Bread & Cie

Pastries are superb! I've had their strawberry croissant for the first time today and fell in love! Paired up nicely with their cafe drink items. They also have seasonal cafe items like orange blossom latte. I had their Pastries to go and I'm sure they taste as good as they look. Highly recommend this spot for a quick bite or a pastry and yap with friends! A local classic.

Great breakfast/Brunch options in the heart of Hillcrest, parking might be trouble, however well worth it. The seasonal berry crepe was really good, and the Ham & Eggs Benedict banquet hit the spot as far as taste and volume. And service was very fast.

Nestled in the heart of Hillcrest, this was an amazing find. Hotel breakfast was substandard so I asked My Daughter to find a suitable local alternative.. she suggested Bread and Cie. It was seven minutes from our hotel by car and after reviewing the feedback from fellow patrons, we thought we’d give it a try . The site has limited free parking for patron up to one hour (we were lucky to secure a spot upon arrival at 8 am) It’s been going for over 30 years according to the signage and I can see why it’s still going . They have an amazing selection of bread, freshly baked on site. After to speaking to Dylan (the manager) a lady master baker has been baking there for 25 years ! Amazing Staff / service was warm, earthy and super friendly I ordered the avocado on toast and My Daughter ordered the chicken soup with grilled sandwich. I then ordered the Yogurt parfait with their house made granola They did not fail to please - super fresh and full of flavour . We were both satisfied with our choices Ordered an Americano - again it hit the mark. Ambiance - spacious, funky, warm and just so earthy. We both enjoyed a seat watching the outside world go by. Dylan is a great host and a gentlemen. He was kind enough to spend some minutes sharing his view of the place and its history - lovely chap If you fancy fresh food, amazing bread (levain was lush), warm kind and sincere service - you NEED to come to Bread & Cie ! All come highly recommended !

4.9 stars. If I lived nearby, I would visit this place many many times. There is so much on the menu to try and so many pastries! I had the ham & eggs Benedict basket and Americano coffee. Delicious! I also enjoyed an ube macaroon. As far as service, they give you a number for your table and bring your order right to you. Our server made sure we received our entire order.

House made basil pesto and gouda but I got it grilled on the panini press, I don't reccomend if you don't like your arugula warmed up but by God this is the best thing I've tasted in like ever. 1000% recommend can't wait to try every 👏single 👏 thing.

Bread & Cie is a fantastic cafe and bakery that’s perfect for anyone who loves fresh, artisanal food. I had the Chicken Cobb sandwich, and it was absolutely delicious—packed with flavor and made with quality ingredients. The selection of desserts is amazing, with so many tempting options that it’s hard to pick just one! The cozy atmosphere and welcoming vibe make it a great spot for breakfast, lunch, or just grabbing a pastry and coffee. If you’re a fan of French-inspired breads and pastries, this is the place!

Lot of good selection of bakery items, cakes, sandwiches to choose from. Really good place. Very well maintained and clean place. Wonderful bakery products, pistachio croissant is excellent. Lot of good variety to choose from. Wonderful place for kids as well, they can choose from various treats. Really enjoyed the bakery items here. Gem of a place. Staff was very helpful and kind. Lovely place.

One of my go-to spots for a weekend coffee date. They do a very good job with the pan epis — in fact the little rose buds are so well made they are quite sharp and can be quite dangerous if not handled carefully! Coffee is strong, and I mean this place has 1,287 reviews 4.6 average so that suggests it is quite popular. Also, the thin bread sandwiches are delectable. Everything is a little on the pricey side, though.

I love a good bakery and this place exceeded my expectations in every way. On my way home from my trip, I stopped in to get some goodies for the home. I was pleasantly surprised at the variety and expanse of their case. I ordered a ton and all of it was delicious. If I had to choose, the almond croissant was the best I have ever had. I ordered two and neither of them made it through the day. Service was quick and helpful. It can be a little overwhelming so make sure you know what you want but the staff is patient to assist. I ordered a drink from the fall menu and it came with one of their shortbread cookies. I took it to the beach to enjoy.

