This San Francisco Bakery Draws Long Lines For The City's Best Croissants

Few things are more mesmerizing, sought-after, and difficult to achieve than a perfectly laminated pastry. Like most things in life, good things come to those who wait, especially those who wait in line at a particular French bakery in San Francisco. Declared the best new bakery in the country by Bon Appétit in 2016, Arsicault Bakery's flaky treats consistently draw lines of fans eager to get their hands on the city's best croissants and other baked goods. Owner and founder Armando Lacayo grew up in France and has the trade in his genetics, as the bakery is named after the Arsicault Boulangerie, owned by his great-grandparents in the 1900's outside of Paris. 

Arsicault has several locations around the Bay Area. Its first location in the Richmond District opened in 2015, followed by a Civic Center location, and a third in the bayside Mission Rock neighborhood (not to be confused with the popular Mission District, famous for it's burritos), which opened in March of 2025. The bakery also has a fourth location in the works in the affluent Palo Alto neighborhood south of San Francisco. While the menus differ slightly based on location, all three offer all the standard French pastries you'd expect, like croissants, kouign amanns, and morning buns. The McAllister bakery in the Civic Center and the Bridgeview Way bakery in Mission Rock have a more diverse selection than the original Arguello Blvd. location, offering exciting items like a blackberry almond hazelnut croissant and an apricot bostock, as well as quiches by the slice, breads, and sandwiches, like the Parisian sandwich with butter, ham, and sea salt. 

San Francisco may be famous for it's sourdough bread, but the city offers incredible pastries that are worth waiting in line for. Social media commentary agrees, with one Redditor saying that "Arsicault's almond croissant is better than almost everybody else in SF," with another commenting that they "have been to several bakeries in France that don't come close to Arsicault croissants," which is high praise. In regards to the line, a passionate Redditor compares the wait to a San Franciscan rite of passage, saying that waiting in line is "a time to chat with people in front of and beyond you, to ask where people are from, to enjoy the weather and the atmosphere," and refers to the bakery as one of the city's many treasures. 

So what makes the croissants at Arsicault so good? For one thing, they are prepared all day long, so no matter how long you wait, you are going to get a fresh — not stale — croissant. And because the dough is turned three times instead of the usual two, the croissants are both fluffier and flakier. 

The original location on Arguello Blvd. usually has the longest wait times, while the newer, larger locations seem to get through the lines faster. For those who aren't able to wait in line, pre-orders are available via phone, with a minimum of a dozen items or one whole quiche, and orders must be placed no fewer than 48 hours in advance. Once you've acquired that perfect laminated pastry, make sure you eat it properly so you don't make a huge mess.