San Diego, CA

Acclaimed Izola Bakery Opens in San Diego's East Village | San Diego Magazine

Published

2 years ago

July 22, 2024

Acclaimed Izola Bakery Opens in San Diego's East Village | San Diego Magazine

After four years and a few left turns, the acclaimed Izola Bakery has finally found its feet with a soft-opening at 1429 Island Street in June. Moving two blocks from 13th Street to the new flagship location took “seven months, three weeks, and five days,” laughs Jeffrey Brown, who launched Izola with his partner Jenny Chen in 2020. But who’s counting when it’s only the first step in building a bread empire?

The 7,211-square-foot space next to Fault Line Park includes nearly 3,000 square feet of an interior ground-level dining room with its finishing ovens, a 1,546-square-foot patio, and almost 1,900 square feet of basement area, where Izola’s dough kitchen now resides. Brown walked me through the facility last week during a surprisingly uncrowded morning.

“This is a step towards building what we envision, or really to deliver on our stated mission, which is to change the way people think about croissants and sourdough,” he explains, which he hopes to accomplish by building a state-of-the-art, zero-emission factory at Fairmount Avenue and Thorn Street in City Heights sometime next year.

Once operational, the City Heights Dough Factory would allow Izola to increase its production 20x, potentially launch wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels, and eventually open more bakeshops across San Diego. Brown says they’ve already got eyes on location in La Jolla and aspirations for North County, Orange County, and Los Angeles. Still, they’d most likely start with one attached to the Dough Factory to help build community in the neighborhood.

“City Heights has some amazing food and a whole bunch of amazing stuff. But in terms of investment in the community, it’s under-invested,” he explains. Izola will focus on hiring from within the immediate community and the Second Chance program, which helps pair formerly incarcerated employees with employers. It’s part of Izola’s five social justice principles: economic, gender, LGBTQIA, racial, and environmental.

Courtesy of Izola Bakery

But expansion at the cost of quality would be a “deal killer,” explains Brown. He and Chen scoured the world to find equipment that could increase output and quality, looking everywhere from Germany to the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, and the United States. He thinks they’ll have it dialed for the buildout, but in the meantime, they’re full steam ahead in East Village. Izola is only available Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., but Brown assures me they’re “moving mountains” to open on Sundays.

“We’re growing production at somewhere between four and six percent a day,” he says, a slow ramp-up to get his primarily brand-new team of employees up to speed without pushing too hard. But he says in about a month, they’ll likely be able to double their inventory, which will get them closer to his goal of “having a hot croissant for everyone who wants one.”

Food from San Diego pop-up restaurant Pepino serving Peruvian-style food at Michele Coulon Dessertier in La Jolla this month — Photo Credit: Sylvie Coulange

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Every Sunday in August is a Pepino Pop-Up

Suppose you can’t wait for Chef Sebastian Becerra (Eleven Madison Park, Herb & Wood, COI) to open Pepino, his Peruvian eatery and bakeshop coming to La Jolla next year. In that case, I have good news for you. Every Sunday in August, he’ll be on hand at Michele Coulon Dessertier (7556 Fay Avenue) from 8 a.m. through noon (or whenever he sells out), slinging some of his signature menu items as well as some works-in-progress, like shakshuka on toast, Peruvian-inspired sandwiches and burritos, and pastries like dulce de leche-stuffed chocolate muffins. Keep an eye out for his menu every week on Instagram, and for more support, check out Pepino’s Kickstarter, which launches August 1.

Chef Obi Comes to Matsu For One Night Only

On Tuesday, August 6, chef Saransh Oberoi (a.k.a. chef Obi, a.k.a. the guy who beat Bobby Flay on Food Network) joins chef William Eick at Matsu for a seven-course dining experience that promises to play on Obi’s modern Indian cuisine expertise, as well as a few surprises. Book your reservation for August 6, or live with regret.

Exterior of new San Diego brewery Fox Point Brewing Company opening at Fox Point Farms in Encinitas — Courtesy of Fox Point Brewing

Beth’s Bites

Troy made the touchdown when he announced Travis Swikward would be opening a new restaurant in UTC, but here I come with the extra point—the name of said restaurant. Fleurette will open sometime next year with modern French cuisine and one hell of a lot of pressure to follow up Callie.
Fox Point Brewing Company is Encinitas’ latest brewery. Situated at Fox Point Farms—an agriculturally-centric planned community with a cafe, farmstand, the city’s first new brewing operation in 30 years.
I’m all in for Java Joe Musgrove. I’ll drink his coffee, cheer his strikeouts, and definitely eat the taco he created with Puesto to benefit the local animal shelter, The Animal Pad. Can I have it with one of Doug Hasker’s famous Puesto lagers?
Rancher Hat Bar, out of Scottsdale, Arizona, is making a California appearance on Sunday, July 28, from 2 pm to 6 pm at The Original 40 Brewing Company in North Park. Gobble a Western Cheeseburger, slam a Mexican lager, and enjoy some country tunes while you craft your very own cowboy or trucker hat for keepsies.

