I ordered my desserts to go, and they were so good that I completely forgot to take pictures!…read more If you're craving authentic Middle Eastern desserts, City Sweets in El Cajon is a must-visit. The customer service was excellent--they even let me sample the semolina cake before I bought it since I had never tried it before. The kunafa, semolina cake, and baklava were all absolutely delicious. Everything was perfectly balanced--not overly sweet--so you can really enjoy the rich flavors without feeling overwhelmed by sugar. One of the best parts is that you can buy the desserts by the pound, and the prices are very affordable compared to other sweet shops in the area.

Total very overpriced with rude, arrogant owner. We got 6…read moremini pasties and coke And asked how much it was before Buying..Guy says $19 and I said I Can't afford that put most. Of it Back...Rude guy says I already charged your credit card before telling me the price I asked about Before he overcharged me Pastry was good but maybe$7 tops And he says go by weigh..Total Scam I couldn't see scale or told Price before as asked Basic manners is a must! A senior Asked the price and guy made us Spend what we don't have Good bake goods for wealthy folks

Piña Colada Boba is a MUST…read more Vanitea Cafe never disappoints, but the piña colada boba? Next level. It's perfectly balanced creamy coconut, fresh pineapple flavor, and that smooth boba texture that ties it all together. Super refreshing without being overly sweet. It honestly tastes like summer in a cup. The vibe inside is clean and aesthetic, great spot to chill or catch up with friends. Staff is always friendly and drinks come out quick and fresh. If you're thinking about trying something different from your usual milk tea, go with the piña colada boba. Easy 5 stars every time.

I love Vanitea Cafe!! I am addicted to their snow bubble drinks and I just want to keep coming back…read moreto order all of their flavors and just in time for summer. The snow bubble drink is the consistency of a shaved ice with milk. You can choose from quite a few milks like whole, coconut, oat, and more. You can choose the level of sweetness you like from full sweet, 50% sweet, or 25% sweet so it's perfect every time because I don't like it too sweet. They have a whole selection of boba you can add to your drink so the combinations to these drinks are endless. They also have a happy hour when you can get discounted drinks which makes it a really good deal. So far all of the cashiers have been friendly and super helpful when I ask them questions. Of you live in the Ranch San Diego area, Vanitea is a must!!

I ordered dessert and two birthday cakes for my twin daughters and paid in full in advance, with a…read morereceipt confirming everything. The order was supposed to be ready for pickup at 2 PM on Sunday. I sent my mom to pick everything up and bring it to the party. When she arrived, they told her there were no cakes and no record of my order. Two cashiers started blaming each other--each one claiming they didn't take the order. My mom FaceTimed me while I was at the party with guests already arriving (this was around 4 PM, well past the pickup time). I spoke to the cashier who originally took my order--she remembered me--but then claimed they had misplaced the order and there were no cakes. They told us to come back in an hour so they could remake everything. I asked for at least the desserts since the party was already set up and we were only missing the dessert table and cake. Instead, they made my mom wait another 30 minutes just to get the desserts--and even then, the order was incorrect. I had ordered 10 cups of kishkish, but they only gave 8. When I called to ask, they initially insisted they gave 10. I had to FaceTime them to show proof because they were accusing me of lying. Then they changed their story and said they gave 8 larger cups instead. My husband returned an hour later to pick up the cakes while guests were waiting--very embarrassing. The cakes we finally received had different fillings than what I originally ordered, but at that point we had no choice. Throughout this entire experience, the staff was rude and dismissive. Not once did anyone apologize or take responsibility. They made it seem like the mistake was ours. I would strongly advise against ordering from here for any special occasion. This was extremely disappointing and stressful.

Very disappointed in the customer service that I received today it was terrible, rude and…read moredisrespectful. There was only one person in front of me when I walked into the store and the lady behind the counter after she got done ringing him up a few people walked in and basically cut the line and she didn't even acknowledge me and she continued to ring people up after the second person she helped. I finally decided to go up to her so that hopefully she'd acknowledge me that I've been waiting patiently I asked a question and then told her I was ready and knew what I wanted. I proceeded to walk to the item and she did not follow me. She continued to ring people up and have me stand there two more people after me and the third person which is now five total told her that he would be happy to wait because he knew I was ahead of him and acknowledged that what she was doing was rude and disrespectful. She shook her head no and said that it was OK and continue to ring him up at that point I walked out outraged and upset of how rude this lady was. I was a big fan of this place, but I will no longer ever come back here again as long as she's working there and I will never recommend anyone to come here either. If you see this lady just keep driving and go somewhere else you don't deserve to be disrespected when you're a paying customer.

