Azucar — Restaurant in San Diego

To be honest, I had no idea Azucar offered a Cubano sandwich as I thought they only offered pastries. What I tasted ABSOLUTELY blew my mind! I’ll admit, I am very, very late to the party and almost embarrassed to admit that (to me) Azucar might be one of OB’s biggest secrets as I also found out they just celebrated their 16th-year anniversary. Congratulations!! How did I not know about this incredible Cubano sandwich hidden in plain sight? If you are like me and haven’t tried it yet, I’m smiling because I know you too will have that jaw dropping first bite so get ready to become an instant fan. Their bread is perfectly pressed and toasted to a golden-brown crisp, providing a delightful crunch that gives way to a tender interior. The succulent roasted pork that was slow cooked/marinating for 12-18 hours was juicy and seasoned to perfection. Hands down this sandwich is a must-try, and I’ll say it’s a perfect five stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I also had a funny experience. At first, while I was taking a photo of this sandwich, I thought, “Wow, this sandwich is almost too thick.” It wasn’t until I almost took my second bite that I realized it was actually a sandwich cut in half and stacked on top of each other. 😂

I also tried their plantain chips. The chips by themselves are great, and with their garlic creamy dip, it excelled the taste, completing this meal and making it unforgettable. I’m SOOOO happy to have finally found this sandwich on Newport Avenue! I’m definitely going back this week for...

Loved every single bite of the Azucar’s delicious pastries. Went back four times during our stay in Ocean Beach, enjoyed 4 different cakes and 4 different flaky pastries. These bakers know what they are doing! Delicious flavors (not too sugary sweet, so all the flavors come through), amazing textures, and beautifully decorated. A real treat every time! I’d like them to open a bakery in my neighborhood.

2nd review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We came back in August ‘25, for three days in a row, and loved every single bite again. This time for me the stars were the Cubano Pie-puff pastry, a cuban sandwich in a pastry, that I can’t stop thinking about. That pickle and mustard flavors on top of pork and cheese, in a puff pastry, combine for a flavor miracle.

On the sweet side the Pistachio Peach Pastry, that had an amazing succession of crunchy then soft and chewy, then crunchy again textures, together with delicious flavors. I’ve never had such a wonderfully strong pistachio flavor brought up in a pastry. Would like to know if it’s Azucar’s sourcing of pistachios, or how they toast and prepare them, or both.

We also had the dessert cakes that were stupid good, Divina, Mango cheesecake, and I really wish we had time and room in our bellies to try the tiramisu. We’ll just have to fly back to San Diego!

PS We loved the atmosphere there too. Whether it was a rush, or a slower time, this place makes...

OH. MY. LANTA. Azucar is AMAZING!! My husband and I were watching the movie Chef, and when Cubanos came into the film, it got us thinking. He's from Ft. Lauderdale/Miami and Cubanos are his all-time favorite sandwich. I am an uncultured swine and had never had one before, but it looked so good I HAD to have one. Welp, it was 7pm at night on a Saturday, so we made plans to get one for lunch the next day. ENTER AZUCAR. We got a Cubano with plantain chips, each a Cafe con Leche, and I got a Artemesia pastry. Now, we parked fairly close, so we went back to the car where I proceeded to burn the bazinga out of my tongue on the hot sandwich because I WAS THAT ANXIOUS TO TRY IT! From what I could taste, it was amazing. I let it cool while I ate the plantain chips and FELL IN LOVE. It was all so dang good! I usually have my coffee with vanilla syrup, so I wasn't sure I would like the Cafe con Leche, but it was the best coffee I've ever had!! The sandwich cooled, and my husband finally took a bite of his half and all he could say was "Oh.....OH, YEAH. SPOT. ON." I saved the Artemesia pastry and remembered I had it in the refrigerator in the middle of doing homework, and all I can say is AZUCAR IS LIKE STRIKING GOLD. Now whenever we take our dog to the beach in OB, we're stopping by and getting a Cubano. Insert Homer...