Celebrate Mexican Independence Day at this all-pink bakery in Phoenix

Yes, you can celebrate Mexican Independence on Sept. 16 by eating chiles en nogada and pozole. But don't count out delicious pan dulce.

At Cielito Rosa Bakery, you’ll find one-of-a-kind pastries and decorations that make you feel like you’re in Mexico.

Cielito Rosa Bakery opened its doors in Mesa last year, and since then, owners Yvonne Callison and Secilia Zamudio have opened two more locations in Phoenix.

The all-pink cafe dream began during CrossFit classes, sparked by Callison’s baking skills and passion. The name, Cielito Rosa, was inspired by the beloved Mexican song "Cielito Lindo," which the owners call a hymn of their culture. The word cielito means “little sky” in English, and yes, even the ceiling is painted pink.

Their pink dream is now sprinkled with green, white, and red — the colors of the Mexican flag — in celebration of Independence Day. For the festivities, they are baking classic conchas with green, white and red decorations, plus conchas rellenas filled with dulce de leche and pecans, chocolate Abuelita and Duvalín, a soft, sweet cream candy. The celebrations will run from Sept. 15 through Sept. 20.

Their drinks also have a Mexican twist. The Coco Mocha Bonita, for example, includes coconut syrup, coconut milk, Abuelita powder and a chocolate drizzle.

The menu often evolves. A few weeks ago, they introduced Labubu-inspired baked items for a limited time, which were a huge success. The fall seasonal menu features pumpkin pie latte, hazelnut cinnamon chai, apple caramel lotus, cinnamon apple macchiato and pumpkin-chata macchiato (a fusion of pumpkin spice horchata and rich espresso).

The regular menu includes churros, cinnamon rolls, empanadas, polvorones, puerquitos, alfajores, tres leches cake and other Latin-flavored favorites.

The owners' original plan was to bake for farmers markets on weekends in their free time. But one day, while sitting in the Jimmy John’s across the street from their Mesa storefront, they noticed an empty space and ideas began swirling.

Today, they have 16 employees and a thriving community. In fact, one couple discovered the bakery on the news, visited immediately, and have been loyal customers ever since.

“Today, we’re catering their wedding,” Callison says.

Besides serving delicious, authentic food, Cielito Rosa is also a place to gather, laugh, share company and snap plenty of Instagram-worthy selfies. For Callison and Zamudio, one of the best parts of the entrepreneurial journey is inspiring other Latinas. They hope to pave the way for those who want to start their own businesses infused with culture.

Cielito Rosa

1720 W. Southern Ave., Mesa
550 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix
748 E. Bell Road, Phoenix