This place used to be excellent! I used to see the owner on-site semi-regularily but not for years now. Quality is not as good it seems. The biggest change in my experiences there is the general attitude of the staff who are after curt and even rude sometimes. I miss their three rasin bread a lot. I swing by when in the area but its not our go to bakery anymore

I have thoroughly enjoyed purchasing their baked items, especially the jalapeño cheddar loaf, over the years. Their food and bakery are great! I accidentally entered their cafe this morning around 7:25 am and was greeted by the rudest staff ever. An older gentlemen and a lady who rudely said I'm not allowed to be inside and that I needed to leave. I quickly apologized and exited. As soon as they opened, I spoke to the lady, apologized again, and expressed how I felt about her demeaning approach and horrible customer service. She quickly became defensive and dismissive. I still purchased my baked item, however I will not be returning to Bread & Cie. As someone who wholeheartedly supports local businesses, I must say that I will no longer frequent a business that treats their customers in a way that is rude, hostile, aggressive, and dismissive.

I stopped in and didn't know what to expect as a first timer. The place was bustling so that's always a good sign. The counter has lots of yummy looking pastries but I was there for a sandwich. I chose the Classic French Albacore White Tuna Salad. The service at the counter was friendly and welcoming. The sandwich wasn't that great. The tuna salad was cold and kinda boring in taste. I understand it should be simple but it didn't serve to taste. The bread tasted fresh as it should, it's a bakery :) The space is nice and the location is right in the Hillcrest area.

Sweet place to pop in for a coffee and a bite. High ceilings, good air circulation, efficient service. The line moved quickly to order and there was plenty of seating inside and out. Coffee is on the strong side. Café au lait could have used more milk. The little biscuit is a nice touch. The quiche and croque monsieur were good, not outstanding. The spicy pickled cucumbers with the croque were an unusual side. Maybe some fruit instead? A nice visit. Glad we popped by!

Great bakery! Since I wasn't in town for long, I didn't get to order some bread, but the pastries I ordered were delicious! The pistachio croissant was huge and had a great pistachio filling. The quiche was also great. Also the coffee was great too and comes in this huge mugs! There is many tables available. I'd say this is less a working cafe and more one focused on dining (or takeout). The parking outside was free for an hour for customers. The ambiance is a casual coffee shop with a cute take on being a Parisian-like bakery in California.

Love this establishment! Amazing breads, coffee, and desserts as well as various lunch and breakfast dishes. This morning I had the ham and egg Benedict basket, which is eggs Benedict with tomato slices served in a brioche basket. I would have liked more hollandaise sauce but it was very good none the less. The service is good. You order at the counter and they bring your food to you at your table. All the breads are available in racks behind the counter and they will slice it for you as long as it's not right out of the oven.

We split a curry chicken salad sandwich. It was delicious. Service was good and the patio was a delight. Overall its usual high standard.

While waiting for our order to come out to bring to our friend's party, my son and I bought a brownie and croissant to munch on while waiting. The croissant was okay but the Brownie was what we liked more, it was very rich in chocolate and very moist the way we liked it. They have a tight space inside with limited seats so ordering to go is probably what we will do every time we come here. Inside has a lot of selections for Pastries, Cakes, etc .

This is the best French café in San Diego! Their bread is amazing. We typically stop by once a week to pick up a fresh loaf of bread. They can slice it for you upon request. You can't go wrong with any, but my favorites are the french white, jalapeño cheddar, and fig anise. When I'm dining in, sometimes we will share the bread sampler plate, which comes with 3 large pieces of the bread of your choosing and an assortment of cream cheese, butter, and jam. It's also my go-to place for coffee. I love how they include a piece of their house made biscotti with each coffee order. They have the best grilled cheese and tomato soup, too. The crispy parmesan cheese on the outside of the bread takes the grilled cheese to the next level. I've also had several of their pastries and desserts like the creme brule macarons, flourless chocolate cake, and peach cheesecake. Everything is delicious. They can get pretty busy on the weekends, but the staff is always super friendly and efficient. Parking can be difficult in the area but luckily they have a private parking lot with one hour free for customers.

