The churro is one of Spain’s tastiest contributions to the world of food. Unfortunately for most, this tasty tube of fried dough has become little more than a concession stand staple. When made the right way, the churro becomes a sublime and serious player in the world of pastries. Crunchy on the outside and yielding fluffy soft innards, all rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with hot chocolate, an authentic churro is something barely recognizable if all you’re used to is the kind served from street carts. We’ve rounded up the best churros from around the city so you can get out there and blow your mind.
El Carmen
The churros at El Carmen are like most of the dishes at the restaurant — serious. They’re untraditionally short but thick and full of complexity. The crust is crunchy and bears the taste of the oven, almost as if they’re purposefully cooked to the brink of being burnt. In comparison the inside is surprisingly soft but not too sweet. The chocolate sauce, on the other hand, is sweet, rich, and served hot.
Mr. Churros
Mr. Churros is a chain with a pastry that’s reminiscent of the amusement park variety but so much better. These churros are filled with creams that come in flavors like chocolate, caramel, and custard. When they’re hot off the stand, the filling literally melts in your mouth.
Grand Casino Bakery
Grand Casino Bakery makes a rather sophisticated churro. It is light and fluffy like an American doughnut but has the traditional flaky crust covered in sugar and the twisted shape that’s special to the Spanish variety. They’re easy to miss — if you don’t get to Grand Casino by 10 am, they’ll probably be sold out.
Salina’s Churro Truck
The best thing about the churros on this truck is that they’re constantly making a new batch so your eight churros for $3 are bound to be fresh and warm. You can watch as the dough is hand-tossed in front of you and then thrown into the deep fryer. Anticipation never outdoes satisfaction with this churro, and if there’s a line, the experience is worth the wait.
Literati Bar and Grill
The restaurant adjacent to the original Literati Café is famous for its bake-to-order churros, but you’d never know unless you really looked for them. Literati masters every element of the traditional pastry; They have a perfect balance between a crunchy crust and soft inner layer, they’re served piping hot with warm, melted chocolate, they’re lightly sprinkled with sugar, and they come in just the right quantity: a lot.
Photo: Larra Jungle Princess
