San Diego Bakeries

[FrogPrincesse]

San Diego has a small number of artisanal bread bakeries. Bread & Cie has been my favorite for years, and their breads are now available in many supermarkets, which is very convenient. But it's nice to have some variety. So I was excited to spot a new bakery this weekend in Linda Vista. It's called Pacific Time and it is also a sandwich place with a small market with things like small-batch preserves, local beers, a cheese counter, charcuterie platters, and wine. It's located within a recently renovated strip mall that also hosts Brew Mart & Ballast Point.

 

The bread I bought was a French-type rustic boule, dark, a bit reminiscent of Poilane but less dense. The crust could have been a little more crispy (it felt like the bread had sat around a little bit and softened in the paper bag), but the flavor was wonderful.

 

 

 

Here is the bread:

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
add pictures (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Bread from Le Parfait Paris at Liberty Station. That place has a selection wonderful pastries, but the bread was not so perfect. I got a rustic loaf of sourdough which was on the soft side. And then it had what I am guessing are proofing issues, with giant bubbles running through the whole length of the loaf. Not ideal for tartines...

 

 

 

 

 

[Kouign Aman]

For pastries, I like 85C (Genesee and Balboa). Also occasionally Arely (Clairemont Square) for something richer.

I like the soft Taiwanese breads for what they are. I havent tried Arely's bread.

[Honkman]

Prager Brothers are for us by a very large margin the best bakery in SD - never really understood the love for B&C in SD. 

[FrogPrincesse]

To each their own! Without Bread & Cie, I don't think I would have lasted very long in San Diego!

[FrogPrincesse]

Here is a nice article (and video) about Wayfarer, an artisan bakery in Bird Rock, La Jolla. They make my favorite baguettes (and English muffins) in San Diego!

https://www.eater.com/24150455/eater-video-the-experts-wayfarer-bread-san-diego

Note: the bakery opens at 8:30 (not 7:30 as indicated in the article)

Edited May 10 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

And here are the baguettes in question. Top notch!

 

 

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

The other bakery I really like is Wildwood Flour in PB. In my book, they win for best sourdough (the plain sourdough and the roasted garlic (pictured) are my favorites) and pain au chocolat. The only issue is that the word is starting to get out and the lines are getting longer, plus they are only open Friday - Sunday and run out of goods quickly.

They mill their own flour that they use in the sourdough breads and I feel it really makes a difference, taste-wise.

 

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

Here is the regular sourdough from Wildwood Flour bakery (I really like the crusty exterior)

 

 

 

And here is their pain au chocolat. It shatters as you touch it, exactly the way it should! Super flaky interior.