The Journey Begins: How Kalaches Was Born
After COVID, we—Robi and Katia Paz—moved to the Bay Area with a dream to build something of our own. As a couple from Peru and Ukraine who met in school and bonded over a shared love of travel and the outdoors, we knew whatever we created had to be more than just a product. It had to be something practical, nourishing, and deeply rooted in who we are.
We weren’t chefs. We were adventurers, parents, and food lovers. But one thing we couldn’t stop thinking about was a pastry we’d fallen in love with years ago: the kolache—a soft, filled bun that we first discovered in Texas and brought along on hikes, road trips, and long weekends outside.
We never set out to reinvent it. We simply wanted to bring it with us—and make it better.
Filling a Gap with Something Real
When we arrived in the Bay, we noticed the absence of the thing we craved most: something easy to eat, but intentional. A food that could move with you. That could satisfy your kids and your body. Something high in protein, warm, and made from real ingredients. Not a granola bar. Not a croissant. Something different.
So we started baking. First in our home kitchen, then in a shared space in Marin County. We spent months refining the dough, improving the balance of savory and sweet, and replacing shortcuts with whole ingredients: real eggs, real cheese, olive oil instead of seed oils. The result was a version of the kolache that aligned with our values—a better kind of fast food.
Starting Small, Dreaming Big
We began in our home kitchen, baking for friends and family and adjusting recipes constantly. We wanted to create something high quality — not just tasty, but smart. We swapped out processed shortcuts, leaned into wholesome ingredients, and used olive oil instead of seed oils. Protein-rich fillings, gentle preparation, and real flavor became our baseline.
Eventually, we moved into a shared kitchen in Marin County and brought our kolaches to the Sausalito Farmers Market. We’d wake up at 4 a.m., prep in the kitchen, and make it to the market before sunrise — trays full of warm, fresh-baked possibilities in hand.
The First Bite
Introducing kolaches here meant educating a lot of new people. Some asked if they were Danish pastries or savory donuts. At first, people tried just one. But then they’d return — sometimes within minutes — to buy more “for the road.” One clear we remember: A man took a single bite of a sweet kolache as he walked away, stopped mid-step, looked at the sweet pastry, turned around, and said:
“Can I get two more to go?”
We both felt then we were onto something real.
Our Mission at Kalaches
At Kalaches, we believe food should do more than just fill you up. It should support your day, your adventures, your family, and your values.
🥐 Health-conscious: We prioritize ingredients that fuel and nourish — like eggs, proteins, and real dairy — while avoiding processed fillers or oils you can’t pronounce.
🚶♀️ Adventure-ready: Whether you’re heading to work, exploring Golden Gate Park, or chasing toddlers, our kolaches are designed to go with you.
👨👩👧 Family-first: We want parents to feel confident feeding our kolaches to their kids. They’re comforting, energizing, and made to support active, growing lives.
💬 Community-centered: We’re proud to be part of San Francisco’s food culture and to introduce kolaches in a way that connects cultures, memories, and good food.
At Kalaches, we bring together our backgrounds, our values, and our love of movement to serve a pastry that fits into real life—not just on weekends, but every day. Thanks for being here! Whether you found us at a farmers market or are walking by our first location in San Francisco, you’re part of this journey now—and we’re just getting started.
Follow along @kalachesbrunch, or drop by for a bite.