Local finds · City guide no. 04
The loaves, croissants, co-ops and Bay Area makers San Franciscans actually line up for — each one named by a critic or food writer, with the source linked.
The icons
If you only try four, start here: Tartine’s country loaf, an Arsicault almond croissant, a Dandelion bar and the Cheese Board counter.
Tartine Bakery
The rustic country loaf that put SF sourdough on the map; it’s also ranked in our national sourdough list.
Cited by Elena Kadvany (San Francisco Chronicle); Cesar Hernandez (San Francisco Chronicle); J. Kenji López-Alt (Serious Eats) yahoo.com (opens source)
Also #4 in our national Sourdough ranking
Where: 600 Guerrero St, Mission
Arsicault Bakery
The city’s finest croissants; the almond one is the must-order. The Civic Center and Mission Rock shops rarely have a wait.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 397 Arguello Blvd, plus Civic Center & Mission Rock
Dandelion Chocolate
The Mission bean-to-bar maker’s single-origin bar, ranked in our national chocolate list.
Cited by Sana Javeri Kadri (Diaspora Co.) nytimes.com (opens source)
Also #2 in our national Fine chocolate ranking
Where: 740 Valencia St, Mission
Cheese Board Collective (worker-owned)
One of the original Northern California food co-ops: a robust cheese counter, baked goods and the famous daily pizza.
Picked by Eater SF editors Eater SF (opens source)
Where: 1512 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley
01 · 1 finds
A Nob Hill mercado for small-batch mezcal and hot sauce.
Tahona Mercado
A Mexican market and bottle shop for small-batch mezcal and fancy hot sauce, with carnitas tacos for lunch.
Picked by Julia Chen, The Infatuation The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1168 Leavenworth St, Nob Hill
02 · 17 finds
Tartine’s country loaf, Arsicault’s almond croissant and the buns worth a Sunset detour.
Pineapple King Bakery
Pineapple buns with guava butter, salted egg custard, matcha mochi or barbecue pork. Fill a box for Golden Gate Park.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1915 Irving St, Sunset
Butter & Crumble
Light, crackly croissants with see-through layers; a visit doesn’t count without the pistachio cardamom croissant.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 271 Francisco St, North Beach
Breadbelly
An Asian-inspired bakery with a rotating case; the kaya toast with pandan jam never leaves the menu.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1408 Clement St, plus Dogpatch
The French Spot
Sells out well before noon; the mochi-stuffed ube croissant is one of a kind.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1042 Larkin St
Parachute (Sorrel & Arquet team)
A Ferry Building haven for laminated pastry.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1 Ferry Building
Le Carousel Patisserie
Viennoiserie that already rivals Arsicault and B. Patisserie; go before 9am.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 345 Taylor St
Jina Bakes
A short-rib croissant under torched mozzarella, and Japanese-Korean pastry wizardry.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1581 Webster St
Cinderella Bakery & Café (since the 1950s)
A Russian bakery of savory piroshki, pastries, cookies and cakes.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 436 Balboa St
Neighbor Bakehouse
Famous laminated pastry, from char siu croissants to almond frangipane.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2343 3rd St
Kahnfections
Fluffy, perfect buttermilk and bacon-cheddar biscuits.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3321 20th St
Hahdough
The city’s only German bakery: bee sting cake, Black Forest, pretzels.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1221 Fell St
Thorough Bread and Pastry
A French-style bakery for almond croissants, sticky buns and gougères.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 248 Church St
El Yucateco Bakery
Pan dulce plus Yucatecan specialties like a ham-and-cheese hojaldra.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2907 16th St
Arizmendi Bakery (worker-owned)
Hearty corn muffins, scones, focaccia and cheese breads from a co-op bakery.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1331 9th Ave
Sol Bakery
A former pop-up now in NoPa, at its best with bread and laminated pastry.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1696 Hayes St
Noe Valley Bakery
An awesome bakery with a model train in the window; the bread is worth the line.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 4073 24th St
Devil’s Teeth Baking Company
Gold-medal biscuits; the Special Breakfast Sandwich is the star.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3876 Noriega St
03 · 2 finds
A century-old SF salame and Berkeley’s Fra’ Mani.
Columbus (San Francisco, since 1917)
The SF salumi house’s dry salame, ranked in our national salami list.
Cited by Melanie Portman (chef, Drool Recipes); Danny Palumbo (Sporked); Samantha Maxwell (Tasting Table) eatthis.com (opens source)
Also #3 in our national Salami ranking
Where: Bay Area grocers
Fra’ Mani (Berkeley)
Paul Bertolli’s Berkeley salumeria; the sausage is ranked in our national Italian sausage list.
