Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero St
(between 18th St & 19th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 487-2600
- Hours:
Mon 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Tue-Wed 7:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri 7:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Sat 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Sun 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
105 reviews
San Francisco, CA
"YUM! I love Delessio's. I always over eat because everything looks so good and I can't stop piling food on my plate. It is a great place…" read more »
1094 Reviews for Tartine Bakery
Went here the other day after attempting to play tennis at windswept Dolores Park. Luckily, didn't encounter a winding line I've heard this place has during weekends.
This joint has an exquisite, aroma very Euro, and the employees all seem other worldly as well.
Had the house iced coffee $2.79, which may actually get me closer to drinking proper coffee. It was refreshing and spot on with a swig of soy milk and 1.5 packets of Splenda.
Good people watching area, major foot traffic on neighboring Guerrero.
Today, i was looking for this place while following my GPS. then guess who called me on the phone? Crystal herself...to wish my happy birthday...and the first thing i told her was i'm looking for Tartine. she then tells me that the bakery doesn't have any sign. it is on the corner of 18th and Guerrero. it is green. gosh, if she didn't tell me that, i would be looking forever.
since its my bday, the bf doesn't gripe at all about taking me there. i asked for money and he pulled all the cash out of his pocket, a total of $27 odd dollars. i can buy whatever i want. the sky is not the limit.
i bought a banana cream tart, they have a large one for $36...now i'm regretting it. i should've gotten one for my friends to share. :(
bought some rocher with cocoa nibs (the beans inside tasted burnt...should go well with a latte)...and a slice of coconut passion cake. i don't know why, i just had to have cake.
i came late in the afternoon as there were not much of a selection to choose from. next time, i will try the lemon cream tart & lemon meringue cake.
thanks Crystal. :)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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07/01/2008
4 stars because i have yet to try everything they have.
Cuc Crystal N. brought me a box with Banana… Read more »
I have to admit I am a little disappointed... with myself for not trying the bread pudding. Next time - and yes, there will be a next time. Today I went with my friend Yuriko and we shared a Croque Monsieur topped with smoked Niman Ranch ham, Cowgirl Creamery fromage blanc and asparagus, a Little Side Salad (Star Route Farms organic greens with lemon and shallot vinaigrette) and a couple of cappuccinos.
The first thing I tried was the salad. The description of this salad seems pretty simple, but I was amazed at how delicious this was. As was our Croque Monsieur and the piece of Almond/Lemon Poppy seed bread we took with us for later.
We were here on a Monday morning so the line was not too long, but come prepared to wait in line. On the weekends this will be a long line. The space itself is a little cramped, but once you go through line and order it's seat yourself. Most people eat and get out (like we should when there is a big line), so you can find a seat. This is not exactly an intimate space though. So if you want to confess an affair or a pregnancy this is probably not the best place to do it.
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I heard of this place before but I'm never in the area to try it out. Since I was in the area today and one of the girls in the group I was with wanted to come here, I was excited to finally be able to try it out. I tried the scones with currants and bagged cookies. The scones are different from what I'm used to. The outside is flaky and crunchy, in a very good way. But the inside is soft and moist. These are some of the best scones I've ever had. The cookies are pretty good too. They're crunchy and I usually don't like crunchy. I wanted to try the cobbler but was full from lunch. I already want to go back and try some more of their pastries.
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Tartine definitely has an impressive reputation, I'd heard of it before even moving to SF! Still, the idea of spending an hour or more of my weekend waiting in line isn't very appealing so I hadn't been until yesterday. Well I wasn't the least bit disappointed! There wasn't a single item in the pastry case that didn't look incredibly yummy. I settled for a really excellent piece of chocolate cake and the pressed pastrami sandwich, although the croque monsieur was incredibly tempting. I wasn't a fan of the ridiculous amount of horseradish on my sandwich, but my companion's ham sandwich was seriously tasty. The thick, soft, bread they use is just perfect. Next time it's definitely another sweet treat and the croque monsieur for me!
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I had lunch here with a co-worker. Outstanding open faced sandwiches...I had a shitake mushroom with asparagus and the bread pudding for dessert! The food is fresh and looks like everything is prepared daily. I love the Mission District crowd...
There's really not much else to say that hasn't already been said. I can't even imagine what a better bakery would be like. Everything is perfection. I'm frustrated I have been in San Francisco for so long prior to coming here. If you haven't been yet, you definitely need to. This is San Francisco good eats.
