Many of you voted for the finalists of the 2023 Best Croissant of San Francisco competition. The final round, organized by French Morning and L’Apéro, will take place on Sunday, May 7 at the Beacon Grand, judged by a panel of professional chefs.
The best bakeries in San Francisco will present their pastries, and you will be able to go from stand to stand, taste the croissants and other delicious pastries, and vote for the People’s Choice Award. Our judges, after doing a blind tasting of all the croissants, will award the Grand Prix.
Here is the list of finalists, in alphabetical order:
The 8 Best Croissants in San Francisco:
Fournée Bakery
Perched high above Berkeley, across from the iconic Claremont Hotel, Fournée Bakery has been offering breads, pastries and cakes since 2013. Owner Frank Sally is also an instructor at the San Francisco Baking Institute. He cut his teeth at the three-star Michelin restaurant Meadowood in Saint Helena.
The Midwife and the Baker
Mac and Jaime McConnell are behind The Midwife and the Baker, a Bay Area bakery serving freshly baked sourdough bread and pastries. The couple sources their bread from California farmers and local mills, and San Franciscans can’t get enough of it: they awarded the bakery the People’s Choice Award in our last Best Croissant in San Francisco contest. Mac McConnell also teaches baking at the San Francisco Baking Institute, and Jaime is a midwife, as the name of their bakery suggests.
Jane
Known for its wide range of breads and pastries, Jane has become a favorite among San Franciscans, as evidenced by the long line of foodies waiting on Geary Boulevard. Jane’s products can also be enjoyed in her two cafes, located on Fillmore and Larkin streets. Jane The Bakery won the judges’ award at the 2018 Best Croissant contest.
Kahnfections
The Mission District bakery Kahnfections opened nearly six years ago with Judy Kahn at its helm. The pastry chef offers a wide variety of viennoiseries–including croissants, of course–and classic French pastries, old-fashioned American desserts, as well as sandwiches, fresh salads, and homemade soups.
Le Marais Bakery
Patrick Ascaso’s company is above all a family business. The team of Le Marais Bakery uses organic ingredients from local farmers, and butter from France. Faced with an exorbitant rent increase in 2021, Ascaso had to reluctantly close his store on Chestnut Street, in the Marina, but has since focused on his bakeries in the Castro, on Sutter Street, and in Mill Valley, and above all, embarked on a new adventure by opening La Grande Crêperie last year, in the Ferry Building.
Maison Nico
The Montgomery Street delicatessen Maison Nico doesn’t regret its three months of renovations last year. By enlarging its kitchen, the team was able to increase production capacity for pastries and cakes. For Maison Nico’s founder, Nicolas Delaroque, it was important to expand the menu by offering not only his famous pâtés en croûte, but also croissants, brioches feuilletées, and other pastries.
One House Bakery
Winner of the 2019 People’s Choice Award for Best Baguette, this Benicia bakery is family owned and operated. Hanalee Pervan, the daughter, has worked in prestigious kitchens, such as The French Laundry, but dreamed of opening her own business since she was a little girl. With the help of her parents, Catherine and Peter Pervan, One House Bakery has been a dream come true since 2018.
Thorough Bread and Pastry
A true institution in the vibrant Castro neighborhood, Michel Suas’ bakery, Thorough Bread and Pastry, has been offering a range of artisanal sweets for 14 years. The Frenchman, who cut his teeth at the Michelin-starred Barrier’s restaurant in Paris, is a well-known figure in the Bay Area baking world, founder in 1996 of the prestigious San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI).
The 2023 edition of San Francisco’s Best Croissant Contest is made possible by the support of our generous sponsors, French bee and Beurremont.
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