THE QUIET ONE
Our Moroccan Black Olive Chocolate Croissant has always flown a little under the radar...At first glance, chopped black olives and chocolate may not sound like obvious companions.
But sometimes its unexpected pairings like this that surprise you most.
We fold chopped Moroccan Beldi olives into a dough made with buckwheat and sourdough starter, creating something altogether different from our traditional croissant. The butter-to-dough ratio is lighter, giving it a more delicate feel — less richness, more lift...lacy....tender.
Inside sits a single baton of chocolate, just enough to bring warmth and sweetness without overpowering what makes this pastry special.
Then, before it heads your way, we brush it with walnut oil.
The result lands somewhere between sweet and savory, familiar and unexpected. Salty olive, warm chocolate, soft tang from the dough, delicate crunch from the layers.
It’s the pastry for people who trust curiosity.
Or for those willing to be pleasantly surprised.
Always hot from the oven.
OPEN EVERY DAY 7a–2p
In a rush? Just give us a call at 619-289-8358 when you arrive and we'll bring your order out to ya - we call it IZOLA Drive By.
CELEBRATIONS
This is a special time of year at the bakery. We see more guests coming in from near and far, gathering around tables, bringing family through the door, and celebrating graduations and milestones with the people they love.
Jenny and I got to do the same this past weekend, celebrating our son Sacha’s graduation from the University of Chicago.
Four years ago, we sent him off to college by taking the train together to Chicago. This year, we took the train again to arrive for his graduation. This trip carried a lot with it. My mom, my sister, and her two kids joined us, and together we marked the one-year anniversary of my dad’s passing while traveling through Colorado, through the mountains where we spent so much time as a family.
Dad used to take us on weeks-long trips into those mountains. We would camp out, cook over an open fire, explore backroads, and spend long days together. He loved road trips and had driven through so much of the Colorado Rockies with my mom. He would have absolutely loved this train trip. Being together there, moving through that landscape, felt like the best way to remember him.
When we arrived in Chicago, it really started to sink in that Sacha is now stepping into his next big adventure. He graduated with honors in Mathematics, and rather than rushing straight into the expected next step, he’s taking time to travel, reflect, and figure out what lights his fire. Tonight, he leaves to begin his travels overseas, starting in Japan.
I’m deeply proud of the work he has done to get himself here. And I’m just as proud that he knows himself well enough to pause, breathe, and choose his next steps with intention.
And as if that weren’t enough to hold in one week, tomorrow marks IZOLA’s sixth anniversary.
It was a strange and beautiful thing to be away from the bakery for a full week right before this milestone. We were mostly radio silent, and our team handled the week with confidence, steadiness, and leadership. As always in this business, there were fires to put out, and this week had more than its fair share. But our leadership team navigated it so well.
To have the gift of stepping away, being with family, and trusting the team to carry things forward means more than I can really say. It reminded us how strong this team has become, and it makes us even more confident as we look toward what comes next. Thank you to our leadership team.
So this week, I’m sitting with a lot. Pride. Grief. Gratitude. Relief. The strange ache of watching a child grow up and step out into the world. The joy of seeing a team rise. The reminder that time moves quickly, whether we are ready or not.
Take the time. Gather your people. Sit a little longer. Celebrate the milestone while you’re still in it.
It really does go by in the blink of an eye.
SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC
Every Saturday, we host live music at the bakeshop. Come on by to see how talented our local San Diego musicians are! Follow us on Instagram to see the lineup each week.
HOT FROM THE OVEN CHANGES EVERYTHING
There are almond croissants… and then there are IZOLA almond croissants.
We take the long way.
We toast the almonds for our almond meal in-house. We make our own frangipane. Our own pastry cream. Even the brandy syrup is made here, layer by layer, step by step.
And perhaps most importantly: we believe every bite should matter.
That means no sad little dollop hiding in the center while the corners leave you wondering what happened. We spread the filling end to end, so every single bite delivers warm almond cream, buttery layers, and just the right amount of sweetness.