We decided to have an early dinner at 4:30pm. I'm really bummed to write this review but feel I must because the negative experience wasn't a one-off. We came back a second time in a week just to make sure and - were totally disappointed in virtually everything again, especially the quality. I get that they run out of things, but to run out of their signature tomato soup on a cold Winter California night, with the only other soup option being clam chowder, it was a huge letdown. The curried chicken sandwich $13.23 was made with way too much curry powder. Even the fig and anise bread it was on tasted stale and flavorless, not at all the same bread made 5 years ago. It was grossly negligent that I had to ask for the sandwich's side pickles after the sandwich arrived with nothing else on the plate. Plus, the sandwich came but not the other items: no silverware, plates or napkins, so this left one person in our party having to sit and watch everyone else eat. I had to get up and ask the manager for the other items. That left the hard-as-a-rock cream puff pastry $7 that was so crusty [stale] it caused the filling to spurt into a mess on the plate. A single tiny 2-bite tiramisu macaron $4, and a lemon bar $7 were ordered as well. The girl working there actually corrected me and called it a macaroon. LOL what? All the pastries tasted weird. They all had an off putting chemical taste. We had originally ordered a $7 slice of chocolate cream pie, but beware if you get this. The 'pie' has so many HARD pieces of chocolate chips in it, it's difficult to chew. It is not a dreamy, creamy pie you'd be pleased to eat. So we told them about it and asked for a lemon bar. They gave us a hard end piece of lemon bar that had an inedible fork-hard crust. You couldn't get a fork through it. You can't make this -ish up. The restaurant compensated us for the terrible items, but not before the manager came to our table and poked and prodded every single item on the table in front of customers to make sure we were to be believed. Such a disappointment. Their customer service level is way below any restaurant standard. After checking the business hours on Yelp, I now see why they were inattentive, unconcerned and rude. [The owner almost (literally) hit us in the face with the chain locks in front of the building while unlocking them to quickly shoo us out.] It looks like the business updated their hours to reflect that they close at 4pm. My question is: Why didn't they convey that to me from the get go instead of becoming a gargantuan of errors and omissions. They don't care. That much is blatantly obvious.

I have lived in San Diego for six years, and I am so disappointed that I didn't start coming here earlier! I recently got back from a trip from Paris and have been so eager to find a quality bakery. Bread and Cei is the spot! No frills, not pretentious. Just delicious, with high-quality ingredients. I was also served by a super friendly person named David today ! He was so helpful when I picking assortment of pastries for my clients. Happy to have found this place!

Such an awesome bakery, sandwich shop, dessert stop, etc! You are envelloped with the smell of fresh baked goodies when you walk through their doors! It is my favorite lunch or breakfast spot (I work around the corner!). Always fresh ingredients and unique and delicious dishes. I can't resist buying a loaf of fresh bread (the Jalepeño cheddar is a family favorite), which they will slice for you before you leave! And their chocolate dipped coconut macaroons are phenominal! The service is always helpful and friendly and always willing to explain the menu. It's definitely a must try when you're near the fun-loving Hillcrest area on San Diego!

This spot is a little gem in a neighborhood full of great restaurants. The team members are helpful and quick, and the variety of baked goods are wonderful. While I wish the items were served warm, the fact is that the bakery is serving a swarm of people and it's less of a sit down ambiance and more of a quick grab situation. The coffee is good, the food is delicious, and the service is quick.

Great collection of freshly made breads and pastries. It was my first time shopping at this bakery and noticed they make good-looking sandwiches too. I grabbed their seedy bread and cheese Danish. Both were very fresh and delicious. I hope their sandwiches live up to the same level of freshness and taste.

I came early Sunday morning, it was busy. I wanted to try a loaf of bread but it was too warm to slice so Kat at the register went and checked which loafs were available. I ended up getting the kalamanta olive oil loaf. Kat offered a sample of sun-dried tomato goat cheese spread and butter since I ordered a cappuccino to dine in (I always prefer glass cups). She made my cappuccino coffee morning an experience by offering a sample for me to try with the fresh bread. The bread and cappuccino were great. I look forward to coming here to get my bread vs the grocery store because why go to the grocery store when you can have an experience at the bakery? Thank you Kat

Chai was unfortunately not as flavorful or as sweet as I would have liked, but the pumpkin tartlet was good, like a little pumpkin pie with some cream frosting. Rosemary rolls were yum, but our meals were a little on the crispy side. The special brie and pear baguette sandwich was definitely too crispy and a bit heavy on the red onion, which I didn't fully expect. The avocado toast was also on the crispy side but otherwise good with the salad, if a bit bare. In my opinion the prices were on the high side, but it's a very nice little cafe to stop by. Service is good.