I am also surprised that Tartine does not have a five-star rating . . . although one normally has to wait in line, is it not worth it? And is it not better to go to 18th + Guerrero for a perfect French baked goods, pastries and huge delicious sandwiches than to go somewhere else and settle for way less? I think not.
Love, love: Gogere, Passion Fruit Bavarian cake, Espresso drinks
Love: Ham + cheese croissant, Any sandwich (enough to share)
Like a lot: bread pudding (just a tad too much on the sweet side for me, but i like savory more than sweet in general)
Don't mind: the long lines and limited seating because it's worth it and of all the many times I've been there, a seat always opens up just when you need one.
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Two years ago, I was visiting a friend in S.F. when we decide that a French bakery would be ideal for breakfast. We did a random search and Tartine came up on the list. When faced with the prospect of Scharffen Berger filled double pain au chocolat, we were sold. The line was out the door but we somehow managed to procure a table and have the most wonderful flaky breakfast treats.
Last week, I came to visit the city again and Tartine was a must hit! We made the mistake of going late on a Sunday and I watched with dismay as the last pain au chocolat was taken by the person in front of me in line. That is when I spotted the fluffy gougeres in a plump stack. I now have a new craving which I will definitely satisfy on my next trip to San Francisco. Tartine's gougeres were so savory and light that my breakfast didn't last long!
Delicious once again, Tartine!
Luscious quiche, flaky pastries, delicious coffee and a long lineup of customers to match: Tartine is worth visiting, but come early and come hungry. The breakfast pastries are a hearty size, and baked freshly every morning. Be prepared to squish into a table between other noshing customers, but it's OK. Once you start eating, you'll forget everyone else is there.
For breakfast pastries and coffee, or something more hearty (like a Croque Monsieur or sandwich), it's difficult to do much better. All their goods are baked fresh daily, and ingredients, including flour and eggs, are organic and local whenever possible.
We arrived on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. open. There were already about 50 people in line ahead of us. We ended up eating at around 9:30 after a rather chilly wait on the sidewalk of Guerrero St. If you want to be first in, come at least 20 minutes earlier than opening. Outside seating is also available.
ok.. so to be quite honest - this place is overpriced and the long lines are not cool.
that said, the baked goods (which is the only thing i can speak to) was delish. i had some of the chocolate pudding (fresh and not heavy). I had the lemon bar. that was good but a little too sugary for me. i had the wedding cake cookies - that was GOOD. like the best ever. i also had some of the bread pudding - it was not that tasty. i dont know if that is like their strong suit but i had a bite of my friend's. it was just so-so.
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Be ready for a 30 minute wait-- at minimum. The line gets long quick.
There was so much hype about Tartine's bread pudding that we just had to have it. It was good. Not great. A little too mushy than we'd like.
But from what everyone was having, everything look mouth- watering good. It's too bad we had really high expectations for the bread pudding.
Great spot, I go back again and again for the breakfast pastries and the good coffee. They do a great job on flavor concentration and beautiful presentation even with the high volume - don't let the small space fool you, this place is very busy. There is always a line out the door and it can take awhile (10+ minutes) of standing in line to get your order in, but it seems to always work out on getting a seat just in time to eat. It's probably tough for any group over four, but working with the other customers get enough chairs together is part of the charm. Agoraphobics should steer clear - it's a tight spot and ALWAYS crowded.
SOOOOOOOOO OVERRATED!!! I heard wonders about this place and I took my visiting cousins there. The snotty dude messed up my order but I was willing to forgive. I bought 6 different things and I hated all of it. I felt wasteful throwing it away but no one wanted to eat the stuff. My cousins were skeptical of my taste after bringing them there. Disappointing. My friend loves this place, and I love my friend. But I do not love Tartine.
One day, I was going to Carl's to get a birthday cake and someone had painted it black and turned it from a nice Friscogermanic bakery into a croissant shop. I was ripshit. This city needed another place to buy croissants like we needed more dirty sleeping bags. And my coveted position as the girl who knows where to get the best cakes was now in jeopardy, unless I wanted to deal with the Cosa Nostra (aka, Dianda's).
And so my personal boycott began. You can keep your lines and your pensive-looking, fancy-pants croissant shop! I said GOOD DAY.
Today -- many years later-- the Mr. took me here for the first time for my birthday (no gifts, please). After well over a thousand reviews, most of which are a giant sloppy kiss to this place, I had to try it. Here's what I learned:
1) It's not black, but a very dark shade of green. That made me feel better. Because I am deeply focused on unimportant things.