Cited by Andrew Owens (private chef); Mashed (hot Italian sausage ranking) eatthis.com (opens source)
Also #2 in our national Italian sausage ranking
Where: Bay Area grocers
04 · 5 finds
Rainbow, Cheese Board, Berkeley broths, Oakland tofu and Napa beans.
Rainbow Grocery (worker co-op since 1975)
The co-op natural-foods store with everything a Bay Area cook wants, starting with beautiful organic produce.
Picked by Eater SF editors Eater SF (opens source)
Where: 1745 Folsom St, SoMa
Three Stone Hearth (community kitchen)
Slow-cooked broths, soups, pickles and house sauces, plus sardines, local bacon, kefir and kombucha.
Picked by Eater SF editors Eater SF (opens source)
Where: 1581 University Ave, Berkeley
Foodhall
A specialty grocer of imported wines and raw honey, and tart soft serve with Palestinian olive oil and sour cherries.
Picked by Patrick Wong, The Infatuation The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3100 16th St, Mission
Hodo (Oakland)
Oakland-made organic tofu, ranked in our national tofu list.
Cited by Denise St. Onge (Greens, San Francisco); Nancy Singleton Hachisu (Japan: The Cookbook) epicurious.com (opens source)
Also #1 in our national Tofu ranking
Where: Bay Area grocers
Rancho Gordo (Napa)
Steve Sando’s Napa heirloom bean company; the black-eyed peas are ranked in our national list.
Cited by Southern Living Test Kitchen southernliving.com (opens source)
Also #3 in our national Black-eyed peas ranking
Where: 1924 Yajome St, Napa
05 · 40 finds
Mission bean-to-bar chocolate, kouign amann and Marin ice cream.
B. Patisserie
The best kouign amann in town, with sugary shells and butter-soaked layers. Get a box of plain plus the seasonal flavor.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2821 California St, plus a Union Square kiosk
Straus Family Creamery (Marin)
Marin dairy ice cream, ranked in our national vanilla ice cream list.
Cited by SF Chronicle blind panel of seven (Esther Mobley, MacKenzie Chung Fegan, Cesar Hernandez, Elena Kadvany, Caleb Pershan; Mario Cortez reporting); Mindy Crosato (Decadent Creations, pastry chef) sfchronicle.com (opens source)
Also #1 in our national Vanilla ice cream ranking
Where: Bay Area grocers
Loquat
A Jewish and Levantine-inspired bakery with hypnotic babka and ricotta bourekas.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 198 Gough St
Holy Nata
Portuguese egg tarts with caramelized tops and loud, flaky crusts.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 8 Trinity Pl
La Victoria Panadería (since the 1950s)
Some of the best pan dulce in town from a decades-old Mexican bakery.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3249 24th St
Black Jet Baking Company
The friendly neighborhood pastry powerhouse.
Picked by The Infatuation SF editors The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 833 Cortland Ave
Verjus
One of The Infatuation's picks for the best sweets in San Francisco.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 550 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94111
The Original Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop
The Infatuation singles out the ice cream and chocolate; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 900 N Point St, San Francisco, California 94109
Routier
The Infatuation singles out the chocolate here.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2801 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Bodega SF
The Infatuation counts it among San Francisco's best sweets.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 138 Mason St, San Francisco, California 94102
State Bird Provisions
The Infatuation singles out the ice cream, sandwiches and macarons; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1529 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 94115
Cinderella Bakery & Café
Per The Infatuation, the move is the honey and cake.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 436 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Nari
The Infatuation counts it among San Francisco's best sweets.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1625 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Original Joe's
Go for the cheesecake and cakes — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 601 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Marco Polo Italian Ice Cream
Per The Infatuation, the gelato is the reason to go.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3886 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Yasukochi's Sweet Stop
One of The Infatuation's picks for the best sweets in San Francisco.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1790 Sutter St, San Francisco, San Francisco 94115
Stella Pastry & Cafe
Go for the cake, wine and cannoli — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 446 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
Stonemill Matcha
The Infatuation's pick for pie to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 561 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Arsicault Bakery
The Infatuation singles out the chocolate here.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 83 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Angler
Per The Infatuation, the move is the soft serve and caramel.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 132 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94105
Holy Nata
The Infatuation counts it among San Francisco's best sweets.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 8 Trinity Pl, San Francisco, CA 94104
Nieves Cinco de Mayo
The Infatuation singles out the sorbet and tart; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3052 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Khao Tiew
Per The Infatuation, the move is the ice cream and jam.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 272 Claremont Blvd, San Francisco, California 94127
Agrodolce Provisions
The Infatuation singles out the chocolate and cake; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1016 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Humphry Slocombe
Go for the caramel and pints — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94111
Mitchell’s Ice Cream
Go for the ice cream, ube and sandwiches — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 688 San Jose Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
Milkbomb
Per The Infatuation, the move is the ice cream, donut and bun.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1717 17th St, San Francisco, California 94103
