Trendiest Pastries and Bakeries in San Francisco

Fluffy, flaky, baked and beautiful — that’s how I like my carbs. If you know me, you know I have quite the sweet tooth and am always on the lookout for the tastiest, trendiest pastries around! If you find yourself in San Francisco and also have a weakness for fresh ingredients, chic decor and delicious baked goods, this list was made for you.

Best Pastries and Bakeries in San Francisco

Here’s a Quick List of the Tastiest Pastries in San Francisco:

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Russian Honey Cake at 20th Century Cafe — Russian Honey Cake

**@ 20th Century Cafe**
*198 Gough St. San Francisco, CA 94102*

This retro bakery in Hayes Valley serves a tender 10-layer Russian Honey Cake. The cake itself is light and airy, built in between layers of a fluffy honey mousse. The flavors are quite rich with the honey flavor present throughout, so order an espresso or latte to go along with it. The elegant china and marble table tops make this bakery totally Instagrammable and all the more enticing!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: The Cruffin at Mr. Holmes Bakehouse — the cruffin

**@ Mr. Holmes Bakehouse**
*1042 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94109*

Let's be real, this one is the holy grail of San Francisco pastries (and probably the reason you clicked on this post in the first place). If you read my post about the elusive cruffin, then you already know it is a croissant-muffin hybrid filled with pudding-y goodness. Here's what you need to know: Wake up early, get in line and see what the cruffin craze is all about. I promise you won't be disappointed! Get all the details here to make sure you snag one before they disappear for the day!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Morning Bun at Tartine Bakery — morning bun

**@ Tartine Bakery**
*600 Guerrero St. San Francisco, CA 94110*

A charming little patisserie in the Mission, you'll find yourself gawking undecidedly at the case of pastries while you inch your way to the front of the line at Tartine. The morning bun is heavily sought after and likely the reason you’ll find yourself standing in a line down the block. Make it a group affair and share a few different pastries (except for the morning bun … don’t share your morning bun). The bread pudding is also popular and the banana cream tart is quite the treat — a creamy cloud of pudding layered with whipped cream, fresh banana slices & rich chocolate shavings.

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Kouign Amann at b Patisserie — KOUIGN AMANN

**@ b. Patisserie**
*2821 California St. San Francisco, CA 94115*

Another San Francisco favorite, b. Patisserie is known to make the best kouign amanns in the city. Pronounced "queen-ah-man", this buttery, flaky pastry is made with croissant dough and has a thick, caramelized crust with a soft, doughy center. Some come with sweet or savory fillings, but my favorite has to be the classic! The rest of the menu is composed of modern French-style pastries with a little American fair and local influence. The bakery is a light airy space with an open pastry kitchen and offers ample indoor / outdoor seating.

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Macarons at Chantel Guillon — macarons

**@ Chantal Guillon**
*437 Hayes St. Ste A. San Francisco, CA 94102*

When I visited Paris a few years ago, I learned how to make macarons from scratch and have since become somewhat of a self-proclaimed macaron aficionado. Every time I have macarons from Chantel Guillon, I am instantly transported back! Combining Parisian tradition with Californian innovation, this French-inspired boutique bakery makes all their macarons in-house with natural ingredients. Some of my favorite flavors are salted caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate and red velvet!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Cinnamon Almond Bostock at Neighbor Bakehouse — CINNAMON ALMOND BOSTOCK

**@ Neighbor Bakehouse**
*2343 3rd St. San Francisco, CA 94107*

The delicious selection of sweet and savory pastries served from an open concept kitchen in a clean, industrial space makes this neighborhood bakery a go-to for local San Franciscans. Everything here is astoundingly good, but my favorite is the Cinnamon Almond Bostock (think of it as the love child of French toast and an almond croissant). Other favorites include the Everything Croissant (similar to an everything bagel, complete with cream cheese on the inside) and the Curried Potato Turnover. The bakery itself is standing room only, but there is plenty of seating on the picnic tables outside to park yourself and enjoy some pastries with your morning coffee.

Best Pastries in San Francisco: S'More at Dandelion Chocolate — S’more

**@ Dandelion Chocolate**
*740 Valencia St. San Francisco, CA 94110*

The famous Dandelion Chocolate factory has many menu items that will make your heart skip a beat, but the S’More dessert is a fan favorite. This little piece of joy sits on top of a graham cracker and is torched-to-order right in front of you! And if you're undecided whether or not you should get the frozen hot chocolate to go along with it, the answer is yes. You absolutely should. Don't forget to grab a couple of their homemade marshmallows to toss on top — every bite is a fluffy dream!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Cannolis at Stella Pastry & Cafe — cannolis

**@ Stella Pastry & Cafe**
*446 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133*

Stella is my go-to spot for late night dessert in North Beach — it’s the perfect place to continue date night after a hearty Italian meal. This charming neighborhood bakery features traditional Italian pastries and desserts that are downright delicious. Notorious for the Cannolis, Tiramisu, Sacripantina and Fedora, all their treats are light, moist, decadent and flavorful without being overly sweet.

