Mr Holmes Bakehouse, San Francisco
On my first morning in sunny (yet chilly) San Francisco, I found myself off on a morning trek to the famous Mr Holmes Bakehouse. This bakery was recommended by people both on and offline, upon approaching the venue I knew by the wonderful smells of buttery baked pastries, that I wouldn’t be disappointed.
In New York City people are queuing up for Dominique Ansel’s cronut, a hybrid between the croissant and the donut. But, over on the west side people are going gaga for Mr Holmes’ cruffin, a fusion of a croissant and a muffin. At Mr Holmes the cruffins come out at 9am, but be sure to get there early as lines start even before opening and cruffins are limited to two per person. The flavours are posted on Instagram beforehand, so if there is a flavour you’re seeking you can check for updates.
That morning the flavour was Passionfruit, which luckily enough would have to be one of my favourite flavours! I did not have an original cronut to compare with, but the cruffin was worth the hype. The filling packed a fruity punch, while the croissant dough was flaky, buttery and slightly sugary.
I also greedily grabbed a box of other goodies, but to be honest I forgot the names of all of them. However, I can tell you one of the standouts was the California Croissant, do yourself a favour and order one, you won’t regret it. It’s basically a croissant with smoked salmon, pickled ginger, nori and wasabi in the centre. A delicious savoury option topped with sesame seeds and served with a packet of soy sauce.
Definitely put this on your San Francisco list, and don’t miss out on the cruffins!
Rating: 9 out of 10