I feel pretty cheated that I'm a San Franciscan and have only just discovered this jem of a coffee shop/bakery. I love good bread and this place doesn't disappoint. I'm still not sure how the set-up works but you can get Four Barrel Coffee, bread from Josey Baker Bread and fancy toast here. Now, I will say I was one of the $4 toast naysayers BUT it really is good (similar to Trouble Coffee's toast). Calling it "toast" is somewhat of a misnomer since the bread is very thick and the topping is slathered on generously. When you think of it like a pastry, it's easier to swallow (pun intended) the cost. I think people spend that much for pastries all the time so for the size, this "toast" is no different. Coffee was typical four barrel (a little bitter for my liking but the iced coffee hit the spot on a sunny day). Service was kind and the line wasn't very long. I bought a loaf to take home and it probably won't last more than a day--really delicious bread. Very much like Tartine except without the ridiculous reservation system. Space is airy and light. Great for a catch up with a friend. Though, it's so close to Alamo Square Park that we got our coffee/toast to-go and sat outside in the park instead. Definitely a must-try if a bread fan and in the area! read more

Josey Baker Bread - Cinnamon toast and iced coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here after seeing the good reviews and hearing about the bread. It is true, you can definitely smell the bread as you walk down the street, and it is extremely tempting. One thing I loved upon entering was how open and bright the space is. The kitchen area and counter is set back enough that there is plenty of room to put tables as well as form a line (a line did start forming around 830 AM on a Friday). After chatting with the cashier, I went with the cinnamon sugar toast and one of the non-caffeinated teas. Total it took about 10-15 min to receive everything. I loved the presentation of the tea, and luckily was able to procure some honey to sweeten it up from the slightly moody toast guy. The toast was...different, and I am still trying to figure out my thoughts on it. The crust was very toasted and a bit bitter in spots, but the inside was soft, a little sour (the menu said country bread, but kind of tasted like sour dough), and had a perfect combination of butter and sugar. On a whole, I think I liked it, but the flavor varied a bit. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. read more

Josey Baker Bread - Hot tea and the cinnamon sugar toast - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Read about this bakery in a magazine so decided to stop in. I come from Miami where we have Zack the baker (a world class bread bakery) This is definitely one of the best bread bakery's in the country! Glad we stopped! The avocado toast is a must! The flavors are mouth watering. The bakery items are very taste as well. Location / cool and hipster. read more

Josey Baker Bread - Avocado toast - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been searching the bay area for a good whole wheat bread and I think I found it. My dad loves Acme's walnut bread, but it's not whole wheat, so I've been looking around other bakeries to find something that would be a good replacement for it. I stumbled upon Josey's bakery during my search and it seemed promising, so I picked up a loaf of their whole wheat bread for $6 at Bi-Rite market the next time I took a trip to San Francisco. Wow.. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have a walnut or even a nut version, but you seriously don't miss it with this bread. Firm and crisp on the outside, but not too firm where you have to use your teeth to try to tear a piece of it apart. Inside it's very soft, spongy, and just moist enough that it's not TOO soft. You can hear a nice chew when you're eating it. I really enjoyed the sour taste to it; it gave the bread a nice taste and made me not miss the walnuts. I hope they make a walnut version, but next time I go back to San Francisco, I'll be sure to buy two loaves! read more

Josey Baker Bread - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My new favorite bread and worth a drive all the way from the sunset

I picked up the country loaf from bi-rite. It has a wonderful chewy texture. Rainbow grocery also sells their breads. Bi-rite is 8.88, rainbow is 6.99 read more

Great place for coffee, bread and conversation. I was able to finally find a place where I could barter for sourdough starter, they also were thoughtful enough to have shared a delicious bread recipe online. Definitely an upscale store, that also provides Internet access for the worker bees. Thank you for the sourdough starter. read more

