Mara's Italian Pastries

We loved the huge spread of Italian dessert. With limited sitting inside, it can get crowded sometimes. Great selection of Gelato! The ladies behind the counter are always smiling. Decently priced might be a bit pricey but they keep fresh and delicious pastries and cannolis.

The food is good but nothing is labeled. I have very limited knowledge of Italian pastries, so I had to ask one by one. The boss didn't seem patient 😅 I had tiramisu and cream cone there. I think all pastries were $8.5 each. Tiramisu was really good. The cream was too heavy for my liking but the flavors were well balanced. Cream cone wasn't quite my favorite though.

Whenever I’m in the city I have to go here at least twice. I wish I could pick this place up and take it back home with me. The best iced americano and cheese danish’s are here. I love the customer service. They’re kind, direct and never over the top. You (thank god) will not have to make small here.

Mara’s Italian Pastry sits right in the heart of San Francisco, surrounded by the city’s chaos, yet it feels like a small pocket of calm. I stopped in for a coffee, and while simple, it was good enough to make me want to linger a bit longer, just to soak in the atmosphere. It’s the kind of spot that pulls you into the rhythm of the city without overwhelming you.

wandered around San Francisco for 3 days, and classify this bar/pastry/pizzeria "100% made in Italy!" all Italian management, quality and products all derived from the "beautiful country". placed there for years, and for years it has introduced real Italian food to locals, or tourists of all nationalities. recommended for those who suffer from distance from their food, and recommended for those who want to try our specialty.

Happened to come across this little amazing gem, so glad I did! Such a delicious treat many... I got the fruit tart and wow it was absolutely fascinating! A local walking by added that this was the best Italian bakery in the city and I couldn't agree more! Will definitely be coming back again!

Mara’s Italian Bakery is hands-down one of the best finds in San Francisco. Walking in feels like stepping right back into a cozy bakery in Italy. The vibe is super warm and welcoming, and it immediately brings you that “back home” feeling if you’re from Europe—or just love authentic Italian spots. The quality here is on another level. Every pastry and loaf tastes like it’s made with serious love and real-deal ingredients. The croissants are perfectly flaky, the cannoli are spot-on creamy, and everything just tastes homemade in the best possible way.

I enjoy coming here whenever I'm in Little Italy San Francisco ca.The bakery has a South Philly charm ! The selection of pastries are Canolies, Biscotti and expresso served with a nostalgic spirit! Cozy indoor seating and warm hospitality! Mara's gets my vote! 🌺☕🍰

Great place to go for tourists to be ripped off! Used to go here - just went today and was charged $9.95 for one cannolo pistachio! Eff this place!

A must visit whenever I'm in north beach! The pastries in the window are so enticing, it's hard not to grab something after walking by. Staff are kind and friendly, and the shop interior is so cute and cozy. Right next to club Fugazi and open until 11 so i love to stop in after seeing a show.

Was galavanting around North Beach before a Broadway show & decided to stop in Mara's. They have an amazing selection of baked goods, I wanted to try one (or two) of everything! Opted to take home a few different focaccia (the pieces were huge!), some cannolis, an almond croissant & a pistachio pastry that was to die for! Definitely check this place out if you're in the area, they have a variety of Italian sodas & coffee drinks as well!

This is a small pastry shop that carries a large variety of beautifully crafted desserts. We came in for some tiramisu and tried a whipped cream eclair as well. The tiramisu was wonderful and satisfied the creamy cravings and the eclair offered a different texture between bites of tiramisu. There is limited seating available but the space offers a very home-y feeling, an intimate space for cute little dates. Service was very quick as well! I think I would come back to try other pastries or for the tiramisu. The price came out to about $19 for the two items.