2) They serve sandwiches. All of which are decadent, several of which are veggie, one of which is a grilled sandwich of pecorino cheese and almonds. I would eat pecorino and almonds between two odor eaters, but luckily this sandwich puts the sweet, sweet heaven that is cheese and nuts between two buttered and grilled pieces of homemade sourdough bread. And they add lemon zest and sage. And it was bigger than my head.
3) That freaky little carrot on your plate is actually really tasty. It's a spicy pickled thing that they just for some reason decided not to trim the little hairs off.
4) Worst feng-shui EVER. The proximity of the line to the tables creates lots of butts-touching-shoulders awkward encounters. The water is self service, but it's behind the cash register. And don't order the sandwiches from the girl behind the counter, she's only taking pastry and coffee orders... And the staff is clean worn out from answering all these stupid questions about the non-intuitive layout and rules. And the guy who took my order had not said howdy to his shampoo in many moons. So it was indeed a lot like Paris in there. But not always in a good way.
5) They left the Carl's logo on the entry way, which is very cool. RIP, Carl's.
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I came wandering in here not even knowing it was Tartine until I stepped in. My classmate and I had just finished a 3 hour walk for our class fieldtrip and wanted to find a place to sit and wait for my boyfriend to come get us...all the goodies looked really good and best of all they have my favorite drink....San Pellegrino Aranciata! I will definitely be back to get some of the goodies...mm!
Congrats to the owners on the James Beard award for Best Bakery in the country. I can't imagine that there's a better one.
I don't know if there is anything I can rave about Tartine that hasn't already been, um, raved.
I must be honest, however, I used my secret Yelping powers to give you the exceedingly rare six stars. Then I mulled it over and took one half star for running out of chocolate croissants so often and the other half because the layout still frustrates me.
Five stars nonetheless for you my darling Tartine, my always-there-for-me feel good place.
(In case you were wondering, heaven for me: a rich chocolate eclair with a cold, creamy center juxtaposed against a warm well-made latte in a bowl... ohhh baby.)
Most disappointing meal in SF.
The croissants were like mini cakes. They should be flaky not cakey.
The eclair was merely adequate.
I can't believe that people go gaga over this place.
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Good? Yes. Expensive? Yes. Helpful staff? Yeah, pretty much. Good coffee? Didn't try it. For me, Tartine has the following appeal: lovely French pastries, neighborhood joint, its own cookbook, funky clientele. And who couldn't love a place with the word 'tart' in it?
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I know people who will claim this is the best bakery in town. I'm not sure about that but definitely can fight on one of the top 3 spot. This is one of the only places that understands that croissant is not just a different shape for donut.
They also feature other interesting delicate pastry which mean you can do breakfast, branch or just spoil yourself with sugar.
Note that this place does get full after 10:00 and you will probably need to stand in line. But yes. It's worth it.
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If there were parking, I'd be here every day. The morning buns are wonderful. And you can't go wrong with any of the pastries. At Christmas you can special order some off menu holiday treats.
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Date & Time: Saturday May 31, 2008 @ 3pm
Company: Kate A. & Kam
Crowd: Packed w/ Local Foodies of All Ages
Atmosphere: Packed & Lively. This Place is All about Sharing- the Food, the Tables. Love it!
Decor: Charming & Cozy. Tightly Packed Wooden Tables. Order at the Bakery Counter. Espresso Bar.
Service: Efficient
Imbibe: Espressos
Devour: Roches. Huge Croissants & Sammiches meant for Sharing!
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5 Stars for the Almond Rochers alone.
This is a place to SIT and enjoy your coffee and pastries.
But... it is popular and gets very very crowded.
I have to go back to see if they have french toast.
Their croque monsieurs look incredible.
They have huge sourdough bread hot at 5 pm.
This place is on my short list of places that any visitor to SF should check out. I've probably been here 4-5 times. I'd recommend the morning bun ($3) and the bread pudding ($3 for a small portion, 5.5 for a large). There is usually a wait in the morning but the line moves reasonably fast. If you go in the afternoon, then you run the risk of them running out of the good stuff.
I've tried 1 or 2 of the croque monsieurs (open faced sandwiches) and they are ok but overpriced at $9+ and come with one miniature, lonely marinated carrot. Also, the last time, the sandwich (which sits out all day), despite being tossed in the oven for a reheat, was partially cold and partially warm. They also have fresh baked bread after 5pm everyday but I haven't tried it yet (the loaf is huge). So go and get the bread pudding and morning bun (and maybe another sweet item that catches your eye).
