Where I go for a croissant, a morning bun or a cake worth celebrating with. A mix of French-style pastry shops and neighborhood classics, from Hong Kong pineapple buns to German Berliners. Picks drawn from Tasting Table's 2026 guide to SF pastries an...
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Dogpatch bakery where every croissant is good. Start with the plain one, then get the banana bostock made from cinnamon-sugar croissant dough.
Neighbor Bakehouse
The kouign-amann spot in SF. Seasonal flavors like guava and white sesame lotus rotate through, and the special ones sell out, so pre-order.
b. patisserie
The Mission original. Get the morning bun, croissant dough rolled with orange zest and cinnamon, and a loaf of bread for later.
Tartine Bakery
Probably the closest thing to a Paris croissant in the city. Big, flaky and very buttery. The plain and the almond are the move.
Arsicault Bakery
Hong Kong-style pineapple buns in the Sunset. Try the guava butter or pandan butter bun. Cash only in store, or order ahead online to skip the line.
Pineapple King Bakery
Old-school Italian pastry shop in the Mission. The St. Honore cake, with cream puffs, caramelized puff pastry and rum custard, is the one to order for a celebration.
Dianda's Italian American Pastry
German cake and pastry shop known for its Berliners. Get the vanilla creme or the Beesting, and a slice of Black Forest cake if you're sharing.
Hahdough
Inner Richmond bakery-cafe with the kaya bun: milk bread filled with pandan coconut jam under a matcha-almond cookie top. Stay for brunch and the Basque cheesecake.
Breadbelly
Neighborhood bakery on 24th Street. The scones are the sleeper hit, especially currant orange and cheddar chive.
Noe Valley Bakery
North Beach pastry shop with a line that wraps up Stockton Street. Worth it for the twice-baked brown butter cornmeal croissant.
