Beard Papa - Kearney Mesa

Beard Papa is the chain of Japanese cream puff stores that have had a spotty presence in San Diego. I remember they used to have a store in Plaza Bonita many years ago (which closed in 2012). I went there once and liked it allot. They opened up another location in 2022 in La Jolla, but closed mid-2024. They now have opened a new spot in Kearney Mesa, which I feel is a fitting location, with it being close to all the Asian eateries. It is on the corner of Balboa Ave and Convoy Street. Small parking lot, and I'm sure will get packed on weekend nights, especially when the sushi handroll bar next door.

It was doing brisk business when I was there (late afternoon on a Saturday). The menu is pretty small but the flavors change from time to time, both the shell and the fillings. There are usually some regular shell options, such as original/plain and chocolate, with some flavor rotations such as strawberry and creme brulee. The choice of filling is usually either vanilla bean or chocolae but there are also some special fillings, such as Cola, which is part of a Monster Hunter theme. I did overhear from the owner that they may introduce lava cakes soon

The location is a pretty good size. Quite a few tables. The store is narrow but long. A pretty small ordering area that can get congested when busy, but you can watch the eamployees making your puffs (including torching the sugar for the brulee). The puffs were made fresh as they were quite busy so there was rotation of newly made puffs. The employees were nice and even as they only been open for a little over a month, they seemed quite efficient.

The owner was training an employee on torching the sugar for the creme brulee, and this was his attempt on making mine. He pretty much nailed it.

These were the bounties from my two visits there

The verdict? As good as I remember

The puffs were crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. It definitely tasted fresh. The filling was rich and creamy with the right amount of sweetness. About as good as I remember. I will try the other fillings but I'm pretty much a vanilla guy. Not much more can be said other than they hit the spot.

I'm sure Beard Papa will fit right in at the Convoy location as it's positioned really well next to a lot of the Asian eateries. Hopefully it will stay there for a while.

Beard Papa

4488 Convoy St.

San Diego, CA 92111

Sun - Thurs: 11am - 8pm

Fri & Sat: 11am - 9:30pm

beardpapas.com