Stopped by Diotima Bakehouse this morning and wow, I get the hype now. Everything tasted like it came out of the oven minutes ago. What surprised me most was that the pastries weren't super sweet. A lot of cafés drown everything in sugar, but here you can actually taste the butter and the bake. Big plus for me. Fair warning, the line was long. But honestly that tells you something, locals don't wait in line for mediocre stuff. It was worth it. The coffee was really good too. Not sure about their beans, but it tasted fresh roasted, smooth and full of flavor. Went perfectly with the pastries. I'll be back for sure. 5 stars! read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Cappuccino - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

Wow I wish I visited here sooner since I live around the corner ha! I came by around 8:30 am before work to see what the deal was with this bakery and the wonderful reviews! Located in the plaza next to Sonic. Small and cozy! Tables and chairs are available inside if you want to sit and enjoy. I browsed the savory and sweet baked goods in the display box and I loved that there weren't too many options because then I feel like I don't know what to get and this tells me they pour lots of attention and love into each recipe. I ordered a salt bread with cheese and jalapeno, this is my favorite item from the mexican bread markets, and I got 4 different pastries: berry custard type cup, a guava and cheese and this was the BEST one I have ever had in my life, an apple tart and the coffee cake. Oh my goodness, the flakey crust, the creamy filling, the fresh tart fruit, this is pure heaven. On the pricey side, so definitely a once in a while treat. I didn't try the beverages this time but they have a great selection of cofee and tea. The employees are so nice! Lots of smiles and welcoming faces. Come here! read more

See all

Worth a drive, worth every penny. Its a small bakery located in Mission Viejo. Ive read about it for several months and finally stopped by this afternoon. Great customer service. They answered all my questions and the pastries were phenomenal. I will definitely return and recommend to others. read more

This is our first time to try this place after our bloodwork. We got here around 9:30am and we were 2nd in line. They open at 10 am on weekends. There was a long line by the time the doors opened. My hubby and i ordered a couple of pastries. All the pastries looks delicious and freshly baked. So far the nutella pan and the kouiegn amann and both were yummy and not too sweet. For coffee we both had cold hazel latte and it was also good and not too sweet. The staff were very friendly and patient in answering our questions. We would definitely be back. read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Inside the cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

I have been going here since they opened and I like this place for pastries. My favorites here are: Diotima Delight, crinkle cookie, chocolate cake, Basque, cheese cake , cinnamon roll, and their Croissants. Staff are friendly and helpful. I've tried other places and so far this is my favorite. read more

It has been a while since I've been back to Diotima and I'm happy to report that their pastries, especially their croissants, are really good! This time, I got the Turkey BBQ ($7), Ham & Cheese Salt Bread ($6), BBQ Brisket Salt Bread ($7), Pistachio & Raspberry Croissants ($6.50), and Pain Au Chocolate ($4.50). They were all really good, but I don't think I'd get the Salt Breads again. While the filling itself were good, I wasn't a huge fan of the bread itself. It felt doughy and nothing special. Croissants are flaky and they continue to come up with new sweet and savory flavors that keeps it interesting! Service is friendly and overall, a really nice place to grab pastries from! read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Savory and sweet pastries from $4.50 - $7. 7/9/2026 - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Diotima had been on my list for awhile so when I was around the area on a Friday morning, I decided to finally check them out! I got there around 10:45am and they still had a lot of pastries and everything looked so good! I decided to just order one thing for myself and what caught my eye was the Cookienish with was a cookie inside a danish. It was very interesting but yummy! The cookie was soft and the pastry just made sense. I did pay $6 for one pastry which is kinda steep but I also understand that they are freshly made. The service was also great and the employee helping me was patient as I decided what to buy. I want to come back and try other things and their drinks. Recommend checking it out! read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

I've been meaning to try out Diotima for a while, so when I found myself in the neighborhood this morning I decided to visit. Kian runs this place like the navy. The quality of the food speaks for itself, but what is most impressive is the smooth operation of this hot new cafe. The space itself is small, and the cafe gets busy---- but there is plenty of seating and even during peak hours, there's barely a line. His team is incredibly efficient and quick. From the second I walked in, I was welcomed. The place is spotless-- as soon as there is an empty table, a staff member cleans it. It is clear that the team at Diotima takes a lot of pride in this little bakery cafe. The cappuccino was delicious, and the price point was great for the area. The croissant was excellent--- not too sweet, and that beautiful combination of buttery soft inside and flaky outside that demonstrates how fresh it is. I'm very impressed by Diotima, and wish Kian and the team so much success! I look forward to taking my friends here soon :) read more

