Norma’s Sweets Bakery

Came in looking for breakfast (eggs, beans, plantains) and also found some sweet breads and biscuits that were very good. Solid trip from all angles.

I’m only giving a three star rating (for now) because I have yet to experience this «Cubano» sandwich my buddy raves about. For some reason, we weren’t allowed to order one today at one o’clock on a Sunday afternoon? Really? From what I gathered, with my limited Spanish, we could only have what was left behind in the hot food counter and there wasn’t a lot to choose from. We ordered beef in gravy (fair, standard tasting) and (too much rice) with ensalada which came with a nice, good sized slice of avocado and red refried beans.(I had to ask for pico de gallo) Also two hot tortillas. ($ 9.95 not including a drink?) Pretty good and authentic, I guess. I have to say, I’ve had far tastier Hispanic lunch counter food. (Then again, I’m from Phoenix, Arizona where we have some of the absolute *best* Hispanic food in the country.) Maybe it was the limited choice, or how long it had been in the counter? Or my annoyance at not getting my sandwich I wanted. The pupusas my buddy ordered smelled –and were –*fantastic*, however, they came fresh, right off the grill, so I guess I need to get here earlier next time. I was stuffed but we still ordered bread pudding which was good. I’ll be back…

There is a kitchen in the back of this latin grocery/​bakery/​deli that serves up some tasty and inexpensive central/​south american specialties. Fellow Unilocalers praised this place and I join their voices. It is worth a visit for a delicious, hearty latin food fix.

After hearing very good reviews of this place on the radio, I decided to give it a try.
I have only been the one time and only had one menu item but, it was delicious. I will have to go back and try more. For me at least, I find it a bit intimidating trying to order in these central American places. Everything that i have gotten has been good but, I don’t know the names of the dishes or how to order what I want. So, i usually just smile and point at something that looks good. I saw that they had tamales so I figured that would be easy. I asked for tamale and they wanted to know if I wanted Honduran or Nicaraguan??? How should I know ;-) so I got both. Both were steamed in a huge banana leaf and warped in aluminum foil. And they are HUGE.
Never having had either a Honduran or Nicaraguan tamale before I did not know what to expect. Thing is. I liked both of them. I liked one of them better than the other. However, I don’t know which one it was that I liked.
Anyway… Great little place. I will go back and try to educate myself a little about their cuisine. The store is full of happy smiling and friendly people. Go give them a visit. You wont be disappointed.

In the need for some good food, this is the place to try it. Loved the empanadas!!! The Cuban was awesome!!! I would definitely come back.

I will only eat empanadas from Norma’s from now on. Delicious and great prices. I wasn’t in the mood for sweet pastry but I will be sure to check it out when my sweet tooth starts talking again.

One of my new fave place in the city! Cold Topi Chico, hot homemade tortillas and súper sweet staff. Worth the drive to midcity any day.

EXCELLENT PANDERIA
located right behind the Canal Street bus barn. To me it’s a pleasureable cross between «Ideal Discount Market» (super clean and Latino shabby chic), «McKenzie’s» (there are big cases of fresh-​baked exotic pastries) and «Melba’s» (crazily millenial multifunctional: a hot food cafeteria, diner, bakery, grocery, free wifi…)
DEDITOS DE QUESITOS:
I don’t like desserts, but these cheese fingers are deliciously understated in flavor. They’re like a lightly fried croissant, filled with sweet cream cheese and then sprinkled with grainulated sugar: $ 1.50 and worth every penny! Some items are misses though. I agree with one reviewer that the Cuban has quality ingredients but it’s on Leidenheimer (c’mon you’re a bakery make your own bread) and is miserly with the pickles, meat, etc.
EVERYTHING ON THE MENU IS LESS THAN $ 10.
This includes the generously portioned box lunches of papusas, tamales, sandwiches, quesadillas, etc.
I HAVEN’T BEEN BACK
While my sandwich was good it didn’t stand out enough to be a must have. Also I find it to be unaccommodating for gringos. So when in the area I opt for «Taqueria Guerrero» or «Los Poblanos».