Heard about this place thru an online food article as the best bakery in California, so ( just before lockdown ) stopped by to try the bread on my way to get cake at Hah Dough Konditorei down the street. The bread is wonderful !! Baking times are posted, so you know when your loaf came out of the oven. This was Saturday morn so the line was long and the seats full, but with diligence, patience and politeness we procured two seats sharing a table. Love the ambiance in the open, high-ceilinged renovated old building - looked like it might have been a workshop of some sort back in the 1920's - now cleaned up with well placed skylights brightening up now the light, airy seating area with views of the bread ovens behind the counter. The wait for coffee after ordering was long as the baristas were super busy but WOW !! was it worth the wait - have to honestly say, the best cappuccino I have yet had in the U.S. - the coffee was strong but not harsh with overtones of vanilla, chocolate, je-ne-sais-quoi in the roast. I would come here just for the coffee (they sell their house roast to go), but the bread is worth the trip also ! Better than Backhaus in San Mateo, equal to Acme, just shy of Tartine, in my opinion. We had our still warm country loaf simply with butter - nutty, crusty tasting on the outside + warm pillowy on the inside = delicious ! Our table sharing neighbors were having a slice of square loaf smothered in quality jam - looked so good, will have to try that next visit ( and if I have anything to say about, it there will be a next visit; when they reopen after this crisis :-). read more

Josey Baker Bread - great cappuccino with fresh bread and butter - yum ! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I didn't like the vibe there.... feels pretentious and selective in terms of customer service: Unless you're in the 25-30 group, "hip and chill" in dress and manner prepare to feel underwhelmed and not part of the chosen ones. Once inside, looks like a popular place: crowded, noisy, lavishly decorated in a sort of "Pottery Barn" contemporary style, but with long lines, slow, uneven service and unnecessarily high prices. Servers seem more interested in lengthy bouts of chatting than with efficient service, so bring a book to read while you're waiting for your order to be taken. The bread products are fair, but pedestrian at best, though I did like my latte. Overall, quite disappointing.... Josey, take a lesson from Arizmendi: much better, more extensive product line with efficient customer service that makes you feel like a "somebody". read more

I went there the second time to try another type of sourdough bread, like their sourdough breads very much, good quality but pricey. This time I had a cup of coffee and sitting inside and got a closer look at the kitchen area and their staff. I noticed that no one wore gloves, not even when the kitchen guy was making toasts/food or a gal used bare hands to carry 4-5 breads and literally holding one of the breads and the rest were leaning on her t-shirt walking from the kitchen to replenish the shelves in the front. Yikes! read more

I had some Adventure bread and a slice of a whole wheat loaf. It's amazing. The textures are out of this world. It's super versatile. I ate some with cheese, apricot jam, hummus, add whatever you want and enjoy. I'm so glad my business had this and I'm so glad I got to eat it. Sooooooo good!!!!! read more

The only place in SF with bread that rivals if not beats out Tartine. I'm a picky B and we live next to Tartine so I'm well versed in their bread. Tartine is basically my bread grocery store because that's how often I go, if not more. So when I say Josey's is THAT good, Trust and believe this review! read more

I am an artisan bread person. I believe I tried Josey Baker Bread many years ago and wasn't too impressed so I hadn't revisited. Lately, since I live in the Marina area, I have been getting my artisan bread fix from Midwife and the Baker at the Fort Mason Farmers Market. Love the Sesame Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf...So, recently I was at Rainbow Grocery and was looking to broaden my horizons and try something new. I looked at the Josey Baker "Seed Feast" and while it wasn't a particularly impressive looking loaf, I decided to give it a try. Holy .......! this bread is other worldly. The crust is that rare kind where it shatters in a delicate, caramelized crunch that will knock you socks off. And the best part is that that distinctive crunch revitalizes with every slice you toast. I am telling you...this is bread heaven on earth... read more

I going to assume all the good reviews were their friends. But if you want very overpriced toast or just want to sit around with a bunch of people on there laptops with entirely too much free time this is your place. read more

Just went to this bakery for the first time today. I was very excited to try out this bakery and support small business during the pandemic. Unfortunately, the guy at the window was so incredibly rude and condescending. I just left and took my business elsewhere. I understand that it's a busy Sunday morning and people are stressed, but this is unwarranted. Please be kind to people. read more

This is truly the best bakery in San Francisco ! Our precious dog 'Gus' was diagnosed with a terminal illness recently. This was devastating for us- both sudden & completely unexpected . We took him home to love on him, as you do What he really loved was Josey Bakers pancake mix He loved it and of course, so do we. We love ALL his breads .... comfort food & soooo delicious & nutritious. *Just had to share* We ate JB's pancakes up until the day he died. Thank you Josey .... keep it up read more

The best. Have eaten many a Josey Baker baby seed loaves (Adventure bread?) from Rainbow grocery, it's sooo good that it doesn't need anything added to it (no butter, no cheese, no nothing). The baby loaf sells out quick, generally gone by mid-day. Recently bought the Wonder Bread and WOW! I'm blown away. It's fairly dark on-top, give the loaf a squeeze and you can feel the delicious crunch beneath your finger tips, with a light buoyant center. Sinking your teeth into this sour delight is like no other, it's simply beautiful. What an impressive starterJosey Baker! Looking forward to trying the Griddle Cake Mix :0) read more