Diotima Bakehouse - cappuccino and pan au chocolat - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Delicious place, we try two pastries and it was a though decision between all of them, but they were amazing, in particular the chocolate egg Clair, the place is not so big, but it always has people in there, the staff is very nice and they are very popular with whole cakes I noticed. read more

See all

The BEST, freshest pastries. I wish influencers didn't blow them up on IG because now there is a line out the door, LOL. The chocolate cake, decadent. Their coffee cake, divine! Coming back soon to try some of their other selections. read more

Probably the best bakery in Orange County. Can't think of any other businesses doing superior baked goods currently. The quality of their products is very impressive. The croissant layers and texture are master class. I haven't had anything I didn't like so far. This place is amazing. Well deserved 5 star average. I love that the staff is so humble and eager to help. read more

See all

The pastries here are amazing! I had the almond croissant and another pastry that was flat and flaky. But everything looks good! This place is def a go to. read more

Diotima Bakehouse, an amazingly delicious bakery, is located off of Los Alisos and Jeronimo in the city of Mission Viejo. I've heard all the buzz about this place and I have had it bookmarked since owner and chef Kian Moltaji first opened. I am happy to say that I finally had a chance to go. I am literally kicking myself for not having gone sooner because of ALL the bakeries I have been to...I can honestly say that this is by far my absolute favorite. They are open Wednesday through Sunday only so keep that in mind. Chef Kian, offers French pastries that will have you wanting more with the very first bite. The bakery not only smells amazing but it's clean inside and decorated with some pretty live plants. I mean, the bakery made me smile just walking in. Don't know. There are several small tables that line two side walls, just perfect for some coffee and chill with a friend. What I ordered. 1) almond & raspberry danish 5/5 - OMG. I love almond desserts and pastries but I am always so hesitant to take the first bite because they're usually crazy sweet. Not this. This was crispy, flaky, moist, tasty and perfectly sweetened. 2) caramelized almond croissant 5/5 - another super good almond pastry. You'd think being that it is caramelized that this would be cavity inducing but it is far from that. Just the right sweetness. 3) guava cheese 5/5 - really good. What I liked was the soft sweetness of the cheese which usually overpowers cheese pasties everywhere else. 4) chocolate croissant - I didn't get to try this. The kids devoured it so quickly I didn't even have a chance. They did enjoy it very much and had to split the two between them since it's a fairly large pastry. They asked for me to buy more of it, so I'm guessing it must've been a 5/5 for them too. 5) pistachio raspberry croissant 5/5 - this is amazing. No wonder they run out of this all the time. 6) caramelized pistachio raspberry 5/5 - similar to the croissant. This is also very delicious. This one also ran out the first time I went. 7) Nutella 5/5 - I honestly cannot remember the name of this pastry other than it has Nutella in it. This was a huge hit with the kids. The kids are already bugging about going as soon as they open again to which I will happily oblige. I need to snag me some of the pistachio pastries next time. I hear those are amazing. So happy to have them so close to home. read more

See all

First time here... been wanting to visit. There are a few really high quality "European" style pastry shops in South Orange County... and Diotima is up there with the best. I'd like to give this higher but I only give 5's based on consistency so my reviews are authentic and if I've tried a good variety of their options. The service was solid but could have communicated about the product more as I was selecting... maybe a question about if this was my first time in or if I like sweet or savory and offer a few suggestions... just a thought. It's a small spot but has space to meet with a friend and have a drink (I didn't order one but people dinning in all had a specialty drink) It was clean and seemed well cared for with a simple decor. If you are in the area, support this local spot as we need to help keep places that provide quality food doing well! I'm looking forward to going back and trying some of the savory pastries. read more

See all

This is a great bakery that services excellent coffee. The staff is super friendly. Always go early because they sell out especially of the chocolate cake read more

Diotima Bakehouse - So many good options - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

Every time we're here we can't help ourselves but order everything!! All pastries and sandwiches taste as good as they look! You can't go wrong with any pastries that you get here! Our favorites: Kouign amann (with vanilla filling) Pain Au Chocolate Almond croissant Cardamom bun Turkey salted bread: loved all the textures and different layers of flavors! These also sell fast!! BBQ Turkey salted bread: wow!! So good! Come early bc these sell out FAST!! The staff here are all so delightful!! Everyone is friendly and eager to help. Their recommendations are great, but then again all items are pretty AMAZING! The line will get long but it moves pretty quickly! If you're lucky you'll see chef Kian himself behind the counter! He's super friendly and a humble man. :) There are few tables available inside for you to enjoy your goodies. People often grab the pastries to go but we like eating there and people watch! I wish we didn't have to drive 20+ minutes to get here but it's worth it! Also be mindful that the bakery is only opened 4 days a week (Tues, Th, Fri, and Saturday)! Chef Kian is working on opening possibly on Sundays! Fingers crossed!! read more