Okay, so I've been to Mara's about 37 times now but oddly enough this is all the pictures I have. The best thing about Mara's is the visuals that draw you in. Nothing is as beautiful as a fresh array of pastries sitting in a clear glass window. Talk about marketing genius too. Establishing a few things off the bat. Yes it's too expensive and yes some of the items are hit or miss. The variety is great and there are some unique offerings you can't get at the other Italian bakeries. Will I ever claim this is one of the best bakeries in the city? No. But I feel loyal to Mara after the plethora of experiences we've shared. To judge this place is hard because it really depends on what pastries you like. Some things they do better than others. But as is life. This is my go to Italian pastry spot in North Beach and you are talking to a guy who eats a lot of pastries. (4.5 Stars)

Excellent fruit tart but some of the other offerings seemed old - and too expensive compared with direct competitors like Stellas - which is also open late. The fruit tart was excellent. Cute little berries all glued together to perfection. Price was a little high but I'm forgiving - if I had tried just this one item I would give the shop four stars. The pine nut cookie seemed very very old. It was stale and chewy and stuck to my teeth in a horrible way. I noticed it had this overpowering almond extract and I didn't like it. It lacked a pure taste that you would get at Tartine (the best bakery in SF). The rum cake was beautiful but I suspect it wasn't very fresh. I know there is difficulty with keeping things fresh when the hours of operation are so long but I suspect this was more than 24 hours old. I picked it up and it leaked and oozed sugary syrup. It was an unpleasant experience. Taste was good and the filling was great but it just wasn't presented well in the soggy wet tiny paper that it came with. If it would come in a clear plastic cup with a fork I think I would be more forgiving - but this was horrible. Variety was outstanding - five stars for this... Usually bakeries try to have as much variety as possible as it statistically increases the amount that any given patron orders. Its not working here. Neighboring bakeries have lines but none here. I would slash offerings and only put out what is most popular. In general I would come for gelato and the fruit cups. After I bought mine there was only one left and everything else seemed to be in full supply even though it was late at night. Really have to take a hint. Prices are way too high. A cannoli can be found for half price around the corner - a couple desserts for $16 is something that only Tartine can get away with. I would go to Stellas or Cafe Greco if you need late night. Stellas is where the locals go and cannolis and cookies are way fresher as they have enormous turnover. Cafe Greco has a great European style cheesecake. Try those. There is this app 'To good to go' I think this bakery needs to sign up for it in order to minimize food waste and ensure freshness. To the store owner: your welcome for a review with an embedded business analysis.

Decided to give Mara's a shot even though my go-to is Victoria Pastry. I was charged $19.95 for a half-pound of various Italian cookies. The lady working the counter quoted me low 20's for 1 pound of cookies. I left the shop thinking the box felt a little light but didn't think too much of it until I got home and weighed it myself. Ripped off. I'm a local but it doesn't make a difference. Mara's bakery, don't rip off your patrons. It's not cool and it gives North Beach a bad reputation. Anyone reading this do yourself a favor. If you want fresh Italian pastries or cookies without being price-gouged go to Victoria Pastry down the street.

Excellent pastries, cookies, cakes. cannolis and tarts! Wide variety and freshly baked. They also make espresso and craft coffee drinks, Italian sodas and teas. And they have gelato so this place has everything you need. It's been here forever and the service, prices and quality is as good as ever.

This time I ordered 2 different stuff and again I love them both . One of them was pistachio cannoli and the other one I didn't get the name of it but it was made with pistachio as well

Stopped in for a sweet treat. Tried the pecan tart. Hard to choice what to get because everything looked so good. Service was instant and the place is very welcoming.

$19 for 2 day old pastries. When asked if the price was correct, the cashier stared at me rudely as though I was impeding on her free time. I'm pretty sure she made up the prices dependent on the crowd she was serving. At least the cannoli wasn't completely soggy

This place take advantage of people and overcharge for the things that aren't listed on the menu be careful. I got a slice of pizza (that was disgusting) a sparkling drink, a cinnamon twist and a pistachio cannoli and the total was $28 dollars. Don't support this business! They don't have the prices in the menu for some of the stuff so the charge whatever they want.

be me and friend, hungry and broke walk into here tryna FEASSSST we look around the place and display case and decide to get blueberry cheesecake and tiramisu. there's no price or labels saying what they are so u gotta take a fat guesss if u not a pastry connoisseur.... both slices were EIGHT DOLLARS like hello??????? fk it its ur life tho ykwim? cheesecake was good but not eight dollars good, tiramisu was okay

Food tried: pistachio gelato (wish it had a stronger flavor) Service: good Vibes: grab n go italian dessert shop

The pastries were all lovely!! We got four separate ones, all of which were amazing, delicate, and handmade. The worker inside was kind and efficient. It was also very cheap for the superb quality!! We sat out front, and it was very enjoyable to see the other innumerable pastries through the front window while we ate. We'd come back here for sure!

