A well-regarded restaurant owner is preparing to open a new concept called Daffodil Cafe in La Jolla, located at 4747 Executive Drive.
The new cafe will move into the ground floor of the La Jolla Commons Tower, according to a recent liquor license application. This is the latest from Lauren Passero-Brookes, owner of two San Diego restaurants, The Haven Pizzeria and Kensington Cafe, while she and her business partner, Kate Grimes, also operated the now-closed Del Sur Mexican Cantina. Now, Passero-Brookes is getting ready to open a new concept. The business owner tells What Now San Diego that she hopes to open this concept in early June 2025. The development came to reality after Passero-Brookes was approached by American Assets and one of their customers about bringing the idea to their office park.
When Daffodil Cafe opens in early summer, it will serve breakfast, lunch, and grab-and-go items. It will also be focused on catering, with a focus on whole ingredients and a healthy twist so that you can feel good about eating there daily. Good food that you can feel good about. The menu will also change regularly to keep it fresh for the office tenants and neighbors alike. Passero-Brookes says the company’s goal is to bring our super friendly, neighborhood feel to the office park and make the space feel like a true escape from the office. We will serve coffee, smoothies, snacks, breakfast, lunch, and various grab-and-go items.
This is a significant achievement for the restaurateur, who was born and raised in El Paso, TX, and later attended college in Colorado. She worked in marketing and advertising early in her career but eventually realized how much she missed the restaurant industry. Recognizing her passion for it, she decided to open her own restaurant. This decision led Passero-Brookes to San Diego, where she partnered with Grimes and began opening restaurants throughout the area. Although one of the three restaurants has closed, The Haven Pizzeria and Kensington Cafe remain local favorites in the community. Now, the successful business owner is set to embark on a new venture with Daffodil Cafe.
