Wayfarer Bread
I can proudly say that Wayfarer Bread is the best place in San Diego for bread and pastries, at least in my opinion. It’s located in the neighborhood of Bird Rock, right next to the ocean. There is no better thing that I can think of other than going to Bird Rock on a sunny Sunday, get a stock of pastries for next week’s breakfast at Wayfarer, then have a cup of Latte at Bird Rock Coffee next door, followed by having a walk along the coastline, enjoying the sunshine, the view and the sea breeze.
Wayfarer’s showcase before the pandemic
A typical box of Happiness from Wayfarer
Boxes during the pandemic
If I buy pastries over the amount I eat on that day, I store the pastries individually in Zip-Lock bags, then put them into freezers. In the morning, I heat the pastries in the oven for 10 minutes and they’re ready to be enjoyed. My record is buying 18 pastries once, for only myself. That’s during the pandemic, and I wanted to avoid going out as frequently as usual. The pastries are still pretty delicious after storing in the freezer for 3 weeks and reheated properly.
Wayfarer’s menu is changing based on seasons, for example, what fruit is available and most fresh. But they will always have a fixed pattern in their menu. For croissants, they always have Plain Croissant, Chocolate Croissant, Almond Croissant, Ham & Cheese Croissant, and a seasonal/rotational croissant (now is Strawberry Pistachio Croissant). Then they have a pastry in savory flavor for those who don’t have a sweet tooth, for now, they have Sungold Tomato & White Cheddar Tile. They always have Cinnamon Bun, but I never tried because I am not a fan of the smell of cinnamon. Lastly, they will have a pastry in a sweet taste, rotating from Kouign Amann to Bun or Galette (usually in fruit flavor). I don’t like their Kouign Amann though. I think it’s too sweet and too hard to bite. But I don’t know if they have been doing better since I tried it for the last time in spring 2020. On the other hand, their Bun and Galette are really delicious. And you must try them out.
Passionfruit Coconut Cream Bun
Pomegranate Bun
Apple Galette
Strawberry Galette
Compared to other pastry stores, Wayfarer’s pastries are more crispy. So you like crispy textures just like me, Wayfarer will probably win your heart as well. They are always very generous as well — look at the Apple Galette and Strawberry Galette!
By the way, their pizza is also great. It’s Italian style, thin layered. They have pastries only at day, pizzas only at night.
Mixed Berries Kouign Amann at b patisserie
As a side note, speaking of Kouign Amann, I had the best one at b patisserie in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was not too sweet or greasy. It was crispy and light, with the mixed berries flavor bringing sweetness and acidity. I like it very much, however, there are no b patisserie stores in San Diego (what a pity!). In the States, they only have stores in San Francisco and Honolulu. Apart from the delicious Kouign Amman, their desserts look really exquisite, to the extent of being too good to be eaten. I tried the Passionfruit Strawberry Coconut Savarin. It was delicious! I think b patisserie is more high-end, while Wayfarer is more down-to-earth. I like them both. And as someone who lives in San Diego, the one nearer is always the better.