This is a hipster bread and coffee shop. The sound system is run off of vinyl Had coffee and toast with cream cheese and brown toast with strawberry jam. The coffee cups beed handles since it is served hot. The toasts had a nice serving of toppings and were good. The strawberry jam was delicious. They need avocado toast on the menu. They sell loaves of freshly baked sourdough breads and a gluten free adventure bread with lots of seeds. The place smells great. Service is quick and friendly. Add more seating too read more

I received a gift of a loaf from Josey himself! What a treat! Josey's bread is absolutely perfect. The flavor, density, the texture. Perfectly moist inside. Crunchy but not to hard outside. Great with soup, a little olive oil, breakfast or for a forbidden midnight snack. Better than Tartine in my opinion. read more

For those who don't read JB's blog or don't subscribe to the CSA, only 3 weeks left (until Aug. 26) to buy amazingly good crusty bread, before JB goes on vacation for 2 months. He comes back on Nov. 12th. It seems to be an anniversary celebration, since this pop-up bakery debuted exactly a year ago. Hours: Wed. & Thu. 5-9pm @Mission Pie (25th & Mission). Cash only. And yes, he's also at Bi-Rite Market on the same days. But that's too crowded for me, so not worth even trying. CSA-Fridays ($20/month) at multiple locations. read more

There are people who commit first to profit and economies of scale and pleasing as many people as possible and then there are people who hone in on a craft and do it well and then the people and profits follow. Josey the Bread Baker is the latter. Sweet Jesus that bread is delicious. Confession: every time I get a loaf, the entire thing is devoured that day. Obviously, this is the best and freshest way to do it, but, if you hate carbs well, then, I feel bad for you because this bread is amazing. Also, amazing bread is nectar of the Gods. Just sayin I have had the $4 toast (it's$3.50 actually) and it is also amazing. How do they get it toasted so perfectly? I have yet to venture out for pizza on Monday nights but given that this is my new neighborhood, I am itching to check it out soon. Lastly, it seems like josey is a great guy w a really warm, positive vibe. I really want to take a bread baking class that he's starting to offer occasionally, but they sell out quickly, I guess. I might just have to buy his book. It's got pretty glowing reviews amongst amateur and veteran bakers alike. read more

I normally buy Acme bread almost exclusively. But Josey Baker bread makes their pain au levain seem like Wonder bread. I've been subscribing to his east bay CSB, at Pizzaiolo Friday mornings. I don't know if all his other bread is baked in a wood oven, but the stuff he pulls out of there on Fridays is surreal, awe-inspiring good. Moist, crusty, toothy, not too dense just right, just a hint of sour, I could go on. This is the first bread I've ever had that all I want to do is eat it straight. Needs nothing else. I'm talking about all his loaves - seed feast, sourdough, plain wheat, walnut, olive.... He is stopping the east bay sales now to focus on his bakery, which I hope opens soon. I cannot wait to buy more bread. Oh and he is a super cool guy, which you can see from his blog and get an immediate sense of upon meeting him. read more

Overrated. Figured I would try going here to support this business based on the reviews and hopefully get some yummy bread to share with friends at the same time. The staff that was working at The Mill (the other part of Josey) was short and not knowledgeable at all about the baked goods that are sold, which I think should be the case with a joint venture even they're not the bakers, since the bakers aren't the first contact with the customer. And the bread itself was gummy, wet, sweet, and had a burnt crust. If the bread had turned out to be amazing, this would have been a better review. Not worth the trip. read more

What a great open space. It invites you to come in. Bought a few things to try: - Mushroom Gouda Tart (~$5): can't exactly recall but in that price ball park. This was fantastic. Great balance of mushroom and gouda cheese (which sometimes can be overpowering) on a flaky puff pastry like bottom, with a smattering of sesame seeds for added nutty flavor. - Dark Mountain Rye w/ Pumpkin Butter ($3.75): a thin but dense slice of rye, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, freshly milled corn bread with a generous slather of pumpkin. It wasn't sweet enough and just seemed a little wet. I should have just followed the suggested pairing of cream cheese, salt/pepper. But overall not worth getting a slice when for $2 more you can get a whole loaf. - Croissant w/ Pistachio & Blackberry (~$4.75 or something like that): A split croissant with some ground pistachio and blackberry filling. It was a little sweet especially in comparison to the Gouda Tart. My least favorite of the ones we purchased. - Seed Feast Loaf ($6): blend of bread flour and whole wheat, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sourdough culture, sea salt. DELISH! Still warm in bag. Chewy interior, hearty crust that you just want to tear into. My 1.5 year old toddler loved it too. Good coffee, high ceiling lofty space, smells wonderful. read more

