Stella Pastry
Pastry shop · North Beach ·
Iconic bakery offering sacripantina, tiramisu, cannoli & cookies
Iconic bakery offering sacripantina, tiramisu, cannoli & cookies
"This old-school bakery is worth the uphill trek for one thing: the sacripantina. Stella's rum-soaked, zabaglione-layered Northern Italian cake has been on the menu since 1942, and it’s still the most popular item. Your first order of business is to secure a slice. Then, if appetites and pastry box real estate allow, go for the cannoli, tiramisu, and cheesecakes next. We usually take our orders to Washington Square Park (seating inside is limited). And, in the case of a long line, Victoria Pastry is about five minutes away and has a similar selection (minus the sacripantina) and typically a shorter wait." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong
"For those who firmly believe that cookies should always be soft and chewy (see you in hell, “thin and crunchy”), track down Danielle Estrella Pastry Arts. The SF pop-up serves a tight line-up of cookies—some are classics like chocolate chip and caramel chip snickerdoodle, while others are more unexpected like the hazelnut cookie stuffed with Nutella. Prioritize the chocolate chip, hazelnut, and white chocolate macadamia with blueberries. Alongside the cookies are some cakes and tarts, including an airy German chocolate cake with shredded coconut and pecans that teeters on being too sweet without actually getting there. For some zing, the lemon meringue tart is well-balanced and has some surprising earthiness from a crumbly black sesame crust. Danielle Estrella Pastry Arts is usually at Gilbert’s Latin Fusion on Saturdays and Barebottle’s Bernal Heights location on Sundays, though it is subject to change—keep an eye on Instagram." - Patrick Wong
"Stella’s is an old standby in North Beach, serving Italian-American pastries like cannoli, tiramisu, and danishes to the neighborhood since 1942. The sacripantina cake has been on the menu for more than 40 years, and the owners say it’s perfect for weddings, baptisms, and communions. It’s vanilla sponge and zabaione shaped into a dome, and the rum sings through." - Becky Duffett
"The uphill walk to Stella Pastry is worth the hike even if it’s just for a slice of their sacripantina cake. This Northern Italian dessert has been on this North Beach mainstay’s menu since 1942, and for good reason: It’s freaking delicious. The square layers of sponge and zabaglione might look boring compared to the more colorful pastries in the display case, but don’t be fooled. Sheets of cake are soaked in rum with tiers of airy sweet wine custard. Despite all the booze, the flavor is really balanced, not too sugary with a hint of wine and rum without an alcoholic sting. That’s not to say Stella’s tiramisu, cannolis, and cookies aren’t good, but leaving without a slice of sacripantina is a mistake. Seating can be hard to come by in this narrow cut-out of a bakery with just a handful of first-come, first-served tables, so plan to take your cakes on the road. We suggest a five-minute stroll to Washington Square Park and grabbing a bench. Don’t worry, it’s a flat walk." - Patrick Wong
"What’s a cappuccino without a biscotti? A North Beach institution, this Italian-American bakery does sacripantina cake, tiramisu, and is big on biscotti. They set out full sheet trays stacked with baci, amoretti, Florentines, Lindsor hearts, and thumbprints, including cookies that are dipped in chocolate or stuffed with jam." - Becky Duffett
