50 Best Bakeries in San Diego

“I’ve been coming here on and off for the last three years. I still remember the first time I tried their pastries,I was mind blown, especially by the kouign amann. I never really cared for kouign amann until I had Wayfer’s. It was so flaky and buttery, and everywhere I went after that, I always compared it to Wayfer’s.Recently, this year, the kouign amann has gotten smaller, denser, and a bit burnt, taste burnt. It’s not as flaky anymore. I’m not sure if they changed bakers or if it’s just because they made it smaller, but it’s definitely not the same.I still come here for my weekly sourdough, English muffins, and baguettes . I’m just a bit disappointed with the pastries.“

“Absolute best donuts in the world. 100/10“

“Love their new location downtown. More space with the same high quality croissants and sourdough loaves. Chocolate croissant and olive pecan sourdough are my favorites.“

“Love the bakery and matcha latte!“

“I got the pleasure to work with Stacy and I am so pleased the way the we were not only treated with kindness and excitement but the way both our cakes we ordered turned out exactly how we wanted. I can’t recommend this place enough and thank you Stacy for making our son’s first birthday cakes perfect!“

“I tried the Coconut Cake...best I've ever had. The Mango Cheesecake was delicious! To drink, I had a Double Cortadito, so good! What brought me here were the Guava and Guava Cheese Pastelitos. I have only ever had these from Portos. Sadly, they were too rich! Not the Guava or Cheese, they were way too buttery! The amount of butter used over powered the Guava. Hopefully it's just the batch I had. I will be back to try their other cakes and sandwiches.“

“My family and I were visiting San Diego for my daughters 21st birthday. I thought of everything but the cake. I called Kona Kakes on Friday hoping for a cake by Sunday, I was told they are closed on Sunday, so they could have it ready on Saturday. We were enjoying the zoo Saturday and I completely forgot about the cake. It was after store hours but I tried to reach them by phone anyways, the owner answered and said she would wait for us to arrive. This in itself was truly amazing, but the cake! The cake was beautiful, delicious, moist, decadent, and extremely flavorful! We had the Caramel Macadamia Nut Cake. Everyone and most of all, my daughter loved the cake! If you live near Kona Kakes then count yourself blessed and try this place. I wish there was a Kona Kakes in Las Vegas.“

“I went in for the first time a week ago and ordered a custom birthday cake and the staff were so kind and accommodating to what i asked for, and the cake looked exactly like the picture i showed them! The cake was delicious and even though it was pricey i would definitely buy from them again for upcoming holidays, the quality was incredible and it tasted so fresh!“

“Best sourdough rosemary bread ever. Always buy extra loads when I’m in town.“

“The cheesecakes here are so good. Super soft, moist, and fluffy! They’re slightly sweet, which is so addicting. I love the original flavor the most. The pandan one wasn’t that good.
The strawberry burnt basque cakes is also very good. It’s better than the original one.
Parking sucks though because the shop shares a small lot with many other stores, so it’s always difficult to find parking unless you come right when they open.“

“Everything is spectacular but i especially looooove their lemon bars! 🧡“

“Audrey was the best! We came from Maine and short notice we were able to get a dozen cupcakes ordered for pickup with 2 days notice. They were fantastic and gone quickly!! Thank you again!!“

“I was a little apprehensive about trying gluten free baked goods, but these were quite good! They weren't dry and crumbly as some gluten free things were. I got a Neapolitan cupcake, maple bar, chocolate chip muffin, and lemon cake. I was pleasantly surprised:) I will definitely be back“

“Every time we visit San Diego this place is must stop!! Pan dulce is so soft and fresh we need one on Los Angeles 😎“

“I love good, freshly baked bread and we have been looking all over San Diego to find it. Secret Sisters has the best country loaf yet and we highly recommend it!!!!!!!!! For us, it's a bit of a drive but worth it.“

“Passed by here plenty of times because of the japanese market next door. Stopped in by chance just to grab some coffee and wound up buying a slice of cake. Turns out this place is a hidden gem. Handmade cake and great espresso drinks for a much better value than you get for similar quality. A slice of handmade cake here is the same price as a cookie at panera, think about that for a second. They earned a regular customer whenever I stop by for groceries“