If you are looking for the most other-wordly pain au chocolat experience, look no further than Tartine. I am not a fan of most pastries but honestly cannot resist Tartine's chocolate crossiants, made with Scharffenberger chocolate and surely a lb. or two of butter. I also really like how the lattes at Tartine are served in bowls - there is just something so comforting about cupping my hands around a bowl of hot coffee...Ah but a word to the impatient, Tartine is not a place to go when you're in a hurry, or when you have a big group of hungry people...it is always packed with locals and given the recent James Beard accolades (naming Tartine's two owners the best pastry chefs/bakers in the US), I'm guessing the line will only get longer...
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This is my piece of heaven!!!!!!!
I dont care about the lines...or the harsh weather in the winter.. or the small seating area or the pricey treats! I'll find time out of my visit back home for the croissants, bread pudding, cookies and all the other treats!
A must visit for anyone rolling to the Bay!
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Uh! Gimme More! How does this place NOT have a solid five star review, if not for anything else but the delicious- melt in your mouth- to-die-for-keep me coming back for more- croque monsieur, oh! with those wonder little pickled carrots on the side! (enter Homer Simpson drooling noises here..) I still need to try the sweeter side of Tartine, but I know it will not disappoint.
I've loved everything I have had there. Going there is an experience because on average there is a 10-20 minute wait, and finding a table can be quite difficult but in the end I think its worth it.
I love this place - hands down my favorite food to get before 12:00PM. Plus, it's proximity to Dolores Park combines with the great job they do on to-go orders makes it ideal for picnicking!
Favorites: bread pudding (especially the apple), almond rochers, quiche, morning bun, mocha, croissants.
The line can be a detriment, but usually I just read my paper or chat with my friends. Plus, there's a big communal table so I never feel bad about going alone and hogging up one of the few tables they have.
I do need to try the cakes soon - the lemon meringue cake looks delicious!
It's typically crowded and hopping in this bakery, probably because everything here tastes fresh and delicious (buttery too).
Newbies be warned: Going through the fast-moving line can be intimidating if you don't know what you want. Chop-chop! Time's a-wasting!
I love that they use organic and local ingredients, when possible. The chocolate is high quality, Scharffen Berger brownies and chocolate pudding. Woo-hoo!
I've been meaning to try a hot pressed sandwich, but haven't yet. I have only had chocolate dessert items, coffee, and fresh squeezed juice - yum!
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Pure yumminess from the croissant to the salads. Always crowded with the usual trying too hard to be trendy and tortured Mission crowd but worth the wait. I often take it to go. I love having the ability to be a fly on the wall when waiting outside as you watch the chefs crafting these delectables.
This place is divine. Have a slice of Passionfruit Coconut cake. Just the right amount of tart and sweetness to satisfy my cravings. The Croque Monsieurs - while a bit on the pricey side are well worth the wait and the price. My boyfriend even craves the little pickled carrots that come with them.
If you come here and are disappointed, I feel sorry for you.
I LOVE this place. You can tell their ingredients are fresh and the long lines (which are annoying..) are there for a reason. The coffee is quite excellente there as well. I'm a fan.
Really, this place doesn't need another review, but upon seeing the negative comments, I had to add a five. this is not possibly the best, it is the best bakery in town. yes, the line and wait suck, but the pastries can't be beat.
My suggestion: can't really go wrong with anything, their specialty is the bread pudding, but I love the chocolate croissant. Especially if you are lucky enough to get it fresh from the oven. Quality chocolate, flaky and crusty outside, buttery, and absolutely decadent.
Avoid the line by not going Sunday or Saturday brunch time and then take your pastry over to the park!
I have two things competing for the opportunity to kill me first: cancer and cholesterol. Tartine Bakery is giving cholesterol an unfair competitive advantage.
Fresh out of the oven ham and cheese croissants are the Angelina Jolie of foodstuff. Their pillowy full lips and come-hither looks just scream "sex" so loudly I ignore the fact that they also scream "heart attack".
The pastrami sandwich isn't doing my arteries any favors, but the crispy and chewy cheese encrusted bread on the outside and strong horseradish on the inside come together to make one of the most sophisticated and tasty pastrami sandwiches I've ever had.
