Our Story

As one of the most innovative restaurants in San Diego, we are committed to changing the way our guests think about food. Everything we do is made from scratch and with love. From our signature breads to our fruit-infused sangrias, something is always cooking at Cafe 21 San Diego.

Get ready for a true Cafe 21 experience, where amazing food and drinks as well as good company and beautiful ambiance are all part of the Cafe 21 way. Our concept is small plates, allowing for variety and our guests to indulge in different tastes and flavors. Everything from our style of service, spices, and techniques are true to the culture of Azerbaijan. We only work with the best, freshest ingredients to bring you unique seasonal dishes made from locally grown produce, hormone-free grass fed meat, wild seafood, and antibiotic-free Mary's Free Range Chickens. We love hand making our own sourdough bread, which is baked daily using organic flour and a very special starter named Lola. What is important to you is important to us and we are here to meet your tastes, accommodating gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan guests. With an eclectic menu offering, Cafe 21 San Diego will awaken your palette with our superior food artistry and handcrafted cocktails. Be ready to experience Nature's Kitchen as interpreted by our revered and most inventive Chef Leyla.

LEYLA JAVADOV
Master Chef Leyla puts her heart and soul in every dish that she creates. Originally from Azerbaijan, Chef Leyla offers the most eclectic and unique menu making Cafe 21 San Diego the most flavorful and interesting California fusion kitchen in SoCal. Everything we do is made from scratch, which is one of the many reasons we are referred to as Nature's Kitchen. Using the freshest ingredients as well as traditional techniques and spices from the East, we like to say that Cafe 21 San Diego is where the old world meets the new and a perfect fusion of East and West.