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    Ponsford's Place

    4.6 (80 reviews)
    ModerateBakeries
    Closed 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

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    1/2  Mixed Nuts Bourbon Tart
    Malcolm R.

    I love this place. I'm on their email list so I get the week's menu by email on Wednesday. Then I pre-order and pay via Venmo, and pick up my order on Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. Everything is so good. Last Saturday I picked up my order of two "Mixed Nuts Bourbon Tart with 72% Guittard Chocolate inside and out". The look small, but they are so rich that one makes two desserts for me,

    Savory galette with beans, spring onions, sautéed greens, and cheese
    Grace C.

    A quirky hidden gem right off Fourth Street in San Rafael! It's only open on Saturdays, and most people pre-order between Wednesday and Friday to make sure they get what they want (many items sell out). Then you just show up and collect your items, sometimes with a small line right when they open. Their pastries and breads are the best in San Rafael.

    Alex Auto Repair A.

    We went there after one, but we just find out that they're open until 1 PM. The lady with the hat when we told her we came from oakland she gave us two croissants, which is the best croissant and the most healthier croissant when never had a recommend it to everyone to try it out

    a sign in the window
    Marie B.

    Very good quality bakery items. Delicious and fresh. Pricey at $7.50 each. I got to ponsfords at 1130, and quite a few items were sold out. There was a line to get in, so this place is popular.

    Outside
    Uli B.

    What a great neighborhood bakery. I've heard rumors that the opening hours are a bit irregular as the owner has some health problems, which kind of goes with them offering their space for pop-up bakeries...just like last weekend. My friend had forwarded me the Pondsford's Place Newsletter, which announced a special holiday pop-up from a German bakery: PPG Baker (@ppg.baker). As a German living in Marin I was seriously intrigued and thus hopped in my bike to check out their offerings. As I entered the "Backstube" (baking room), Pablo seemed to already sense that I was a fellow German and we started chatting away in our mother tongue. He told me about the various items on offer for the day and I decided to buy the 100% rye bread with dates, a slice of whole wheat pizza with merguez sausage (spicy lamb sausage) as well as a pack of German Christmas cookies called Vanillekipferl. I first ate the pizza slice, which hit the spot and I really enjoyed the lamb flavor. Back at home I sliced up the rye bread and covered it generously with a good cheese I'd gotten from the farmers market earlier. Sooo good. The addition of dates really makes a difference. And the cookies? I gave them away and so can't testify about them, but the person I gave them to, highly approved of them. So, all in all, I loved my little outing. If only there wasn't that hefty price tag associated with it. I guess that's what you get when you combine Marin rents and quality ingredients...

    Ciabatta in a baguette shape
    Victoria J.

    This place seems like it should be awesome: weird location, exclusive hours, adorable setting. But the bread was just not good. I know they only use whole grain flour and I'm all for whole grains. I'm obsessed with whole grain and weird grains grains like teff, amaranth, buckwheat, etc. But if it doesn't add anything special/better/just as good, then I don't see the point in it. The texture of the baguette I bought was gummy and tough. The croissant did not seem like a croissant whatsoever. You can't just make something into a croissant shape and call it a croissant. Where were the layers? Where was the butter? It seemed more like a roll with chocolate inside. The cookies were also really disappointing, very crumbly with hardly any chew. Despite how nice everyone was--and they were really very nice--I was just so disappointed with the actual product that I couldn't recommend this bakery.

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    1 year ago

    Delicious fairly priced pastries and bread, often with partly whole grain flour. Currently on hiatus.

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Ponsford's Place

    Is this bakery still open? I drove by the past two Fridays at around 8:15am and both times it's been dark inside with a bread rack inside, right behind the door.

    Your guess is as good as mine. Its listed hours are 7 until 4, Thursday thru Saturday. The next chance I get, I'll drive down Shaver and get back to you.

    Is there an email list I can get onto?

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    Armida’s Bakery & Cafe - Muffin Mania

    Armida’s Bakery & Cafe - Muffin Mania

    4.2
    (233 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $

    I am staying at the Panama Hotel RIGHT next to what I now consider to be my FAVORITE bakery/ cafe…read moreEVER! ( I am 77 years young) This place is a true treasure!!!! Check it out! I will return every morning while I am here. Delicious lattes and a GALORE of scrumptious homemade sweet and savory baked goods. Friendly service from people who know how to make you feel welcome. Funky decore with loads of local art work on display/for purchase. Sit out in the patio garden and r e l a x. PS. This is the FIRST YELP review I have ever written.

    I read a post on my local Nextdoor app where somebody said we should support this business because…read morethey are in danger of closing. There were mixed comments, some saying the place is good, and others saying it's not worth it and the owner is rude. I wanted to help, so I went to go check it out and see what I could buy. The owner was very rude and very short with me. In reading other reviews on YELP (in addition to Nextdoor), I see that sometimes she's very friendly, and to some other people she just randomly decides to be absolutely cold and unwelcoming. Despite my being cheerful and friendly upon entering her shop, I fell into the category of the latter. Hmmm, I wonder why? I should've left, but as I decided, I wanted to try the pastries and see if the place was worth it at all or not. I ordered a chai and a muffin, both were overpriced, and definitely not worth it. The muffin tasted like a lot of the less expensive ingredients, and very little of the good ingredients. The chai was bland. I definitely have compassion regarding the situation, I'm sure the owner is under a lot of stress. But, this could be a person's time to show their true colors and she shows that she's very selective and who she is kind too and who she is not. My compassion ends here. I will not return, nor would I recommend this place.