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

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San Diego, CA

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

Published

28 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

When we think of May, we think of Mother’s Day, blooming flowers, sunny skies, and lots of fun, seasonal events in the city. This month, locals can dine on the creations of James Beard Award-Winning Chefs at Rancho Bernardo Inn, or take advantage of berry season at the annual Vista Strawberry Festival. Theatre lovers can enjoy a showing of Kim’s Convenience at The Old Globe, while the San Diego Natural History Museum invites art enthusiasts to view its latest marine-themed exhibit. Grab your tickets and crack open that planner. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this month:

Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

29

Louisiana legend Juvenile, enhances by the live instrumentation of The 400 Degreez Band, will perform career hits and his newest album, Boiling Point, at House of Blues San Diego.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

5/5–6/1

Turning the spotlight on contemporary LGBTQ artists, the inaugural ArtSpectrum 2026 will showcase both the grand and intimate scale of contemporary painters, photographers, and mixed media artists at Village Arts Outreach in Balboa Park.

12–24

The only ordinary element of the San Diego International Fringe Festival is the constant thrill of the extraordinary. Discover a plethora of innovative performances at venues from Pacific Beach to Baja.

5/15–6/14

A Korean-Canadian family balances tradition and assimilation from their Toronto storefront in Ins Choi’s comforting satire Kim’s Convenience, making its local premier at The Old Globe.

5/22–2/2027

Ocean debris will receive a new beginning at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Using repurposed pollution, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea depicts creatively sculpted marine life.

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

4/30–5/3

Enjoy fine dining at its finest from a lineup of gastronomic titans during 54 Hours with James Beard Award-Winning Chefs. Savor elegant meals, masterclasses, tastings, and more at Rancho Bernardo Inn.

2

Unlimited bites, regional craft beers, and animal observations are on the menu for San Diego Zoo Food, Wine & Brew (with live music), a culinary evening in support of the San Diego Wildlife Alliance.

7

Spend An Evening with David Sedaris, humorist, essayist, and best-selling author. Never afraid to point the pen at himself, Sedaris will share old favorites and works in progress in the classic satirical style he’s known for at Jacobs Music Center.

15–17

Say cheese! And toast to the Cheese & Libation Expo. Explore three days of all-you-can eat and drink fare at BRICK, along with boutique shopping and bountiful pairings.

PARTNER CONTENT

10 Years In, Puffer and Malarkey Are Just Getting Started

Elevating an Icon: Inside the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Clu…

16

Stroll the private grounds of several luxurious homes, accompanied by live music, tabletop designs, and outdoor artistry, during the Secret Garden Tour, La Jolla Historical Society‘s flora and fauna fundraiser.

24

Vista recalls its days as a strawberry-producing superpower through its free Strawberry Festival. Wear your berry best fit, watch film screenings, and enter contests for shortcake, pie, and sundae indulging.

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San Diego, CA

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Published

13 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Last week Mayor Todd Gloria released the budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal budget. Protected homeless services is among his top priorities mentioned in the proposal. However, some of the reductions he’s proposing could impact thousands of San Diegans experiencing homelessness.

Located on 17^th and K Street, the Neil Good Day Center offers an array of services to nearly seven thousand people experiencing homelessness. The services include giving them a place to shower and do laundry, and connecting them to a case manager, among others.

“These are critical services that are helping people off the streets, but really better their lives and their health and their employment situation as well,” Deacon Vargas with Father Joe’s Villages said.

Deacon Jim Vargas heads Father Joe’s Villages, which runs the center. He said through their prevention and diversion strategies, they’ve managed to keep nearly one thousand individuals from falling into homelessness.

“So by helping them pay rent, or helping them with their utilities, or helping them to reunite with family,” Vargas said.

Right now, the city allocates at least $850,000 per year to the Neil Good Day Center, according to Vargas.

But the future and funding for these services are in limbo because of Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed budget cuts.

“The impact to those whom we’ve been serving the Daily Center would be very severe,” Deacon Vargas said.

In a statement to NBC 7, Mayor Todd Gloria said in part, “We must find more efficient and cost-effective ways to address this crisis and prioritize funding for programs that provide shelter beds and maximize resources to programs that place people into permanent housing.”

Since it’s still at a proposal stage, Deacon Vargas said it’s unclear how the city will decide to move forward.

However, Deacon Vargas said services would be significantly reduced because they would be forced to operate solely on a budget of about half a million dollars they receive from philanthropy.

“The hours would be cut. Some days would be cut. We would have showers that might be impacted because they’re given seven days a week and we’d close two days a week, then the showers would be five days a week, the case management,” Deacon Vargas said.

Deacon Vargas is certain of one thing.

He would like to continue offering services at the Day Center, even if the city goes through with the funding cuts.

“As we work with individuals at the Day Center and at Father Joe’s Villages, the community becomes healthier as a result of it,” Deacon Vargas said.

The budget also recommends additional cuts to homeless services, but does not give specifics as to where those cuts would be.

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