From the outside, LA might seem like a city full of wellness-obsessed, $30-Erewhon-smoothie-drinking fitness influencers. And LA can seem like that from the inside too, but to think it’s entirely true would, of course, be false. In fact, Angelinos love to indulge in carby, sugary delicacies, as is evidenced by the number of incredible bakeries that dot our palm tree-covered landscape. And whether a trip to a bakery is a weekly occurrence or reserved for a little treat, we want to help you get your next baked good fix. So, we’ve highlighted 10 of the best bakeries in Los Angeles and what we think you should order from each.
Artelice Patisserie
Location: Burbank and Sawtelle Japantown (West LA)
What you’re here for: Macaroons and pastries that look like art
If a trip to Paris isn’t in the budget but you want to make your online followers think you’re indulging in the City of Lights, a photo of the meticulously made and artfully presented creations at Artelice Patisserie will do the trick. First and foremost, have a box of colorful macaroons put together (a nice host gift for your next housewarming or dinner party invite), then peruse the case full of classic French patisserie-style confections. Fair warning: it will be near impossible to narrow down your selection, but allow us to nudge you toward the popular Saint Honore and Cruffin. Oh, and to make picking even more difficult, they have around 20 different types of croissants from with to choose.
11301 W Olympic Blvd UNIT 123, Los Angeles & 117 N San Fernando Blvd, Burbank
Sweet Lady Jane
Location: Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Larchmont, Encino, Calabasas
What you’re here for: Cake and more
Sweet Lady Jane has been an LA staple for 35 years, serving as one of the go-to places to pick up a cake when you want to impress. So when the business and all of their locations abruptly shuttered in January 2024, it came as a shock. Luckily it didn’t take long for the folks behind Pacific French Bakery to swoop in and save the day. They purchased everything (the brand, the recipes, the equipment), gave the company a quick revamp and proceeded to reopen all of Sweet Lady Jane’s locations. While they have highly crave-able cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, cupcakes and pies, you’ll first want to try the cake, which can be ordered by the slice or whole to take home with you. They’re best known for their Triple Berry Cake (“fresh blueberries, strawberries and raspberries layered between lightly sweetened whipped cream and classic yellow butter cake”), but don’t sleep on the Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake or Vanilla Creme Cake.
214 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, 1631 Montana Ave, Santa Monica & more
Jyan Isaac Bread
Location: Santa Monica and Sunday farmers markets in Venice, Mar Vista, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Hills and Larchmont
What you’re here for: All the bread (and to sample their recently launched pastries)
Jyan Isaac began baking bread at age 13 after an inspiring visit to San Francisco’s legendary bakery, Tartine. By age 19, he was on the bakery team at Gjusta. Then the pandemic hit, and Jyan began baking at home and taking orders via Instagram. Word spread, demand exploded and by late 2021, Jyan opened his namesake bakery. You’ll need to visit repeatedly to work through the menu, which includes plenty of sourdough loaves plus numerous other options, from baguettes to challah to Danish rye to ciabatta to bagles and more. There’s no wrong order here, but the Hazelnut Chocolate Babka should be given extra consideration. As of April 2024, after a few years with a deep focus on just bread, Jyan Isaac now serves pastries (as you’d expect, they don’t disappoint).
1620 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica
Fleurs et Sel
Location: West Adams
What you’re here for: All the cookies
After being laid off at the start of the pandemic, Lara Adekoya turned to her passion for baking and began delivering her signature cookies to friends and clients from her old job. As word spread, she organized “cookie drops” on Instagram, with those lucky enough to get their order in on time able to pick up their cookies from her West Hollywood apartment. In March 2024, Lara opened Fleurs et Sel’s first physical location. Currently, the shop is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and although walk-in orders are possible (just arrive early), we recommend pre-ordering during a cookie drop so you can swing by and grab them with ease. As far as what to order, get as many cookies as your budget allows. But if you need to narrow it down, the Sea Salt Chocolate Chip is a staple, and the Golden Funfetti Birthday Cake, Cookies N Cream Dream and Vanilla Bean Sugar are all major crowd-pleasers.
*Keep in mind that Fleurs et Sel is still a young business, so ordering protocols are likely to change as they grow. Your best bet to stay up to date is to follow them on Instagram.