This cafe and bakery is delicious! When you walk in, there is a fairly large breakfast and lunch menu, with a variety of bakery items to choose from. The staff is very friendly and I barely had to wait in line to buy my food. Aside from the outdoor seating, there is also indoor seating; which is decorated with various paintings and flowers. I ordered the House Roasted Turkey Breast sandwich The rosemary/olive oil bread was baked perfectly, the ingredients were fresh, and I really enjoyed the Russian dressing flavor. I'm excited to come back!

Love the food, but a 20% price increase on a $5 bakery item to $6?!. That's extreme. No thanks.

I've been here many, many times. I try to go here when I have an appointment in the hospital nearby. They're also open during thanksgiving day so I eat breakfast here on thanksgiving when my husband is working. You can eat in or to go. I never had trouble finding street parking. I never had bad service here. Fun fact: they're one of the main suppliers of bread to restaurants in San Diego County. I like getting their quiche and chocolate croissant. They sandwiches are good too like the paninis and curry chicken sandwich and the thin baguette I forgot the name of. I've gotten Buche du Noel from them two years in a row now, and it's always a hit with family; looks good in social media and tastes really good. One time, I saw they offered bread to a homeless person. I thought that was cool. They get really busy here so you know they're good.

Everything here is amazing. My one complaint is that every time I get my chai delivered there is a significant amount missing. There was no spilling, so that's just how much milk was in it from the start.

I've had this local bakery bookmarked forever. Definitely a popular spot among locals, lots of traffic in and out even on a Wednesday morning. Quick service with multiple employees taking orders at the pastry counter. Plenty of seating inside and outside. So many pastries in the glass to choose from! They all looked so tempting but I chose the pumpkin cranberry pie slice, assuming it's a fall seasonal item. A nice tart twist on pumpkin pie with a cranberry glaze on top and a pistachio rim. I was convinced to get the Croque Monsieur by the allure of bechamel. It paired nicely with the tomato soup. Loved the side of French bread, especially since it didn't tear up the roof of my mouth like most others. I definitely would come back especially to get the specialty bread sample plate to taste more of their breads!

Bad service, arrived, waited in line, people just cut, still waited patiently, still got skipped. Oh well, other places around. Update: business owner responded. I will say this is my first time going here and I've lived in SD for 15 years. I understand there are signs and people are busy, it might be helpful to ask employees to greet people as they come in and just let them know how the process works. It was early morning, people are tired and not paying attention. No hard feelings, will try again.

Love this place. Bread is fresh and pastries are absolutely delicious! Great Service and loved the ambience. I wish they would open another one in downtown Chula Vista. I believe it would do very well there. It's an up and coming place for new businesses.

First time here, and I was already impressed. I stopped by only to grab a chocolate peanut butter bar, but I will have to return after seeing their display of treats in person. Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar ($5): rich and high-quality. The chocolate is smooth and sweet, while the peanut butter was crisp but would later melt in your mouth. By far the best PB choco bar I've had, 10/10 rating! Service took the line down efficiently, and each staff member has a mobile device to accept your payment. This efficiency helped clear the parking within the lot and on the street, as the steady traffic of customers would come and go. I was here at about 8:00 on a Saturday morning, and the atmosphere was quiet for the most part. A lot of patrons were getting their coffee on, so clearly, the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet.

Food. Service. Ambiance. The best. Love. Love. Love this place. Our family weekend routine.

This place is overrated, the cinammon pastry was dry, and so as the bacon scones. They were overpriced too. I think there are better french bakeries to choose from in the area. The staff was friendly and the service was quick. The parking is a bit of a challenge esp during lunch time. They offer free one hour parking to their customers.

Best pastries outside of France! Everything is delicious, including all their breads. Their blackberry turnover and pistachio croissant are especially good!

We stumbled across Bread & Cie while we were exploring Hillcrest. Our first clue that it was going to be good was the long line that snaked to the back of the store, however they had multiple cashiers which helped the line move rather quickly. The breakfast options were delicious and I don't think there could be a wrong option - we ended up splitting the avocado toast (eggs poached to perfection) and yogurt parfait with ambitions to eat pastries afterward however we were too full! We ended up getting a pear almond tart, pistachio croissant, and bear claw to go and the 3 were the perfect size, appropriate sweetness, and honestly the entire trip was very affordable given how much we got.

