seen around for any bakery that hand-makes the sweets on-site. If you're looking for chocolates, you won't find them here. I actually didn't see any chocolate on any of the bakery items during our visit. The selection offered some fruit flavorings, some sprinkles, but many very simple-tasting items. We tried several different items from this bakery, and my favorite was actually the giant sprinkle cookie. It was crispy and the sprinkles made it a really fun choice.

We were really happy with the huge selection of simple bakery items here at El Paisano and would return again. After picking up a little Mexican pastry, head over to Firemen's Park for some playtime.