
Juniper has been open on Polk Street for a little over a year, but the bakery’s recent success at the San Francisco Croissant Competition has cemented its reputation among the best bakeries in the city. After beating out local legends like Jane The Bakery and Craftsman and Wolves, the Juniper team had to crank up its weekend production to keep up with demand.
It all went down in Union Square on May 19, 2024. Industry experts blind-tasted croissants from ten different SF bakeries, evaluating the quality of the pastry for several different awards. Juniper won the People’s Choice and the Grand Prix for their delectable classic croissants, as well as Best Original Creation for their Cubano-inspired croissant with ham and pickles.
Second and third prize in the Grand Prix went to One65 and Jane the Bakery, respectively; and One House Bakery took home the prize for Best Booth Display.
Juniper’s now-famous Cubano croissant is not to be missed. Each pastry is prepared with the utmost attention to detail, from the Niman Ranch pork shoulder marinated overnight, to the high-quality gruyère cheese, to the croissant shape itself made to resemble Cuban bread pressed in a plancha.
“When we opened the bakery, we aimed to ‘give our best in an everyday extraordinary way’ and set to work,” wrote Juniper on Instagram. “Experiencing the pure joy of this event and seeing our dreams come true was magical.”
Juniper comes from the owners of Saint Frank Coffee, a specialty roasting company with locations in San Francisco and Menlo Park. The Juniper team’s range of experience with fine dining, traditional pastry techniques, and high-quality coffee make for a truly award-worthy combination.
📍 Location: Nob Hill – 1401 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
🕜 Hours: 7:30am – 3pm daily
🌐 Website: Juniper