BENKYODO
Read moreIn 1906, Suyeichi Okamura opened Benkyodo, one of the first shops in Japantown. With the Second World War, the Japanese of San Francisco were deported to detention centers: the store had to close. It reopened in 1951, still run by the Okamura family. This tiny diner has kept the warm atmosphere that reigned there in the 1950s: the old-timers come to drink coffee and chat. But it is especially for the enchanting mochi (filled sweet rice balls) that people come here.
BELWOOD BAKERY CAFE
Read moreThis family-run bakery is usually packed with children and teenagers from the two neighboring schools. A sort of nerve center for the Brentwood community, it's a great place to grab a coffee, indulge in a sweet treat, or grab a sandwich or quiche for lunch. In addition to pastries, Belwood Bakery Cafe specializes in muffins - in original flavors such as pumpkin, cappuccino, lemon and low-fat corn - and revisited macaroons - lavender, red velvet, tiramisu and Nutella, among others.
NOBLE FOLK ICE CREAM & PIE BAR
Read moreAfter opening their bakery in the heart of the city, Ozzy Jimenez and Christian Sullberg embarked on the Noble Folk adventure in 2014 with this first small, designer store. People come here for the wide selection of homemade pies and ice cream: the undeniable craftsmanship combined with original recipes make the establishment an ideal stop on hot summer days. In addition, the power duo opened another address in 2018, in Santa Rosa.
RECCHIUTI
Read moreIn 1997, after years in the test kitchen, Michael founded Recchiuti Confections in partnership with his wife, Jacky. They arrange their delicate Recchiuti filled chocolate squares like little jewels in a glass case. Their famous Caramel à la fleur de sel, with a whisky aftertaste, is the most requested flavor... The Recchiuti team proudly asserts that they always source local herbs, such as lavender and lemon verbena, from California farmers' markets and blend them into their chocolates. A real treat!
SEE'S CANDIES
Read moreCalifornia's most famous confectioner. The company moved from Canada to Los Angeles in 1921, to San Francisco in 1936. Four stores in San Francisco where you can compose your own box of sweets. A few extra calories for you or/and a few small gourmet gifts to bring back... Memories every time! For the record, in 1994 a driver delivering a chocolate order fell asleep while his truck was hooked up to one of the vats and was pumping, so that El Camino Real and Spruce Avenue next door were flooded with chocolate!
CRAFTSMAN AND WOLVES
Read moreA showcase to make the most greedy among us green with envy. We stop there at any time of the day to devour pastries made with a rare finesse. You can even find kouign-amann, as well as croissants, pastramis, onion-tomato-bacon burratas, lychee and raspberry jam or café au lait... There are also excellent sandwiches made from homemade bread of course. Franciscans love them and it is easy to understand why. Go there without waiting, you will enjoy it!
CHAUMONT BAKERY & CAFÉ
Read moreFrom the smell of freshly baked bread and warm viennoiseries, to the mouth-watering colors of its pastries and cakes, French bakery savoir-faire is inimitable. That's why Frederic Laski and Laila Abddaim decided to open their Beverly Hills establishment, with a team of professionals from France, as well as a large proportion of the ingredients. A perfect address for a late breakfast or an early afternoon snack.
EASTERN BAKERY
Read moreA must in the heart of Chinatown: this Chinese pastry shop is an institution on the neighborhood's main thoroughfare, Grant Avenue. People come to line up in front of its pagoda-shaped shelter to taste the delicate and delicious specialties that will delight sweet tooths in search of oriental gustatory discoveries. Like an egg mooncake with delicious lotus seed paste. The Chinese family who run it also sell a few bags of fortune cookies (if you haven't had time to go to the factory).
Brick & Bell Cafe
Read moreThis pretty brick house, which stands out from the surrounding buildings, is a La Jolla institution. Its specialty: scones, the original Scottish bread rolls that are almost as popular in North America as they are in the UK. Usually prepared "plain", Brick & Bell Cafe successfully revisits them with chocolate chips, maple syrup with walnuts or pumpkin. Also on the menu: paninis, as well as an interesting selection of breakfasts, coffees and desserts.