Delicious Italian pastries and wonderful service in an iconic neighborhood. Highly recommend.

An alright opton to enjoy some pastries. There is a beautiful display of items from the window with even more fridged items available in the cases inside. The items here were quite pricey, around $20 for a handful of items that I tried. I found overall that the items were a bit too sweet for my tastes and the dough on the different types of desserts were alright but nothing special for me. For example, on the bear claw I thought the dough was a bit firm and a little too chewy. On the eclair, it was a bit airy but not exactly soft enough to match the filling. And on the cannoli, it was a bit more hard than crisp. The flavors of the different items I tried were also fairly plain and unremarkable. Overall, an alright place to enjoy some Italian pastries. The flavors and textures are alright, but the items are a bit pricey.

They have such a variety of amazing pastries, this place was busy but the service was fast. Also had an americano that packed a nice punch to accompany my sweet treats. The place was small and quaint but perfect and clean. So glad we found this gem we will be back!

Just moved to SF. Family is from Napoli and I just came back. I was looking for some authentic espresso and pastry for the morning. I was trying to find it after seeing a yelp picture of the pastry shelf. I was walking to the neighborhood and happened to get yanked backward by my eyes seeing some pastry in a window; turns out this was it. ambiance is authentic; happy to see padre pio. the gentleman who I presumed is the owner speaks the language. Some Italian fellas on vacation stopped in for espresso (that's how you know). 5 stars if the staff was a little friendlier lol.

Here is another place we frequent when we are in North Beach. Ok I will admit it. We had just finished a nice meal at Tony's (right around the corner). We stopped at Lush Gelato for A nice creamy treat but wanted a nice Latte or Cappuccino to go with our gelato. So we crossed the street and went in for a coffee. The ladies that work here are very nice and this place has a very nice assortment of Biscotti's, Cookies, Cannolis and other tasty bites. I know there are lots of choices around North Beach and I can't and won't claim that this is the best place but it is a place we like to visit to cap off our visit to North Beach

Mara's is handful of restaurants lining "Little Italy" that I saw while strolling to/from Financial District. From the sidewalk I saw the foccacia bread in the window and that's what made me go inside. I walked in a purchase a focaccia bread for snacking. One bite and my fears came true. It tasted like soggy, stale bread that had been sitting in the window all day. Not as flavorful as I hoped based on the crimson tomato slathered on the bread. The worse part is that it was pretty expensive for a piece of bread, $7. I haven't tried their other baked goods and not sure I will. Their other stuff may be good but I'll never know.

Hubby and I used to come by here every time we go to San Francisco. And that was before the pandemic. I guess the pandemic change people. I came by here by myself and bought two cannolis and a cinnamon roll and total up to $26. That's pretty outrageous even for a hoity-toity pastry shop. And not to mention the staff here and I think it's the owner is not the friendliest in the whole city. All I said was "I'm so glad you guys reopened". The staff explain that they were closed so I must've taken the wrong street but when I was telling them that I'm glad that they are still there they had no appreciation or any type of positive attitude. I guess they make enough money to have one less customer. I will definitely look elsewhere for pastries from now on. I only have certain amount of money to spend when I go to the city and I don't want all of it to go to one visit to the pastry shop. Quality:A++ Service: C Price: $$ $

Mi Yelp Familia! N if our n about on a beautiful day like today, a must with a loved one or just by yourself, Mara's Italian Pastry!!! Super scrumptious!!! My son turns 2yrs old, n was one of the most friendliest, nicest spot on the block!! We tried the Pistachio Panna Cotta, had a Fruit Tart & a wonderful small cake! Must try!!!

Little Italy has an ample supply of cannoli bakeries to choose from & this one really made an impression. Not only was the selection vast, but the plain cannoli was amazingly creamy inside. The cream filling wasn't a light airy texture but seemed like it had cream cheese in it making it a rich decadent dessert.

They have the best cannolis! They have the basic flavors as well as a pistachio one, that is amazing. This is a must when visiting the city!

