Favorite Bakery/Patisserie

[foodie]

Having just traveled to Boston for the marathon, I made a point to stop by "Flour". They have received lots of press and I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype. I visited both locations and would regard the atmosphere as hip but not neccessarily neighborly and inviting. The baked goods themselves were pretty good, but not to die for.

I'm also going to visit CakeLove in D.C. this spring.

Can anyone help me in my quest for the best bakery/patisserie?

[woody]

is a waste of time...

[foodie]

is a waste of time...

Really? He seems so dedicated to perfect cakes, how could they go awry? Plus he looks really creative w/ the glasses and dreadlocks and all.

[woody]

A lawyer turned baker makes for a great story, but his goods are really lacking.
I spend a fair amout of time in DC for work and do a lot of entertaining. The two best bakeries in DC are Hellers and Heidelberg, imho.

[tinawalker]

Here's a great bakery, 5 minutes from Pittsburgh... in Millvale, a small rivertown. Jean Marc is a third generation french baker and pastry chef.

See these articles:http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/0718chatelier.aspx
http://www.popcitymedia.com/features/millvale1114.aspx

[tigermind]

Without a doubt, it's Tartine Bakery in the Mission district.
http://www.tartinebakery.com/

Great coffees, outstanding morning bun and bread pudding, and cakes that came from heaven.

My husband and I couldn't decide on a wedding cake so we ordered three.