“Pan del barrio is my fave bread in San Diego! All naturally leavened so it is better for you too! The country loaf is always freshly baked and still warm when I get it. Amanda is so kind and sweet and makes every effort to make her customers happy! Every time I’m in San Diego I get some delish baked goods. And don’t get get me started on her chocolate croissant, the BEST! I’ve also had the bolillos and they are very good. My mom also loved them! Do yourself as favor and try Pan del barrio you will love it!“

“Tastylife™️. Would buy treats again.“

“Patisserie Melanie keeps surprising me with incredible pastries. Their kouignette is absolutely sublime. I usually get my order to go, but everything I have tried has been top quality. In my opinion, it is one of the best pastry spots in San Diego. Prices are on the higher side but totally worth it.“

“Cute bakery, but they need to be more attentive to their desserts. They were delicious and had a mix of flavors, they were some trays that were empty and the employees didn’t paid to much attention. Prices are likely the same as the competition. You get access to the bakery through the Asian market. Spacious parking lot.“

“Enjoyed the Japanese cheesecake and boba tea at Mad for Cheesecake in Pacific Highlands Ranch in Carmel Valley. The taro and brown sugar milk teas were very tasty. It was our first time having Japanese cheesecake and we’re surprised it was more like ice cream than an American cheesecake. Loved the opportunity to try something new! Very friendly and quick service. Recommend!“

“el mejor pan el más delicioso si quieres sentir que estás en México compra tu pan aqui“

“Very popular spot good food minus the onions“

“I go here twice a month in the mornings. The lady in the front along with the younger man at the counter don't act like they work there. They act like they own the place. Always friendly, smiling, and they keep the place CLEAN. I worked at a donut shop when I was younger and I know the pressures of waking up early and servicing clients. Donuts are great and boy is living in San Diego getting expensive!“

“I love it very delicious and fresh very friendly highly recommended 😍“

“Just wanted to thank the lady who helped me today. Today was already a bad day, and tomorrow would be my dad’s 80th birthday and our first without him. I was getting this slice so I could light a candle and sing him happy birthday as a way to celebrate his memory. You gave us two slices of cake because “they were small” and that generosity genuinely made my day. Thank you, kind stranger!“

“first time there, I had chilaquiles with chicken, two eggs over- medium, good & spicy,my buddy had 2 tacos all pastor, delish and filling. plan on coming back to try the rest if the menu. :)“

“Our reason for coming here was their coffee flight! ☕️

My sister-in-law and I are avid coffee enthusiasts, so we dedicated an entire day to exploring new coffee spots we hadn’t tried before. The only thing we regret is not getting to try their “Bear Waffles” — we didn’t notice it on the menu until later!

Getting to sample four different coffees was such a treat, and honestly, I’ve never seen a flight that wasn’t for alcoholic drinks before —
So this was a fun twist. The vibe here is friendly and comforting, perfect for hanging out with family, friends, or even your coffee buddies (yes, that’s totally a thing!).

If you ever need a coffee buddy, invite me — I’d love to join your next outing! 🫰🏼“

“I love James in North Park and Bankers Hill. One is by my home, and the other my work! I have made lovely connections with the staff at both locations and they always provide a chill atmosphere to meet friends, work on your computer, read, and simply enjoy the neighborhood fresh air! Daily and satisfied customer! Great espresso and pastries. 🥐 ☕️ 😃“

“Was only in town for 2 days, saw this spot thought I would try it out, and was not disappointed! They have great coffee, food, and bread! And the customer service was amazing as well!“

“Got the ceremonial matcha latte with sweetener (simple syrup) & the honey cream top matcha with sweetener (simple syrup) and both were excellent. A lot of people on here complaining of the size but in all honesty, if you truly love matcha I’d rather pay $7 for authentic matcha with smaller volume vs. $7 for a large cup of sweet milk.“

“Extraordinary Desserts indeed! Love this place and their people 🥰“

“Best Italian I’ve ever spent money on…been coming here from Atlanta for 3 years and it’s always my first stop…ask for Rudy, he took good care of me…fantastic food, even better people!“

“By far the best donuts in San Diego, especially their Apple Fritters!! Very nice family running this shop ... for many, many years. They have watched my kids grow up since they were toddlers, and now my youngest is almost 19 and my oldest is 24!“

“It's so cute here! You can tell this business is run by people who love it, Hiro was great at recommending us coffee and seasonal treats. I've never had such soft vegan and gluten free pastries. I feel like I could share with a non-vegan/gf friend and they would be shocked!“

“Liked our burgers and beers. We got the 8oz so we could try different beers. Wasn’t a fan of the sours though. Fun atmosphere. There were families with little ones, people with pets, people of all ages. Will be back.“

“The pastries look amazing! We had their Berry Tart pastry at a Farmers Market and enjoyed it, but I couldn't bring myself to buy a $7 croissant today at the downtown Little Italy location.

