9 Best Bakeries In San Francisco For Pastry Afficionados

As a bustling cosmopolitan port city on the West Coast, San Francisco has no shortage of world-class eateries, and the same goes for its bakeries. As a top destination for committed foodies, San Francisco is home to many remarkable bakery establishments that take inspiration from all over the world. 

You can find all kinds of baked goods in Golden Gate City, from gourmet French croissants to classic homemade pies and cookies. With such an overwhelming abundance of choices, you might find yourself struggling to choose where to go first. Since you’ll want to make the most of your time in SF, here is a list of some of the most essential pastry spots to look for as you explore.  

Le Marais Bakery 

Address: 2066 Chestnut Street, 498 Sanchez Street, and 1138 Sutter Street. 

No list of best bakeries for San Francisco foodies would be complete without at least one French-style patisserie.  And if you’ve spent any time exploring the SF food scene, you’ll understand why including only three such locations on our list was a challenge in itself. In highlighting one of the best French bakeries in San Francisco,  Le Marais Bakery has certainly earned its spot, specializing in all the classic baked goods you’ve come to expect from any true patisserie. 

Enjoy great bistro fare at this bakery chain, including sumptuous artisanal croissants, a beautiful Croque madame, scones with the freshest seasonal fruit, and plenty of other options for breakfast and brunch alike such as eggs benedict. A great patisserie also serves great coffee, and Le Marais is no exception as it serves the finest locally produced French roast coffee around. 

Stella Pastry & Cafe 

Address: 446 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133 

Maybe you’re more into Italian cuisine, in which case the Stella Pastry & Cafe is the best Italian bakery in San Francisco for you. Enjoy the rustic ambiance of one of the oldest bakeries in San Francisco that serve classics such as Napoleon cake, Italian cappuccinos, Tiramisu, cannoli, and fruit tarts. Another thing that makes this bakery particularly special is its incredible location. 

Situated just a block and a half away from Columbus and Broadway - the intersection of two major avenues in downtown San Francisco - the bakery is mere minutes away on foot from top San Francisco attractions, including Chinatown, Coit Tower, and the iconic Ferry Building. Stella Pastry is also only a block & a half away from the famous City Lights bookstore, making it the perfect spot to read a new book over coffee. 

Considering the impressively authentic Italian pastries offered here, this bakery offers relatively affordable prices; perfect for those enjoying San Francisco on a budget.    

Vive La Tarte 

Address: 4026 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114

The list of best bakeries in San Francisco is no stranger to the eclectic, which makes it the perfect home for a bakery like Vive La Tarte.  Located in Noe Valley, Vive La Tarte occupies a huge well-lit warehouse space and offers plenty of new takes on old pastry classics.  If you’re looking to shake your taste buds up, this bakery is a must.

Want a fresh, flaky croissant with an up-leveled, modern twist?  Try Vive La Tarte’s customer favorite, Orange Blossom & Zaatar Croissant.  Looking to try something unique and trendy?  Vive La Tarte makes absolutely addicting turmeric monkey bread.  The only thing Vive La Tarte doesn’t have is WiFi, but in a unique place like this, that only adds to the experience.  

Liguria Bakery 

Address: 1700 Stockon Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

Located in North Beach, not far from the UC, San Francisco Foundation building, we have another classic old-school Italian bakery, but with a one-of-a-kind twist. Founded in 1911, Liguria is one of the oldest bakeries in San Francisco, and they only produce one thing: focaccia.   

The classic delectable flat-leavened oven-baked Italian bread that has a similar texture to pizza comes in 10 different flavors here, which range from classic plain focaccia to jalapeno cheese.  Clearly, the locals are sold as Liguria regularly has long lines of customers that stretch out the door.  However, don’t fret as the line generally moves quickly at this ever-popular Italian bakery in San Francisco.  And on the occasion that you do have to wait a bit, you’ll realize it was well worth your time once you get your hands on your warm slice of freshly baked focaccia.

