Explore SF Through Pastries
3 min readA fun way to explore SF neighborhoods
When visiting SF, sometimes people stick to the same neighborhoods they know and love. This happened even when we lived there.
So my husband and I started explore SF by picking a place to eat as a starting point, and then building our itinerary around that area.
In this 3-part series, I’ll go over a food group (pastries, coffee shops, and ice cream), and highlight nearby activities for you.
This post will focus on pastries. This is something SF does so well. Here are our favs.
1) Ariscault Bakery (Inner Richmond)
I always recommend a trip to Ariscault Bakery in Inner Richmond.
One Yelper from France said these were the best croissants in the US. Get their ham & cheese croissant and almond croissant (this one’s rich, so 2 can share).
When you take a bite into their croissants, they crumble in your mouth. The croissant disappears so quickly, you wonder whether the croissant even existed. You start looking up words to describe it, words you’ve never used before. Like ethereal.
Nearby activities:
The pro move is to pick up a bag of pastries, then grab a coffee next door at Breck’s and enjoy their outdoor corner seating. They have another location in Civic Center/Tenderloin, but I haven’t been there.
Ham & cheese croissant from Ariscault Bakery
From my Instagram stories =)
2) Craftsman and Wolves (Mission District)
For a nice morning in the Mission District, my tried and true is an egg muffin called The Rebel Within at Craftsman and Wolves. It’s a perfectly soft boiled egg nestled in a savory muffin, with a side of spicy salt. They also have other beautiful desserts that are great as gifts. Four Barrel Coffee is a few blocks away, as well as all kinds of fun shops.
Nearby activities:
Many boutiques usually open later in the day, but are worth checking out, like Therapy Stores for reasonably priced clothing and gifts.
The Rebel Within from Craftsman and Wolves
3) Neighbor Bakehouse (Dogpatch)
Check out one of the sunnier neighborhoods, Dogpatch, and try Neighbor Bakehouse. My usual order is their mushroom tart, ginger pull apart, and a latte. Their pastry quantities can be quite limited, so I try to go before lunch. There’s a cute outdoor area, where you can soak in the sun and watch doggos live their best life.
Nearby activities:
While you’re here, you could also check out Sunday Social (a block away) or adjacent neighborhoods. Potrero Hill has a lot of restaurants and McKinley Square Park has great views of SF. Mission Bay has more of a business feel, but you can have brunch with a view at The Ramp or Mission Rock Resort.
Ginger pull apart from Neighbor Bakehouse
Mushroom tart