East Side Cheesecakes

East Side Cheesecakes is a love story between Julia Tokarz and Gregory Lay, who met in New York City in 2014. The pair, both actors and filmmakers, grew tired of the daily grind of working survival jobs, so in 2019 they packed up and moved to LA in search of a slower pace of living. Greg became head baker at a now-famous bagel shop and Julia took on catering jobs, but when the Covid pandemic hit Julia found herself out of work and saw the opportunity to launch her own business. She bought a mixer on Craigslist, they combined the fresh cream cheese that Greg had been making at the bagel shop with Julia’s mom’s Christmas cheesecake recipe, and East Side Cheesecakes was born.

These cheesecakes have truly taken LA by storm. They start with an extra-thick graham cracker crust, and the star of the show is the scratch-made buttermilk cream cheese used in the filling. The cream cheese adds nuance and a depth of flavor that just can’t be faked, and the end result is a tangy, creamy, super-luxurious cheesecake that’s unlike any other. From classic cheesecakes to ones decked out with strawberry shortcake crumble, bourbon caramel sauce, and chocolate chip cookies, East Side’s jaw-dropping cheesecakes are shipping to your door!