Close to San Diego and the home Legoland, Carlsbad, California is full of fun things to do including two beaches, the Tamarack Surf Beach and the hidden South Carlsbad State Beach. However, Carlsbad is also known for its incredible bakeries where it’s not hard to find sweet and savory treats that you can eat on the go or take with you. So come surf through our list of Carlsbad’s seven incredible bakeries with us, which includes one that is especially for those who can’t make it to Carlsbad in person for their flair on bakery delights.
Now, for those of you who feel left out because you can’t make it to Carlsbad, California to try some of these incredible places for yourself, we have something special for you! BonPastry is an online French patisserie specializes in Authentic French Catering and gourmet French treats, all made with love. The best part? You can order their delightful desserts and have them delivered right to your door!
This family-owned business is run by Pastry Chef Christiane Stephano along with her son Sergio. Christiane has been baking since she was a young girl in Paris. After traveling and gathering experiences as an adult, she decided it was time to bring French pastries and her passion for making them back to Southern California to share with her friends, family, and eventually all of her customers.
Word on The Street
Customers talk about the great customer service they receive in person as well as through online correspondence. Fan favorites include the Napoleon Petit Fours, the Lemon Tart, and their Double Chocolate Cake.
So while you’re walking through Legoland or surfing on one of Carlsbad’s beautiful beaches, be sure to keep in mind these seven incredible bakeries and be sure to try them all, and we hope all of you who cannot travel to California will enjoy your orders from BonPastry!
Carlsbad Danish Bakery
Image: San Diegan
Looking at the outside of the Carlsbad Danish Bakery located in Carlsbad Village, it doesn’t quite look like what you picture a typical bakery, including its outside dining option on a large patio with an awning over it for shade from the hot California sun. However, when you walk inside, the aroma of the sweet and savory pastries made from the original Danish and French recipes baking will remind you that this is, indeed, a bakery.
Established in 1984, Carlsbad Danish Bakery offer Danish and French pastries, incredible custom cakes and wedding cakes, and French quiches, plus coffee and other beverages.
Word on The Street
Folks say that just walking past this place and catching the wonderful smells coming from the building lures them in! The Almond Croissant comes highly recommended, as well as their Chocolate Macarons and the Ham Croissant with Cheese.
Carlsbad French Pastry Cafe
A cozy little corner of Carlsbad dedicated to French pastry specialties like sweet and savory crepes and panini, as well as macarons, custom cakes, and espresso since 1998. However, this little bakery is also a cafe that serves other breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare like soups, salads, quiches, and omelettes.
Carlsbad French Pastry Cafe was established by Olivier Baudier, a professional restaurant graduate and Parisian immigrant to the United States, and an unnamed pastry chef Frenchman friend of his in 1998. For Olivier, opening this bakery and being successful enough to support his family is a dream come true.
Word on The Street
Customers talk about their pastries quite a lot, especially the baguettes. Other bakery favorites include the Raspberry Macaron Bars and their Strawberry Shortcakes.
Prager Brothers Artisan Bread
This bakery specializes in whole loaves of high quality artisan bread made from organic grains as well as pastries and some sandwiches. It is almost impossible to leave this bakery without the smell of the freshly baked bread calling to you and beckoning you to take some home.
The Pager brothers, Clinton and Louie, both have a passion for making bread the old fashioned way and the mission of keeping this cherished tradition going in an age of mass production is what fueled their desire to open their own bakery.
Word on The Street
Loyal patrons call Prager Brothers Artisan Bread a “solid” bakery that can satisfy many of your cravings! Their Rosemary Flatbread is one you cannot miss, and other customer favorites include their Vegan Flat Bread Sandwiches and Pretzels.
Plantiful Kitchen
Plantiful Kitchen is especially for those who live the Paleo, Keto, vegan, and gluten-free lifestyles and only consume plant-based foods, but love fresh breads, rolls, and sweets just like the rest of us. Items such as Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns, Gluten Free Sesame Seed bread that is Paleo and Keto-friendly, and sweet little Bliss Ball snacks in a variety of flavors are just some of the items you will find on their menu.
Owner Barbara takes pride in her company and its production of natural desserts and treats that also taste amazing. All of their recipes are gluten-free, vegan, and free of refined sugars, with “delicious and healthy” being what she calls their specialties.
Word on The Street
Customers love that Plantiful Kitchen focuses on vegan free options, giving those who live plant-free lifestyles more choices. They’re known for having the best Vegan Cheesecake, their amazing Sesame Seed bread, and scrumptious donuts.
SusieCakes
This sweet little bakery has offerings of desserts made from scratch including cookies, pies, and custom layered cakes. All of their decadent delights are made fresh every day by their own in-house bakers and only using the best, most fresh ingredients. Walking into SusieCakes and seeing all the beautiful sweets and smelling the enticing aromas will give you a nostalgic, warm and fuzzy feeling of days gone by.
Owner Susan Sarich from Chicago was called Susie by the two women who ultimately helped shape her love of baking, her beloved grandmothers Madeline and Mildred. When she moved to California, her recipe cards full of her grandmothers’ recipes came with her, and those recipes ended up assisting the formation of SusieCakes.
Word on The Street
Faithful customers love the homey feeling of SusieCakes with all of the smells and wonderful treats all around. Fan favorites include the Red Velvet Cupcakes, the Chocolate Cake, and their Sugar Cookies.
Taste and Sea Cakery
Image: The Knot
This bakery specializes in made-to-order baked goods including cookies, custom cakes and cupcakes. Their custom celebration and wedding cakes come beautifully and meticulously decorated with no details left out and their macarons are a beautiful example of this delicate French cookie. If you can think it up, they can create it and take it the extra mile!
Taste and Sea is family owned and full-service and run by Brittany Austin, a San Diego Culinary Institute Graduate in 2008 and a professional Pastry Chef. She has an artistic flair when it comes to her desserts, especially when it comes to hand-painting sweet designs and custom-molding cakes.
Word on The Street
Customers say that this is the place to go when it comes to getting creative, high-quality custom cakes! The best sweets from Taste and Sea according to patrons include vanilla cake with buttercream frosting, vanilla bean, and lemon cakes.