Sweet Treats & A Dream Come True: El Dorado Bakery in Lisle, IL

We wanted to bring back the roots of our culture here ​for others
​ to enjoy. Lisle is a very nice place. It feels like home."

By: Linda E. Alberty, M.A. ​​​
It’s a tucked away little treasure, where as you enter, a sweet and light aroma falls gently on your nose. The delightful smell can even take off you off guard for a second, it’s so good. 

El Dorado's sugar donuts are among the first deserts to sell out, a favorite for many. 

El Dorado is a new authentic Mexican Bakery, home to its headquarters in Lisle, off of Ogden Avenue. El Dorado, which translates into English as “bright and prosperous," provides customers with a big surprise, including a full assortment of colorful breads, donuts, cookies and old fashioned prepared treats with mango, guava, pineapple and even seasonal fillings like pumpkin and sweet potato. ​

Husband and wife team, Jaime Montiel and Adriana Suarez are on a mission to bring back their roots by bringing their Mexican culture to a predominately non Hispanic community.

“Many people told us that they had to travel over 30 minutes to neighboring villages on the outskirts of the city to get authentic Mexican bread. We saw that as an opportunity. We wanted to bring back the roots of our culture here for others to enjoy. Lisle is a very nice place. It feels like home.” 

The locally owned and family operated bakery kicked off in May of this year, and it's the fruit of Adriana's fathers' passion and art. 

“My father-in-law has been a baker for 15 years now. He has always wanted to have his own business, and I always knew I wanted to apply my background in business administration. Together, we make the perfect team,” said Jaime, crediting his father-in-law for the success they have seen. 

Jaime and Adriana have enjoyed sharing their specialty Mexican treats with a multicultural community. "So many of our customers have never tried Mexican sweet bread and once they do, they are amazed at how delicious it is! We have very high ratings on Google, Yelp and our Facebook business page," said Jaime. 

They have even introduced traditional breads that are tied to cultural celebrations, including El Dia de Los Muertos, "Day of the Dead," which is a tradition rooted in Mesoamerican culture.

For centuries, this holiday, based on All Souls Day commemorates the deceased by building altars or ofrendas, with favorite seasonal breads, gifts and memorable items.

Jamie and Adrianna are delighted to share their sweet traditional rolls with others, including Pan de Muerto, “Spanish for bread of the dead” and Nino Envuelto, which translates to “Wrapped Baby.” These delicious breads are baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to the El Dia de Los Muertos, celebrated Nov 1 and 2.

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For Jaime and Adriana, the journey into the world of entrepreneurship has come with hard work and surprising results. Not only are they seeing the fruit of their labor together as a family- owned business, they are also getting a mix of repeat customers. “So many people come in from all over the world — Asia, Europe, Brazil, even India, and they are fascinated once they try our bread. They keep coming back,” Jamie shares with a smile. 

My advice to anyone who is thinking about becoming a business owner, is just do it." 

While Jaime and his family admit, owning a business is a lot of work, the personal rewards they receive from it cannot be outweighed. "At the bakery, we are a family and we spend a lot of time together. It is nice to have this much quality time with one another. We work together and we play together." 

In discussing the benefits of entrepreneurship, Jaime suggests, “My advice to anyone who is thinking about becoming a business owner is to just do it. Also, once you do become one, don’t give up. A lot of people are afraid because of failure but you’ll never know if you don’t try and give it your best. If you try and it doesn’t work, at least you can say did.” 
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El Dorado is a vibrant, colorful bakery full of sweet treats and a blend of Mexican culture with American favorites like sugar cookies and irresistible cupcakes. And if you’re in the mood for a traditional Mexican tamale, you’ll be more than satisfied; From green, red, and even cheese stuffed peppers, they have it all. Visit El Dorado Bakery for all your sweet treat needs, located at 3285 W. Ogden Avenue in Lisle, IL.