Tucked into the heart of Richardson is a café that feels less like a business and more like a warm embrace. Bella Flan, co-owned by Siv and Albert Lopez, is a longstanding local favorite that stands out not just for its delicacies and drinks, but for the way its adoring customers feel immediately at home when they step through the door. Siv is often diligently working up front, greeting everyone like an old friend and remembering every single name, life story, and favorite order – even if they’ve only visited once before. Combining incredible food with care for community, Bella Flan is truly a Richardson “sweet spot.”
Let’s start with the heart of it – how did Bella Flan come to be? What inspired you to open a café like this in Richardson?
I am a longtime Richardson resident – this is homeI I love connecting with people, so I connect to my beloved community with food. It’s a universal language that brings people together. Bella Flan is a unique specialty bakery, a Cuban bakery with a modern twist and Asian influence. It is a celebration of cultures—a reflection of my family, a blend of Chinese and Cuban culture, but also the beautiful, diverse world we live in.
What’s a must-try on the menu for a first-time customer?
Our food is a mix of familiarity and one-of-a-kind finds-there’s something for everyone! Great first savory bites would be the Cubano sandwich and the Cuban stuffed potato balls. The Cubano is a hot-pressed sandwich with roast pork, ham, pickles, swiss cheese, and our signature mojo mustard, served with freshly sliced and fried plantain chips and a house-made mojo dipping sauce. The potato ball is filled with either ground beef, crawfish etouffee, or poblano and cheese, breaded, and fried. For a sweet treat, I’d recommend our signature flan or our fresh pastelitos. A pastelito is a flaky puff pastry with a warm center filling of either guava, guava and cream cheese, strawberry and cream cheese, coconut, or apple.
What are some of your bestsellers, and do you have a personal favorite?
The most popular items are our Cubano sandwich, flan, potato balls, and empanadas.
Our flan is a proud family recipe passed down through generations. We offer our original classic Cuban flan, café, coconut, and a variety of flan cake flavors ranging from chocolate to Asian-inspired flavors like ube, coconut pandan, and lychee strawberry.
I personally love the Bella Frita burger and fried flan-both are Bella Flan originals. The burger is a house-made smash beef and pork patty, dressed in garlic cilantro aioli and topped with haystack fries. The layers of flavor within the burger make it deliciously unique.
You have a special gift for making people feel seen. You remember names, stories, even favorite menu items after a single interaction. How do you build that kind of connection so quickly?
My love language is people, food, warm hugs, and I-love-yous. It comes naturally from the heart and I truly live by this. I can’t control what goes on outside my four walls, but what I can control is the love and kindness going in and out of Bella Flan. Everyone is greeted with a warm smile and treated with respect and kindness.
Most customers seem to turn instantly into regulars. What do you think makes Bella Flan feel like home to them?
I’m proud to have an approachable, kind team and a bright, cheery space, but it’s also thanks to our amazing customers who fill the space with love and laughter. They strike up conversations and make new visitors feel at home, too. Bella Flan is such a special place and I’m incredibly blessed to be here.
How has the Richardson community supported Bella Flan, and how have you poured love back into the neighborhood?
I love our Richardson community. We have been blessed to have Richardson love and support us from the beginning! I appreciate all the ways they’ve supported us through challenges: showing grace when things aren’t running as smoothly, dropping in just to check on us as we navigated the pandemic and economic roller coaster rides, and allowing me to comfortably share my health challenges and lupus journey through listening ears.
I hope the community feels my love reciprocated through our embrace of and connection with each customer and through our food. We also like to support our local schools by donating to auction baskets. During the May 2024 storm, we were fortunate to have power and opened our cafe so people could charge their phones, have a warm safe place to spend the day, or get some work done.
Can you share a favorite moment or memory with a guest that really stuck with you?
I think my favorite connection through Bella Flan is sharing life’s journey with my customers.
One standout moment: a thoughtful customer gifted me an old scrapbook from a family member’s 1957 travels to Jamaica and Cuba. It’s a treasure with beautiful photographs and typewriter details. I keep this album at the bakery.
What do you hope people feel when they leave Bella Flan?
I hope people leave here with hearts happy and tummies full, knowing the kind smile they were greeted with was genuine. I hope we added sweetness to their day and gave them a piece of home.
Find Bella Flan:
Open daily except Wed
819 W Arapaho Rd, Richardson
214-566-3656
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