Marta Cafe, a casual cafe serving coffee and pastries with a patio, is preparing to open on Adams Avenue in University Heights at 2804 Adams Avenue.
The new cafe is set to open this summer in the former Twiggs Bakery & Coffeehouse, according to San Diego Magazine. This is the latest from Denise Arellano, a hospitality industry professional with years of experience in both culinary and marketing roles. Arellano named the cafe after her paternal grandmother and plans to offer a menu rooted in her family’s Mexican heritage. Arellano grew up in the border towns of Calexico and Mexicali, where her family ran Mexican grocery stores for three generations.
After graduating from Point Loma Nazarene University, she moved to New York to attend culinary school. There, she worked under chefs Kyle Knall at Maysville and Caroline Schiff at Gage & Tollner. Upon returning to San Diego, she took on various roles across the hospitality industry, including PR, social media, and baking for local coffee shops. Most recently, she held a hybrid culinary and marketing role at Michelin-starred Valle, working under chef Roberto Alcocer.
Marta Cafe will initially offer a traditional espresso and matcha menu alongside a selection of pastries and Mexican-inspired baked goods. These include cardamom and chocolate conchas, conchitas (spiced pig-shaped cookies), heart-shaped antojitos, and croissants. Arellano plans to expand the menu in a second phase to include light breakfast and lunch items such as tortas, salads, quiches, and family recipes like ensalada casino, a Mexicali-style salad made with blue cheese, Tabasco, salsa Maggi, and other ingredients.
The space is undergoing a complete redesign to create a warm, home-like environment. Arellano is incorporating modern green tiles and custom ceramics sourced from artists in San Diego and Los Angeles, with plans to eventually add barro verde, a traditional Oaxacan ceramic with a glossy green glaze. While there’s no exact opening date at this time, it’s likely Marta Cafe will open in July 2025.
