I never thought I would find one of Northern California’s most talked-about bakeries tucked inside a gas station, but here we are. Ellis Creamery sits behind a convenience store curtain in Tracy, California, serving up Filipino treats that have people lining up past the motor oil and candy bars.
What started as a pandemic hobby has turned into a regional sensation, and I had to see what all the fuss was about.
Finding It Feels Like A Secret
Pulling into the National gas station on W. Grant Line Road in Tracy, I expected to fill my tank and grab a coffee. What I did not expect was the smell of warm butter and caramelized sugar cutting through the usual scent of gasoline and packaged snacks.
A small crowd snaked past the gum display and energy drinks, all waiting patiently for their turn at a bakery counter I could barely see from the entrance. The signage was modest, almost shy, but the line told me everything I needed to know. People do not queue up next to motor oil for mediocre pastries…