See all

There was always a line outside Diotima so I decided to give it a try. I ordered the almond cake, Kouign Aman (filled and unfilled), the salmon mousse croissant, butter croissant, salt bread, and an iced almond latte. As a Parisian-inspired bakery, I expected the croissants to be flaky and tender and did they live up to this expectation. The butter croissant crackled when I bit it, and then it exposed the tender center. I had the same experience with the kouign aman. I was concerned though that the kouign aman would be too sweet, but because of the slight bitterness of the caramelized sugar, it didn't taste too sweet at all. The almond cake was also delicious. Not too sweet and moist. Full of almond flavor. The ice almond latte was delicious, rich, and the espresso was not acidic or bitter. Now for the salt bread. The bread was good, but it didn't have the same texture contrasts I was expecting when compared to other salt breads I have had. Overall, a great little bakery and I will be stopping by again. read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

I'd give Diotima a 3.5 and have to sadly report that I am not as impressed as everyone else. I have been three different times this past year, and most recently had the choccolate croissant, the eclair and the butterscotch chocolate chip cookie. The first two times, I focused on the laminated pastries - almond croissant, kouign amman (filled with pastry cream) and a guava pastry. Sadly, this is where I don't think Diotima does that well - my chocolate croissant was on the doughier side - think a more bready Costco croissant. I thought the kouign amman was really dense, as was the almond croissant. I love my laminated pastries and found them dense, as if the dough got too warm. However, the bright spots are the cookies and the eclair. I actually thought the cookie was one of the best I've ever tasted - great chewy texture, even when cold, delicious complex flavor, with salty bits running through it. Actually really fabulous. The eclair was also good - I do find that based on the eclair and filled kouign amman, I find the pastry cream too thick and sticky - it just has a very sticky mouthfeel. I haven't tried any of the drinks, but I think I'll stick to Diotima's cookies, cakes and refrigerated desserts. For laminated pastries, I think Chaupain does a fine job. read more

Overall amazing! Service is great they are always smiling! Everything is fire !! The babka is my favorite! If you love cinnamon rolls and chocolate! This is for you! read more

Saw this place on social media! Highly recommend it! The pastries are fresh and tasty. The coffee hits just right. Love the local business feel! The owner was super friendly and accommodating. The workers had a smile! I had the ham and cheese soft bread. It was delicious. We also got a chocolate croissant and an almond croissant. Come here and give it a chance! You won't be disappointed read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

A budding cafe with a nice variety of baked goods; classics and some twists on the classics, beautifully made. The turkey sandwich is very filling and delicious, especially for those who like pickles. The butter croissant was not bad, actually... I prefer a bit more tang and the structure could use some improvement but I am a self-proclaimed croissant snob and I was not disappointed. I find the prices to be fair, but I'm used to dining in LA. I found some of the lower rating reviews to be quite rough. Folks might not recognize the level of effort and time it takes to laminate croissants and to create edible works of art. Service was welcoming and gracious. I would love to see this place continue to grow and thrive with the support of its generous community. So many people popped in and picked up a box or two of goodies. The music, the smiles, and friendly chatter left me with a great first impression. read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Pain Suisse - golden crust and beautiful texture - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

By far one the best Bakery's in US! The chef behind this art gallery is a very talented young man who loves what he does! And you can definitely taste the love in his works! Can't express how unique is this shop's products! Do yourself a favor and go there at least once a week! He is the best thing happened to Orange County in the last few years! read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Pastries were amazing! Went in with friends and we enjoyed the banana crème pie, the guava cream cheese, and I loved the smoked salmon cucumber croissant. We got plenty and split to try new flavors. The owner greeted us when we entered right at opening and that's is very rare to see nowadays. The staff were friendly, kind, and efficient. There is seating inside (2 tables of 4 seats) and a few 2 people tables. They serve coffee too! Price ranges from $6-$10 more or less depending on what you choose. I love that we can go and grab our own utensils and napkins as someone with a bit of social anxiety hehe. Thank you for bringing joy to our day! read more

See all

Being a fan of croissants, how have I not learned about this place before?! While I haven't gotten thru everything I bought just yet, there already is a good vibe with what I've sampled - chocolate babka, kouign amann, and butter croissant. It's nice that this bakery is close to home - I'll definitely become a regular here! read more

