Panaderia Tonalli

The best bread in the world is from Panaderia Tonalli in the barrio of Bolonia in Managua. And there are several ways to get it, including going to the bakery and cafe, have it delivered to your home, or go to Casa Ben Linder on Thursday mornings after the 8:30 AM charla is over at about 10 AM. And there may be more ways that I am not aware of! Above is a photo of Hugo and Brenda, who were the delivery managers for the route my home was on. They are the kindest folks, and it was a pleasure to get to know them a little.

Tonalli is an indigenous Nahuatl word meaning soul, energy, and destiny. The Aztecs (Mexica) and other indigenous peoples believed a person had three essences, the heart (teyolia), the liver (ihiyotl) and the head, the tonalli. The tonalli, located at the top of the head, was believed to govern a person's fate in life, what they are destined to do and what actions are most positive for a person to take.

The use of the word tonalli was very apt in the naming of the Panaderia Tonalli. It is actually a project of ASONICMU, a non-profit organization whose mission is to assist women with limited economic resources to build their abilities and job skills. All of their products are prepared by adhering to strict hygienic standards, and utilizing no artificial chemicals in order to preserve the valuable nutrients of the natural ingredients.

If you have the time for a relaxing break from the world, go through the main display area to the delightful patio cafe in the back. There you can sit at colorfully decorated tables, shaded by large trees and vines, and order from the menu. Although it is not an extensive menu, it is quite sufficient. We usually ordered hot tea, huevos revueltos, frutas and fresh bread! The delicate sweet braided egg bread with raisins was my absolute favorite! It was nirvana to be honest. I really loved Panaderia Tonalli and miss it terribly since moving back to the States!

Panaderia Tonalli offers a huge variety of breads, pastries, cookies, desserts and dairy products. The project also offers catering and special orders. It is located at: Donde fue el Cine Cabrera, 2 1/2 c. al Sur. The phone number is 505-222-2678. Email is asonicmu @ibw.com.ni. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 7 PM. Saturday, 7 AM to 3 PM. Closed on Sundays. If you haven't been there yet, don't miss it!