Stunning cakes and focaccia bread! their flourless chocolate cake was the best snack at the end of a long walk in Balboa park. We brought focaccia home for breakfast and we'll try that too.

I was craving a croissant so we ended up at Bread & Cie. We managed to snag a seat outside and enjoyed the sun. The pistachio croissant was delicious. It had pistachios mixed into a sort of frangipane stuffed into the croissant. Amazing. The turkey pesto panini was grilled perfectly, served with a side salad with balsamic and the best sourdough croutons. Finally, the Ube macaron and Crème Brûlée macaron were the perfect ending to lunch. Light and crisp, with a delightful filling. This place gets pretty busy and it can be hard to find a seat. Employees are really friendly and food comes out pretty quickly. Def a staple in the neighborhood.

Our favorite place in San Diego. Delicious pastries, breads and parfaits. Love the coffee drinks. It's small and cozy. Friendly service and nice staff. Fair prices. My mom loves the maccaroons. It's our favorite spot every visit!!! Thank you for making delicious items Bread and Cie.

I woke up craving yummy carbs and I immediately thought of Bread & Cie. This french bakery has been an SD staple since the 90s, and for good reasons. Their staff is always working so hard, and even when there is a long line it goes really fast. I love that they serve you coffee in gigantic mugs, and their sandwiches and salads have always been plentiful and delish. I recommend their classic grilled cheese with tomato soup. Today I ordered a bread sampler with sweet butter, cream cheese and fruit preserves. It comes with 3 pieces and I asked the girl taking my order to choose the breads for me. She did amazing with her choices! She picked a brioche, a fig and nut sourdough and a rosemary and olive sourdough. Love this place!

Great place and vibe. Has a wide selection of breakfast options. Highly recommend and will visit again.

*consistent/good bakery, but not a need to go or groundbreaking when it comes to flavors on the patisserie side (no comment on bread yet) Came here as part of a quick run to Hillcrest to check off some places. Made an online order and most was ready by the time I got there (only a brief wait). When I got there at 10:30 on this Saturday morning, the place wasn't packed, but it was bustling with life as people were ordering at the pastry counter, picking up breads, or otherwise just consuming their cafe goods at the various tables. Staff was friendly and fast, and it seems this is like many well run bakeries where there was a constant restock (and they needed them). You know me, I picked up several sweets to go: bear claw, crumbonne, chocolate croissant, lemon Danish, slice of mango mousse cake, and a slice of French apple pie. Overall everything was very good; nothing was groundbreaking in their flavors but this is a higher churn bakery so everything was consistently good. Textures on the croissant and crummbonne were good (think of a crumbonne if a croissant ate monkey bread), good volume but the individual layers were not as present as similar artisan bakers. The chocolate croissant itself was actually reminiscent of ones I had across France, typical of any corner patisserie. Everything else (bear claw, Danish, cake, and pie) were well done and I can understand why they have followings for their pies and cakes. One day I'm sure I'll be in a bread mood, as this place offers many different flavors and types beginning to be an ecoutrement to your next dinner.

I picked up a bunch of quiche for a meeting this morning, and after the dust settled, the last piece had been sitting out for four hours. If I die from food poisoning, the quiche was worth it.

Pistachio Croissant Pretty good! Nice pistachio outside and pistachio layer in the middle. Yummy for pistachio lovers. As much as I enjoy pistachio though, I think I'll stick with my regular croissants. The pistachio felt a little burdensome to me

The pesto panini was alright and the cobb wasn't better. It worked for a simple lunch, but didn't impress. Next.

The ambience is amazing and the service was excellent! Additionally, the food was delicious! 1000/10

staff was very friendly. cute little store. chocolate croissant was good, just tasted a little old but that was because i can later into the afternoon. enjoyable experience, good job.

This was exactly what I was looking for. I am a sucker for fresh sourdough. Especially kalamata bread! Avocado toast became a staple for breakfast lately. I apologize I didn't take pictures of what I purchased but, I tried their fresh sourdough, kalamata bread and then I dove into some pastries. The ube macaroons hit all the ube notes and was a perfect balance between a not too sweet treat. The bread I can't live without. I would love to go back and try more treats. It was also great they had a parking lot. Yes, it is small lot but it's something since parking is awful in Hillcrest. The staff was beyond friendly. They have tables inside as well on the patio for fresh air or people watching. The vibe is perfect for meeting a friend or to stop and grab a bite while you work for through a lunch. I can't wait to go back earlier in the day as a lot of the pastries had already been bought and consumed.