My wife and I had a wonderful experience at Diotima Bakehouse. I tried the Danish with an Americano, while my wife had the almond croissant and saffron latte. The pastries were exceptionally fresh and absolutely outstanding, and we especially enjoyed the unique flavor of the saffron latte. The staff were friendly and welcoming. There were many young, energetic people working there, and everyone had a smile on their face, creating such a positive atmosphere. You can tell that great care goes into both the pastries and the customer experience. We loved our visit and will definitely return to try more! read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

Family brought home a box of various pastries. I tried a few and nothing I liked unfortunately. Just not well executed. Ham & Cheese Croissant - very bland Berry crumble cake - just way too wet/soggy Salt Chocolate Chip - Lacked flavor My family didnt mind but its not for me. If I go back will definitely try something else. read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Box to go - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Visited after having a big lunch near closing time. Their hours are pretty limited. Something like 1100-1600. Not really good for picking up boxes of goodies meant for morning meetings or team sports event. The parking was tight and limited. The silent pressure to make the transaction quickly so they can go home soon was very salient. The selection was limited perhaps due to it being 20 minutes before closing. I got 4 pastries for $25 or so. Various items with vanilla custard filling, cream filling, and chocolate filling of sort. None of them except for the custard square stood out to me. Everything tasted too sweet, sticky, stale, and/or buttery. Very messy to eat in the car. I guess I am just not a French pastry sweets kind of person. I have similar reactions when going to Chaupain or places like Paris Baguette. Both are French-style bakeries and I always feel like their stuff is too sweet or too oily. At least their products aren't stale. Because of how out of way this location is from home, difficult parking situation, not the friendliest or the most efficient service, the price points being $7 for a sickly sweet and stale tart, I doubt I will be returning. I have no problem driving out to Santa Monica / Century City just to get some good baked items. Distance isn't always the problem. Perhaps I just don't understand the hype behind Diotima but that's ok. read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

Go to Diotima 15 minutes before it opened on a weekday, and I was third in line. By the time 11am hit and the store opened, there was a decent sized line behind me. The employees were quick, efficient, and friendly. Even the owner, Kian, was there to help greet customers and work the cash register. The pastries were all delicious. Our favorites were the chocolate cake, the cream filled kouign amann, the guava cheese pastry, and the ham and cheese croissant. Even though we had to wait in line, everyone there seemed very happy and it was overall a really great experience. read more

See all

Came across Chef Kian on social media way before he opened his store front. I've been a fan of his pastries without even trying them. When he finally opened a bakery... just my luck, it's literally a few streets down from home. They have limited days & hours. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from 11AM to 4PM. Best to come early since they sell out of the crowd favorites. Big fan of their almond croissants, kouign amann, ham & jalapeño muffin croissant, basically anything with a puff pastry base they nailed it. The chocolate chip cookie with flaky salt is also a favorite. They serve coffee and tea drinks. The latest one I tried was the calamansi matcha. It was so good and refreshing. Great pastries. Good service. A must on your list of bakeries in the area. read more

See all

Had been following Kian since the Covid days where he was making baking videos on IG. Finally came out to check this place out and my mind was blown. What a great bakery, friendly vibes, and great service. Huge line on a Saturday morning though so be prepared to wait. Seating can also be difficult as it's limited. All items we got were super tasty and we got many pastries to test out. Surprisingly my favorite of all was the italian sausage croissant! Cappuccino was also great. Was expecting a little more action from the Pistachio and almond berry cakes, but they were still really good. Will be back for the sausage croissant and want to try the basque cheesecake and eclair! read more

See all

This place is amazing! Not only are Kian and his team friendly, patient, and knowledgeable, but they make many delectable goodies here, and I hope they stick around for a long time. From my haul, two stellar items were the chocolate eclair and the chocolate cake. Eclair was absolutely scrumptious with the chocolate ganache-like glaze and custardy filling. Cake slice was so decadent and fudgy that I could only eat a couple of bites in one sitting, but that just means I'll have dessert for a few days (yay!). Most of their offerings are a bit pricey, but they taste like quality ingredients, and I'm sure a lot of them take time and resources in order to be made and presented well. The iced pumpkin spice latte was tasty. Super pumpkiny, well spiced, and enjoyably sweet. They weren't messing around with the pumpkin and the spice, so it wasn't a drink I could chug, but I looked forward to sipping it the following morning. The bakeshop is in the Silverado Plaza at Jeronimo Rd and Los Alisos Blvd. Parking lot is free but a little small. I was able to find a spot during the early afternoon, but they had already ran out of over half of their pastries, so coming early to browse more of a selection would be a fantastic idea. Even though most baked goods are expensive, and the location is a bit out of the way for me, Diotima will definitely be the occasional treat for me. read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Everything was good, but the eclair and chocolate cake (bottom box) were exceptionally delicious! - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