Stopped by this Italian bakery while walking around North Beach. We wanted to grab a pastry after seeing groups of people outside munching on their pastries and we got a chocolate covered palmier to go. The palmier was huge but the pastry itself was a big soggy and lacked the great flaky texture that I love with palmiers. The chocolate side was pretty good as the chocolate wasn't very sweet and added a nice touch on the palmier but the other side was coated in a sweet syrup which likely caused the sogginess. We should have probably grabbed a cannoli or biscotti instead but overall, we expected more from this stop.

Mara's Italian Pastry is exactly the kind of business San Francisco needs more of--it's owned and operated by a family (from Italy, even!) their offerings are fresh, authentic and unfussy (gelato and cannoli? Yes, please!). The prices are decent as well, you can grab a pastry and a real espresso for way under 10 bucks (then sit at a cute table outside to enjoy North Beach culture). My recommendation is Raspberry Rings. They're huge, like as big a a child's head huge and so good. Like so good you'll intend to "get one to share" and immediately regret having to give up even a crumb. You won't be able to finish it all in one sitting, but I guarantee you'll want to tuck it away "for later". Again, the fact that this place exists and thrives is everything I love about San Francisco..it endures. I love trendy places, food fads, pop ups and insta-worthy decor as much as the next person-but they come and go. Mara's is reliable, steadfast and truly good. It's also the oldest bakery shop in North Beach, so even if you don't believe me, it's the facts.

food: 5/10. The cannoli was bit pricey ($7) and it wasn't quite big. It tasted good, but seemed not that fresh! service: 8/10. The server was nice but he seemed to be in a big rush when taking our order. ambiance: 6/10. the place is quite small and only has a limited amount of seating!

Came here to end our Saturday date night. Loved the warmth upon walking in.. but sadly the warmth came from the temperature of the room, not the staff. Both women working looked annoyed with not only us, but every customer after. Each question we asked was answered flatly and with rolling eyes. I asked about a tea and she snickered... not sure why. We ordered two teas (served way too hot) and two eclairs (one cream one custard). About $22 later, we had a seat. When we were the only customers left, both ladies took a seat at a table and were on their phones. I only mention this because one lady was listening to something and it was extremely loud and disruptive to our conversation. I gave her a couple of glances but their obliviousness was consistent, unlike their hospitality which was nonexistent. We stayed about 30 minutes, and watched as every customer who came in was greeted (or not greeted) the same. One time a pair of customers didn't know who to order from because the workers were so distracted and took their time walk behind the counter. Another customer left because they weren't even greeted while in line. Aside from the grumpy workers, the eclairs are not fresh nor tasty. The custard one tasted like a week old frozen one that was placed back in the freezer too many times. The custard inside was tough like overcooked meat and tasted bland. The cream eclair was better, but still unmemorable since the chocolate was mute and it also tasted like it had been frozen for too long... was that even chocolate? Had no taste to it. I appreciate that the place was warm, but it could have been a much better experience. I don't recommend coming here for good vibes or eclairs.

What happened to the prices? $8 for one cannoli? That hurt. Been coming to Mara's for years because they have a great Italian party selection and is a staple mom and pop type shop. Ordered the pistachio and mini cannoli and they were just ok. (Dammit Klay Thompson, got this holy cannoli for YOU! Lol) I do remember loving their napoleon custard so will still recommend that. The old man who served us was super nice. (Sigh) Recommend: Napoleon custard Just ok: Pistachio cannoli

I went here recently and this is the visit that made me decide to not return: the guy behind the counter with glasses is literally rude and cannot be bothered which is funny considering you work at the counter, sir. I go in and mind you, their menu and glass display DOES NOT indicate pricing ok, so secondly, that's a turn off, thirdly I see that some of their cakes come from diandas in the mission so that was also like a "that sucks" moment. The icing on the cake no pun intended, was when I asked what certain pastries were cuz as I said, nothing is labeled not even pricing, I got the biggest sighs from this man like he was expecting me to know wtf everything was! Like ok I see cannolis, we all know them well but damn, what is that gelatinous green cake covered with cream, COULD IT BE panna cotta sir? Enlighten me. Idk he was so bothered so I just left and he looked all dumb founded but honestly you're not missing out by ditching this crusty spot. There's Victoria and Stella's up the street.