Great place for a $4 toast and a latte. There's no wifi or outlets, but there's plenty of seating and no shortage of people bustling around the well-lit and airy space. I loved the high ceiling with skylights letting in rays of sun through the slatted wooden beams. The crystal clean almost floor-to-ceiling windows also let in floods of light. Great place to meet up, people watch, or just feel inspired. Just wish they had wifi and outlets so I could stay longer, but I guess this way more people can enjoy it too :) read more

Josey Baker Bread - Raisin toast w/ butter, dark sugar, cinnamon, sea salt!! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

The bread is truly, consistently terrific. The only thing keeping them from five stars is that they don't have a bread slicer. If I'm going to spend this much on bread, the least you can do is slice it for me. read more

Accidentally stumbled on to Josey at Mission Pies. A slice of apple later, I found myself walking home with a loaf of bread. For someone who doesn't generally like sour dough, I bought a loaf just after I tried a bite of his walnut sour dough! And yes, toast it a little and butter it up! read more

Pricey seems to be the name of the game at Josey Baker ($6.99 loaves, $4 toast??) but the bread is certainly worth it. The classic country loaf has a dark, rich crust but a surprisingly springy, spongey interior...mmm. Expect to devour that baby within 24 hrs (FYI, it reheats just fine with a sprinkling of water and a quick pop in the oven). It's not a carb-friendly meal, but if you find yourself at Josey Baker you're probably not the catb-conscious type, anyway. Pro tip: apparently you can bypass the long lines if you're just getting bread by putting money in a donation box. I wasn't able to figure out where exactly the box was, but apparently it exists... read more

This bakery is the ultimate spot for people who love bread. It is also a bit more than that. It's a place for those who respect the art in making bread. Josey Baker has mastered the sourdough process and makes the act of eating bread much more than just that. The smell of this bread is superb, a delicate balance between sweet and sour, with the nuttiness of a well developed brown crust. The flavor of this bread is unique too. Perfectly balanced with its crunchy outside and moist aromatic inside. I love their toasts: thick, well toasted, dressed in hood quality butter and other nice coats. I know you can make a toast at home for maybe less money, but the experience at The Mill is of another kind. Good coffee also! And pizza some weekdays. Haven't tried it yet, but can't wait! read more

Love this place; possibly my newest favorite bread bakery! I get a relaxing, welcoming feeling when you enter the great lofty room with shafts of sunlight streaming in from above, highlighting their wall full of fun cooking related stuff and more. Definitely a bustling cafe and bakery, with a long communal table and smaller tables on the sides. Totally fine place to get some work done as well - only for a shorter period of time. No wifi and no outlets sends a clear signal to would-be road warriors, but the place is so great who cares? It may be a little bit of a guilty indulgence to splurge on their thick cut toast + a latte, but you can always go whole loaf for a much better deal. That said, the toast is a nice way to try different bread+topping combinations, before you commit to a whole loaf. And really, sometimes you just wanna kick back and let others do the work for you... read more

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I visit this bakery whenever the opportunity arises. And if at all possible I arrive around opening time, when there are still parking spaces in front of the bakery. Bread is absolutely amazing and fresh. Staff are always pleasant and helpful. whenever friends visit from out of town and ask for recommendations, Josey Baker is one of my top recommendations. read more

Picked up a country sourdough loaf at bi-rite. Off the hook. Will definitely be back for more. I have viva la tarte on my block where we get a loaf occasionally. Very good. We grab tartine walnut loafs once a month warm at 430pm and it's our fav. But... this was a totally different experience. Flavor I've never tasted in my life, that lasted for 15 minutes after tearing a piece off on the way home. Stunning almost Smokey flavor. How blessed are we to have this new gift in our life. read more

The bakery was combined with Four Barrel Coffee. The space was airy and spacious which made it very inviting. If we had not already dined at Tartine already, we would spend the whole morning at Josey Baker Bread. The staffs were friendly and the coffee was excellent. For bread baker wants to be, you could also see the chefs shaping the doughs right in the cafe. read more

