As a small girl, Alejandra Name remembers enjoying the delicious food at Villa Nueva Bakery Cafe when she stayed at her family’s condo at The Shores, and she now lives here full-time. Villa Nueva has a storied 113-year history, starting as Anderson’s Coronado Home Bakery in 1911, and run by the Anderson family for 81 years, until it was sold to the Stavros family, who ran it as Primavera Pastry Café for 11 years. It then sold to Jorge Partida and Luis Madrid in 2003, who named it Villa Nueva Bakery. It was then purchased by the Serio and Lopez families in 2010; and a year ago, Ricky and Alejandra Name joined the Serio families as partners.
The two families collaborate on running the business, but chances are when you visit Villa Nueva you will meet Alejandra, who has been the face of the café for the past six months. She and her family also own Biggie’s Burgers with locations in San Clemente and Pacific Beach. Name was born in Mexico but comes from Lebanese heritage. She enjoyed cooking with her mom and grandma growing up. She shares that making Lebanese food is labor intensive and her favorites are Kibe and Labneh.
She adores adding her own personal touches while cooking. “I’m very creative in the kitchen and we are introducing new items, so customers who come in for their usual dishes can also try new things.” I have high praise for the new pistachio croissant-type roll, which is flaky, filled with melt-in-your mouth pistachio cream, sprinkled with nuts. Other culinary creations include pistachio muffins, Nutella muffins, baklava cheesecake, a new pancake recipe, with more to come like Biscoff muffins and dulce de leche rolled croissants, with other ideas percolating.
With recently updated décor, she says, “I want our restaurant to feel cozy, like home. My favorite part is interacting with customers and seeing their satisfaction as they enjoy their food. It makes me happy when people clean their plates,” she comments. The portions at Villa Nueva are generous and they are adding more healthy options, as well as recently introducing Specialty, a new gourmet coffee brand from Mexico. Offering a wide range of coffee options, from Americanos to cappuccinos, their most popular drinks are lattes. Name exudes positivity as she welcomes guests, takes orders or whips up frappes, which she promises customers are the very best.
For light fare, she suggests trying the Huevos Salgados, and for a heavier meal she recommends the Baja Dip. All their food is made from scratch from tried-and-true recipes. Chef Jose has been in the kitchen there for 30 years, and there are other long-term employees as well.
Villa Nueva Bakery is so much more than the name suggests, with orange blossom pancakes, waffles, French toast, burritos, breakfast croissants, egg dishes and more options to savor for breakfast. Lunch and dinner feature a wide array of burritos, sopes, tacos, enchiladas, burgers, salads, and sandwiches; and choices also include gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options.
Locally named sandwiches, like the Ferry Landing, Glorietta Bay, Hotel Del, and the ever-popular Kitty Hawk, to name just a few of the delicious selections, are piled high with meats, cheeses, veggies, and spreads. Name also encourages diners to try the amazing Mexican-style tortas. “We try to offer a variety of food that appeals to everyone, from kids to seniors,” she emphasizes.
Baked fresh daily gigantic muffins are sized to share. My favorite is the cranberry orange, but the most popular are the bran and blueberry varieties. The bakery cases are filled with scrumptious cinnamon rolls, local favorite palmiers, croissants, cookies, cakes, and other sweet treats, all good reasons to keep coming back.
They also offer catering and special orders, and food can be ordered on Uber, DoorDash or off their website. Reservations are available in the café for parties of six or more.
Whether you grab a coffee and pastry to go or sit and dine in their inviting indoor or outdoor seating area, you will not be disappointed with the hospitality or the food. Villa Nueva Bakery’s new winter hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 am to 5 pm, and Friday through Sunday from 7 am to 7 pm. Located in the heart of the village at 956 Orange Ave., Villa Nueva can be reached at 619-435-1256. To learn more and order food, check out villanuevabakerysd.com.
