Under the railway arches of Elephant and Castle Station is a Colombian bakery that is a favorite among London’s Latino community. Chatica has been serving the people of Elephant and Castle for 14 years and has seen many changes in that time.
The bakery is just around the corner from Elephant Park, a new development where high-rises, shops and restaurants are being built in the area. But Chatica still maintains its authenticity in an ever-changing community.
Elephant and Castle is often called London’s Latino Quarter, where the area under the railway arches is full of Latin businesses such as butchers, restaurants and hairdressers.
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Chatica serves all sorts of different Latin American products such as empanadas, freshly baked bread and sweet pastries. More than just takeaway products, you can also order breakfasts here.
“Breakfast chatica” includes a small bread, egg, orange juice, seasonal fruit and a hot drink. There are also other options like a tamal or even an English breakfast.
When someone entered the store, someone would notice how much color is inside. The bakery, and this whole area, feels in sharp contrast to the high-rise buildings and the new park across the road.
The bakery is full of Hispanics and the common language used is Spanish. Before I order, I talk to Gloria, who has run the shop for the past 14 years.
She says that the area has changed a lot and she prefers the way it looks now. Despite concerns that rents may go up, she says Chatica will roll with any incoming changes.
Recommendations on what to order from the staff working there
I ask the bakery worker for his recommendation and he suggests trying the pan de queso (cheese bread, £1.20) and an empanada de cambray (an empanada filled with spiced yucca and honey). To wash it down, I choose a café con leche (americano with milk).
My pastries were served in a small basket that I take to one of the many tables. I try the coffee first which is really good and strong.
The pan de queso is much denser than I expected but after one bite I get used to the texture and think it goes really well with the coffee. But my favorite is definitely the empanada de cambray. The filling is really sweet and you can taste the spices well. Again, the bread is a little denser than I expected but since corn flour is often used in Colombian cooking I think this is just a cultural difference.
As I sit and eat the bread, I see that there are lots of different things for sale in the deli, including Latin American foods. Thankfully I discovered some Tajin I’ve been looking for and made a note to come back here.
So although the loaves had a different texture to the kind of bakery products you might find in Gail’s or Pret, they were still really tasty. The colorful design of the store and the lovely staff really added to the experience, plus it’s always great to help a small business.
Do you have a story? Please contact us at katherine.gray@reachplc.com
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