Izola Bakery in San Diego’s East Village has an inspirational story. Let’s start with my favorite croissants — the ugly bits — and muffuletta and the cold potion, which is their spin on Moroccan mint tea.
Did you know their croissants have 96 layers? Come on, let me show you how they make them (in the video, above).
The sacred space called the Dojo is the heart of where Izola croissants are made. The Dojo is kept at 60 degrees. Making croissants from scratch is quite the labor of love, which I got to experience. Only the finest ingredients are used in this delicacy.
It’s a four-day process to make Izola croissants. Starting with the formulation of the dough, rolling it, and then refrigerating it for a day until it’s ready to be proofed overnight. Right before hitting the oven, the croissants are egg-washed and baked to perfection.
Pulitzer-nominated photographer Jeffrey Brown’s dream of a bakery became a reality in his East Village photography studio during COVID. He admits that five years ago his first croissant were terrible.
No longer the case. They’re delicious and San Diegans are obsessed.
While the story of how Izola got started is inspirational, so is the owner’s take on paying it forward (also in the video).
And, Izola recently expanded its hours, encouraging locals to come enjoy some affordable bubbly for $2.50 a glass on Friday and Saturday. SDSun
(Kaushal Patel is a former international CNN anchor who’s also worked in local news in San Diego. She’s a downtown resident and co-founder of Seller’s Corner Real Estate. If you’re looking to buy a condo in downtown or any other neighborhood, why not work with a local area expert and start the conversation today?)
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