The counters in San Francisco worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in San Francisco worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Tartine Bakery in San Francisco is Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt's Guerrero Street original, redrawing what a country loaf and a morning bun.
Worth the queueMorning bun
TipCountry loaves come out at 16:30; queue from 16:00 to be sure of one.
b. Patisserie in San Francisco is Belinda Leong and Michel Suas's Pacific Heights cafe with the city's best kouign-amann and a Paris-trained pastry programme.
Worth the queueKouign-amann
TipThe kouign-amann is best within 90 minutes of the bake; ask the counter for the timing on the next tray.
Arsicault Bakery in San Francisco is Armando Lacayo's Inner Richmond counter, named America's best croissant by Bon Appetit and still drawing a 09:30 queue.
Worth the queuePlain croissant
TipPlain butter croissant, not the almond; the lamination tells the whole story.
Jane the Bakery in San Francisco is Amanda Michael's Lower Pac Heights flagship, with a stone-mill grain programme and the city's best whole-grain country.
Worth the queueCountry grain loaf
TipThe cardamom morning bun is the dark-horse order; ask if they have any left after 11:00.
Neighbor Bakehouse in San Francisco is Greg Mindel's Dogpatch counter, with the everything croissant and chocolate babka that started a small national.
Worth the queueEverything croissant
TipEverything croissant sells out by 11:30 on weekends.
Devil's Teeth Baking Company in San Francisco is the Outer Sunset bakery and breakfast counter, with a buttermilk biscuit egg sandwich and the city's best.
Worth the queueBreakfast sandwich on house biscuit
TipBeignets are fried to order on weekends; ask for them with the powdered sugar on the side.
Acme Bread Company in San Francisco runs a Ferry Building counter for Steve Sullivan's 1983 Berkeley bakery, with a pain au levain that defined Bay Area.
Worth the queuePain au levain
TipGet there before noon on Saturday; the levain sells out by 13:00 when the market is in full swing.
Boudin Bakery in San Francisco is Isidore Boudin's 1849 Gold Rush bakery at Fisherman's Wharf, still running a starter through six generations of bakers.
Worth the queueClam chowder in a sourdough bowl
TipThe bakery's behind-glass museum at the Wharf is free; the clam chowder bowl is the canonical order.
Josey Baker Bread in San Francisco is the back-of-house bakery at The Mill on Divisadero, with stone-milled whole-grain loaves and the seedy Adventure Bread.
Worth the queueAdventure Bread (gluten free)
TipThe toast counter at The Mill uses these loaves; eat in once before you take a loaf home.
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