Miyako Old Fashion Ice Cream Shop
Per The Infatuation, the ice cream is the reason to go.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1460 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
San Francisco's Hometown Creamery
Per The Infatuation, the move is the ice cream, donuts and honey.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1290 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Bi-Rite Creamery
Go for the ice cream, soft serve and caramel — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3692 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Polly Ann Ice Cream
Go for the chocolate, tea and ice cream — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3138 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Toy Boat by Jane
Per The Infatuation, the ice cream is the reason to go.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 401 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Smitten Ice Cream
Go for the ice cream, cookie and pretzels — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 904 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Powder
Per The Infatuation, the move is the ice cream and mochi.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 260 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Swensen's Ice Cream
Go for the ice cream and cookies — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1999 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Garden Creamery
The Infatuation singles out the tea and mochi; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3566 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Angela's
Per The Infatuation, the move is the ice cream and chocolate.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3751 24th St, San Francisco, California 94114
The Ice Cream Bar Soda Fountain
Per The Infatuation, the move is the ice cream and honey.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 815 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Over The Moon
Go for the ice cream, cookie and sandwiches — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2144 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Turquaz
The Infatuation's pick for baklava to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1198 Mission St, San Francisco, California 94103
06 · 20 finds
Guittard drinking chocolate.
Guittard (San Francisco family chocolate maker)
The century-old SF chocolate maker’s drinking chocolate, ranked in our national hot cocoa list.
Cited by Chris Morocco (Bon Appétit) bonappetit.com (opens source)
Also #2 in our national Hot cocoa ranking
Where: Bay Area grocers
The Coffee Movement
The Infatuation's pick for lattes to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1737 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121
Compton’s Coffee House
The Infatuation singles out the espresso and lattes; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1910 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Saint Frank
The Infatuation's pick for espresso to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2340 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Andytown
Go for the espresso and latte — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 800 Great Hwy, San Francisco, CA 94121
Pinhole Coffee
Per The Infatuation, the espresso is the reason to go.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 231 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
Excelsior Coffee
Go for the espresso, ube and brownies — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 4495 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94112
Hi NRG
The Infatuation singles out the espresso and wine; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 5801 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
Nirvana Soul Coffee
The Infatuation singles out the espresso, tea and ube; grab some to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 242 Townsend St, San Francisco, California 94107
Golden Goat Coffee
The Infatuation sends you here for the espresso, ube and lattes.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 599 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Kopiku Indonesian Coffee
Per The Infatuation, the move is the espresso, lattes and tarts.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1443 Lombard St, San Francisco, California 94123
Third Wheel Coffee
The Infatuation singles out the espresso here.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 991 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
CoffeeShop
The Infatuation singles out the latte here.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3139 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Snowbird Coffee
The Infatuation's pick for espresso to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 1352A 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Delah Coffee
The Infatuation sends you here for the latte, honey and cakes.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 370 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Grand Coffee
Per The Infatuation, the espresso is the reason to go.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2663 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Simple Pleasures Cafe
The Infatuation counts it among San Francisco's best coffee and wine.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 3434 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121
Stray Dog
Go for the latte, espresso and bagel — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 2545 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Caffe Trieste
The Infatuation's pick for espresso to take home.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 601 Vallejo St, San Francisco, California 94133
Home Coffee Roasters
Go for the latte, espresso and cookie — The Infatuation's top reasons to stop.
Picked by Julia Chen, Lani Conway, Ricky Rodriguez & Patrick Wong (The Infatuation) The Infatuation (opens source)
Where: 455 Grant Ave, San Francisco, California 94108
Every find is made in, or was born in, the Bay Area, and every one links to a named, unpaid recommendation: a chef, a restaurant critic, a food writer or a cookbook author. This is a curated city list, not a ranking. When a local product also earns a spot in our national rankings, the card says so and pulls its cites straight from there. We left out anything we couldn’t source, and anything sold by the outlet that recommended it. How we pick · Disclosure