Meeting my cousin who lives in San Diego for lunch, she suggested Bread and Cie and what a wonderful recommendation it was. First the bread products are amazing as well as the pastries. Ordering is done at the counter and brought to your table when the order is ready. I ordered the heirloom tomato BLT on sourdough and it was a delightful bite after bite. My son ordered the eggs Benedict Basket and enjoyed this version while my cousin Curried Chicken salad sandwich and loved her choice as well. I brought home the large pretzel bread only made on Saturdays and it was so good toasted with butter at home. For sure this is a return visit cafe and will enjoy many more items while visiting San Diego.

*** Original Visit was 11/05/2023 *** This was my first time at Bread & Cie after seeing it on social media. It was a bit loud, but it was very busy given the fact it was Sunday. The service was great, I had to change my order from a dine-in order to a takeout order shortly after my order was already placed, and the man helping me was very understanding and helpful. He brought me several boxes as well as boxed the rest of my items up to go that hadn't been brought out yet. I ordered: 1x Crumbonne 1x Avocado Toast 1x Apple turnover 1x Ham & Gruyère quiche I took a photo of all but the Avocado toast. The food was great, the turnover a bit dry but I'm not the biggest fan of them anyway. You absolutely have to get the crumbonne, it was life changing. The quiche was excellent and cheesy, but not too cheesy, and the avocado toast was good but I didn't have high expectations for toast and avocado. I will definitely be back!

This is really a bakery with wonderful crusty bread. Okay... it's a funky bakery that serves food...delicious, delicious food. Sandwiches, salad, breakfast. Delightful pastries and amazing bread. Why aren't you here, eating this? It's a pay at the counter- delivery to your table style. So, tables inside and out, reminds me of California 1970's.

This place is awesome! We got the bread sampler and eggs Benedict. The coffee was perfectly strong. Service was wonderful. The ambiance is casual and inviting. I highly recommend this place. If you love the Parisian lifestyle, this is the place to relax and people watch.

I have been a regular customer for the past few months now and it has become part of my weekend routine to stop by with my other half and enjoy brunch. The cafe has a fun atmosphere without being stuffy or pretentious (no faux Parisian chic here) and there are a lot of tables inside and in the patio in the front entrance. The service at the counter is always cordial and the runners who deliver the order to the table are very courteous helpful. They have a great selection of coffee drinks and I usually order the flat white or cafe au lait. The sandwiches are all very good from the gouda pesto to the grilled cheese panini with tomato soup. They also have a great variety of breads you can have sliced and bagged to take home and their olive loaf is amongst my favorites. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area and looking for something down to earth and satisfying.

Omg I'm so glad that we tried this place. I loved everything and can't wait to get home and try my bread. The cafe is huge and has so many items to select from, literally hard to make a decision . Will definitely be back when I'm in town, so wish we had one of these locations back home .

I have a real soft spot for lemon bars - they're my non-chocolate weakness. I gave Bread and Cie a shot recently and boy, was I pleasantly surprised. The crust had this wonderful doughiness to it. If there's one thing I could change, it'd be to dial up the lemon flavor. By the way, during my visit, I couldn't resist trying their peanut butter and chocolate bar - it blew me away! Every layer boasted a luxurious thickness and decadence. Both were served at a wonderfully chilly temperature, which truly enhanced the experience for me. Safe to say, I'll be making these visits a regular thing

This is a decades overdue review. I remember the day Bread & Cie opened in Hillcrest almost 20 years ago next door to Chef's Wok, the Chinese restaurant I helped manage. Charles, his wife and daughter were a welcome addition as we all tried to transform this old bank building into a neighborhood stop. It has been just wonderful to see how that little mom and pop bakery has grown! I love that I can buy Bread & Cie breads in my local grocery stores but also take family, friends and clients to the original store in Hillcrest to enjoy the tasty sandwiches, salads, coffees and teas. I still remember and miss their rosemary cookies and bread from the early days. I love everything about Bread & Cie, thank and congratulate this family for bringing this delightful business to San Diego!