New York’s mayor visited a Colombian bakery, where he tried pandebono and agua de panela, two of the country’s traditional flavors Credit: Edgar zunigarjr, CC BY 2.0 / Flickr
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew attention from the city’s Colombian community after visiting a traditional Colombian bakery in Jackson Heights, Queens. During his visit to Seba Seba Bakery, Mamdani tried some of Colombia’s best-known traditional foods, including pandebono and agua de panela, and particularly praised the flavor of the popular cheese bread.
Videos shared on social media showed Mamdani speaking with the bakery’s owners, learning about the business’s history and interacting with members of New York’s Colombian community. When asked which of the foods he had tried was his favorite, the mayor called the pandebono “incredible,” a reaction that was quickly picked up by Colombian users online.
Mamdani also joked about his attempts to find ways to lose weight, saying that after arriving at the bakery, he had found exactly the opposite. The visit showed the mayor sampling traditional Colombian foods at a business that has served for decades as a gathering place for Colombians and other Queens residents.
The history of Seba Seba Bakery, the Colombian bakery visited by New York’s mayor
The bakery that welcomed Mamdani was founded in 1987 by Colombian brothers Luis and Rubén Velázquez. Over the years, the establishment became a reference point for Colombian cuisine in Jackson Heights, an area of Queens with a significant Latin American population.
During their conversation, the brothers shared the story behind their business and the difficulties they faced after settling in the United States. Among the challenges they encountered in their early years were financial difficulties and arriving in the country without speaking English fluently. Despite those obstacles, they built a business that has become part of New York’s Colombian food scene.
The founders’ story was one of the aspects that caught Mamdani’s attention. During the visit, content creator known as Chinita Paisa explained the meaning of the Colombian word “berraco,” which can be used to describe someone who is hardworking, resilient and capable of overcoming difficult circumstances.
After hearing about the Velázquez brothers’ journey, the mayor connected the term to their story and said he could not think of a better example of a “berraco” than them, given that they have maintained the business for nearly four decades.
Mamdani also learned about the origin of the name Seba Seba. According to the explanation given during the visit, the name refers to the feeling of tasting something so delicious that you want to keep eating. The expression connects the business’s name with a colloquial way of describing the enjoyment of food in Colombian culture.
Pandebono and agua de panela, two flavors of Colombia
Pandebono is one of the best-known foods in Colombian cuisine and is traditionally associated with the Valle del Cauca region. The recipe combines ingredients such as cassava starch, corn, cheese and eggs, creating its characteristic soft texture and a flavor that is both savory and slightly sweet.
In Colombia, pandebono is commonly eaten at breakfast, as a snack and during everyday gatherings. Its popularity extends well beyond Valle del Cauca, and it is now found throughout the country and at Colombian establishments abroad.
The other traditional preparation Mamdani tasted was agua de panela, a beverage made by dissolving panela, an unrefined cane sugar, in water. It can be served hot or cold and, in some preparations, with lime or lemon. It is one of the beverages deeply rooted in everyday life across Colombia.
The importance of agua de panela is also connected to the history of panela itself, a sugar cane product that has been part of Colombian diets and rural traditions for generations.
Dining and Cooking