Proof Bakery
Bakery · Atwater Village ·
Worker-owned bakery with croissants, cakes, and sandwiches
Worker-owned bakery with croissants, cakes, and sandwiches
"Long before the storefront comes into view, the heady scent of hot, buttery croissants and chocolate chip cookies spills into the street from this worker-owned cooperative, which has become a chronically busy local favorite thanks to an overflowing pastry case of picturesque cakes, focaccia sandwiches layered with shaved mortadella, and flaky biscuits flecked with chive and Gruyère. Even more than a decade after opening, it still tends to sell out every day, with options growing scant by mid-morning, making this a bakery worth waking up early for. The canelé, a notoriously difficult pastry to execute, is exceptional, with a deeply caramelized, fluted exterior that yields to a cloud-like custardy center with a vanilla top note. The plain croissant hits an ideal balance: a flaky but not overly fragile exterior giving way to a precisely laminated interior that delivers a welcome truckload of butter, while the almond croissant offers a sweeter option, filled with nutty frangipane. Cakes rotate frequently, but any chocolate cake in the case is a must-order, from past dark-as-night chocolate espresso cake layered with cremeaux to chocolate blueberry cake with sweet-tart layers of reduced berries. The crowd typically includes young Atwater parents with Nuna strollers out for a morning walk and coffee, television writers escaping the Burbank studio bubble for a mid-day sandwich, and regulars swinging by for an 11 a.m. Americano, and lunch sandwiches don’t come out until 11:30 a.m., so anyone hellbent on securing one should time their arrival for when they hit the case, as they tend to move quickly." - Rebecca Roland
"Proof is the place most mentioned when Atwater Village comes up in a conversation, and it’s worthy of the buzz. Their delicious assortment of goodies are baked on site with seasonal ingredients. Simplicity in design and complexity in flavors, Proof is straight legit y’all. We dare you to try a sea-salted baguette and not crave it for the rest of your life. Get a quiche or an artisan sandwich to go, or enjoy some finely crafted pour-over coffee from Congoscenti, the pop-up coffee shop in Proof, featuring roasters from LA to Portland." - Brains on Fire
"The lines at this cute Atwater bakery can get long on the weekends (we’re talking sneaker-store-on-Fairfax lengths), but with some patience, you’ll be treated to a treasure trove of pastries, croissants, and bread loaves. Rotating sandwiches come on crusty baguettes, ideal for munching on at the park. Fluffy brioche buns are airy and light, and the chocolate chip cookies are what we wish every chocolate chip cookie tasted like: soft and sprinkled with sea salt. The energy here is friendly and neighborhood-y (you’ll definitely see a young family or two), so if you don't want to wait to consume your carb haul, grab one of the small patio tables outside." - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore, cathy park
"As one of Los Angeles’s few employee-owned collective bakeries, this Atwater Village institution is an ideal meld between the best of classic European and American baking sensibilities. The classic croissants are as good as they get, but don’t neglect the cookies, caneles, scones, and savory sandwiches. The menu changes seasonally, so watch out for whatever pastry may be new in the case that week. Sandwiches don’t roll out until 11:30 a.m., but early risers get the best pastry options." - Rebecca Roland
"Worker-owned bakery Proof makes some of the best pastries in LA, so it’s no surprise the croissant is superlative. While some croissants lean too buttery or too bready, this one strikes the ideal balance. The outside is crispy and fragile, with tender webs of laminated dough right below the surface. Seating can get tricky during busier hours, and the selection does dwindle during the afternoon, so head over early for the best shot at securing pastries and somewhere to enjoy them." - Rebecca Roland