My self-guided tour of the best bakeries in San Francisco began on an overcast and chilly summer morning.
I'd only given myself a weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area (en route to Honolulu), and it didn't feel like nearly enough time once I was there.
Wondering how best to take advantage of the jetlag waking me up at 5 a.m., I decided to visit as many incredible bakeries as possible on my second and final day.
This is no small task in a city with a reputation for excellent pastries.
I hope my indulgent mission for sweet treats at San Francisco's best bakeries serves you well, whether as an armchair eater or planning a trip.
Where to Eat Pastries in SF
Tartine Manufactory
I began my Sunday adventure with morning pastries at the renowned Tartine Manufactory in the Mission District.
This 5,000-square-foot space dedicated to breadmaking, pastries, and ice cream occupies the same building as the Heath Ceramics factory.
It opened in 2016 following the runaway success of nearby Tartine Bakery (600 Guerrero St), a joint venture by Chad Robertson (breadmaker) and his wife, Elisabeth Prueitt (pastry chef).
Unfortunately, they were only offering limited outdoor seating due to the pandemic.
I, however, got lucky at my first stop as I arrived soon after they opened and managed a table for breakfast sans reservation.
To warm up, I ordered the ham and cheese croissant with fried egg, mission verde, and jalapeño, along with a green tea.
This was one decadent breakfast sandwich. The croissant's flaky crust crumbled as I took bite after delicious bite, the pepper giving it a subtle spicy kick.
For something sweet, I ordered a pain au chocolat with Valrhona chocolate.
After a six-block walk west to Dolores Park, I devoured the pastry, where I could enjoy it with views of the San Francisco skyline. It was one of the better chocolate croissants I've eaten.
Before leaving Tartine Manufactory, I quickly looked at the interior on the way to the restroom.
A counter in the cafe is open for to-go orders, including their famous loaves of sourdough bread.
The bakery serves coffee and pastries until late afternoon, 5 p.m.
595 Alabama St, San Francisco, tartinebakery.com
Related: Best Bars in San Francisco
Craftsman and Wolves
After dusting the pastry flakes off my pants in Dolores Park, I backtracked two blocks east (past the original Tartine Bakery, known for its long lines) to check out Craftsman and Wolves.
It was already 10:30 a.m., and this modern pâtisserie, bakery, and cafe had its share of customers filing through the doors.
Inside, the pastry counter greeted me with many tempting choices, including roasted banana bread with coconut and a croissant pudding with rhubarb, vanilla custard, and citrus zest.
The Rebel Within is a signature treat by baker William Werner—a soft-cooked egg ensconced in an asiago, sausage, and green onion cake.
Unaware of this, I ordered a pill-shaped pastry made of peach oolong mousse, peach confiture, vanilla sponge, and shortbread.
I was happy to sit inside this great place with my delicate dessert and warm cappuccino and didn't mind the communal seating.
746 Valencia St, San Francisco, craftsman-wolves.com
Related: Leonard's Bakery in Honolulu
Kantine
A six-block walk north of Craftsman and Wolves brings you to Kantine, a Scandinavian-inspired bakery and cafe well-suited for a fika.
Chef Nichole Accettola opened Kantine after she spent ten years in Copenhagen.
Readers may recall my international trip to Sweden and Denmark, where I became familiar with the morning bun and hygge.
I walked up to Kantine a little after 11 a.m. and joined the short queue to order inside. The counter was smaller than the other places I'd been to, but they had what I wanted.
Cardamom buns! There were cinnamon rolls, a favorite of the Swedes, but cardamom won me over on that last trip across the Atlantic.
Kantine was my third bakery in San Francisco that morning, and it started showing.
I only took a few buttery bites before placing the remainder of the bun in a brown paper bag and hightailing it back to The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel for a break.
The line to order had already grown longer by the time I left.
The cardamom morning bun kept well overnight and served as a quick snack before I left for the airport to go home.
Kantine also offers three-grain porridge, smørrebrød (a traditional Danish open-faced sandwich), and a build-your-own brunch option starting at $16.
1906 Market St, San Francisco, kantinesf.com
Related: 5 Best Bakeries in Copenhagen
Arsicault Bakery
During my hotel break, the sun came out, and I headed over to The Golden Gate Bridge to take pictures and burn off some calories.
A few hours later, I ordered a Lyft from Presidio of San Francisco (a large park by the bridge) south to Arsicault Bakery, a local favorite, and the best bakery for croissants.
Arsicault was named Bakery of the Year by Bon Appétit on the strength of their plain croissant alone.
I've eaten a lot of croissants in my life, so I had to go. It was now 1:45 p.m.; there was still a 20-person line outside this unassuming little bakery.
Thankfully, it moved quickly, and I soon possessed their acclaimed pastry.
Around the corner on Clement Street, the weekly Farmer's Market was wrapping up.
Walking down the sunlit street, I tore into the croissant, dough flakes flying everywhere. Inside, it was oh-so-buttery.