Then there's the Tartine bread. It's only available after 5pm and quickly sells out. It's worth whatever it takes to get a loaf. You will be handed a simple brown bag and feel the warmth of the freshly baked bread inside. You will feel the delicate perfection that is the thin crispy crust and fluffy chewy interior. This is quite possibly the best bread in the world. I whisk it home with the kind of excitement that comes from an illicit rendezvous so I can slather it with exotic high cholesterol French cheeses.
Tartine may prove to be the cause of my untimely demise, but they will put me to rest with a smile on my face.
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Viva la Tartine!!
I got to know about the bakery first through its own cookbook 2 years ago. I made the buttermilk scones and they were just perfect. After moving to SF, one of the first places I visited was of course, my jerusalem, Tartine. There is no sign of the business at all. But who needs it when there's almost always a long line out of the door?
Here are the food that I tried:
"Croissant" and "Fragipane Croissant with brandy and almonds": They are beyond the description, really. So flaky, so buttery, yet so soft. You just need to try them yourself. The dry and stale croissant from anywhere else would make you puke after you've tried these. I tried to make them by following the recipe in their book, but literally, it'll take me 3 days to make those babies. You know what, I'll leave the work to Tartine. Tip: buy a couple of them and take them home, don't eat them there. They are in their very, most, best condition when they are "right out of the oven". So heat them up in the oven before you want to eat them, OMG OMG, SOOOOO FLAKY!! Especially the almonds get toasted.....mmmm......yummmmm!!! I eat the plain ones with the rose jam that I make....oh.....
1) Varlhona Chocolate brownies: hands down best brownies ever. I don't know how on earth did they make the top and bottom layer crunchy/crispy, while the inside perfectly soft but chewy that melt in your mouth. It doesn't make sense, but it's true. Dancing deer has good brownies, but these brownies are GREAT.
2) Lemon cream tart: OMG, best tart ever. I don't know what about it that makes it the holy tart, out of all sorts of tarts in the tart kingdom. The crunchiness of the tart shell, which is made from the basic cookie dough recipe, and the tart and sweet lemon cream, with a touch of whipped cream. So Perfect. I made it quite often from the recipe in their recipe book, just as perfect as it is in Tartine. A must try.
3) Passion fruit lime Bavarian: so refreshing, so nice! But the coconut flakes are a little too tough for my taste.
4) Coconut Marcaroon: not great, really. Bi-rite carries better ones, right down the street.
5) The bread pudding: very very very good, great for a lazy Saturday morning. Why? you don't eat it, you swallow it, and you can't stop until the bowl is empty.
6) The Gougere with Gouyere and herb blew my mind. It never looked appealing to me that's why I waited for a year to finally get it. Cheesy crust, hollow (yes hollow!! that's the secret of not being super heavy) inside, and soft, cheesy at the bottom. It's like....eating a thin crust pizza with cheese filling....you get the idea once you try it.
7) Morning bun with orange syrup and cinnamon looked way too sweet to me, but I loved it when I tried it. It's crunchy because of the syrup, but buttery inside, like a croissant or a brioche. I love the touch of the citrus flavor.
8) Ok, I'm getting impatient. Cake aux Olives is very interesting textured, Quiche was good, Scones are very good, Gingerbread is bready but good.
Now, THE BREAD. Yes, it is, THE BREAD. Get a loaf or half, buy some cheese (goat cheese and figs) from the bi-rite supermarket, go sit down in the park to enjoy the sunset. With a blanket, knife, cutting board, lemon cream tart, teuscher champagn truffles, naked juice, best meal ever. Sesame is the best, walnut and country are very nice, wheat doesn't really go with the sourdough I though.
Tips: in order to avoid the line, arrive 15 minutes earlier than the open time on weekends if you want to sit down and enjoy your brunch. You can choose to get your ass outta your bed 15 minutes earlier, or doze off in line for 45 minutes. Avoid lunch time daily. Most importantly, get there at 5pm on weekdays, BURNING HOT BREAD will be yours.
Don't want to wait in line? Buy the recipe book!! The scones and bread pudding are fantastic.
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i'm sitting at home in san diego dreaming of tartine bakery.
from their desserts to their sandwiches to their cappuccinos--down to the simple dressing on their side salad--everything i've tried here (and i've made a point to try it all) is absolutely superb.
once i caught a glimpse of a pastry chef in the back hand pitting cherries--cherry juice was running down her hands and she was stained red up to her elbows. it was so sexy.
that's what this place is--it's sexy satisfying simple rich bakery goodness.
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Good food, great food. Terrible orginization and rude. Can't get a lunch item till 12:00 even if it's 11:59 and you have been in line for 30 minutes!
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