Steph C.
Yelp
We live near Larchmont and Clark Street has been an excellent addition to the neighborhood. We've been walking over with the kids for brunch most weekends, the baby in his stroller, the three-year-old on his balance bike. It's a lovely, easy routine (though my feelings would be different if driving and parking were part of the equation--if you're not familiar with Larchmont parking, be prepared before you show up looking to grab a quick pastry).
Clark Street is popular, but it's less slammed than when it first opened, and the line to order moves relatively fast. The front of the bakery is inviting but small, with just enough room for the line to move through along the pastry display. Service is friendly and efficient, and if you're just buying pastries, you can be out the door in a few minutes. There's also a robust cafe menu with sandwiches and salads and several all-day breakfast items, which take longer to prepare. We like to order at the register and take our number to the surprisingly calm back patio. It's a plain but pleasant space, where we've never had to wait for a table or worry that our kids are bothering the other customers, who usually have their own kids.
My husband and older boy always get pastries, and they love the croissants (our son actually calls Clark Street "the croissant restaurant"). They get the plain and chocolate croissants, though when those sell out, as they sometimes do, they've also gotten almond and once, the Swedish cardamom bun, which the three-year-old found quite fascinating. Dad gets coffee to go with his breakfast, while son gets some kind of fancy canned apple juice.
The baby and I like some meat with our meals and have sampled a chunk of the breakfast and lunch menu. On the breakfast side, the classic lox bagel is fantastic, with smoked salmon, tomato, red onion, capers, dill, and cream cheese. I don't know where Clark Street gets their bagels, but they're good, pillowy fresh with a nice chew. I like the everything bagel, which goes well with the lovely lox. For lunch, I've enjoyed the sandwiches, especially the turkey pesto, which comes with roasted turkey, aged provolone, arugula, giardiniera, housemade pesto, olive oil, and vinegar on crusty ciabatta. The chicken salad sandwich is classic and tasty, with lettuce, tomato, and mayo on sourdough. The tuna salad sandwich is also solid, with line-caught albacore, iceberg, pickles, jalapeños, and mustard on toasted challah, though I wouldn't mind more jalapeño.
I'm very fond of Clark Street and am happy to have it in our weekend rotation. It's a relaxing spot with great food and a kid-friendly set-up, a prime default destination for low-effort family outings.