Beautiful customer service I love their sweets I love the cake I love the everything they have is…read moreperfect I like the design of the store 10/10 overall

I haven't heard comments nor have I been there Will put it…read morethe to try list for sure Easy to find off the main drag in El Cajon A few of the employees at La Vida say their deserts are delicious

After finishing dinner, I decided to check out a dessert spot just down the street, and I'm so glad…read moreI did! I was absolutely blown away by the desserts here. I tried the Baklava Cheesecake, and wow--it was one of the best cheesecakes I've ever had. The combination of creamy cheesecake and the rich, sweet flavors of baklava was incredible. My taste buds were in heaven! I also picked up some mini baklava pieces, and they were just as delicious--fresh, flaky, and packed with flavor. To top it all off, I ordered a caramel latte, and it was amazing. The coffee was smooth, flavorful, and paired perfectly with the desserts. The customer service was excellent, and everyone was friendly and welcoming. If you're in the neighborhood, do yourself a favor and stop by. You definitely won't be disappointed. I'll absolutely be coming back!

loved this place. It had such a modern & warm interior!! Baklava is $25/lb and Turkish delight is…read more$18/lb. Kinda $$ and the desserts are extremely sweet, but so well done. Loved how fresh, buttery, and flakey everything was. I also really enjoyed the chew and flavor of the lokum -- they were rosewater flavored! Would be a perf place to study at. Will definitely come back again!

If you go here, you have to get the strawberry cheesecake!! it is the best cheesecake you'll ever…read moretaste, and devour in your life I bought all of it from the shop within a span of a month since I moved to this neighborhood. I got a slice of the strawberry cheesecake almost every single day, at some point they ran out from me buying it all and then I would get the regular cheesecake and have them add the strawberry with cookie crumble on top of it just to get the same taste of the strawberry cheese I always get. I'm telling you this is the best cheesecake you'll ever eat in your entire life. They need to be famous or get like a Michelin star just for this strawberry cheesecake. Whoever the owner is, you knew what you were doing with this cheesecake I'm looking forward to getting some more as soon as you make some more!! Thank you very very much for creating the perfect cheesecake to share with us. I hope you're able to make some more soon you can get all my money just for this cheesecake haha and the workers that work there are awesome as well, they are very kind and welcoming. Thank you!

This morning I went in for my coffee I ordered over the phone & added on mini pancakes with…read morestrawberries . The young girl working today helped me and the the sweetest customer service!! Always enjoy coming here for coffee , a bite to eat or ice cream with the kids !

Yay! I dont have to drive to El Cajon knowing this is right here!…read more The place has a wide selection of baklava and pistachio yummies even Turkish delights They also have Dubai chocolate Service is always great and the place has seating if you wanna snack and chat

Came here on a whim and the ladies behind the counter were so sweet and helpful. They even provided…read moreme and my son a couple free samples, which were delicious! They have a huge variety of offerings and everything we bought was great. It was pretty affordable too!

All I wanted was knafeh and wasn't sure where to find. Happened to drive by Shakira and immediately…read moreturned in. They had exactly the "fluffy orange" cheese Nabulsi knafeh that I wanted! It was not overly sweet, so I did have to make my own simple syrup to sweeten up (boiling water/sugar) - after adding it was perfect! Got a few pieces of baklava to try and they were all good! Was $17.80ish for 7 pieces of baklava and the piece of knafeh. My dog grabbed the baklava box off the counter while I was sleeping & he could NOT open it up to eat. So thank you for having a TOUGH container! Ha ha I've tried a nearby baklava place and felt they were heavy and dense. Shakira's baklava were very airy/light/flaky and you could taste the pistachio correctly// not overburnt, felt it was made with love, if that makes sense. Inside is simple.. fridges to the left with some frozen foods and pastries (?). Did not understand how to order since there is just one cashier a few steps in. Seems you go to the cashier first- if picking up they'll get your order, if not- they'll find someone to pick your items out. I liked their front window branding. Will return soon!!

Shakira Pastry is delicious middle eastern sweets. their baklava platter is perfectly sweetened,…read morenot overdone, flaky and moist. grab a player for your next event for an instant hit!! located in El cajon