The asian girl at the register with short hair and piercing had a very bossy attitude not just with me bt every other customer. I simply asked her, "Are they on line" to which she replied, "What do you want? ". Also, wht bakery runs out of all their croissants by 9:45? Their coffee was very mediocre and bitter despite using ritual beans and the only highlight for me was their apple turnover which was pretty ok. Would I drive from Sf to visit them again? Noooo. read more

Always found this place with a long line on the weekend. I knew I had to try some treats during the week when it wasn't as busy. Parking is along the main Street. They have a display of items where you line up. Once you are at the window, you are greeted and your order is taken. It would have been nice to have a better look at the items than just the display because I couldn't remember the item after looking at the display. So I ordered 3 items to try and all were delicious. I enjoyed the orange cranberry scone with my tea. The cinnamon was light and airy, a definite sweet treat. The crumble was also nice to have with tea because the edge seemed dry but the inside/middle was moist. Backhaus had some good pastries to enjoy with coffee or tea, you'll have to try for yourself. read more

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I follow Kenji Alt-Lopez & have eaten at his restaurant Wursthall in San Mateo. The stand out for me was the bread from Backhaus. So during my Bay Area visits, I would try to make it out but never seemed to be able to. I finally recently got to visit. We showed up in the early afternoon and got whatever hadn't sold out. The rhubarb crumble pastry that was outrageously good. I shared the other pastries with other people so i didn't get to try the chocolate croissant or danish but they all looked good! The citrus pastry was the prettiest but probably not my cup of tea only because of the bitterness & tartness of some of the citrus. The girl working there was super nice & threw in a free loaf of bread on the house which was a nice surprise! It was the country loaf i believe. I would definitely go back again when I'm in the area again. read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

Best pastries on the peninsula! I used to love when they used to come to the CSM farmers' market a few years ago. They always ran out of stuff because it's all so good. I love their croissants- literally any of them. Their bread is also SO good. I have had their coffee at the store and it's good as well. Great place to grab a coffee and breakfast! Best Kouign Amman around!! read more

Coffee shop offering fresh baked goods including loaves of bread. Picked up an Asiago bread to go and tried their morning bun with a cappuccino made with oat milk. Mid modern decor inside with a quaint outdoor patio seating in the back. Open kitchen allows you to see the magic happen in the back kitchen. They get very busy and sell out fast. A nice place to hang out and relax. Good choices of coffee drinks with a variety of options. read more

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We stop by every other week for basic croissant ham and cheese croissants and always check out the new items. Our absolute Fabius the pistachio raspberry croissant. This is a heavy dense croissant. So satisfying with the crunchy pistachio and the tartness of the raspberries! read more

Still warm seeded sourdough was perfect plus the almond croissant as a treat. The line has been long (especially during COVID), but definitely worth the wait read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

The service is always so slow, but the bread is very good. This time, the cashier rudely told me he couldn't serve me because I was in front of the register, I needed to be 4 feet on the right as opposed at in front of it. He told me, they have a system, if a customer is in front of the register it means the client has been served. Too bad, their system is only known by the people who are working there. I didn't have the wit to tell them that a better system would be to just ask the clients "Have you been served". It was not a pleasant experience and I hope the owner(s) will see my review and implement my suggestion or let clients know what is the protocol to be served. read more

Absolutely love this bakery! I've tried many of their loaf breads and their croissants and all taste delicious. Their service is friendly and they are efficient with moving their line. Thank you, Backhaus for adding to my weight gain. Much appreciated! read more

Yum - the chocolate bread was really fresh and yummy, the kouign amanns were also amazing maybe not as good as b but up there! They're bigger and crunchier and love how fresh they are. Typically coffee shops source from a place in east bay, and I hate how they've lost their flakiness. The French bread was good but would return for the country loaf which they were sold out of. read more

First of all I spend way too much money here. But .... It worth it! The Olive Fougasse is to die for. Never had anything like that. I always leave with a baguette - soft inside; crisp exterior - I can eat it plain or with some butter. If you love Acme bread, this takes it to another level. The best croissants that I have had in a long time. Here is something called a speck * it is bread pastry with an egg in the middle topped with chives. It is amazing. There are these little savory seeds - that I need to ask them what they are. (I'll update this once I find out) Always a line - make sure you come early. read more

