Hope you love your carbs, because you’re going to be surrounded with new options. First up, LE MARAIS BAKERY just opened their 3,000-square-foot commissary and bakery in the Tenderloin (with a 2,000-square-foot basement!). Owner Patrick Ascaso sees it as a pastry incubator and lab, a croissanterie, and says this is his most Parisian café design—it’s unique to have the whole kitchen open, so you can watch everything being made.
Head pastry chef Hikari Hori, formerly of Fournée Bakery, is creating inventive pastries like lemon cream-laminated brioche, pluot and chai tea jam beignets, and croissant cones and ice creams (coming in November!), and also coming soon are brunch boards, avocado toast, and croques. For now, you’ll find croissants, pastries, cookies, quiches, and yogurt bowls, plus coffee by Verve Coffee Roasters, featuring their own Le Marais French Roast blend, darker and richer than most roasts. Espresso service is provided on their three-group Strada machine, their largest yet.
They’re ramping up for a busy holiday season for their partnership with Williams Sonoma, shipping croissants nationwide, and a pastry sampler, plus they’ll be offering a peppermint chocolate croissant that tastes like peppermint bark, cinnamon buns, apple swirl danishes, and pumpkin kouign-amanns. And coming soon: a truffle croissant.
The design has a similar look as the Castro, with Joanna Pulcini Acscaso bringing in a mural by Sabina Addis, Paris Metro reproduction tiles by Tabarka Studio, peacock chairs and vintage lights above the pastry case from Chateau Sonoma, lights by Schoolhouse Electric, and outdoor signs by New Bohemian. Hours are 7am-2:30pm, extending to 7am-7pm in mid-November with a brunch and café menu. 1138 Sutter St. at Larkin.
According to ABC permit activity, SoMa’s VIVE LA TARTE is potentially coming to Noe Valley in the former Bliss Bar—stand by for updates on timing. 4026 24th St. at Noe.
There’s also word that the Inner Richmond’s CINDERELLA BAKERY & CAFE may be taking over the building that housed La Victoria Mexican Bakery & Cafe, which just closed after 67 years in the Mission. (At least Cinderella has been around since 1953.) Stand by for news as this develops further, owner Mike Fishman knows this deal will take some time. 2937 24th St. at Alabama. [Via Mission Local.]
And anyone near San Leandro is going to want to visit the new brick-and-mortar location of AS KNEADED BAKERY from Iliana Berkowitz, who is known for her breads at wholesale accounts and farmers’ markets around the Peninsula. It’s an artisan bread bakery specializing in sourdough loaves, French baguettes, challah, and noshes, like bialys and bostocks. It’s the first artisan bread bakery in San Leandro, and one of just a few woman-owned bread-focused bakeries in the Bay. She’ll be open weekends, and is hosting a grand opening this weekend (Saturday November 3rd and 4th) from 10am-5pm—they are offering their first 100 customers a free brioche bite. 585 Victoria Court, San Leandro.
Le Marais serves their own custom roast from Verve. Photo courtesy of Le Marais.