Maybe something about not being in a festive mood and only wanting a snack today.“

“The cookies 🍪 are amazing!“

“I contacted Anu about a week before my gender reveal and she was so sweet! Her cupcakes were soooo delicious and light! My favorite was her chocolate with mocha whip but her lemon cupcakes were a HITTTT! Definitely will using her for my baby shower!“

“Thank you French Oven! Everyone at Construction Notice Services loved the pastries I brought for work today.They were literally gone in minutes! Everything was fresh and delicious as always.“

“I'm retired but I like it more than others because the service here is fast and they always have cookies available

Parking: I think it's okay except that there are more businesses and a restaurant on one side and it takes longer but it is very big“

“Extraordinary Desserts indeed! Love this place and their people 🥰“

“Amaya was so easy to work with from before placing an order to post-delivery for our baby shower. On our initial call, she listened carefully to my requests and how I envisioned our dessert table to look like. She was always available via text messages or phone calls for any questions. Her prices were also reasonable. On the day of the delivery, my friend who was handling my event set up said Amaya was very sweet and came on time to deliver the desserts. She even left us a sweet thoughtful card congratulating us on our baby shower. As for the desserts, they were to die for!! I don’t have much of a sweet tooth and my husband is all about desserts. So between the two of us, we can be picky. From the cookies to the fruit cups to the cupcakes, everything was delicious. Special shoutout to the fruit cups, they were so good (highly recommend them)!! Our guests loved the desserts and asked where we got them from. I will definitely use Love and Bake again for any future events. Thank you Amaya for being so wonderful to work with!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a gem in San Diego. Everything is so good. The cinnamon pull apart bread is something that you will always remember of how good it is. I have dreams about it. The Apple strudel omg.... the cakes. As soon as you walk in you can smell the delicious chocolate. Highly recommended!“

“Delicious Mexican sweet bread, very tasty and fresh, they always have a great variety, the only thing is that they are slow to serve, they sell you the box for one dollar and they only accept cash. Open from Monday to Saturday from very early.“

“Okay everyone here is a fantastic hidden gem in San Diego. And for those living in Orange County there's one at the Packing House. Parfait Paris took me back to the Parisian eateries I just went to in August, when I visited Paris. This one is a must for the European conosours. The manager Phoebe was delightful, friendly kind and so personable. The staff Ben C. and Ivy were absolutely wonderful, and had such a cute little French accent. The food was timely and incredibly delicious! If you want to go to heaven just for a bit, try Parfeit Paris, you will be sure to have your taste buds tantalized with the most delicious eggs benedict I've had in a very long time. The carrot cake was incomparable yuuuum, and I highly recommend the chocolate desert in my photos, it melts in your mouth. I had the best Dulce de Leche latte I've ever had. I had to finish the brunch with a sweet heavenly treat for later, I took some mochi variety home, that my family and I devoured watching our favorite TV show. If you are anywhere around the San Diego area, you must visit this place, it will transport you to the divine Parisian eateries in France!“

“Mejor pan dulce en San Diego!“

“My favorite place to get caneles! The original and chocolate flavors are both really good. I tend to get a basque cheesecake too! Sooo good and lots of great flavors to choose from. Love stopping here for a sweet treat on my way home from work. The owner is always so sweet and welcoming too!“

“Thank you Sarah � The macarons were delicious � Will be ordering again!“

“The crêpes at this location are superlative. I ordered the galette complete, and was elated by the perfection that this crêpe held. I have been to France and tried many exceptional crêpes, and Ally (the chef) curated a dish that supersedes the majority of them. However, from my personal experience, this was the best crêpe I have had in San Diego.

To relay the flavors that I experienced: as you take your knife to split the crispy egg, a perfect runny yolk flows onto the buttery crêpe. As you take your first bite, your palette is met with a silken béchamel, enriched with cheese, brings a gentle creaminess that lingers without overwhelming. It wraps itself around a generous portion of thin slices of tender ham that anchor the dish.

If you seek a galette complete without buckwheat flour, it is necessary to come, as I am most certainly returning.“