I love Norma’s. It’s one of my frequent lunch spots since my office is close by. The prepared hot foods are delicious and the ladies behind the counter are always in a good mood and willing to help me when I order in Spanglish. Homemade and fresh tortillas with every order and if I get there too late in the day for the prepared lunch, their cuban sandwich or empanadas are a great alternative. Jose asks how I’m doing when he sees me which makes me feel welcome. The grocery is inexpensive and has fresh produce and a large selection of latin products. The store is very clean and the people who work there take a lot of time and effort to keep it that way.

Latin food as legit as it gets. I lived in Honduras for 2 years with the Peace Corps. I have lived a couple blocks from this place on Bienville for 3 years and had no idea. It is legit and it is great! (i am obviously biased and have a special place in my heart for this type of food and atmosphere)
Very small latin grocery store with a small kitchen in the back and bakery. A picnic table where you can eat or take it to go. (you pay at the front of the store)
The baleadas are fantastic. flour tortilla with beans, eggs, bisteak, pico, crumbly cheese and mantiquilla. These are better than the streets of Honduras. Fantastic.
The Honduran tamales were just as i remember them but a little bigger. They are legit and they are good.
Pupussas are a el salvador speciality. I got the ones with beans and cracklin (pretty sure cracklin aint in el salvador). it was okay but not amazing.
Then for dessert, we got a churro and and a chocolate chip cookie. Meh. Not bad but not exciting.
I loved the food there and will be going back a lot. This is an unknown location and they do not cater to gringo tastes. it is for the true latinos. (you may have to work for your order, our lady didnt speak english).
very awesome place. cheap and legit. i cant wait to go back.

I wanted to check this place out forever but their daytime only hours kept me from doing so because I worked all day. Now that my schedule changed I finally had a chance and I was quite surprised. I did not expect it to be like a Mexican convenience store complete with a deli and hot plate lunches. With a name like Norma’s Bakery I pictured overly frosted cakes and random pastries.
I really liked their Cuban sandwich. They press and toast it to my kinda level of crispiness. I do like a little more ingredients inside though, kind of chintzy with the pork. We grabbed a few chicken empenadas too, which were good but the pastry was bit thick for my taste. On the same aisle as the giant Dora piñata (which I’m seriously considering for my own upcoming birthday party) there are at least 10 kinds of plantain chips to choose from. Maybe the biggest selection I’ve seen in New Orleans thus far.
My husband loved practicing his Spanish with the employees at the deli counter. He also said that the smell in this store reminded him of home because in Ireland they used to prepare their own poultry for dinners. In other words, it smelled like burning, boiled feathers? A smell that isn’t usually very prevalent around this area, so there’s that. As we were checking out we noticed the shelf with cowboy boots and hats also for sale. Also on the same shelf, a rainbow sombrero that I personally think belongs on Dora’s giant, paper mache head. Norma’s is interesting, to say the least!

i had a cuban, and it was as underwhelming as they come. i’d come back to try their empanadas. baked goods look good. cute little place.

I wanted to give them a four star, but I just experienced a Hispanic bakery in the Heights of Houston that is incredible. Wow. That place is inexpensive and the breads are just too good.
Norma’s is… decent. I ordered 5 different baked goods. I wish I could state the names but the lasting impression is… forgettable. Plus, I found it pricey for doable baked goods.
If I had a business recommendation, I’d cut out the convenient store good aspect and dedicate their time to baked goods. As for the hot food Hispanic delicacy, I didn’t give it a try. But if you are a bakery and you have three focal business points, the other two topics only detract it from its main goal — baking.

This is an interesting place. They call themselves a «bakery», but it’s more a small grocery that offers a whole array of things.
Me and some friends we starving and having been here before, they said this was a good place to get some Mexican Food.
Walking in, I honestly had no idea what was going on. We walked to the back where there was a menu taped up and food being prepared. A lot of people didn’t speak English, so I was a little intimidated. Looking over the menu, I thought that the beef quesadilla sounded good and for $ 7, it seemed like a good deal for lunch. I ordered and waited. When you get your food, it comes with a ticket and you pay at the register in front of the store. Just a FYI.
The quesadilla was HUGE and although a bit greasy, really good. It definitely hit the spot and I liked that there was a lot of cheese on it. They have a few seats for dining in, but I would probably suggest just getting your food to go.
There is a bakery section with an assortment of Latin pastries and desserts. I didn’t try any this time, but I will when I return.