It's the kind of croissant you eat and realize 99% of the rest you ever ate were tough, chewy, dry, or just disappointing by comparison.
Arsicault offers a variety of flavors:
- Chocolate croissants
- Almond croissants
- Chocolate almond croissants
- Ham and cheese croissants
There's also kouign amann, scones, and a classic chocolate chip cookie.
397 Arguello Blvd, San Francisco, arsicault-bakery.com
Related: Pasjoli, A Michelin-Star French Bistro
Cinderella Russian Bakery & Cafe
A seven-block walk southwest of Arsicault (and two blocks north of Golden Gate Park) is the Cinderella Russian Bakery & Cafe.
My mom's family immigrated to New York from Russia around the turn of the 20th century, though I know little about that side of my family.
So, when Cinderella turned up in my research of the best bakeries in San Francisco, I felt a calling to check it out.
Not surprisingly, there was a line for this historic cafe that opened its doors in 1953. It moved quickly, though, as half the people were ordering food to go.
Once inside the small bakery, I was overwhelmed by the options in the display cases. There were breakfasts, bagels, borsch soup, chicken a la Kyiv, and dozens of pastries.
I was tempted to order the Vatrushka sweet cheese tart or perhaps the bird's milk cake but settled on the sour cream cake with a honey sponge, which I was assured was the most traditional Russian pastry available.
With my prize in hand, I took a small table outside. A quick photography session ensued as I carefully captured a dozen layers of cake and cream.
Then, I plunged the plastic fork down one corner and watched the Russian honey cake bend like a contortionist to avoid being split apart.
Ultimately, it gave way, and the luxurious layer cake soon disappeared. If you have a sweet tooth and curiosity about Russian baked goods, head to Cinderella Bakery.
My one-day bakery crawl in San Francisco may have ended at Cinderella, but I did another the next time I visited the city.
436 Balboa St, San Francisco, cinderellabakery.com
b. Patisserie
The French bakery, b Patisserie, in Pacific Heights was tops on my list. Pastry chefs and owners Belinda Leong and Michel Suas won the 2018 James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker.
I first encountered their breakfast pastries at Kona Coffee Purveyors in Waikiki, Honolulu.
I went three times in one week; my favorite pastry was the chocolate banana almond croissant.
I also enjoyed a mango, coconut, lychee pastry, a pan Suisse with cream cheese and chocolate chips, and a chocolate passion fruit cremeux.
Stepping into their flagship San Francisco location brought back memories.
Like Kona, there was an open pastry kitchen, which gave a feeling of transparency, and display cases were full of fresh baked goods.
I couldn't decide, so I got three (and a black sesame latte):
- Chocolate kouign amann
- Chocolate banana almond croissant
- Chocolate caramel toffee mousse
b Patisserie is known for its kouign amanns, and this flaky, chocolate-filled version was delicious. The almond croissant was crunchier than my one in Honolulu, so I wouldn't say I liked it as much. Maybe it was baked a bit too long?
The toffee mousse was my favorite, with its silky smooth layers and flourless chocolate biscuit base.
2821 California St, San Francisco, bpatisserie.com
Kuhio Avenue Mall Entrance - International Marketplace, 2330 Kalakaua Ave #160, Honolulu, HI
Jane The Bakery
A leisurely 15-minute walk south and east of b. Patisserie will bring you to Jane The Bakery, another of San Francisco's best bakeries.
It was 9:30 a.m. on a Friday, and there was a short line to order.
Dozens of varieties of bread are baked in-house daily, including sourdoughs, baguettes, and sandwich bread.
Sandwiches and cookies the size of my hands were on display as I tried to take in all the options before someone asked me what I wanted.
I settled on two pastries: a cardamom lattice bun filled with custard and the personal favorite of the woman helping me, a Nutella brioche.
I took my delicacies outside, where the bakery had constructed some simple wood benches, and unpacked them. First, there was the custard-filled cardamom pastry, which was enjoyable.
However, if I'm picking favorites, it didn't stand a chance against the Nutella brioche, one of the most amazing pastries I've encountered in San Francisco.
The light, fluffy brioche harbored an ooey-gooey Nutella center. I'm so glad the woman helping me offered to heat it in the microwave; the result was divine.
Jane The Bakery was the third location to open in founder Amanda Michael's fast-growing empire of Bay-area cafes and bakeries.
1881 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA, itsjane.com
Yasukochi's Sweet Stop
My last stop of bakery crawl #2 was a short half-mile walk east from Jane The Bakery to Japantown.
Inside Super Mira, an unassuming Japanese grocery store, you'll find Yasukochi's Sweet Stop, a 2023 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery.
Since 1974, Hatsy and Moses Yasukochi have been making and selling their famous Coffee Crunch Cake. Layers of vanilla sponge cake and whipped cream are coated with handmade crunchy candies.
You can buy individual slices or an entire 8-inch or 9-inch round cake. I did the former, taking my prize pastry across the street to eat it near the Origami Fountains on Buchanan Street.
1790 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA, sweetstopsf.com
