A new Latin bakery has opened its doors in Polaris, bringing empanadas, arepas and Colombian-Venezuelan pastries to a retail corridor that has been steadily filling up with permanent homes for once-mobile food concepts. Valencia Latin Bakery held a soft opening during the week of September 3 at 8675 Sancus Blvd., with an official grand opening celebration scheduled for September 12.
The bakery was launched by the Muñoz family, who also own Cilantro Latin Fusion, according to Columbus Underground. Cilantro Latin Fusion started as a food truck before the family opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 4852 Sawmill Rd. in 2023, per the same outlet. The food truck side of the business is still active, with a Cilantro Latin Fusion truck currently operating at 993 King Ave.
Valencia Latin Bakery specializes in Colombian and Venezuelan baked goods, including empanadas, Arepa Dulce, cachitos and bombas, and the shop operates daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to 614NOW. The Columbus Underground report also notes the bakery includes sandwiches and plantains on its menu, alongside a drink lineup of lattes, cold brew, teas and matcha.
From a Food Truck to a Family of Businesses
From a Food Truck to a Family of Businesses Cilantro Latin Fusion began as a food truck, 614NOW reported back in April 2023.
That growth has continued. Official brand listings this year show the Muñoz family's Cilantro Latin Fusion brand now spans multiple locations across Central Ohio, with food trucks at 993 King Ave. and 660 Neil Ave. operating alongside the Sawmill Road restaurant. Valencia Latin Bakery marks the family's newest addition to that footprint, moving further into the Polaris submarket north of the city.
Building Out the Polaris Storefront
Building Out the Polaris Storefront The bakery was preparing its Sancus Boulevard storefront ahead of opening.
The bakery's arrival fits into a broader pattern playing out across the Columbus dining scene, where mobile and pickup-only food concepts are increasingly setting up permanent shops. In August, Hoodline reported that Manila Bakery opened its first storefront on Wilson Road after operating as a pickup-only business. That same month, Hoodline also covered how street food vendor Fetty's Street Food partnered with Flour Modern Pasta Bar to open a permanent restaurant at Polaris Fashion Place, underscoring how quickly that retail corridor has been attracting food entrepreneurs looking to go brick-and-mortar.
A Growing Market for Latin American Flavors
A January 2024 snapshot showed Ohio's Hispanic population had surpassed 566,000 residents. Locally, Columbus's population is part of the broader context for the bakery's arrival.
Those trends have helped fuel demand for authentic regional cuisines across the city, and the Muñoz family's expansion from a single food truck into a bakery, restaurant and multiple truck locations reflects that growth. Whether Valencia becomes a standalone brand with its own future locations, or serves as a production hub supporting the existing Cilantro Latin Fusion outlets, remains to be seen. For now, Polaris-area residents can find the family's pastries and coffee drinks at 8675 Sancus Blvd. ahead of the September 12 grand opening celebration.