Backhaus - Selection of pastries - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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LOVE Backhaus. Especially the pistachio raspberry croissant. As good as it gets in the Pennisula for croissants. From a lamination, cripsy flaky layers perspective, a tiny bit below Ariscault, b. patisserie in SF and Fournee in Berkeley. BUT in terms of croissants I crave, this is my 2nd favorite. (b. pattisserie's chocolotate, banana almond is my favorite :)). read more

Truly amazing Found it by accident and am now addicted They make amazing bread and pastries read more

I have been wanting to try Backhaus for a while, but it's a bit of a drive for me and truly the early bird gets the worm. I highly recommend getting there early for the widest selection a or preordering at least one day before. The person in front of me snagged the last kouign amman...sigh. thankfully it turns out there were tons of almond croissants and chocolate almond croissants. So flaky and almondy! Also Damon's their seasonal crostock (apple), which is like a bostock but with croissant instead of traditionally brioche. The huge country loaf was excellent, it's pillowy insides soft enough to sleep on. I slice it up, wrap it will and freeze it while it's still fresh so I'm not trying to consume it all before it gets stale. Frozen bread reheats well in a toaster oven, just be careful to package it well to avoid frost bite. The chocolate loaf is only available sat/Sun which made me feel like I better get it. It's a cocoa, chocolate chip studded sourdough loaf. I would enjoy it as abm slice of toast with your favorite jam; for me it's currently pumpkin butter. read more

Backhaus - Country loaf - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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San Mateo staple , easy breezy to get in and out on a weekday. My favorite is the cream cheese filled everything croissant bowl and pistachio raspberry croissant. I like their drip coffee as well. They have a very cute patio and i love that you can get coffee in a nice ceramic cup if you plan to enjoy it there. read more

This place is known as the "tartine of the peninsula" and I have to say Backhaus is worth all the hype! Their bread and pastries are delicious and freshly baked everyday. Our go-to loaf is the country loaf and our favorite pastries are the pistachio raspberry croissants and the kouign Annan - but honestly you can't go wrong with anything you order. Their storefront is fairly small but they have a patio out back for you to enjoy your pastries and coffee. Also, there almost always is a line out the door, but it moves fairly fast and the staff is always so friendly. read more

Their baked goods are all fantastic. Don't get me wrong but, there is only one line for both online orders and in-store purchases. This is a waste of time for customers that purchased their baked goods ahead of time. Opinion: I really would appreciate it, if backhaus created a line for pick up only since the online customers have already purchased ahead of time. 5 star for their products 3 star for having one line for both in-store and online orders. read more

Backhaus - One line for both pick up and online purchase. - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

While some places went way downhill or couldn't evolve with Covid, Backhaus has only gotten BETTER! The incremental improvements are noticeable and constantly improves the customer experience. The line now forming to the left where you walk by the window with all their baked goods on full display before you get to the cashier to order is genius! So simple and yet totally improves efficiencies (vs the old sidewalk display case). - The country loaf here rivals Tartine's in SF, so you no longer need to brave human feces, tough parking, smash'n grabs to get good bread. - The sourdough chocolate bread they serve only on the weekends is the best kept secret IMO. - The croissants (regular or ham/cheese) still fall short of Tartine's, both in density, flakiness, and size. If you've never had Tartine's, you'll be happy with these. Still very good. This is a small nitpick, but lately their sourdough starter seems to be overfed resulting in overly large irregular holes inside the country boule. Not a huge deal, but if you're trying to make avocado toast or tahini jam toast, this lack of real estate could be problematic for your customers. Pro Tip: the lines get LONG! Especially on the weekends. Don't get there at 7:30am when they open, get there 10 mins early and wait with the other hardcore bread fanatics. This will save you 10 mins or more. read more

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Bread was good, 2 stars because there was a wood splinter on the crust of my bread. See photo; it was about 2 cm and sharp (and you can still see bits of the bread crust). Fortunately I spotted this and didn't bite into it, but what was going on that caused this? I'm really more worried about smaller contaminants in the bread that you might not notice and end up ingesting. read more

Backhaus - wood splinter in bread - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Great food and drink. Fun, casual environment. Service was good. Moderate noise level.

I loved the vibe of the place!! It was very lively, and lots of people were there!! I really wanted a croissant, and I got what I wanted! The hazelnut croissant was great, and I loved the flakiness of the dough. The food came very fast, less than 5 minutes. read more

We've been here many times, and always thought the baked goods were just okay and not worth the hype, but maybe we were just ordering the wrong things? The recent discoveries that blew my mind... First, the olive fougasse. So good. Salty, briny, herby, and super crispy on the outside from all that olive oil but soft on the inside. Yes, crazy oily, but thats what makes it so good! Second was the raspberrry pistachio croissant. Very decadent. Good, balanced flavors with lots of filling. Kids devoured it. Past tries that we thought were just okay: chocolate chip cookie, morning bun, pretzels and pretzel epi, chocolate chip sourdough. Yah... a lot of misses for us, but I'll definitely be back for that olive fougasse! read more

4.5 stars - delicious pastries that also make a great gift .. who wouldn't want a bag of baked goodies? I've had a few different pastries here and everything is really good. Very flaky and delicious. A nice fancy feel and a beautiful space. It is $5 for a small ham and cheese croissant which has really tasty and savory flavor but you can finish in a few bites . The only downsides are the price and how there isn't a more efficient way to pick up your order. I wish they could have someone come out to the line to prep pickup orders, take simple orders, or something like that. You can order online at their website backhausbread.com which I would recommend since they can sell out! read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The quality of every pastry is top notch. The type of pastry was a hit of miss for our breakfast group but that's very much on personal taste. The line was long and slow and there is only 3 small tables when the back patio is not open. read more

Backhaus - Coffee cake, ham and cheese croissant, raspberry pistachio croissant, savory bacon and cheese scone, cranberry scone - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

French pastries here are the best in the Peninsula. Chocolate croissant almond croissant and seasonal danish. I am a regular customer here. Oh yeah coffee is good too. Love this place. Only bad sometimes can be crowded. If you have time it's worth it. read more

Lovely spot in San Mateo for great pastries and coffee! I visited on Sunday 11/1/20 at 10 AM and got lucky with parking - there are a few spots right in front of Backhaus along E Third Ave, and someone just happened to be leaving. Be aware that there's often a long line on weekends; it was about a 25 min wait for me to get my pastry and coffee, which worked out fine since I got to chat with a good friend while waiting. But it might not have been as fun if I were in a rush! Of note - no outdoor seating, but there a few planters nearby that I was able to sit on with a friend to enjoy our coffee and pastries! I ordered a cappuccino ($4.25) with oat milk ($0.50 additional) which came in a cute 5-6 oz cup. It was warm and satisfying and I downed the whole thing swiftly. However - the star of the show was the pistachio raspberry croissant ($5.50)!!! Though its steep price tag may turn some away, the crunchy pistachios and the punch of raspberry jam inside made this a stand out pastry! And this croissant was large enough that I was able to keep half for later. Warming it up in my oven at 350 F for about 10-15 mins made this croissant as flaky and delicious as it was when I first ordered it. I love the croissants at Tartine and Arsicault in SF, but this is a solid contender that doesn't require going into the city. I will be back if I'm in the area, especially to try the other pastries they offer! read more

Backhaus - Pistachio raspberry croissant (11/1/2020) - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

Seriously not happy with myself for only now trying Backhaus. This morning was like heaven. I shamelessly ate 3 pastries for breakfast. A chocolate croissant, morning bun and kouign amman. All were sinfully delicious. Ordered on their website the day before and got there 10 mins after they opened. There was a line of 7 people ahead of me but it went quick. I'll be back! Next time will try one of their breads. read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

A friend delivered a croissant and kouign amann to me, fresh that day. Both were extremely flaky and worth every calorie!! read more

Backhaus - Kouign Amann - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Their grape and ricotta galette was superb! The galette is perfectly flaky and delicious, whilst the filling was a lovely balance of savory and tart (sweet and salty). read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came back for more pastries and bread. I've never had pistachio croissant before, I fell in love with it at the first bite, it's a MUST TRY! Also baguette here was delicious. It was right amount of crunchiness and chewiness. I pretty much finished the whole thing by myself in a day without anything added lol. They also make little dog cookies and would give them for customers who brought dogs along which was super nice. read more

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This cute coffee shop is incredible! I love everything from the chic interior, to the quality pastries and coffee and plenty of indoor seating! There was a long line out the door when we went on a weekend morning, and it is no wonder it is so popular! We got a savory and a sweet pastry, and I could tell they were fresh because of the great texture and flavors. The savory pastry had an egg and some green onion, so it was a perfect savory breakfast on the go! They have a large selection of pastries and bread, and I liked that you can even see them bake the bread right behind the counter! We found seating in the back of the shop, but they also have seats inside he store itself and right outside by the street. I liked my coffee and really enjoyed my time at this coffee shop. I think this place is good for small groups looking to have a good time :) read more

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Ordered the passion fruit pastry and it was flaky and delicious. Definitely want to return and try other things. We got there at noon on a Saturday and there was a line, but it moved quickly. Many popular items were already sold out. read more

Huge line always, but the bread is really good, probably the best bakery I've had in the bay area. Suggest getting here really early in the morning or on week days. read more

Everything here taste great. And I can say that having gone through the menu a few times already. The prices are on the upper end of comfort for a loaf of bread, but that's not a deterrent as much as the line can be. It seems to move fast, enough, but it's still a bummer to see it stretched down the street a few store fronts. The counter space is tight and people mingle for their orders, so it's even tighter. Think Target parking lot on black Friday. I love the back garden area, but it's a warmer weather sort of hang out. Oh, I do steer away from the Savory selection because to me that seems like a meal, but the portion is not enough for a meal. read more

It's the era of COVID-19. I'm stuck at home with my two annoying children who are (not) doing remote schoolwork, there is no end in sight and now my kitchen has been destroyed by a water leak. What should I do? Obviously get pastries from Backhaus! EVERY. SINGLE. SATURDAY. Here is my routine: Every Sunday at 11:50, I sit at my computer and anxiously await 12 noon. As soon as ordering opens up for the week, I am ON IT, desperately clicking to ensure that I get my fill. Done! Why don't I have pictures? Because our family devours everything so quickly. There is no time for niceties like photographs. We descend on the treats like a pack of starved wolves. It's all amazing: croissants, chocolate croissants, baguettes, country break (my fave), morning bun (my kids' fave). Next week I'm getting the Kouign Amann (how the heck do you pronounce that?). I have tried (and failed) to get the chocolate loaf. I honestly don't even know what it is, but it sells out in seconds. Damn you, elusive chocolate loaf, I will find out what you are some glorious day! read more

I give this 3.5-4 stars. i love their bread, but a day old is a bit hard. i got their chocolate loaf, loved it! When I first tried it, it was warm and gooey with chocolate inside the bread. You have to come early or most of their pastries are gone. You can also pre-order online, if you know what you want. read more

Best bread on the Peninsula. Try the Asiago pepper! Great breakfast pastries too and a place out back to enjoy them,

Yep. That was me that bought the last 5 kouign amanns at 0830 ;( They gotta make more!!!! It's not enough! Isn't it a bakery??? Oh, and they weren't all for me...I brought them to the staff at Sage Vet Hospital in Redwood City as I dropped off my sweet beagle boy for his chemotherapy session ;) read more

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HOLY MOLY. This place is insane. I do not have a single negative thing to say about this place besides the line -- which is just a testament to how amazing they are. Everything I got here was absolute FIRE -- the croissants, the chocolate sourdough (excuse me!!), the cappuccino, the ambiance, the service. I could go on and on. Whomever was at the cashier on a Sunday morning was the most pleasant, lovely, and friendly person I could have expected to come into acquaintance with. I wish I had remembered their name! Once you get your pastries/coffee, if you'd like to take some time to relax outside there is a lovely back yard area with several tables and chairs to lounge. We were able to find a spot easily, but I'm not sure this would be the case all the time. I will be back despite the fact that there is street parking :) That is saying something! read more

I arrived at just after 9 am on a week day for a pan suisse and mocha. The short line moved swiftly. The pastry was light, buttery, and crunchy with just the right amount of chocolate filling. The counter servers had lots of personality. Backhaus are known for their breads and looked delicious. But the biggest surprise was the garden seating in back, which could easily be double-purposed by having a bar in the afternoons. Pretzels anyone? Apparently, Backhaus did get a liquor license last year and served wine and beer during Oktoberfest. I was told a second location up the Peninsula is planned. read more

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