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Whoa. This guy knows how to bake bread. Like, for reals. I tried two of his breads (including the miraculous walnut bread) at a Yelp Elite event and was pretty much blown away. The flavor is super well- balanced, the texture is amazing, and the crust is second to none. My father was a bread distributor in NYC for years and used to sell the famous Eli/Zabar's walnut bread-- it was one of our favorites that he'd bring home from time to time. I dare to say that Josey's walnut bread is better- less dense than its East Coast cousin. Josey's breads are sold on Wednesdays and Thursdays at Mission Pie and Bi-Rite. Thank God we live in the Mission :) Nice meeting you Josey, and thanks for your amazing bread! read more

DAMN dog, this guy can cook some fuckin bread. I picked up my very first loaf today at 1pm. It is now 8:15, and where did all the bread go?? My husband ate two slices, but it was pretty much just me, oops. I got the sunflower/pumpkin flax bread, which honestly, didn't sound like it was going to be my favorite. Well it may be my first, but it's also my favorite now!! Whoo! Josey-thanks for your super duper enthusiasm!! And the bread!! And for making me a fattie!! Oh, and get a NOPA pick-up going :) read more

Trudging to the gf's laden with carry-on bag and knapsack one recent Wednesday pm, I noticed a tall, narrow wooden bread rack through the window of Mission Pie...where a bread rack shouldn't have been, in the middle of the floor! Curious, I entered, only to discover Josey's pop up bakery. Bakery in a pie shop...now there's a concept ; ) Being an amateur wild yeast sourdough baker myself, I had to try the new kid's goods, so I bought the last lonely loaf of studded seed bread. Pumpkin, sunflour, flax. Unlike the collection of attractive breads on the rack, this spurned little seed loaf appeared to be slightly overbaked (probably why it was orphaned), and was most likely dry inside, so I assumed it would be no match for the half loaf of day-old but homemade Seattle sesame sourdough I was bringing for the gf. A little taste test was in order... ...and Josey, you blew me away. Righteous sourdough, crusty on the outside, very moist but not too dense on the inside, open crumb, unabashed sourdough tang--kind of floral, and something else: I taste a note of Italian lemon ricotta cheescake in your starter...not that I'm accusing you of adding any dairy. Whatever you're doing gives your bread much more personality than the good-but-tame Country Sourdough over at Tartine. I've basically been using his method and would gladly switch to yours, Josey...if I could figure out what it is! If this is a taste of things to come, you and your bread and muffins and whatever will be most welcome in the Alamo hood, which sorely needs a real-deal bakery. Find a way not to make people order three days in advance via a snarky voicemail system like Tartine, and you'll cultivate even more friends. Of course, at this rate, they may have to order a Josey's bread a month in advance... Best of luck on your opening--fifth star being held in reserve for you... S. read more

The bread here is expensive but it is so delicious and very different from normal bakery bread. If you want a regular white batard this is not your place. The bread here is dark and complex. Equally good by itself, with olive oil, or slathered in jam and butter. There are always seasonal varieties too; a recent Parmesan pepper loaf and an apple loaf were absolutely amazing. Oh also on weekend mornings one if my favorite things are the pistachio croissants and their donuts (recent pumpkin glazed donut hit the spot). read more

I smelled the bread before I saw the line. The line moved quickly and, although there was limited seating, we were able to find a table before our toast was ready (most people were good about leaving soon after they were finished). While paying $4 for toast doesn't seem like a great idea, trust me, you will not regret it. The coffee served here is also delicious. All in all a great experience (plus who can have a bad time when WHAM is playing on the record player?). read more

I've only been a couple times but anything I've tried is amazing. Really liked the seed feast bread. Also, during the pandemic they are selling items from the front door and they are doing a great job taking extra precautions- there is a wall of plexi glass in front of the cashier and they had hand sanitizer. They also have lots of grocery options such as milk/pancake mix/eggs which is nice. Thank you Josey Baker. read more

Wow! That's good toast. And that's because it's from good bread. Please God, never make me glutten free. I'm a lifelong toast fan but this toast hit it out of the park. The loaf I brought home was yummy. OK, I left it in the bag in the car for 4 days because I was on a trip, tore of pieces of it and ate it every day. Then sliced and toasted to eat at home. I ate the whole loaf myself. Yum. I still love Acme bread but this is GOOD. read more