I’d been nursing a seven-​year long craving for Cuban sandwiches (since Union supermarket didn’t return after Katrina). Then Norma’s came along, hallelujah! Best Cuban I’ve ever had, plus perfect, icy cold ceviche, cuatro leches (all the usual tres leches suspects, plus coconut milk), and my favorite rice pudding in town. All amazing and cheap. Plus the owner and the ladies that work there are all sweet as pie.

What a fantastic find. After one visit, I know Norma’s will be put into my regular rotation.
I came here for lunch one afternoon after my curiosity about Norma’s got the best of me. I ordered the first item on the breakfast menu and it was delicious: a house-​made tortilla wrapped around freshly scrambled eggs, spiced carne asada, avocado, cheese,… it included so much deliciousness, I’m sure I forget some of it.
(mental note: this was a perfect hangover food)
My lunch partner and I were satisfied for a total price of $ 11. How can you beat that? Walk in, order at the back counter, eat the yummy appetizer they give you while you wait, pay at the check-​out line, and grab a table for an enjoyable, casual meal.
Besides the food counter, Norma’s is a well-​stocked Latin grocery with a nice selection of fresh produce and a phenomenal looking pastry counter.
*They also had fresh ceviche on ice at the check-​out line. I don’t know if this is an everyday thing, but next time I go, I will definitely partake.

This place is great. The kitchen in the back of the store has different meals and specials every day. The carne asada which is made to order and served with beans rice, tortilla & salad, is $ 7 and it’s delicious. Tacos are also awesome.
The bakery has a bunch of desserts; but I specially love their «tres leches» yummmy!
They also have a small supermarket with all kinds of CentralAmerican staples.

After driving past this place so many times, we decided to stop in, and I’m glad that we did. My husband said the burrito was the closest he’s had in NOLA to the San Diego ones that he misses. It was $ 6 with rice and beans and carne asada. The ingredients were very fresh. While we waited, one of the owners offered us warm white cheese on a tortilla. It was yummy. I cannot recall what he called it, but he was very nice. He said that many days they will do a cooked meat special and that if we ever need a pork shoulder for a party that this is the place to go. The desserts looked tasty and interesting. Definitely want to try some more things here.

The Groupon email prompted me to check out this place. (I didn’t buy the Groupon though.) So neat! My two favorite finds were the pastelos (ground beef in a slightly sweet puff pastry) and the Goya roasted coconut water. Very, very good! I purchased an assortment of cheese and guava stuffed pastries that were also nice.
I also got a corn tortilla stuffed with cracklins for $ 2.49 and a portion of spaghetti and meatballs for $ 4. Not too bad but I’m sure they have better things. The staff is really sweet and let me taste some of the dishes before I bought them.
Nice assortment of pastries, cakes, tres leches, etc. Oh, and my entire haul came to only $ 14.
This will be a weekly stop for me!

This place is twice as nice. Grocery store (not convenience store) and restaurant in one! Daily plate lunch specials are specials, along with a varietey of tacos, tamales, quesadillas and staples, such as rice, beans, yuca. This is Central American food and it is very good. Lunches can be eaten on site or to go; the service is behind a cafeteria style case and moves rather quickly.
Norma’s is known for it’s desserts. If you didn’t know it, the smell of sugar and cake batter permeate the entire store enticing you to give in to your sweet tooth. They make birthday or other ocassion cakes on request, but also have some on display, along with a host of Latin desserts and familiar goodies, such as bear claws.
If you fancy Latin cooking, everything you can possibly need for a posada can be found here. There is a meat counter, in addition to fresh fruit and veggies, along with thousands of dry goods. It’s a great for a quick bite and you can get something better than a sandwich for less than $ 10. Yum, yum, yum!