5 San Diego bakeries worth checking out
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IZOLA's croissants are made with 96 layers of French butter. Photo: Jeffrey Brown/IZOLA
Sometimes you need to start your morning with a flaky chocolate croissant or a decadent donut. To add some balance to San Diegans' active lifestyle, the city boasts more than a few amazing bakeries to satisfy your sugar cravings.
Here are a handful of bakeries and donut shops worth checking out:
VGs Bakery
This "very good" bakery is a local favorite in Cardiff-by-the-Sea that has a line out the door on Saturday mornings.
- The Mette family has run this old-fashioned spot, best known for its donuts, since 1969.
Location: 106 Aberdeen Dr., Cardiff
Hours:
- Tuesday-Thursday from 5am-5pm
- Friday 5am-6pm
- Saturday 6am-6pm
- Sunday 6am-5pm
What to order: Fill a box with donuts and other fresh pastries like bear claws, cinnamon rolls and raspberry-braided sweet rolls.
IZOLA Bakery
If you’re craving a hot, flaky croissant fresh from the oven, this historic photo studio loft in the East Village downtown is where you need to go.
- IZOLA specializes in sourdough loaves and carefully crafted croissants made with 96 layers of French butter.
Of note: Yelp named it the top bakery in the country in 2022.
Location: 710 13th St. #300, San Diego
Hours: Thursday-Sunday from 8am-1pm
What to order: Blackberry chocolate croissant or the everything croissant ... or maybe both!
Blackmarket Bakery
This North Park bakery says it provides "a conscious moment of indulgence," which is something everyone deserves.
- Get seasonal scratch-made pastries and desserts, including scones, croissants, tarts, cookies and cakes, that will leave you wanting more.
Of note: Owner Rachel Klemek won the "Sweets Showdown: Cakes!" on Food Network's "Chopped."
Location: 4686 30th St., San Diego
- They also recently opened a new location in East Village at 845 15th St.
Hours: Open daily from 7am-4pm.
What to order: Lemon almond lavender scone, jalapeños cheddar croissant or the crème brûlée tart.
Charlie's Best Bread
The name speaks for itself at this family-run bakery in Pacific Beach that gained popularity because locals could "smell Charlie’s from a mile away," according to the shop.
- The cafe near the beach, which opened in 1988, serves sweet and savory organic challah, pastries and fresh breads like baguettes and ciabatta.
- Their larger facility in Logan Heights also bakes and packages loaves and rounds for sale at grocery stores around San Diego.
Location: 1808 Garnet Ave., San Diego
Hours:
- Sunday-Friday from 7am-7pm
- Saturday 6am-7pm
What to order: Oatmeal banana blueberry muffin, cinnamon roll with icing and the marbled challah.
Azucar
The small-batch pastelitos are everything at this Cuban-style patisserie in Ocean Beach, where chef Vivian Hernandez-Jackson combines her French training with her Cuban roots.
- Beyond the sweet and savory Cuban pastries, Azucar offers fresh-baked scones, muffins, quiches, cookies and Cuban sandwiches.
Location: 4820 Newport Ave., San Diego
Hours: 7am-4pm on weekdays and 8am-4pm on weekends.
What to order: Pastelito de guayaba y queso (guava cheese pastry) and a pastelito de carne that features mom’s picadillo recipe. Whatever you get, pair it with a Cuban coffee.