Bakery Review: B. Patisserie, San Francisco, CA

B. Patisserie - visited March 24, 2018

My second stop, and really, my original destination on my bakery walk in San Francisco last month was b. patisserie. It hit all the “best bakery” lists for SF and called out some drool-worthy treats. I hit Jane the Bakery first since it was (sort of) on the way to b. patisserie but once I scarfed down that Nutella Brioche from Jane’s, I was fueled up to continue the trek to b. patisserie.

This bakery didn’t have as long a line but it was also bigger, with a much larger seating area. Although, interestingly, it felt like they displayed the same amount of baked goods. Customers lined up along the display case, waiting for their turn. They got to me fairly quickly so I didn’t have enough time to look at my choices. But the counter person kindly suggested I skip ahead of the people still giving their order so I could take a look at what was on offer further on down the case.

I took some quick pictures and waffled on what to get. I knew I wanted to try the apple tart as I had read about how good it was and my other must-eat was the kouign amann, namely because it was also called out in the lists but also because kouign amann has now become my favorite pastry, ever since I tried it at Dominique Ansel Bakery. 

I also got the Valrhona Fudge Cookie as an impulse buy. I was hoping for something like the Levain Bakery chocolate chocolate cookie, my favorite cookie out of New York City.

I had already made my selections and they were being packaged up when I got to the end of the display case and saw the chocolate almond banana croissant and the chocolate caramel toffee mousse. Darn. If only I had three stomachs to fit them in instead of a healthy fear of not wanting my stomach to triple in size. I had to reluctantly, unwillingly, devastatingly pass on buying those as well. I already knew I couldn’t finish what I’d already bought and I had already planned on sharing my purchases with my niece and my parents the next day. The croissant and mousse were going to have to wait until the next visit. 

As it was, I carried the baked goods with me the rest of the afternoon without eating them except I did break into part of the banana bread from Jane the Bakery as it was the easiest to eat during the rally and the march which is why I had gone to San Francisco in the first place that day.

But everything else had to wait until I got home later that day. The only thing I tried from b. patisserie the same day I bought it was the kouign amann. I love kouign amann. That flaky inside along with the caramelized outside? Move over croissant, you’re dead to me. It’s all about the kouign amann now. The flavor was amazing and b. patisserie deserves all the accolades for it. I would give the DKA just the tiniest edge over b. patisserie’s but honestly, they’re both amazing. Like worth a triple workout for the calorie burn amazing.

Kouign Amann and Apple Tart

Kouign Amann

The next day, I shared the Valrhona fudge cookie and the apple tart with my parents and my niece as planned. I don’t know if it’s because they were a day old but I don’t know if I liked them as much. They were both still good but the cookie wasn’t like the Levain Bakery chocolate chocolate cookie (it was more sweet than chocolaty) and the apple tart topping wasn’t crisp anymore. Actually I don’t know if it was supposed to be had I eaten it when I first bought it but by the time I ate it more than 24 hours after purchase, it was soft. It was still good and the tart crust was flaky so I’m glad I tried it. 

Kouign Amann

Apple Tart

But next time I go back, I would set my sights on the other pastries I still had yet to try. I’m definitely going back someday and getting that banana almond croissant (okay, croissants are not totally dead to me after all) and the chocolate caramel mousse. And another kouign amann.

Apple Tart

Inside the Apple Tart

Valrhona Fudge Cookie