Extraordinary Desserts in San Diego is Karen Krasne's Little Italy dessert salon on Union Street, a long-running pastry-and-cake shop with a James Beard semifinalist track record.
Tip: Cake by the slice is the deepest value; the cafe also runs a savoury small-plate menu in the evenings.
Address: 1430 Union St, San Diego, CA 92101
Panchita's Bakery in San Diego is the Barrio Logan Mexican panaderia on National Avenue, a long-running pan dulce counter for conchas, marranitos and the city's bolillo bread supply.
Tip: Get there by 8am for the freshest pan dulce; the bolillos sell out for the lunch sandwiches by 10am.
Worth the queue: Concha (sweet bread)
The Cravory in San Diego is the cookie bakery in the Loma Square Center, a soft-baked filled cookie shop with rotating flavours and the famous birthday cake cookie.
Tip: The birthday cake cookie is the room's recurring star; the seasonal calendar rolls weekly on Instagram.
Worth the queue: Birthday cake cookie
Bread and Cie in San Diego is the Hillcrest European stone-hearth bakery on University Avenue since 1995, the rustic-bread room that anchors the Hillcrest food map.
Tip: The kalamata olive bread is the room's signature; the cafe upstairs serves sandwiches on house-baked rolls.
Worth the queue: Kalamata olive bread
Prager Brothers Artisan Breads in Encinitas is the North County sourdough bakery on Coast Highway 101, a wholesale-bakery storefront with daily-baked sourdough and pastries.
Tip: Country sourdough miche is the room's strongest loaf; the Carlsbad bakery is the wholesale production base.
Worth the queue: Country sourdough miche
Sidecar Doughnuts in Del Mar is the Costa Mesa import in Del Mar Highlands Town Center, a small-batch doughnut counter rotating six monthly flavours plus six daily.
Tip: The huckleberry and the butter-and-salt are the recurring strengths; arrive by 9am for the full case.
Worth the queue: Huckleberry doughnut
Donut Bar in San Diego is the downtown A Street doughnut shop, the West Coast viral-doughnut shop with oversized creme brulee, croissant doughnuts and the Big Poppa Tart.
Tip: Open Wed-Sun only and they sell out by lunch; arrive at 8am for the full counter or pre-order online.
Worth the queue: Big Poppa Tart