    Photos
    Armida’s Bakery & Cafe - Muffin Mania
    Strawberry and peach galette
    Strawberry and peach galette
    Outdoor patio

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    Outdoor patio
    Krumbs Cakes

    Krumbs Cakes

    4.8
    (296 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I had the absolute pleasure of working with Carol and Christian at Krumb Cakes to create a custom…read morecake for my spouse's 70th birthday celebration--and it exceeded every expectation. My spouse is an avid pianist, so we wanted something truly meaningful. What they delivered was nothing short of extraordinary: a stunning cake modeled after a Steinway piano, complete with intricate details from the keys to the harp to the Steinway label. It was not just a cake--it was a work of art and a perfect tribute to his passion. Beyond the visual impact, the cake itself was delicious. It served 50 guests beautifully, and everyone who saw and tasted it was genuinely in awe. People couldn't stop talking about both the craftsmanship and the flavor. Carol and Christian were also incredibly professional throughout. Krumb Cakes delivered the cake to Il Davide in San Rafael with great care and precision, ensuring everything arrived in perfect condition. I was over the moon with the entire experience--from concept to execution. If you're looking for something truly special, Krumb Cakes delivers on every level. I'll absolutely be sending referrals their way!

    Thank you Christian,…read more Krumbs Cakes made the most stunning Cinderella castle cake for our 6-year-old daughter Anastasia's birthday. The intricate towers, delicate sugar flowers, little carriage, and princess details were pure fairytale magic! Inside, the marzipan princess cake filling was delicious the whole cake was moist, flavorful, and perfectly sweet. Anastasia was over the moon and kept saying it was the most beautiful cake ever! Anastasia said it was perfect every detail was impeccable. Thank you, Krumbs Cakes, for making her day so special. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Marzipan Cinderella Princess Cake
    Marzipan Cinderella Princess Cake
    Krumbs Cakes
    Buttercream frosting, gold leaf, three tier chocolate cake with assorted fillings.

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    Buttercream frosting, gold leaf, three tier chocolate cake with assorted fillings.
    Rustic Bakery

    Rustic Bakery

    3.5
    (658 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    I have been stopping by Rustic Bakery the last couple of mornings for coffee and a pastry, and it…read morehas been a solid choice. The place is clean, with plenty of seating both inside and outside, and there is a large selection of pastries, scones, breads, and grab-and-go items. My go-to has been the ham and cheese croissant, which was fresh both mornings. The coffee was also nice and hot, which I always appreciate. The staff is professional and efficient, though clearly busy, so do not expect a lot of chit-chat. I also picked up a box of Cheese Coins, which turned out to be dangerous because I loved them and ate the whole box. Good coffee, fresh pastries, easy seating, and enough tempting extras to make you buy more than you planned. I will probably stop by again tomorrow morning before leaving the area.

    Came by on a Sunday around 11 for a quick bite and got the breakfast burrito. The burrito by itself…read morewas quite small, a bit bland, dry and overall just plain. It could have used a lot more filling. I did appreciate the salsa on the side that it came with, which was tomato-y, garlicky, and overall very flavorful. It took around half an hour for me and 4 of my friends to get our orders, which was frustrating because we were on the go. Definitely a very busy spot! The place is a grab-and-go establishment where you order at the cashier and grab your food once ready (or they'll bring it out to you if dining in). I loved the outdoor seating on a sunny day but all the tables were unfortunately taken when we were there. The inside also has a couple of seats and refreshing cucumber water was offered.

    Photos
    Photo 8: Interior
    Photo 8: Interior
    Rustic breakfast burrito
    Rustic breakfast burrito
    A cooler to browse while in line for quick take out

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    A cooler to browse while in line for quick take out
    M.H.Bread and Butter

    M.H.Bread and Butter

    4.2
    (576 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Excellent bakery café! Great food great service nice…read moreambience. I like the avocado toast. It's nice and thick with a lot of olive oil. Add a couple buttery, scrambled eggs and you are complete. Now to top it off, have yourself a lovely pastry. Oh yes, and I'm anxiously awaiting the new one to open on fourth Street in San Rafael - and you should be too!!!

    Good lord. I'm going to try to find the right words...I told a friend on the phone, lets say that…read moreyou put an HVAC salesman in front of a stove with a recipe and asked him to make you breakfast...that's what it seemed like they did today. My "Soft Scramble" was a pile of astonishment. It was so unrefined that it was an insult the the ingredients. There was nothing soft about the eggs, they were overcooked. The only thing soft on the plate was the watery run-off from the vegetables they heaped into the eggs: Too many chewy mushrooms and HUGE. Too many cherry tomatoes. I had to dig to find the eggs. The leeks were strips of inedible ribbon. The toast? I think it had been toasted yesterday and left on the top of their oven overnight and then reused today. I had to get up from the table and ask for butter to make it edible and still I worried whether I was going to break a crown. The pickled vegetables? Again, HUGE, hard and barely pickled. I will refrain from criticizing the service because they are all unaware of the nightmare in which they are working. Bless their hearts. I was so sad and annoyed. People think they can buy a restaurant with recipes and wholesale accounts and staff and just run it, "business as usual" but they are wrong. I went in and asked if they had sold the restaurant and was told, "yes." I imagine some tech-bro's wife or some hedgefund community doodler wanted a pet project with zero idea about food or food quality or how to treat and retain employees because what happened to MHBB is astonishing. It's rude and insulting to anyone who opened this restaurant and put in their best to keep the name and claim to be catering to the same people. But then again, this is par for the course or, from my vantage point, everything wrong with what's happened in Marin in a nutshell. Faux authenticity. Zero care. This is now all about the money. I will never bother with it again.

    Photos
    Loaves of Bread
    Loaves of Bread
    Turkey sandwich
    Turkey sandwich
    Hot coffee

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    Hot coffee

    Ponsford's Place - bakeries - Updated July 2026

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