Lovin’ Larry’s

It can be comforting to think of a fresh warm pastry, muffin or doughnut to complement your coffee or tea in the morning. There was a time when those delicious breakfast treats were all made by the baker’s hands. The baker was up and at ’em by 3 a.m. to make sure you and your family were greeted with your morning favorites.

Iris Yafuso, vice president of Larry’s Bakery, and her family carry on the wholesome baking tradition in the name of their father, Larry. After Larry’s passing, the retail side of the bakery, which was located in Waimalu, closed, but it wasn’t long before daughter Iris and brother Lance Yafuso took it upon themselves to start that side of the family business once again.

“We were closed as far as retail for almost 14 years, but have been able to reconnect with all our old customers and friends recently. They come in with their kids now, with stories about seeing the Larry’s box on the kitchen table in the morning when they were children,” says Iris.

Through the window of Larry’s Bakery’s quaint walk-up store-front, dozens of breakfast options are displayed. Two in particular are Pineapple Bran Muffins and three different types of Manju (steamed cakes), priced at $1.20 apiece.

“The muffin has a caramel addition, so it is healthy, but not too healthy,” says Iris with a laugh. Larry’s Manju is offered with lima bean, black bean and, in dedication to their family heritage, Okinawan sweet potato filling. They also have butter-horn Danishes, apple or coconut cinnamon sticks, biscuits, chocolate or powdered Long Johns as well as Pig-in-Roll with Portuguese sausage. “My favorite is the butterhorn Danish. A lot of our custards and fillings are all homestyle, baked from scratch, which you can’t find a lot of — mostly all of our dad’s recipes,” says Yafuso, who helps Larry’s wholesale many of its cakes, pies and pastries to Don Quijote stores.

Along with its breakfast specialities, Larry’s also churns out delicious cakes, cupcakes, pies and cookies for any family occasion. Topping that list has to be White Chantilly.

Larry’s Bakery