TV’s ‘Golden Girls’ Rule Over Chula Vista’s Instagrammable New Bakery and Cafe

A Cake Boss alum has opened a sweet new South San Diego spot for the Instagram set called Mmm...Cakes in Chula Vista with a menu of over-the-top desserts designed to be photographed against a backdrop of neon signs, kitschy chandeliers, and glamour shots of television’s Golden Girls, one of the chef’s all-time favorite shows.

The 3,200-square-foot family-run bakery and cafe centers around the creations of Jose Barajas, a cake pro who’s competed in a number of baking shows on TLC and the Food Network and recently worked in culinary production for Netflix’s Sugar Rush and Baketopia on HBO Max.

Barajas, who grew up in the area and worked at Standlee’s Inc, a longstanding baking supply store just up the street, tells Eater that he’s thrilled to be able to open his first storefront on downtown Chula Vista’s bustling 3rd Avenue corridor.

Specializing in elaborately constructed and decorated custom cakes — some of which can take up to two weeks to build — the chef is also offering slices of some of his most popular cakes; the rotating list of flavors includes blueberry-lemon, red velvet, mixed berry, carrot, and Oreo.

Alongside a coffee menu from Quechan-owned and operated Spirit Mountain Roasting Co., and smoothies like the Blanche’s Beauty Elixir, a blend of berries, banana, acai, and oat milk, the cafe’s pastry case is stocked with large selection of treats from croissants and danishes to scones, cookies, and muffins. Mmm...Cakes also features plated desserts including Paris-Brest, a choux pastry filled with hazelnut pastry cream, as well as lemon cream tarts and pecan cheesecake.

Barajas says they’ll soon expand the menu with savory breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, and comfort food like mac and cheese and plan to eventually serve beer and wine. He’s also going to continue his well-received pop-ups at area breweries; a Halloween Beetlejuice-themed collab is coming to Chula Vista Brewery next week.

• Food Network Star Opening Chula Vista Bakery and Cafe [ESD]