ISO: Fresh Pastries & Coffee in SF

[cajeska]

I’ll be staying in SF Saturday night and am looking for a good French or Italian bakery for Sunday morning. Someplace with fresh made pastries and good coffee. Neighborhood doesn’t matter – I’m willing to travel. But for reference, I’ll be staying at the Marriott Courtyard by AT&T Park. Thanks!

[rworange]

Butler and the Chef has excellent French pastries, coffee and breakfast. It is only two blocks from your hotel. It doesn't open until 10 am though. The pastries are, for the most part, by the excellent Brioche bakery. The Brioche in North Beach on Columbus isn't the prettiest place to eat, just a few serviceable tables. Butler is located in pretty, tree-lined South Park.
http://www.chow.com/places/9715

If you are only looking for pastries, you are only two blocks from the Ferry Building.
http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/merchant_list.php

No French stuff, but good pastries at places such as Acme, Boulette's and Frog Hollow. Trust me, you want to skip Miette. Check website for hours. Some open at 8 on Sunday and others at 10.

I lived two blocks from your hotel for over a decade. Town's End was my favorite breakfast spot. It is American baked goods, but very nice. Nearby there is South Beach Cafe. The are Itlalian, but they don't make their own pastries and I was never crazy about the coffee.

The closest good Italian breakfast and pastries is Danilo's in North Beach. The breakfast is simple, the baked goods classic Italian, the coffee beans from Italy. Early in the morning it is very pleasant with lots of Italian neighbors stopping by to chat. It has one of the oldest functioning bakery ovens in the United States
http://www.chow.com/places/20860

I like Emporio Rulli for certain things but it is a bit of a schlep for you and frankly coffee is not their strong point. Neither is service. I'm never in the mood to put up with it early in the morning.

Bay Bread / La Boulange is a local chain French Bakery. I can't keep up with everyplace they opened but if you check the website you can find one near you. There is one in North Beach, but if you are going that far, I'd go to Danilo's instead.
http://www.baybread.com/pine.php

Tartine isn't really that French, has the horrid Mr. Espresso coffee. You will wait in long lines to sit at crowded tables. It is not near you and IMO not so special it is worth a trip as there are better places nearby.

DeLessio is fine but a bit of the way up on Market, you can take a street car. However, it isn't the most attractive place to eat. If I were traveling that far for croissants, I'd pick Thourough Bread and Pastry or Mission Beach Cafe, neither which are French/Italian, but have some swell baked goods.Mission Beach has some of the best croissants and canneles I've had in the city.

You can find restaurant records for all of the above in the restaurant database. There will be basic info such as hours and websites in addition to linked reports
http://www.chow.com/places/regions/1

[milklady]

What about Tartine? Open at 9 on Sunday.

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Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA 94110

[Mari]

I don't know that there are very many good Italian bakeries in SF. One of the better bakeries is Stella on Columbus in North Beach, but I don't know that their pastries are freshly made every morning. Maybe someone can confirm. Brioche Bakery is also on Columbus, but they might be closed on Sunday.
Otherwise, there's Emporio Rulli in Union Square or on Union Street. I also don't know how fresh everything is since their cookies on Union Street seem a little stale from time to time.

For croissants you might want to try DeLessio on Market Street or Tartine Bakery in the Mission. They should both have fresh pastries in the morning. Town's End is also good, but they generally limit their pastries to muffins and scones.

[bobpantzer]

I think you are referring to Emporio Rulli on Chestnut Street, not Union. Victoria Pastry at the corner of Stockton and Vellejo, in North Beach, is also an option.

[Mari]

Yes, that's right.

[Ruth Lafler]

Ah, I skimmed over the Italian/French part.

Victoria opens at 8 a.m. Sunday
Emporio Rulli in Union Square opens at 7:30 a.m.
Delessio opens at 9 a.m. on Sunday (might be nice if you could snag one of the tables outside)

[Ruth Lafler]

A lot of places are closed on Sunday or only open later for brunch. But assuming you want a true breakfast (before 10 a.m.) one place walking distance from your hotel is Town's End Restaurant and Bakery, which according to their website opens at 8 a.m. on Sunday. Should be pretty by the Bay in the morning, too.

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Town's End Restaurant & Bakery
2 Townsend St Ste 2, San Francisco, CA 94107