Getting to Know Rico Rico Bakery: Haines City’s Puerto Rican Sweet Spot
Rico Rico Bakery started with a dream forty years in the making. Founders Jorge Zaragoza and Yariela Olivo learned their craft in western Puerto Rico, and when they brought that experience to Haines City, they started small, with a food truck sharing family recipes with anyone curious enough to stop by.
Enough people stopped by that the truck grew into a full bakery on Ingraham Avenue. Now, the family is opening a second location on Hinson Avenue, this time a sit-down restaurant alongside the original.
That’s the kind of growth that doesn’t happen by accident.
The sobao bread has built a bit of a reputation around town; fair warning, it’s addictive, and the mayorcas, alcapurrias, pastelillos, and empanadillas cover every craving from sweet to savory. Breakfast and lunch both get the same care, with hearty plates, sandwiches big enough to split, and fresh coffee alongside it all.
It’s a family business through and through, built from a food truck into a Haines City staple, one loyal customer at a time. Open Sunday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If you know a local business that deserves a little time in these pages, let us know. We love telling stories like this one.
