Lada Sadovnyk and her family left Ukraine nearly two years ago in the midst of the ongoing conflict with Russia. It wasn’t easy to put down roots in another continent. But she was determined to start a new life and build a new home in San Diego, even if it meant a completely new career.
She’d worked as a content creator in Ukraine, baking only for holidays or for family and friends. Still, she had experience with one ingredient in particular—cheese.
“Back in Ukraine, cheese-based dishes were a huge part of my daily life,” she says. The cheese-centric desserts she found in the U.S., like cheesecake, simply weren’t as fresh or high-quality as she was used to. “Basque cheesecakes—our main item—were basically impossible to find… I just wanted to make a genuinely good product for my own family and for potential customers.”
So with $100 and an idea, Sadovnyk launched Muse Cheesecake. It was a massive hit.
Muse makes fresh, classic, Basque-style cheesecakes, known for an ooey-gooey interior held together by an extra crispy, caramelized, even blackened exterior. By focusing on one type of dessert rather than several, Sadovnyk says they’ve worked to perfect their “burnt” Basque cheesecakes, and are now churning out hundreds, if not over a thousand cakes each month. It’s the quintessential immigrant success story.
So what’s holding them back?
“When the new administration came in, our status and its renewal suddenly came into question,” Sadovnyk explains. “Humanitarian parole for many countries—including Ukraine—was put on indefinite hold. This means we can’t extend our stay or change status, even though it used to be easy if you were legally here, working, and contributing to the U.S. economy.”
Their immigration status prevented them from accessing most typical funding routes for things like equipment and expansion. But as she and her husband/business partner Alex do everything they can to extend their time here, they’ve committed to laying down roots of another sort. They signed a lease to open their first storefront at Broadway Towers (1100 E Street) in East Village as a European-style dessert bar. If everything goes well, they plan to open in March 2026.
Interior of the Muse Cheesecakes’ new space at Broadway Towers
Sadovnyk says she doesn’t want to politicize the business, but wants to be transparent about the reality of the political climate right now. Even if their visas aren’t extended, they have plans in place to ensure Muse has a future in San Diego. They’re currently working with Ukrainian designer Nastia Mirzoyan to design the space, which is large enough for them to expand the menu to include different styles of cheesecake from around the world. Sadovnyk also hopes to open a smaller tiramisu-centric concept in Pacific Beach this fall, but says details for that are still in the works.
Despite uncertainty, Sadovnyk says none of this would have been possible without the support from across San Diego. “This is where it all began,” she says. “This is where we received incredible support from what quickly became our community—and no matter what the future holds, we want the Muse story to stay rooted here.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Tiki Oasis Returns This August
For 25 years, gaggles of tiki-enthusiasts clad in their finest aloha shirts and pin-up fashions have flocked to Tiki Oasis, a five-night Polynesian party with luaus, fashion shows, and more. This year, the festivities kick off on Wednesday, August 6 at the Catamaran Resort for the welcome Luau, followed by a fully loaded schedule at the Town & Country Resort to celebrate the world’s largest tiki celebration with a few thousand of your closest friends. Come with a spirit of aloha, and if you’re planning on having a Mai Tai or two, a plan to rideshare around town.
Beth’s Bites
- At long last, The Victorian at Hill Street opens on August 7 in Oceanside. The revived Queen Anne home will serve California cuisine from chef de cuisine Lisa Rivera, plus a wine list and cocktail menu curated by Ian Ward (Ponyboy, Service Animals, formerly of three Michelin-starred Addison) and Meghan Crumpley (The Spiritual Advisors). Can’t stay for dinner? The Market at Hill Street (which is opening sometime after The Victorian) will also offer grab-and-go goodies, like culinary director Staci Miller’s sandwiches, fresh salads, and more.
- That’s not the only exciting opening on the horizon—San Diego’s first fully non-alcoholic bar Good News is set to soft open in Hillcrest on Friday, July 18, just in time for the city’s biggest Pride gathering of the year.
- Looking north, the second outpost of The Henry from Fox Restaurant Concepts (Culinary Dropout, Flower Child, Blanco, North Italia) opens on Wednesday, July 23 at The Forum in Carlsbad. Finally, Nobu at the Hotel del Coronado is already open, but as of this month, the globally iconic sushi destination is now open for lunch. The word is that midday reservations are much easier to snag than dinner (for now), so that’s a great way to wrap your lips around some world-class sushi ASAP.
- Pride 2025 is upon us, and as usual, the surrounding social calendar is chock-a-block with parties, meetups, and other LGBTQ+ events centered around Hillcrest and the surrounding neighborhoods. Bivouac Adventure Lodge is throwing a six-day party called “Camp Biv,” featuring a full calendar of events from Pink Taco Tuesday to drag brunch and plenty of queer-friendly events in between. Check out the full schedule of events, and come dressed to impress.
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