Taron Bakery first enticed us with its wafting aromas of meat and herbs on a recent trip down Hollywood Boulevard in Little Armenia. Then there were the repeated sightings of contented older Armenian men sitting on the bakery’s patio, quietly nipping at a flatbread or two alongside a can of soda and a newspaper. We finally took the bait, and we’re so glad that we did.

Taron is not a trendy bakery by any means—in fact, we were never even familiar with it until passing by in person. But this Armenian bakery doesn’t exist to be trendy; it exists to bake incredible Armenian flatbreads for the local neighborhood. And, we must add, at a very cheap cost.

At the mere cost of just pennies (okay, 90 pennies, to be exact), you can buy a lahmajun—essentially an Armenian pizza. About 6 inches round, these water cracker-like flabtreads are charred and topped with a thin layer of herbed minced meat. The pizzas are baked by the dozens on-site and tossed out atop the cashier’s counter as the day goes on. Just ask for yours to be warmed if you want to enjoy it hot on the spot.

For a few pennies more, you can try any of Taron’s assortment of boereks, which are best compared to the Italian calzone pockets, although much less doughy and with far less filling inside. These tender, fluffy pastry pockets are filled with cheese, spinach, spicy cheese, or meat, and they run from $1 to $3.50 apiece.

You can get out of Taron with a full lunch spread of savory Armenian pastries for just about $5, or much less if you only splurge on the lahmajuns. And if you aren’t looking to get out of there so quickly, have a seat on the outdoor patio and open yourself a newspaper. Maybe we’ll wave to you if we spy you there during our next trip down Hollywood Boulevard.

Taron Bakery
4950 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-663-4809