Before I started all of this blogging business six years ago (eek, yes six), there was this fad called boba drinks. I would pop up to Kearny Mesa to grab myself a milk tea boba at the now defunct Lollicup and call it lunch. Since I was dating Paul then, I wanted to introduce these drinks to him. At first he thought it was weird and referred to the tapioca balls as fish eggs but he grew to enjoy the chewable drink as much as me. But unlike me, a solo boba drink was not lunch. He needed something substantial. Fortunately, next door to Lollicup was a wonderful Korean bakery and that’s where he discovered hot dog bread.
Fast forward to modern day, both Lollicup and the Korean bakery are now gone. But Paul still talks of the hot dog bread to this day and we have searched for it high and low. Some bakeries coming close to the product but some not even offering it. Thankfully, Pangea Bakery Cafe has filled that void.
Pangea Bakery Cafe (located on Convoy) opened less than a month ago. It’s a full-service bakery that offers a wide variety of baked goods, including black sesame bun, tuna buns, taro biscuits and loaves (one of my favorites) , Earl Grey wheat loaves, coconut balls, almond cookies, pepperoni “pizza” and so much more — all very good as I’m still making my way through their entire selection. Pastries are baked onsite by bakers familiar with Tawainese-style of baking. And did I mention the hot dog bread??
The decor is stark and minimal. A basic selection is offered daily, although it varies from day to day (a specialty bread found one day might not be found the next visit). And service is also very helpful, especially with the recent opening. They always offer a variety of pastry samples. Most goods are individually packaged and ready to place on the silver tray stacked by the door, although some breads are left out in the open unwrapped.
But it’s all about the hog dog bread. Much like the Korean bakery, this bread weaves slices of hot dog with cheese and a dab of ketchup into a soft, somewhat sweet dough and it’s baked. The whole genius behind this is that the hot dog slices sort of mark where to eat next so that each bite includes a bit of everything, including those meaty cylinders. Pangea Bakery hits the mark successfully combining meat and bread– something Paul is overjoyed at.
You can find other baked goods in their refrigerated pastry case near the register, where you can order a variety of caffeinated drinks. Prices range from under a dollar to over $4. Wifi is free. Warning: parking is a bit tight and I suspect it will become even tighter once word goes around that this place is open.
Pangea Bakery Cafe
4689 Convoy St
Ste 100
San Diego, CA 92111
858.560.0688
My Burning Kitchen 
It totally looks like a flower to me. Hot dog flower bread. Or a pretzel. It looks pretzel-like, too!
It does look like a flower. A flower bread blossoming hot dog slices!
I totally have to go here now! Finally, another place to get these things!
There is a similar bread w/hot dogs sold at the bakery in Zion Market (on Mercury). I have no idea what it’s really called, but I call it the Hot Dog Thing. $1.75 each. Sometimes they have it and sometimes they don’t. I hate feeling disappointed when I look at the bakery shelves and the hot dog thing isn’t there.
I’ve been to Zion too looking for the hot dog bread. But like you, they seem to have it some days and not others. I think Mitsuwa has “sausage bread” but it seem completely different/
I was just there last week! You’re right about the helpful workers. It took me awhile to decide on what to try (I just had lunch, and didn’t want to buy too much). The samples helped!
Is parking ever easy on Convoy Street?
What did you finally decide on? And touche on the parking situation! It is ALWAYS crowded.
Love this, Darlene. This is why I keep coming back to your blog. I’m going to have to go find this place and get some of that crazy hot dog bread. It sounds like exactly the right thing to go with coffee when a bagel isn’t going to cut it. Thanks for sharing!
Good luck in buying *just* the hot dog bread. The choices for carb overload are endless.
I ended up with the red bean bun. I was really tempted by the black sesame one, too, and will have to try this hot dog bun next time. It’s probably worse to visit this bakery when you’re hungry!
Phew. I am so glad that you posted this, because Lauren and I drove by there on the way back from the Bake Sale News segment that we did on Friday, and were deathly afraid of the idea of a Korean Bakery. Now, I feel a more open to the idea.
You must try it! The have more of the unusual (by American standards) items but it is all delicious.
Wow ….This bread is wonderful!