Then, because restraint is overrated, we top it with even more toasted almonds and a snowfall of powdered sugar.
And if you’ve never had an almond croissant hot from the oven?
Oh my.
Warm. Fragrant. Crisp at the edges, impossibly tender inside.
It might just change your life. Or at least your morning.
OPEN EVERY DAY 7a–2p
In a rush? Just give us a call at 619-289-8358 when you arrive and we'll bring your order out to ya - we call it IZOLA Drive By.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
Pre-orders are open now for Memorial Day weekend.
A quick note for those planning ahead: on particularly busy days, we may turn off same-day pre-orders in order to preserve the best possible experience for everyone.
If you’ve taken the time to place a pre-order, we want pickup to feel smooth and timely. And for those walking in, we want there to still be something warm from the oven waiting for you.
There’s a surprising amount of choreography behind the scenes each day — balancing pre-orders, the pace of the line, what’s coming hot from the oven, and making sure our team can care for every guest thoughtfully and well. Our goal is always the same: to get you out of line and into the joy of IZOLA as quickly as possible.
Thank you, as always, for your grace, understanding, and for planning ahead when you can!
A SPECIAL HONOR
This week, we had the tremendous honor of being recognized by Senator Akilah Weber Pierson as AAPI Small Business of the Year.
While awards are never why we do this work, this one felt especially meaningful.
IZOLA exists because of Jenny’s vision, grit, and belief that food can bring people together. What began as croissants lowered from a loft window in a basket has grown into something much bigger than either of us imagined — a place where people gather, celebrate, slow down, and share a moment together.
As an Asian American founder, Jenny has helped shape not only what IZOLA serves, but how it feels. Through flavors that quietly weave their way onto the menu — from the fan-favorite Lao Gan Ma Gruyère Sourdough to the Pei Pa Koa Latte — we’ve had the special opportunity to share a small part of her culture with this community.
Just recently, a guest visiting from the Bay Area asked to speak with Jenny. He had come to San Diego for a day of respite from the stress of work, and IZOLA was his first stop. Growing up Asian American in a generation with far less diversity than today, he shared — with a great deal of emotion — that being here made him feel seen. It was one of those moments that stays with you.
And behind the scenes, Jenny is also the steady force guiding much of what happens here day to day. She leads our team with an enormous amount of care, high standards, and belief in what people are capable of becoming. If you’ve ever experienced the warmth of this space, chances are her fingerprints are all over it.
My love, I am so proud of you.
And to our community, thank you. You’ve embraced this place, these flavors, and all the stories they carry. We feel incredibly lucky to share them with you.
A few of our 2026 interns pictured with Krystal, who heads up the program at IZOLA, Chef Lidia and GM Lauren
THE NEXT GENERATION
One of the great joys of the past two years has been welcoming student interns from local high school E3 Civic High into the rhythm of life at IZOLA.
What began in 2024 with just two interns has quietly grown into one of the programs we cherish most. This year, word had spread, and we somehow became one of the most sought-after placements. We don’t take that lightly.
Our hope has always been simple: to create a space where young people are trusted with real responsibility, where they can see what it means to be part of a team, and where they can begin building the confidence and skills that will carry them into whatever comes next.
That means we treat them like adults. We ask a lot of them. We trust them to rise to the occasion. And again and again, they do.
As this year’s internship came to a close, one student, who happens to also be valedictorian for her class (!), shared that her experience at IZOLA would be “forever engraved in my memory as a wonderful and special experience.” She wrote about the kindness of the team, how welcomed and supported they felt, and how rare it was to experience a community like this every day.
That really stayed with us.
Because while we hope the students leave with new skills and a better understanding of what the workforce asks of them, what matters most is that they leave believing in themselves a little more than when they arrived.
To this year’s interns: thank you. For your curiosity, your effort, your willingness to jump in, and for the joy you brought to the bakeshop. We’re cheering for you and can’t wait to see where life takes you.
