Blackmarket Bakery

Founded in Orange County at The Camp in Costa Mesa – and with two additional locations in San Diego and Oceanside – Blackmarket Bakery specialized in cookies and pastries that were named, flavored, and decorated with an distinctively American attitude. Everything was originally made and served fresh daily, so items were available only until they sell out.

From twice-baked almond croissants to multi-brown-toned, flourless chocolate walnut mudslide cookies, the energy here was “make it delicious, calories be damned.” To that end, sweet recipes unapologetically included butter, extra chocolatey chocolate (in a “total eclipse” cake), and molasses, while a collection of sandwiches commonly used toasted Dutch crunch, croissants, or brioche as bread.