The French Spot

"If you’re struggling to force yourself to go to bed earlier, just use The French Spot as your motivation. The Tenderloin bakery consistently sells out of many of their fantastic pastries well before noon. Is another hour of the Love Island reunion special really worth missing out on a one-of-a-kind mochi-stuffed ube croissant? Or how about a moist mini loaf of bread pudding topped with a ring of frosting and jam? Certainly not for a flaky danish overflowing with guava jam and cream cheese. You get it." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong

"Vincent Attali and Maria Zapata’s French Spot is one of the heralds of the Tenderloin’s baking scene. In the former Mr. Holmes Bakehouse space, a big hit for 2010s-phenom cruffin, this cafe and bakery rolled out the purple-glazed ube mochicro alongside Red Bay Coffee and custom cake orders. Pull up here for the artsy space, too; Zapata painted all the vibrant signage and artwork." - Paolo Bicchieri

"You might want to eat your croissants from The French Spot in total isolation out of respect for the people around you. The audible crunch after every flaky bite is sure to wake up anyone within a five-block radius. Sure, there are plenty of great croissants in the city, but there’s none other like this Tenderloin bakery’s trademarked Mochicro. The black sesame and ube versions are painted with a glaze and stuffed with a chewy mochi layer. And while we wouldn’t blame you for only stocking your pastry box with Mochicro, everything else seductively gazing back at you from the display case is also worth trying. Particularly the croissant bread pudding crowned with a ring of frosting and jam, kouign amann, and any of the mini pies. Just plan to take whatever you get on the road—there’s only a few small tables. And if you can, set your alarm early as they will sell out, even on weekdays. video credit: Patrick Wong" - Patrick Wong

"The French Spot is a bakery that has taken over the former Mr. Holmes Bakehouse location on Larkin Street. It is known for its croissants, including the original croissant and the trademarked Ube Mochicro. The bakery is run by husband-and-wife team Vincent Attali and Maria Zapata, who have a background in high-end restaurants and pastry shops. They offer a variety of baked goods and custom cakes, and their Ube Mochicro is a standout item, praised for its crisp, moist, and buttery texture with a sweet ube mochi filling and eye-catching purple glaze. The bakery has a close-knit team and also supplies baked goods to numerous hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops in the Bay Area." - Antony Fangary