All of the pastries in the window look delicious, I only got a cannoli, which for seven dollars was very small, but the flavor was pretty good. There were so many choices for pastry shops in this area. I can't give it more than three stars because I felt very over priced for what I got, but would definitely be willing to try other items the time I go!

This bakery has been around for years. And probably some of their pastries are good. But we were not impressed with the cookie selection which seemed like massed produced, pre packaged items set out in the case and sold for too high a price But the real turn-off was the gentleman behind the counter who was handling credit cards and money then turned around using unwashed, ungloved hands to box up the cookies - Uck

Best pastries and espresso! Love being able to sit outside and watch the city as I enjoy the best cannoli ever. I'm from out of town and I always make sure to come back here, wonderful service.

Service is non existent at this place, and the older gentleman with black hair is a miserable grump. I walked into the shop to buy some cookies, and the two workers, who were busy talking to each other, glanced at me but couldn't be bothered to greet me. No biggie - I made my selection of their overpriced cookies, which were stuffed into a bag that immediately fell apart. I saw one of my cookies fall out of the bag, so I told the grump that was ringing me up. Rather than look in the bag to confirm, he looked down at the floor and said I was wrong. He rang me up, and the unfriendly vibes could not be stronger. Of course when I got home, I looked and yup, my cookie fell out of the bag (and I was charged for it). I've been going to this place on and off for the past 10 years and this is the last time. I'd rather give my business to places that have workers that will at least smile or acknowledge me.

This is in no way an Italian bakery The cornetto she called a cream puff The cream was a fake white idk The cherry pastry was made with a jelly ..... Napoleon with a dry custard and a fake cream topping ......not an icing ... Not Italian at all.....

Love the place. I've been going there for decades. Lattes are outstanding, unlike the ones you get from a hipster with a nosering at Starbucks. Raspberry rings are a favorite, and the foccacia is the real thing. First generation Italian owned and operated by the family, I learned.

I really, really, really want to support local pastry shops such as this place. But it was really hard to stomach $17-$18 for two large cannoli's. I ordered the large pistachio which was $9.95 and the large chocolate was $6.95. I had already ordered it and had no idea it was so $$$$ and decided what the heck, it will just be this once time. They tasted great. But not for the price. I was recently in NYC and had their local pastries and it was only $14.50/lb of pastries. Nowhere as crazy pricing as SF.

The bakery scene in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood is considered one of the best in the city, and Mara's Italian Pastry is one of the area's most venerable, as they have been serving up some of the most traditional European pastries for generations. Located on a busy intersection of Columbus Avenue and Green Street, you can't miss their storefront as they are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., ready to serve up well over thirty different pastries some of which are made in house, in addition to handcrafted coffee drinks and hand-scooped gelato. I swear they are a feast for the Italian senses! What brought me here on more than one occasion was the fact that I am always on the hunt for the most traditional pastries to bring in a box to feast on later for dessert at home, and boy can you get your fair share of options to select from along while walking Columbus Avenue alone. So it was a recent Sunday evening that I found myself waiting for dinner at a nearby restaurant that I thought would make my way there to Mara's location as you can't miss their well lit glass front exterior with their logo etched on the front. Upon entry as things stand, Mara's Italian Pastry currently does not have a lot of seating inside their bakery, as the banquette seating remains but all of the tables have been removed for the time being. Thankfully both they and their neighbor have created a huge parklet with their delicatessen next door so everyone can enjoy their cake and eat it too! But I came for a quick stop to select my pastries, and even at 7 p.m. on Sunday evening they still had a number of desserts in their glass case remaining, including but not exclusive to their Custard and Cream Horns, Cannolis, Napoleons, Cake Slices, Cheesecake Slices, Tiramisu Slices, Fruit Tarts, and clusters of Profiteroles. In another box they had all of their cookies and biscottis that you can imagine, and of course in their open-air front window they had the aforementioned focaccia bread in multiple flavors, in addition to multiple croissants, and panettone breads still in their boxes ready to be sold. But I of course came for their pastries and it was surprisingly their Mixed Fruits Berry Cake that takes the cake so to speak, as a year ago I made my way to Mara's and managed to order three of their cake/ pastry slices including a two different Napoleon Cake Slices, and of all three options, it was the Mixed Fruits Berry Cake that instantly wanted to make me come back for seconds. When I did return home with my slice, I noticed that the Dianda's label came with it, and since Dianda's in the Mission neighborhood is one of my favorites, I knew I was in good hands with this particular pastry. So upon that second trip, I opted to get that Mixed Fruits Berry Cake slice and a Custard Éclair for myself, and since I was going to meet up with some friends at a local restaurant for dinner I opted to order two extra boxes of pastries for them as well. And so since there was one more slice of their Mixed Fruits Berry Cake left, I opted to order that and another Custard Eclair to be placed in another pink box, and then with no more Mixed Fruits Berry Cake options left, I opted to order their Chocolate Cake Slice topped with Strawberries and a Cream Puff, which was sliced in half and filled with cream and topped with powdered sugar and a cherry! My total bill was 45 dollars this time and for $7.50 per pastry they have matched prices of what many of their competitors are charging right now because ingredient and labor costs are quite high right now and they need to account for it in some fashion, and of course it's the customer that must pay some cost at some point. Of course I loved my Mixed Fruits Berry Cake, and their Custard Éclair filling was top rate as expected. but the chocolate covered shell was a wee bit too hard for truly enjoying the entirety of my delectable pastry. Even with the exorbitant cost that the pastries are worth it at Mara's Italian Pastry, as they are not only large enough in size to be shareable, but they are made so perfectly that honestly you cannot find the variety of desserts anywhere else in the neighborhood. Even if some of their pastries may be outsourced from other local institutions, having some of the best desserts sold from early in the morning until late at night definitely means something here in North Beach!