The kouign amann with vanilla custard filling from Diotima is one of my all-time favorite pastries. The custard is light and not too sweet. I came on a Tuesday morning and there was luckily no wait. If you are coming here on the weekend though, be prepared to wait. I always get the kouign amann and then a few other pastries to try. Among all the things I've tried here, the kouign amann is still the best! I'll have to try the cookies next! read more

See all

shout out to Kian and his team for giving my cousin who was visiting from out of town a great experience. I came two days back-to-back because they were out of Pistachio croissants. First day came late in the day, didnt find what i was looking for but left with a pistachio cake that was divine! Kian advised me to come back the following day at 10am when they opened and promised the croissant i was looking for would be available. Needless to say, the following morning, we headed over there and it was packed! We were able to find a table and order Pistachio croissants, pistachio cake I had the previous day, the new Pistachio roulette, add a cup of joy latte and a regular latte for my cousin. We had a very much needed catch up session and ended up making friends with the couple sitting next to us. We loved the new Pistachio roulette so much, I bought a few more along with more croissants and cake for the family to take home. They loved it!! I have only 1 gripe, the pistachio croissant has a raspberry filling now that makes it a bit too sweet for some. I wish they would have one without the raspberry filling. I asked Kian and he said you could pre order ahead of time and they could custom make it. I paid a pretty penny within the last 2 days and will be back to enjoy another "cup of joy" which is a latte consisting of cardamom, saffron in a latte. I'm in! My cousin who is a latte snob loved both his latte and mine. 9/10 read more

Great selection of bake good. Good drinks. Nice cafe, not a lot of seats. I suppose if it's not so hot, a few tables and chairs could be added outside. Helpful staffs since it was our first time and we are unfamiliar. read more

See all

Pastries galore and just like in France! Was super amazed by the variety of the pastries offered at Diotima. And was blown away by the quality. I ordered a pain au chocolat, almond croissant, and babka. The croissants were amazing and buttery! The almost croissant was delicate and not too sweet. The almond paste was delicious and the chef was not skimpy with it. It was a good portion and spread evenly throughout the croissant so you could taste it in every bite. The babka was something new I tried. I would describe it as a rustic roll with a swirl of cinnamon and sugar. It was the perfect mix of sweet and hint of salty. My favorite thing was the smoked salmon mousse croissant sandwich. It was so yummy, delicate yet super savory. There were hints of fresh dill, smoked salmon, and fresh mini cucumber! I could eat this sandwich everyday!! The staff was friendly and helpful in explaining what each item was. The Bakehouse also offers various coffee drinks and teas! Highly recommend this place but go early because they sell out! Enjoy! read more

See all

Some of the best French pastries me wife and I had. We're from the Bay Area and these rival the big names like Arsicault or Manresa. My wife's go to pastry is the almond croissant and this is the best one she's ever had. High praise. Their cream filled kouin amman was also a hit. Their americano and banana matcha latte were terrific. Please go here. read more

What is there to say? Some of the best pastries in California and therefore the world. The cookies are actually world class. Unreal read more

As everyone has noted there's a long line at the door but it moves fairly quickly. The staff are nice and friendly and although it's very busy they make the time to smile and greet all the customers. It was my first time trying Diotima after seeing a post on Instagram and it definitely lived up to the hype. I got an assortment of different pastries and all were delicious. The highlight was the Persian cardamom and saffron latte, it is really to die for!!! Chef Kian (the owner) was at the register and he is the nicest person, I wish him all the best and success he very much deserves. Please go support this neighborhood gem/ small business! read more

See all

The Deliciously Chocolate Crinkle, was a perfect chocolatey sensation. Visually stunning, perfect aroma, and texture! But when I went there, was for that generous slice of German Chocolate Cake! I found the cake to be perfect flavoring, not too sweet frosting, I love the way that it's layered so eloquently. It's just delicious. I want to go get a whole cake now. I have a birthday coming up this month. I think this is going to be my birthday cake choice as well! Service was excellent too, not to mention affordable prices! read more

Diotima Bakehouse - Smells so nice !!!! - Bakeries Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

See all

There was a line out the door before opening at 11am. The staff was very kind and quick but didnt rush us when it was our turn to order. They gave great recommendations. The croissants were deliciously crispy and flaky and buttery. Our favorite was the bbq brisket! I salmon was very creamy and good and would be even better if it had a slice of smoked salmon inside. The cucumbers gave it a freshness. It was clean inside with some seating. Will definitely be back and bring some friends! read more

See all