Liguria opens at 7 AM every day except Sundays and Mondays and closes at 12 pm or when they run out, so be sure to come early.  Once you’ve got your fix from Liguria, head on over to the nearby Washington Square to enjoy a San Francisco treat in a historic downtown park.  

Tartine 

Address: 595 Alabama Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

Founded in 2002 by a married couple of bakers from Point Reyes, Tartine bakery in San Francisco has since become a genuine local establishment.  It has received critical acclaim locally and nationally from such publications as the New York Times.  The bakery even published a book in 2010 filled with everything you need to know about its famous bread. It’s also worth noting that the Tartine bakery in San Francisco is committed to engendering fair and ethical entrepreneurial practices in San Francisco and beyond. 

The bakery works with local farmers to bring a flavorful California farm-to-table experience to the San Francisco bakery scene. Enjoy an exquisite brunch with pastry classics such as a peach danish, pain au chocolat, or a fresh fruit bavarian tart. Tartine even offers online ordering for delivery; as well as order ahead for pickup, so you can skip the line and still enjoy their delicious pastries on a busy day. 

Rize Up Bakery 

Address: 1160 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

While not the oldest bakery in San Francisco, Rize Up Bakery is a black-owned business with a unique origin story that is quite inspiring. The bakery was founded in 2020 by Azikiwee Anderson at the height of the pandemic, both as a hobby for the lockdown and as a way to cope with the murder of George Floyd. Since then, Rize Up Bakery has become a prosperous online business that provides some of the most unique baked goods in the city. 

The menu at Rize Up offers extraordinary bread loaves in flavors such as garlic confit, ube, and sesame scallion. The online bakery is currently raising money for a brick-and-mortar location, which would make its tasty treats more accessible to hungry patrons.     

B. Patisserie 

Address: 2821 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

B. Patisserie is another one of the best French bakeries in San Francisco. It’s the kind of instagrammable restaurant that has a line of seasonal pastries so drool-worthy that you’ll have a hard time deciding on one, let alone two or three items.  With an ever-changing seasonal menu, each time you walk into B. Patisserie there’s a good chance you’ll find something new that you haven’t tried before, keeping things fresh and interesting. 

B. Patisserie’s most famous baked goods include elegant macarons, a 10-hour apple tart, and a perfect vanilla cassis cake. Seasonal specials include unique treats such as Thanksgiving tarts, something you should make a note to check out next time turkey season comes around. 

Hahdough 

Address: 1221 Fell Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

Believe it or not, you can even find a delicious slice of Berlin in one of the best bakeries in San Francisco. In addition to a quality range of seasonal items offered exclusively at this store, at Handough you can also enjoy everyday German staples such as their famous Berliners.   These traditional German doughnuts are light, fluffy, and filled with a variety of jams and creams.

The unique name of this famous bakery in San Francisco comes from the owner’s name, Ha Do. Although originally from Vietnam, Ha Do grew up in Germany and has made it her mission to bring some of her favorite Deutscher sweets to the West Coast. 

Arizmendi Bakery 

Address: 1331 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122

A worker-owned bakery with roots in Berkeley, California, the Arizmendi bakery is run by a bakery collective that produces quality pastries of all kinds from baguettes to pizzas. Named after a Basque labor organizer, the bakery’s mission was to create a flourishing working cooperative that creates top-notch baked goods, and that mission has been a resounding success. 

Arizmendi makes the list of best bakeries in San Francisco thanks to its amazing offerings. The bakery’s menu includes plenty of tempting treats such as new vegetarian pizza specials every day, glorious fresh baguettes, and flavorful San Francisco walnut sourdough. The whimsical brick-and-mortar location of this cafe makes for a very cozy atmosphere, perfect for reading a book while enjoying a deluxe galette des Rois (a french flat crusty cake). 

Disclaimer: California.com does not receive any kind of compensation for reviewing any of the products or services mentioned in this article.