On this page
A good croissant needs time, cold butter and skill. That combination is harder to find than a good cup of coffee. Palo Alto has a small, solid set of places that laminate their own dough: a French pastry shop downtown, a French bakery at Stanford Shopping Center and a bakery at Town & Country Village that mills its own flour. Around them sit cafes with a pastry case worth knowing and two Saturday market bakers.
Croissant fans have also been waiting on two announced bakeries near California Avenue. Neither was open as far as we could confirm in October 2026. This guide covers what you can buy now, what sets each place apart and how to time your visit before the trays empty. Every place below was confirmed through its own website, the farmers market's 2026 vendor list or a verified page in our business directory in October 2026.
Pastries at a glance
| Place | Where | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| Mademoiselle Colette | 499 Lytton Ave., downtown | Croissants, entremets, French breakfast |
| Manresa Bread | Town & Country Village | Viennoiserie with cultured butter, kouign amann |
| La Baguette | Stanford Shopping Center | Croissants, pastries, cakes baked daily |
| Marvel Cake | 250 University Ave., downtown | Macarons, patisserie, celebration cakes |
| Tootsie's at the Stanford Barn | 700 Welch Rd. | Italian pastry, filled croissants, bombolini |
| Ada's Cafe | Mitchell Park library building | Morning buns, croissants, scones |
| Little Sky Bakery | Saturday market; State Street Market, Los Altos | Sourdough scones, breads, giant cookies |
French pastry shops
Mademoiselle Colette, Lytton Avenue
Mademoiselle Colette is a French pastry shop and cafe founded by Debora Ferrand, a Cordon Bleu trained pastry chef. It describes itself as inspired by traditional Parisian cafes and sells croissants, entremets and breads along with a light breakfast and lunch menu. The Palo Alto shop at 499 Lytton Avenue is one of four, with others in Menlo Park, Redwood City and Atherton. It opens at 8 a.m. daily and closes at 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday, so plan a Sunday visit for the morning. Online ordering and catering pre-orders run through its website.
La Baguette, Stanford Shopping Center
La Baguette is a French-style boulangerie and patisserie inside Stanford Shopping Center. It says it bakes breads, croissants, pastries and cakes from scratch each day and serves coffee, tea and espresso to go with them. It is one of the few places at the center where you can sit down with a pastry and a coffee without ordering a full meal. It opens at 8 a.m. every day, earlier than most of the center's shops. Custom cakes and catering are available. Our Stanford Shopping Center guide covers parking.
Manresa Bread and the case for house-milled flour
Manresa Bread began in 2013 as a farmers market pop-up and now runs cafes in Los Gatos, Los Altos, Campbell, Santa Cruz and at Town & Country Village. Head baker Avery Ruzicka built the bakery around flour it mills itself from organic grain. The pastries use a traditional viennoiserie technique with cultured French butter. The bakery also ships an extra large kouign amann, the caramelized Breton pastry, to customers by mail. Pastries change with the seasons, so expect the case to shift through the year. The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating and opens daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our Town & Country Village guide covers the rest of the center.
Macarons and patisserie
Marvel Cake at 250 University Avenue is a boutique patisserie and cafe founded in 2009 by Maryam Menbari, with other cafes in Campbell and Walnut Creek. Its menu is grouped into cakes, cupcakes, macarons, patisserie, viennoiserie and drinks. Daily cakes come in sizes for small gatherings. Custom celebration cakes need about two to three weeks' notice and wedding cake tastings are by appointment. It is a short walk from the Palo Alto Caltrain station. Our downtown guide covers the surrounding blocks.
Cafes with a pastry case worth knowing
- Tootsie's at the Stanford Barn, 700 Welch Rd. An Italian-style weekday cafe in the brick Stanford Barn. The pastry case holds plain, chocolate, almond and Nutella croissants, house-made scones and bombolini, Italian doughnuts. It opens at 7 a.m. Monday to Friday and is closed on weekends.