Holy molly!! Their canolll's are. Some of the best I've tasted. You know you're in the right place when some local Italians were in there enjoying the treat.

The window display sucked me in and I was glad. The selection was huge and so many things looked good I had a hard time deciding. It seemed like they had a dozen varieties of biscotti alone. The raspberry twist (or twirl) is on my goto list for the next visit. Prices were a little high, but my sample data is very small. Would definitely revisit in the future and recommend checking it out!

Wanted to try this place cause the pastries looked really good in the windows from outside, I got a pistachio cannoli which was mid and plain cream puffs that when I ate at home i think got bad... sadly not coming back here as there are places like cafe greco closeby. ALSO $18.45 FOR THE TWO PIECES OF PASTY LOL WHAT A JOKE

Got some biscotti and cannoli to go from here. It's a small bakery with a lot of different things including pizza and coffee. They were very good!

I was drawn in by the beauty of the pastries, but was charged $9.95 for a cannoli, which as I was walking out saw on the menu for $7.25. So even if it is a great cannoli that is a total rip off. Buy the one at the gelato shop next door for $6.99! I hate nothing more than dishonesty and being taken advantage of!

Staff was friendly but everything we ordered was not good: Napoleon, raspberry ring, elephant ear, cinnamon palmier. We ended tossing every thing and going to Victoria's. You could tell nothing was fresh because it was soft and not crispy. Flavorless. No clue how this place stays in business maybe tourism. Coffee was good.

This spot is a great find The biscotti was my favorite Foyt come back to try the Eclair

Very overpriced for below-average baked goods - half of their inventory looks like stuff you would find prepackaged at a cheap discount grocery store. Don't waste your money here.

First of all: incredible selection of pastries. For a shop with such small square footage, they really have managed to displayed a wide variety of sweet things to indulge in. Was told they have the best cannolis in San Francisco; had to give the mini cannoli a try. If I were big on pastries, perhaps I'd have liked it more - but found it a bit too creamy and heavy. Also, I found it to be not worth the high prices.

I work in North Beach so I've tried every latte in every restaurant, bakery, and shop. Hands-down Mara's has the best latte around. Rich, round, full-bodied. I also get a selection of traditional Italian cookies to bring to work from time to time. On weekends get a large croissant with my coffee. The pastries are fresh and tempting! It is on the expensive side, but I'll trade that for quality any day. I love to chat with the owners, they truly care about the neighborhood and their neighbors. It's that kind of little family place you don't fine much anymore.