Bon Appetit-lauded French bakery expands outside SF for the first time

"Their croissants are arguably the best in San Francisco: sinfully aromatic and buttery, with a flakiness that erupts like weightless shards of gold falling into your lap. Now, after a decade of waiting, another Bay Area city is set to finally lay claim to some of the most legendary pastries around. Arsicault Bakery, which has locations in the Tenderloin, Mission Rock and Inner Richmond, is expanding outside San Francisco for the very first time, landing in the Peninsula in late 2026."

"The bakery will be located on the ground floor of a new 36,000-square-foot, mixed-use development, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.) It is set to carry around 15 pastries at a time that are baked fresh throughout the day, and it will likely include a mix of those famed croissants as well as kouign amann, morning buns and turnovers. This Arsicault is also expected to offer baguette sandwiches."

"The first Arsicault opened in 2015 and rose to national prominence the following year, when Bon Appétit declared it the best new bakery in America. After opening a larger location with an espresso bar on McAllister Street in 2020, owner Armando Lacayo expanded to the Mission Rock development in 2025. A fourth SF outpost is expected to arrive this year at 88 Spear St. in the Financial District, the Chronicle reported."

Arsicault Bakery is expanding outside San Francisco for the first time with a Palo Alto location at 388 Cambridge Ave. The bakery will occupy the ground floor of a new 36,000-square-foot mixed-use development. The site will offer about 15 pastries at a time baked throughout the day, likely including croissants, kouign amann, morning buns and turnovers. The Palo Alto outpost is expected to offer baguette sandwiches and draw on sandwich offerings from existing McAllister and Bridgeview Way locations. Arsicault opened in 2015, earned national recognition in 2016, and expanded SF locations in 2020 and 2025; the Palo Alto opening is scheduled for late 2026, likely September or October.

Read at SFGATE