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Croissants at Vive La Tarte — specialty croissants

**@ Vive La Tarte**
*1160 Howard St. San Francisco, CA 94103*

The croissants here are pretty epic: handmade, huge and packed with filling! There’s always a new flavor on the menu and they sell out like hot cakes, so be sure to arrive early (before 11am!) and grab one before they run out for the day. I’ve been to Vive La Tarte a couple of times and I always love sitting down to enjoy my coffee & pastries here simply due to the unique set up of the space. There is table seating in the center, high top tables near the window and additional bleacher-concept seating on the side. The bakery has an open kitchen with tons of natural light pouring in — there are pastries and food items on one side and a coffee bar serving up Sightglass on the other. If you come here for the first time, be sure to try one of their specialty croissants and the hearty avocado toast!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Donuts at Dynamo Donut — any donut

**@ Dynamo Donut**
*2760 24th St. San Francisco, CA 94110*

Looking for a modern twist on the classic donut? Dynamo has you covered. Fresh, great quality ingredients make up these decadently dense (but tastefully proportioned) baked goods. From Chocolate Star Anise to Strawberry Earl Grey and Pistachio, enjoy sampling several flavors here. Stop by this grab-and-go-friendly storefront in the Mission for donuts and coffee on a weekend morning or take a seat and stay awhile.

Best Pastries in San Francisco: French Cream Puffs at Choux Bakery — FRENCH CREAM PUFFS

**@ Choux Bakery**
*248 Fillmore St. San Francisco, CA 94117*

Choux Bakery is home to the cutest little cream puffs I've ever seen! Baked fresh daily with ingredients imported from Europe, these beautifully refined French cream puffs are made of a delicate and flaky dough and topped with a light layer of icing. These pretty choux pastries are filled with a delicious custard and come in a variety of flavors. Shahzeb and I love picking up a box to gift when we visit our family!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Cupcakes at SusieCakes — cupcakes

**@ SusieCakes**
***Marina****: 2109 Chestnut St. San Francisco, CA 94123*
***FiDi****: 50 Fremont St. San Francisco, CA 94105*

As a baker myself, I’ve always been extremely picky about my cupcakes choices. Which is why I had to include SusieCakes on this list — it made its way into my heart and onto the top of my favorite bakeries list! Everything here is consistently fresh, moist and delicious. I’m always tempted to stop in when I’m nearby. I love their chocolate, red velvet and vanilla blue cupcakes, and sometimes I like to switch it up and order a slice of their marble cake. They even sell entire cakes, perfect for birthdays and special occasions!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Egg Custard Tarts at Golden Gate Bakery — egg custard tarts

**@ Golden Gate Bakery**
*1029 Grant Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133*

Famous for their buttery, flaky and creamy egg custard tarts, the Golden Gate Bakery is located in the heart of Chinatown in San Francisco. Though it’s no Manteigaria in Lisbon, at $2.50 a piece these custard egg tarts are known to be the best in the city. Word on the street is that the bakery opens and closes with no notice and no known pattern, so be sure to check the “Is the Golden Gate Bakery Open Today?” Twitter and Facebook pages or call before you visit (I called and went around 4pm on a Friday). If you happen to be in the neighborhood while they are open, pop in and try these beauties! I love that they serve these hot and fresh throughout the day! Tip: If you can make it all the way home without devouring them all, dust a little cinnamon on top just like they do in Lisbon!

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Cinnamon Roll at Devil's Teeth Baking Company — Cinnamon roll

**@ Devil’s Teeth Baking Company**
*3876 Noriega St. San Francisco, CA 94122*

Hypnotizing and humongous, the cinnamon rolls at Devil’s Teeth Baking Company are a buttery wonder. Other favorites include their famous breakfast sandwich, kale-parmesan scones and $1 beignets on Sundays! This little bakery in the Outer Sunset has some indoor / outdoor seating, but is best for grab-and-go, as it can get a bit crowded on weekends.

Best Pastries in San Francisco: Cream Puffs at Beard Papas — cream puffs

**@ Beard Papa’s**

Beard Papa's is an international chain of cream puff stores that started in Japan and expanded all over the United States. These Japanese style sweets are known for their natural ingredients and freshly-baked pastry shells filled with a light and tasty custard. You can customize your cream puff by choosing from a variety of shells and fillings (vanilla, chocolate or caramel) and watch as they fill it up right before you! They even have a selection of seasonal flavors that rotate monthly. You can find my full review of their cream puffs here!

anthonys cookies.jpg — Cookies

**@ Anthony’s Cookies**
*1417 Valencia St. San Francisco, CA 94110*

Any place that serves just one thing on the menu has got to be doing something right. Baked fresh daily, these heavenly cookies from Anthony’s are are warm, chewy and a little crisp along the edges. At $2 a pop, the cookies are small but come packed with flavor in every bite. The Toffee, Chocolate Chip and Cookies & Cream are all quite popular but the latter of the 3 is my personal favorite!

What’s your favorite San Francisco pastry? Share it with me in the comments below!