And to our team — thank you for opening your arms, sharing your knowledge, and helping create the kind of place young people want to be part of.
SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC
Every Saturday, we host live music at the bakeshop. Please note that due to a special event, live music will be held from 8a-noon this weekend.
Come on by to see how talented our local San Diego musicians are! Follow us on Instagram to see the lineup each week.
LEATEA
8-9a
Leatea (San Diego native Dylann Jelden) has been a musician all her life, beginning with classical violin at age 4. She began writing songs and incorporating guitar in high school. She performs regularly in San Diego.
ALAN JELDEN
9-10a
Alan has been playing guitar for over 40 years. He has a wide range of musical styles that he likes, and plays many classic rock songs. He loves spending time with his beautiful wife and daughters, and on occasion has performed with his older daughter Dylann, a.k.a. Leatea at Izola, which he really loves to do.
MS CONNIE
10-11a
Ms. Connie blends pop, dance, and world sounds to share stories of love, freedom, and beauty—celebrating life through music and feminine power.
ISAAC CHEONG
11a-12p
Issac Cheong is a San Diego Based musician and photographer. Also known as "She Blonde Swede" his EP "The shopping cart" is available for listening on Bandcamp.
SOPHIE LONDON
12-1p
Sophie London is an emerging artist bridging indie folk and pop rock. A native of the Boston suburb of Needham, Sophie crafts music that captures the human experience – connection in all its various forms, with hope to find moments that resonate deeply with her audience. Her debut album, Mindreader, quickly gained local acclaim, earning a nomination for Best Pop Album at the San Diego Music Awards.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF A MOMENT
There is a specific sound in the bakeshop. It’s not the ovens or the music — it’s the collective shatter of a crust when a croissant is broken in half to be shared.
We believe that some things shouldn’t be subtle. They should be honest. They should be generous.
That’s why we take the long way with our Chocolate Croissant. We don’t settle for the standard one or two sticks of chocolate. We use four. Four batons of Valrhona French Chocolate, tucked into an architecture of 96 precise, buttery layers.
Why four? Because when you’re sitting across from a friend, gazing out at the park, and you pull that warm pastry apart, we want every single bite to be an encounter with intensity.
Always Hot. Always From the Oven.
We treat our Chocolate Croissants like high-level engineering —balancing the snap of the French chocolate against the delicate, airy lift of the dough. It is a simple pleasure, but it isn’t an "average" one. It is a moment of theater, served on a plate.
Come find us at the bakeshop. Bring a friend. Break some bread. Let the flakes fall where they may.
This is the moment.
See you at the table,
Chef JB
OPEN EVERY DAY 7a–2p
In a rush? Just give us a call at 619-289-8358 when you arrive and we'll bring your order out to ya - we call it IZOLA Drive By.
SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC
Every Saturday, we host live music at the bakeshop. Please note that due to a special event, live music will be held from 8a-noon this weekend.
Come on by to see how talented our local San Diego musicians are! Follow us on Instagram to see the lineup each week.
MIRO IMANI
9-10a
Miro Imani is a guitarist, singer songwriter, and producer local to San Diego, who just likes to perform and connect with people.
AARON BOWEN
10-11a
Aaron Bowen is a local San Diego musician, guitar builder, and well practiced recording artist. Bowen has recorded and produced many local musicians, he has lifted the music community in San Diego. His musical style encompasses many genres fused into a unique, well sculpted tone, that encapsulates the listener into a trance. Aaron plays at Izola often, we are lucky to have him.
JACQUI MORRIS
11-12p
My name is Jacqui Morris and I sing and play guitar in San Diego. My solo acoustic guitar cover sets include modern pop, 2000s pop and alternative favorites, Americana, and pop country songs.
CAITLIN LEWIS
12-1p
Hi, I’m Caitlin. I’m a singer and songwriter from San Diego. I write to reach out to others and validate shared experiences :)