Extraordinary Desserts
Rating
Family of 4
$40-$60 (2 cake slices at $10-14 each + 2 smaller desserts at $6-10 each + drinks = $40-60)
Duration
0.5-1 hour
Best Ages
Best for all ages
About
Extraordinary Desserts is San Diego's most celebrated dessert destination -- producing visually stunning, intensely flavored desserts since 1988. Located in Bankers Hill just minutes from Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo, it serves as the perfect sweet conclusion to a day of family activities.
The dessert case is genuinely breathtaking. Towering cakes decorated with fresh flowers, hand-placed fruit, chocolate shards, and delicate sugar work are displayed like artwork. The visual impact is immediate.
Owner and pastry chef Karen Krasne draws on global influences: passion fruit mousse cake, dark chocolate oblivion torte, lemon tart, and seasonal specials. The quality of ingredients is evident in every bite.
The savory menu -- flatbreads, salads, sandwiches, and cheese plates -- is excellent, making this a viable combined lunch-and-dessert destination.
Pricing reflects the quality: cake slices run $10-14, smaller pastries are $6-10, and coffee drinks are $5-7. A family of four will spend $40-60. Open until 10-11 PM on weekends, it is one of the few excellent evening dessert options in San Diego.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Yes
Nursing / Changing
Limited
Kid Meals
Limited
Setting
Indoor & Outdoor
Rainy Day
Great option!
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Afternoon between 2-4 PM for the sweet spot between lunch and dinner crowds. Weekend evenings can have a short wait. Weekday afternoons are easy.
Wait Times
0-15 min depending on time
Nearby Food
Bankers Hill has Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant (gastropub, $16-24), Cucina Urbana (Italian, $16-28), and Baja Betty's (Mexican, $12-18). Balboa Park is 5 minutes away.
Why Kids Love It
Extraordinary Desserts lives up to its name -- the display case alone is enough to make kids gasp. Towering cakes decorated with edible flowers, fresh fruit, and artistic chocolate work line the glass case like jewels. The flavors go beyond standard bakery fare: passion fruit mousse cake, lavender-honey panna cotta, dark chocolate oblivion torte.
For kids, choosing from the display case is half the experience. Walking slowly along the glass, comparing options, creates genuine excitement. The desserts are beautiful enough that kids want to photograph them before eating.
The Bankers Hill location has a beautiful, airy interior with a mix of modern and rustic decor, plus an outdoor patio. The atmosphere is upscale-casual -- nice enough for a special occasion but relaxed enough that a toddler with chocolate on their face will not draw stares.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Walk the entire display case before ordering -- the selection is overwhelming
- Cake slices are generous -- share one between two people to try more flavors
- The savory menu (flatbreads, salads) makes this a viable lunch spot, not just dessert
- The Bankers Hill location is the original with the best atmosphere; Little Italy has a larger patio
- This is a perfect post-Balboa Park or post-zoo stop -- only 5 minutes from both
What to Bring
- Camera for the desserts
- Cash or card (both accepted)
Cost Info
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
$40-$60 (2 cake slices at $10-14 each + 2 smaller desserts at $6-10 each + drinks = $40-60)
Tips to Save
- Cake slices are large enough to share between two kids.
- The savory menu is also excellent if you want to combine lunch and dessert.
- Skip the fancy coffee drinks to offset dessert costs.
- The display case lets you see every dessert before ordering.
Hours & Contact
Hours
- Friday
- 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
- Monday
- 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
- Sunday
- 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
- Tuesday
- 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
- Saturday
- 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
- Thursday
- 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
- Wednesday
- 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
