A Project Called Life

Arizmendi Bakery: A Locavore’s Hangout

March 1, 2010 at 10:21 pm Leave a comment

Inner Sunset residents have hit the locavore’s* jackpot with Arizmendi Bakery, a worker-owned cooperative that serves up scrumptious pastries, breads and all types of doughy goodies Tuesday through Sunday.  All coffee drinks are made with organic milk, and the bakery’s homemade, non-sweetened chai latte is my spicy treat of choice on a chilly San Francisco morning.  But make sure you have at least a few minutes to wait for your order.  Though the tiny space fills up fast, the staff prepares beverages at a leisurely pace.

The open kitchen allows patrons to watch the rolling, mixing and assembly that go into each of Arizmendi’s food items, which are prepared from scratch and with organic ingredients when available.  Every day of the week offers a slightly different menu.  Certain scones (Bran, Corn Cherry, Oat), wolverines, brioche knots and baguettes are available most days, while the Scone of the Day (pear ginger is one of my favorites) and Bread Roll of the Day vary and are always a delightful surprise.

In my opinion, Arizmendi’s standout item is their mouth-watering Pizza of the Day.  A whole pie is $18  (or around $3.25 per slice).  From their Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Arugula and Rosemary Oil Pizza to their Shiitake Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Gruyere Cheese and Garlic Oil option, each pie is like manna from heaven with a gourmet twist.  Be sure to place an order ahead of time on busy weekend days for either a piping-hot pie or “lite –bake” version, which lets you finish off the baking at home.

Holiday-specific baked goods are also a specialty at Arizmendi Bakery, with everything from Pan de Muerto for Day of the Dead to Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day.  So take the N-Judah or hope on your bike and head over to one of the best bakeries this side of Golden Gate Park.

*For green newbies, a “locavore” is someone who eats food grown or produced locally (Wikipedia.com) and/or supports local businesses and establishments.  Be sure to check out Arizmendi’s sister cooperatives in Berkeley, Oakland and Emeryville!

Entry filed under: Organic Eats. Tags: arizmendi bakery, golden gate park bakery, gourmet pizza, green bakery, inner sunset bakery, inner sunset cafe, local bakery, locavore, organic bakery, organic scone.