DAD'S DONUT & BAKERY SHOP
Read moreA veritable Balboa Island institution, this shop is home to the original frozen banana, covered in peanuts, almonds, Oreo or honey-almond granola. You'll also find delicious doughnuts, frosted cheesecake, muffins, cinnamon rolls, milkshakes, smoothies... In short, a sweet-lover's paradise. To enjoy all this, continue on to S. Bay Front, with its sunny benches.
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
Read moreThis delicious chain is named after its founder, Jeni Britton Bauer, who opened her first store in 1996 under the name Scream. She launched the very first Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams store six years later. Her recipe for success: creamy, gourmet ice creams. Gooey butter cake - dark chocolate truffle, cinnamon roll, peanut butter... Hard to resist!
DIDDY RIESE COOKIES
Read moreOpened in 1983, Diddy Riese is a true Westwood institution. Its mission: to serve tasty, gourmet artisanal products at unbeatable prices. While it has always offered delicious brownies, cookies and ice cream, this address built its reputation on its Ice Cream Sandwich, a scoop of ice cream sandwiched between two enormous cookies, served for the first time in 1995. The line can be long, but the experience is well worth the detour and allows you to immerse yourself in the 100% student life of the neighborhood.
DONUT FRIEND DTLA
Read moreClassic recipes include The Promise Ring, a donut covered in chocolate, maple syrup or plain icing, and the Rites of Sprinkles, a vanilla cake topped with chocolate or vanilla and confetti. But Donut Friend is also known for its original creations, such as the Youth Brulée, filled with Bavarian cream, and the Green Teagan and Sara, topped with matcha tea and sesame seeds. Special mention for the X-Ray Speculoos, as delicious as it is hearty. A huge favorite!
The Cheesecake Factory
Read moreAs its name suggests, this Los Angeles-based company, founded in 1972, specializes in cheesecakes: what began as a small shop has become a company with over 200 locations in the United States. On the menu: some thirty delicious cheesecakes, each more gourmet and hearty than the last, among which the simple and evocative Original stands out. While desserts can be ordered at any time of day, The Cheesecake Factory also serves savory dishes for lunch and dinner.
ANGEL MAID BAKERY
Read moreMacaroons, cupcakes, viennoiseries, tartelettes amandines, bear claw- a typically American pastry, originating in the 1920s -, sublime cakes and pièces montées... Gourmet alert! A family-run, old-fashioned bakery in the heart of West L.A.'s Chinese-American district. A rather confidential address, it's aimed above all at sweet tooths who want to take something to eat before setting off to explore the city. Delicious creations at prices that couldn't be cheaper.
PAZZO GELATO
Read moreFounded in 2006, this small, family-run establishment specializes in the artisanal preparation of ice creams for the general public, as well as those based on plant-based milk. Madagascar vanilla, Ecuadorian chocolate, hazelnut, coffee, stracciatella, cookies and cream, vegan dark chocolate, toasted coconut, strawberry or mango sorbet... These are the classic flavors. Young and old alike also flock to Pazzo Gelato for its more original flavors, such as avocado, banana with dulce de leche, brown sugar with candied bacon, or salted butter caramel. Delicious!
Emili's Pastry & Cafe
Read moreThe aim of Emili's Pastry & Cafe? To offer customers an "authentic European experience". Lemon meringue tarts, crème brûlées, Napoleon, opera, linzer torte revisited... In the window, the great classics of pastry excellence rub shoulders with the must-haves of the "Danish breakfast" - a reference to the term "viennoiseries" - ranging from butter croissants toapple strudel , almond croissants and palmiers. Also on the menu: a vast selection of muffins, quiches and coffee. Delicious!
LA MONARCA BAKERY & CAFE
Read moreThis small chain of bakeries, which also operates in Hollywood, Highland Park and outside Los Angeles in South Pasadena, was founded by Alfredo Livas and Ricardo Cervantes as a tribute to their native Mexico. In the window: pan dulce, conchas - traditional sweet rolls - taquitos, chocolate croissants, corn bread - pan de elote - cocadas - a delicacy made from shredded coconut - and guava cake, among others. People also come for the delicious coffee, which can be bought in bags.