Near the corner of Arguello Boulevard and Clement Street, locals line up on the weekends before the doors open at Arsicault Bakery in order to get first choice of the croissants, pastries, and other freshly baked goods this popular San Francisco bakery produces. Yelpers say the croissants are as good as anything you’ll find in Paris, and the buttery, flaky kouign amann has to be tasted to be believed. 

In fact, Bon Appetit magazine named this place the nation’s best bakery in 2016, and there’s a reason why the hype hasn’t worn off over two years later. Owner and head baker Armando Lacayo has become a bona fide culinary star by carrying on the traditions of his great-grandparents, who opened a bread bakery in Paris in the early 1900s, for a new generation of Bay Area bakery enthusiasts. Pro tip: don’t be late—the selection of pastries reduces significantly over the course of the morning.