5300 W Adams Blvd STE 100, Los Angeles
Where to Go for Brunch in Malibu Right Now
From unrivaled breakfast burritos to the upscale smorgasbord of your dreamsLou, The French On The Block
Location: Burbank
What you’re here for: Croissants made by a Frenchman
Pastry chef Lou Correa (a 6-foot-6, former basketball player) arrived in LA from France in 2012 with a dream of opening a French bakery. He and his business partner/wife made it happen in 2016 with the opening of Lou, The French On The Block, which quickly caught on, thanks to their flakey croissants. They keep things streamlined and fairly classic here, with their croissant selection consisting of traditional plain, almond, chocolate and chocolate-almond varieties, plus a simple menu of tart-focused pastries and French sandwiches. The goods are only available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, so it’s common for a line to wind out the door and inventory to sell out quickly. To save time and guarantee your croissants, we recommend placing an online order 48 hours ahead of time (details here).
Gjusta
Location: Venice
What you’re here for: Bread, pastries and vibes
Founded in 2014, Gjusta began as a commissary kitchen whose sole purpose was to make bread for the company’s flagship restaurant on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Gjelina (one of the hottest tables in town in the years after it opened and now an LA mainstay). In the time since, Gjusta opened to the public, morphed into a full bakery, cafe and market, and became an LA mainstay in its own right. For your next visit, if there’s a galette filled with whatever fruit is in season on offer, definitely grab a slice, and don’t pass on the ham and gruyere croissant. Vibe-wise, the aesthetic here is on-point, and they have one of the most inviting patios in the entire city.
Bahn Knom Thai
Location: Thai Town
What you’re here for: Something a little different
Located in a popular strip mall plaza in the heart of Thai Town, Bhan Kanom Thai is a Thai bakery and mini-mart filled with freshly-made desserts and snacks imported straight from Thailand. Meaning “House of Thai Desserts,” Bhan Kanom Thai has been here since 1999 and is sort of an “if you know, you know” situation (your first trip here likely resulted from a friend’s recommendation). If you haven’t yet discovered this place for yourself, some sure-to-please classics include custard buns (soft bread buns filled with coconut milk-based custard), khanom bueng (paper thin, crispy folded crepes), kanom krok (sweet coconut “pancakes” that are slightly crisp on the outside but custardy and warm on the inside), pang chi (subtly sweet grilled taro cakes filled with shredded coconut and corn) and foi thong cupcakes (a white cake cupcake topped with foi thong, which is made by drizzling egg yolk into sugar water syrup).
5271 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles
Republique
Location: Miracle Mile
What you’re here for: One of everything
The bakery at Republique is a cornucopia of both French and American delicacies. They have everything — pies, cakes, cookies, glossy fruit tarts, croissants, various types of bread, muffins and all sorts of pastries. The woman behind it all is Republique co-owner and pastry powerhouse, chef Margarita Manzke, who in 2023 won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef/Baker (she was a finalist five other times). So yeah, you’re in for a treat. We recommend arriving early before the brunch rush (the bakery opens daily at 8 a.m.), and having a box filled with everything on the other side of the glass that catches your eye. From there, bring your haul back home, and you’ll have the beginnings of a very good day.
624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles
Copenhagen Pastry
Location: Culver City
What you’re here for: Kringle and other Danish delights
For a taste of Denmark in LA, authentic Danish pastry shop Copenhagen Pastry is the spot. Opened in 2012 by Karen Hansen, who moved to SoCal from Denmark in her 20s, you’ll find a curated selection of Danish classics. First and foremost, try the kringle, a light, flakey and flat pastry filled with almond paste and custard and topped with sugar and almond flakes. From there, indulge in a raspberry bun (a buttery, fluffy pastry with a pool of house-made raspberry filling in the middle) and a Danish cinnamon roll. Danish pastries are known for being light and not overly sweet, so it’s easy to eat more than a few. Plus, this place is one of the fairest-priced bakeries in the city, with each individual-sized pastry setting you back only $3.
11113 Washington Blvd, Culver City
Clark Street
Location: Brentwood, Larchmont, Echo Park
What you’re here for: Bread and other carbs
What started as a one-man bread-baking operation run out of a West Hollywood apartment in 2014 is today an LA bakery and cafe mini-chain with three city-spanning locations. And although Clark Street has expanded its footprint and delicious offerings during the past decade, bread remains the company’s star. We’d suggest popping by on a Sunday and picking up a fresh loaf for the week ahead, like the crusty whole wheat (“whole grain sourdough made with organic California-grown wheat and spelt”) or the soft honey wheat (a “soft sandwich-style loaf reminiscent of childhood and made with organic California olive oil and local raw honey”). Then, for the drive home (or, let’s be real, the walk back to your car), grab a pastry like the Swedish cinnamon bun or the kouign-amann.
11702 Barrington Ct, Los Angeles, 139 1/2 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles & more
More Like This
Join America's Fastest Growing Spirits Newsletter THE SPILL. Unlock all the reviews, recipes and revelry — and get 15% off award-winning La Tierra de Acre Mezcal.