- Ada's Cafe, 3700 Middlefield Rd. A nonprofit cafe in the Mitchell Park library building that trains and employs people with developmental disabilities. Its 2026 menu lists an apple slipper, a cinnamon roll, plain, chocolate and almond croissants, a morning bun, scones and banana bread, with gluten-free and vegan sweets. It is closed on Mondays.
- Yutori, 3375 El Camino Real. A Japanese cafe and market whose bakery case holds Japanese-style sweets such as matcha financiers and sesame cookies, plus sandwiches on soft milk bread.
- Bistro Maxine, 548 Ramona St. A small French creperie, open since 2006, for sweet crepes when you want something warm and made to order.
Most coffee shops in town carry a few croissants from outside bakers. See our coffee guide to pair a pastry with a good espresso.
Bakers at the Saturday market
The downtown Saturday market on Gilman Street lists two bakers on its 2026 vendor list:
- Little Sky Bakery, a Menlo Park bakery with naturally leavened breads, pastries, treats and sandwiches. Its stall at State Street Market in Los Altos lists sourdough scones in flavors such as buttermilk currant and pistachio, muffins, sweet challah and giant cookies, all baked daily at its Menlo Park bakery.
- Panorama Bakery, a Bay Area bakery that sells artisan breads and pastries.
Market bakers often sell out by late morning. Arrive early and bring a bag. Our farmers markets guide has times and parking.
Croissant bakeries on the way
Two bakeries have announced Palo Alto locations near California Avenue. Neither was open as far as we could confirm in October 2026. Opening dates have moved more than once.
- Arsicault Bakery. The San Francisco bakery, known for its croissants, announced its first location outside San Francisco at 388 Cambridge Avenue. The most recent target we have seen is early 2027.
- Croissanté. A French bakery planned for 321 California Avenue. Local coverage in December 2025 expected it to open in late 2026 after delays.
Check each bakery's own channels for opening news. Both sites are a short walk from the shops and restaurants in our California Avenue guide.
Tips for pastry lovers
- Go early. Croissants are at their peak in the first hours after baking. Popular items sell out by midday on weekends.
- Reheat with care. A day-old croissant revives in a 350°F oven for about five minutes. Skip the microwave.
- Pre-order for holidays. Mademoiselle Colette and Manresa Bread both take orders online. Holiday windows open weeks ahead and close early.
- Ask about allergens. Bakeries handle wheat, butter, eggs and nuts on shared equipment. Almond croissants and frangipane contain nuts. See our gluten-free guide for safer options.
- Check Sunday hours. Mademoiselle Colette closes at 1 p.m. on Sunday and Tootsie's is closed all weekend.
Good to know
- Arsicault and Croissanté had not opened as of October 2026.
- Ada's Cafe is closed on Mondays and Tootsie's at the Stanford Barn is closed on weekends.
- For bread, cakes, cookies and ice cream, see our bakeries and desserts guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a croissant in Palo Alto?
Mademoiselle Colette on Lytton Avenue, La Baguette at Stanford Shopping Center and Manresa Bread at Town & Country Village all bake croissants and other laminated pastries. Cafes such as Tootsie's at the Stanford Barn and Ada's Cafe at Mitchell Park also list plain, chocolate and almond croissants.
Is Arsicault Bakery open in Palo Alto?
Not as far as we could confirm in October 2026. The San Francisco bakery announced a location at 388 Cambridge Avenue near California Avenue, but opening targets have slipped. Check the bakery's own channels before you go.
Which Palo Alto bakery opens earliest?
Mademoiselle Colette, La Baguette and Manresa Bread all list an 8 a.m. opening. Tootsie's at the Stanford Barn opens at 7 a.m. on weekdays and Ada's Cafe opens at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
Where can I buy macarons in Palo Alto?
Marvel Cake at 250 University Avenue lists macarons alongside cakes, patisserie and viennoiserie. It also takes custom cake orders with about two to three weeks' notice.
Can I pre-order pastries in Palo Alto?
Yes. Manresa Bread and Mademoiselle Colette both take orders through their websites, which is the surest way to get a specific item on a busy weekend or holiday. Ask about large orders a few days ahead.