In 1978, Gayle & Joe Ortiz decided to open a small bakery nestled above the quaint little village of Capitola, California. It began with 800 square feet and they served 10 items. Five years later, the Rosticceria, an Italian deli with a beautiful rotisserie was added. Today, Gayle’s is a thriving 10,000 square foot food emporium with two successful cookbooks and 150 employees. In 1989 they made Louisa Beers, a longtime staff person, a partner. She is now the managing partner.
Every day, we transform the best natural ingredients like real butter, fresh eggs, and organic flour into more than 500 different pastries, cakes, cookies, breads, sandwiches, and entreés. Even the mayonnaise is made from scratch!
Freshness in the food business can be a relative term. To us it means daily or hourly.
Like village bakeries everywhere, Gayle’s is a meeting spot for locals, many of whom stop in several times a day. It is a destination for people from all over the world who love food.
A visit begins before you even open the door. Early each morning, the air outside is filled with the smell of buttery croissants baking. Inside, stunning displays beckon you to select as much or as little as you like, on your time schedule. You can have hot pasta and garlic bread for breakfast or a Bear Claw and a cappuccino for dinner.
Service is casual but efficient. Take a number and relish the wait; it will give you time to decide among a myriad of treats. Have a glass of wine on the covered patio by the fire, eat inside the Café Espresso Bar, or take it “to go” for a picnic on the beach.
You may have noticed the beautiful artwork featured on the inside walls at Gayle’s Bakery & Roticceria. Many art pieces featured at Gayle’s were created by Gayle’s Bakery owner Joe Ortiz. Since Gayle’s opened in 1978, Joe has been exercising his many creative sides, having written four books, published numerous food articles in local and national publications, written and produced musicals, and participated in Open Studios and plein air events, showcasing his oil paintings.
Joe’s art is available for purchase at Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria.