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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This new bakery/coffee shop is very welcome to downtown San Mateo! They have sweet and savory pastries, but I gravitated to the savory on my last visit! I tried the everything croissant (their take on the everything bagel), ham & cheese croissant, and the spec & egg savory pastry. All so very delicious at about $5 a pop. There is usually a line, but it moves along nicely. I also discovered they have a cozy back patio area where you can take your coffee and pastry and enjoy a lazy morning! read more

Backhaus - Cozy back seating area! - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

Long lines but worth the wait, since the line goes pretty fast. I've tried the chocolate croissant and the everything croissant and they were both buttery and delicious. They also have outdoor seating in the back but it gets pretty packed quickly so it's hard to find a spot to sit. Best to go really early in the mornings before they sell out of things. read more

Very slow service. One person in line before me, my order taken quickly and then everything slows down to a crawl. I ordered half loaf of country bread and half loaf of olive bread and waited over 5 min for the woman preparing orders to grab the loaves that were inches from where she worked, place them ever so slowly into bags and hand to me.She worked in slow motion, as if completely unaware of people standing before her and waiting, she stopped everything twice and started over, keeping her slow pace. Bread was fresh, with great crust and very soft inside, had very good olive flavor, not to strong, and a generous amount of green olive pieces. Unfortunately, it also had an olive pit I bit into completely unaware it's in the bread. Not a pleasant surprise. On account of this and because of extremely slow service, I will not come back. read more

Solid 3.5 stars. Kougn aman and cookie is good. Almond croissant a bit dry. Will skip the pretzel épi thing next time. Waited 30 min to order on a Sunday -at 10. read more

Don't be afraid of the line. It moves fast. My favorite breads cost $5-$6 per loaf. I believe the country loaf costs $8 and it's huge. The country loaf is a great plain bread to dip in olive oil or eat with butter. You can also buy half a loaf, sliced with butter. My favorites are the chocolate sourdough and olive fougasse. As backhaus gets more and more popular, these items tend to sell out by 9:30 AM on weekends. So I have to wake up incrementally earlier every weekend to nab my favorites. I come here twice a month at least, if not weekly :) If you come here on a Saturday, they also sell bread at the San Mateo farmers market. So if you can't get what you want at the store, check at the market! read more

Backhaus - Chocolate sourdough - only on weekends February 2020 - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

I went here a lot when I lived in San Mateo. Everything was extremely overpriced and the staff was very cold / not friendly, on multiple visits. I think they only get away with it because there were very few options in the peninsula so the overall bar is lower. read more

Favorite patisserie alert! Everything I've gotten at Backhaus has been amazing. Favorites: Pan Au Raisin, everything croissant and their plain croissant. Their pastries are super fresh and you can see them baking around the clock. There's usually a line passing the next store but it's worth the wait :) They run out of pastries often and there are times where they only have croissants left but they have the best plain croissant I've ever had. Fluffy, light and buttery. See you again soon! read more

This place is the best cafe ever! The food is superb and the ambiance is great. Great spot for studying or a break during the day. Can't wait to try more items on the menu. read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

I messed up Yelpers, I waited waaay too long before coming here. One of the better bakeries in the peninsula is Backhaus. Everything tastes like it was baked the morning of. The croissants are all flaky and crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside. The morning bun is delicious, probably the biggest sleeper in the group of pastries because everything else is so fancy. The morning bowl is delicious, multiple flavors that all work together with the perfectly cooked runny egg. The everything kouign-amann with cream cheese was also very good. The kids favorite was the ham and cheese, as the croissant was perfectly crispy and soft. Everything was very good, and as a family we sampled almost everything but the chocolate croissant, but there's also always tomorrow! On the weekends, you probably want to get there at 7:15 to be among the first in line. By 7:20 the line was about 10 deep on this particular Saturday, and by open it was almost to the end of the block of 3rd. But the line moves fast and the pastries are worth the wait. The coffee is also from Ritual, I believe, and delicious. Not much seating inside but there is a patio in back. read more

Backhaus - Savory: Ham and Cheese croissant, Morning Bowl (with onions, bacon, and egg), and Everything Kouign Amann - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Best bakery I have found in the Bay Area, great Croissants and olive bread. Worth the wait in line, seems to sell out daily, get there early! read more

Gosh, I don't understand the reason people still line up for mediocre pastries at best. Met couple friends there today just because and had the apple turnover. lacked flakiness and just thick layers of dough. Competent help must be hard to find so latest crop of kids think it's a playground while picking up a few dollars by showing up. Don't know about people's standard but I wouldn't eat there for free. Not worth the calories. read more

Backhaus is like McDonald's in the 90's..stroll in at 10:01 and you are shit out of luck. I've only been able to try the plain and chocolate croissants due to my own inability to get out of the house before 9 AM on Saturday, but both were extremely fresh and flakey. Definitely don't sleep on the cold brew if you're a fan of a dark chocolatey roast. One of the best coffees I've had at a coffee shop in a while. They're quickly becoming my favorite bakery in the peninsula, and the easy-going vibes makes it a perfect place to catch up with folks in their back patio. One of these days I'm going to make it in for that speck and egg or almond croissant.... read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ok, I went with all the reviews from Yelp, i bought 1 pc of everything thinking it will rock! my world . . . NOT! I was speechless. No taste! This place is over rated! All hyped from peeps with no taste buds! Seriously! I wasted $50 bucks. I had better ones. Sorry. Don't put your expectations high. You might be disappointed. Service ok. Ambiance, ok. read more

Backhaus bakery in San Mateo is featured on social media as having long wait lines, etc., therefore, I figured they must be good, right? To me, the scones, croissants, and seeded rye bread they lacked flavor. House coffee was plain terrible. Service and overall experience was below average. I can't understand why this place received such good reviews. To me, bakeries are about good pastries, bread, and the overall experience. read more

I am at a complete loss as to how anyone gave this place less than five stars. Went here over the weekend and was blown away by how amazing everything was! We got a mushroom galette, a pistachio and raspberry croissant and a loaf of the seeded rosemary bread. I don't even know where to start. The loaf and galette were nothing short of incredible. The croissant was also amazing but the other two really stood out. We've been to a bunch of bakeries around the Bay and even on our travels and this is easily among the best. Just pure bliss! read more

Some of the best pastries this side of Paris! Always a line, super worth it! Kouign Amann haunts me, I LOVE these! read more

AHHHHHHH BREAD. I LOVE YOU!! Bakery with long line? Yes. You'll find me there. Most definitely. My jam. They have jam here too. YES. This place has been on my list for a while. Finally made the trek down to South Bay from SF and stopped by for some carbohydralicious goodness. I got a pumpkin spice croissant, topped with house-made marshmallow fluff and pumpkin and squash seed brittle. WOW. I love fall-like things, so this kinda screamed my name. The texture was amazing - nice and flaky. The filling was sweet and scrumptious and fall in a nutshell. Not usually a fan of marshmallow, but the fluff was a nice addition and complemented the pumpkin-y flavors well. HUGE FAN. Got to try the chocolate croissant too. Nice and flaky, didn't skimp on the chocolate like some bakeries do... Bottom line: Come before 10 AM if you want a stab at the best selection!! I think I still prefer Neighbor Bakehouse in SF, but I also don't think I've had enough stuff at Backhaus. I'd really like to come back and try the seeded sourdough and the raspberry pistachio croissant when it's in season!! Average-ish Bay Area bakery prices. There is a some seating outside and inside near where you order and pay. There is also a cute little back area!! There is metered street parking in the area, but depending on when you come, it may be a little difficult to find an empty spot. read more

Backhaus - Pumpkin spice croissant & chocolate croissant - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is probably now my favorite bakery in the Peninsula. You can order online and pick up on a specific date on their website, but make sure you look early because some of the pastries sell out fast! We ordered a few kougin amanns, croissants, chocolate croissants, a country loaf, and sourdough starter! All of the pastries were to die for...the croissants were so flakey and buttery and the kougin amann has the perfect combination of sticky, sweet and flaky. We loved the country loaf for breakfast and dinner. The loaf is quite big just as a FYI. Also if you're having a hard time finding yeast in stores right now, order a sourdough starter from here! It's a $2 add-on that works well and comes with introductions. I will be back to try the apple turnover, morning buns and their other breads. Love it! read more

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I really love this place. I'm currently ordering pickup orders from their website, but have also enjoyed going in for a sit-down brunch in the past. They have the most insta-worthy pastries that are also truly delicious. Their Everything Croissant *is* everything ;) No, really it's flaky and airy and savory. They also have interesting seasonal pastries like Brussel Sprouts and Cheese Croissant, Pistachio and Raspberry Croissant, and a "Crostock" which is a toast and croissant hybrid. I believe they sell great breads, but I've yet to buy a loaf. A side note - their price is hefty but probably fair for the quality of their goods. Also, I didn't find their drink menu as creative/inspired. read more

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I have not eaten at Backhaus yet however I can say is was pretty busy inside while I was waiting for a gentleman to bring back my wallet I dropped out front while walking by. Also the gentlemen whose name I should have asked for knew I was the guy that came in looking for my wallet before even asking, whom someone left with them. Everything was inside wallet nothing missing!! GOD BLESS THIS ESTABLISHMENT!! Will be seeing you soon!! read more

OVERALL: This place gets such amazing reviews but I think it's only because it's one of the only bakeries in downtown San Mateo. Unless you go when they open, they will be out of pretty much everything. They're been open for a while now; I still don't understand how they haven't figured out how much to bake for the day to keep up with demand. I leave disappointed more often than not. FOOD: Everything is just okay. Croissants are dry, the breads are nothing special, their pretzels are dry and dense. The one thing I like here is their kouign amann but they rarely have them in flavors other than plain, because they sell out. Everything is also very expensive. For the price, I would rather drive to the city and stock up on items from Tartine. SPACE: The storefront blends into the buildings and their sign is very small, so you might miss it. If you're looking at Draper University, it's a little to the right. When you walk in, there is a counter where you order and one or two tables to sit at the front of the store. They also have a small outdoor area in the back that is nice. Due to COVID-19, they have altered their operations to be window pick-up only, so seating is not currently available. SERVICE: The people serving always have an attitude, like they're bothered you even came in. They're not very helpful if you ask about something. It feels like "order and get out." read more

I had very high expectation from this establishment, considering the hype. I was in the mood for a good quality coffee and pastries and Backhaus did not disappoint! The place itself is small but looked very clean and simple. The staff were friendly and were very attentive, which is always appreciated. The coffee itself was rich, light, and aromatic. Plenty of pastries around the time I came. I tried their chocolate croissant and kough amann. Both were flaky and delicious. 10/10 would recommend if you're in the area! read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

Only missing the fifth star because there is no option to slice the amazing bread or warm the incredible pastries. The approachable supermodel workers in their chignons and coordinated shirts ,have a good spiel( they are fresh out of the oven and the bread is best enjoyed freshly sliced... and I'm already dreaming of my next pistachio raspberry croissant, which was so very fresh but not actually warm... if it had been... oooohhhh! I enjoyed Backhaus part of Kitchentown, but these offerings in their storefront are leveled up and the space is so beautiful. The latte was truly the best I've had in years- not sure what coffee that they are using, but so so good. I'm sure the country loaf that I purchased will impress as well! I actually should add that fifth star back for that beautiful outdoor space. It was a chilly morning. I can't wait to meet a friend outside for coffee. Bravo! read more

I have very high expectations for this place since I saw the great reviews and they alway have long line. I feel disappointed. The pastries are just ok. I got Kouign Amann, Morning Bun, strawberry kouign Amann, raspberry coffee cake and latte. Nothing stand out and I feel not worth it for the price. Oh well.. at least i have been there and tried once. read more

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Called in today to ask about the seedy rye bread and how much carbohydrate to fiber was in the bread. The person who answered the telephone could not answer the question. He also would not put a manager on the telephone and told me it would take a week by email to get back to me with the answer. Although bakeries that sell directly to consumers have exemptions you would think that they would train their employees enough to understand what they are selling. I'm sure that I'm not the first to ask this question and folks with medical issues and diabetics really have a hard time trying to find good healthy bread. read more

rude service, very dismissive and will not slice very heavy loaves. I will never go there again, but will go to Raymond down the street instead, which is about half the price of the sourdough and family owned. read more

We stopped in on a rainy Saturday afternoon hoping to snag coffee and a small snack. Apparently on weekends their baked goods are completely sold out by 11AM so we were out of luck on that front. I got an Americano and my friends opted for a Cortado and a shot of espresso. Our drinks were delicious! read more

Backhaus - Sold out! - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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You would think with all the glamorous Instagram pictures and abundance of hipsters fighting their PBR hangovers to wait in line at arsicault, B, or tartine that San Francisco has the best pastries of the bay. Well, you'd be wrong. Backhaus has been the best, even since their days operating out of a truck at the farmers markets. They've only gotten better as they expanded their team and allowed their creative freedom to flow since opening the brick and mortar. I'm not sure I've ever picked out anything I didn't love here. The attention to detail and technique lend to any of their creations being wonderful even if contains ingredients not to your liking. If you are a true appreciator of pastries, backhaus is your ultimate destination as far as the bay area. read more

If you're into quality pastries/breads and you're willing to put both the money and time into acquiring them, then this is the place for you. Plan on waiting in line a bit, dealing with some frazzled employees, and paying quite a lot, but you will be rewarded with incredible carbs. Highly recommend the olive breads (both the loaf and the fougasse), all the croissants (even the plain ones are perfect), and the scones. Can't wait to try the rest of the menu. I have my eye on that egg pastry next read more

Really cute place in the middle of downtown San Mateo. They had some unique and delicious pastries. The everything croissant bowl with cream cheese filling was fresh and flavorful but not too heavy. Everything would have been perfect if they had heated up our pastries. There's also lovely outdoor seating area in the back which is quiet and has a lot of space. We will definitely be back! read more

Carbs + Coffee Breads + Beans Laptops on the outside, anything else on the inside. read more

Backhaus - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

Today I visited friends in San Mateo, while there stopped at Backhaus to see what's all the rave is about...their coffee drinks are good, however their pastries are heavenly, I had the raspberry, pistachio croissant and the coconut, passion fruit pastry, both where well baked, perfectly crisp, and the flavor profile are superb, their staff is way cool and the patio in the back makes a perfect spot to drink and eat the delicious pastries. Imo, definitely worth waiting in line...I meant to post pics, next time, cuz, "I'll be back" read more

Love the pastries. Tried the pistachio raspberry croissant and that was amazing. Other are probably awesome also. A warm croissant will be better also. ;-) There wasn't really much space to sit around and enjoy the food. But with so many people waiting inline, whatever space will be filled anyway. read more

Backhaus - food on display - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Might be the best baguette I've had so far in San Francisco. The raspberry pistachio croissant was also delicious as well. I went at 730a on a Friday and the line was long! Who knew! The baguette was a little warm, soft, and crunchy on the outside. Delicious with a slice of avocado, meats, anything. Would 100% go again in the morning for the baguette alone. I believe the drip coffee they have there is from Ritual, also great. read more

Backhaus - baguette - Bakeries Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Love love love the fruit scones and croissants from Backhaus. The flaky goodness in the almond and pistachio croissants are to die for! Worth the wait in line! This is my go to pastry spot. You will not be disappointed! read more

The quality is great. I originally ordered a ham and cheese croissant, but they ran out last second. No problem, i ordered a pain au chocolat/chocolate croissant, which was a bit cheaper. They told me it's their policy to either refund or sub in the item. So for the pan au chocolat i chose, i got charged more for an item for no reason, unfortunately. That being said, the pastries here are great. The pan au chocolate was buttery and still slightly warm when i received it. I look forward to trying more of their goods as well as the coffee next time. read more

Came here with a friend on a weekday afternoon. I only ordered sparkling lemonade, although the pastry and bread looked very nice too. We stayed at the backyard for a while until the store closes and it's a lovely area! So chill. read more

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No bread during the business hours = terrible baker = zero stars I'm very disappointed by this terrible bakery, and would not recommend it. read more

Delish bakery. Right now it's on everyone's radar, because there is always a line out the door. And I heard that they run out of pastries on the weekends before 10am. I could be wrong, we got there early to make sure we didn't find out. The building is very lovely, I like how it's simple and elegant. Wonderful little back patio. It reminds me a lot of San Francisco places, hidden gems. They have one clean bathroom, you'll most likely have to wait, we did. Cost for pastries are high, around $5 each. Adds up fast, so we kept it down to just one each and grabbed a baguette for later. read more