Good place for sourdough and baked goods, they are in the downtown area of Monterey and have a neat, minimal interior with a viewing windows to watch the bakers at work in the kitchen. Turnaround for our food was fast and we came specifically because we saw they had a breakfast sandwich and coffee. We ended up leaving with way more; a loaf of sourdough and a branded bag. Breakfast Sandwich: sausage, fluffy egg, arugula, and a delicious pesto spread. I got this for myself but ended up probably eating 1/4 because everybody else wanted a bite. S'mores Cruffin: croissant formed like a muffin with Nutella in the middle and toasted marshmallow on top, way too good. Pepper Sourdough: looked unique so we bought a loaf for later, it was very peppery and tasted better with plain toppings. Sourdough quality was great though and next time we would go for the more basic country loaf. read more

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5 stars for the 3 items that I ordered today. My benchmark for pastries are bakeries located in the SF Bay Area, Arsicault and B Patisserie. I'm going to add Ad Astra to the list. When I first spied their cinnamon rolls, I thought, uh oh, Cinnabon...and it is NOT, far from it, this is the grow'd up, adult version that makes me wants to happy dance while eating it. It is topped with a cream cheese frosting that is perfectly sweetened and creamy, dreamy. The Kouign Amann pastry was flaky, buttery , with a thin layer of caramelized sugar...I wouldn't pass either of these up. My friend had a savory pastry with mixed seeds and he liked it quite a bit. Three weeks later, I'm still thinking about their cinnamon rolls. I read this somewhere: You'll catch more flies with honey, but you'll have more honeys being fly. Note to the establishment: y'all need some industrial fans at every entry way to keep them pesky flies off the goods. read more

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Saw this place as we were strolling around downtown, and had to stop by! This bakery prides themselves on their bread and pastries, offering a selection of drinks as well. As we had just grabbed coffee, we settled for a couple of pastries which were really good! The bake on the flan tart was really good, with a crispy and flaky crust. We also tried the kimchi bake (forgot the actual name), which was also really good. The store itself is clean and the staff are really friendly. Will definitely come back the next time we are in the area! read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Flan Tart - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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We came here on a Friday morning. There was a short line. We got two plum pastries. Both were very good! The gentleman who took our order / checked us out was very friendly. read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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Was in town for a wedding and of course had to stop by a local bakery... we only got one thing but they had some good selections. We got the tart, which reminded me of a creme brulee/vanilla flan flaky croissant pastry almost, perfect level of sweetness. good crispy/flaky outer layer, was very pleased with this pastry even though it was a bit pricey ($8) before tip/tax Nice modern interior inside as well but limited seating (window bar counter) read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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I enjoyed the cinamon roll with cream cheese topping. They have rotational items and I wanted to try the carbonara bread but it wasn't there. Would love to try other stuff too read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Menu - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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Thank you thank you thank you for serving Dune coffee beans! They're my favorite roaster and I'm so happy to have someone locally serve their coffee. I usually get an oat milk flat white and a sandwich to-go. Their loaves of bread are great too. read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Great salami/soprasetta/arugula sandwich. - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

Got a peach and prosciutto sammie on their signature sourdough which I highly recommend if you visit in the summertime. It was only missing a bit of arugula but other wise it was perfect Also grabbed some banana bread which was moist and delicious! Snacked on it while we walked around and it was perfect. Didn't have a chance to take pictures because we were so hungry and just smashed through everything immediately because it was so yummy! BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY! Make sure you stop by as early as you can because the options get pretty limited in the afternoon. We drove down from SJ and randomly decided to stop here. We arrived around 2pm and most of the pastries were already gone. Especially if you're stopping by for a loaf of bread, seems like they run out of stock pretty early! read more

I've never tried the coffee but it seems like the menu is cool and their pastries are sooo good :) The pastry selection is usually different almost every time I go so it changes up but in the past one thing in particular I loved is the salted caramel blondie bar- it was soooo good! read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - salted caramel blondie bar + apple crumble pastry - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

Excellent coffee and delicious pastries! We enjoyed the cardamom buns, cream-filled fried buns, pains au chocolate, and a poppy seed babka danish. They were all good. The shop also has picnic fixings (bread, cheese, tinned fish, jam, etc) as well as baking ingredients (local flour, sugar). You can watch the baking in action through the big window into the bakery. I don't think there was any seating outdoors when it opened, and not indoors either. read more

Some of the best fresh bread I've had in a while ! My friend swears by their loafs, so we went by and got a fresh loaf- the seeded sourdough. And it was truly amazing. The place was super cute and small. They have a few fresh pastry's you can purchase, as welll as, coffee and tea products. I really liked the glass/viewing of them baking. I thought that was pretty cool to watch the process of them making the dough and moving things around. Overall great little place ! read more

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Amazing fresh pastries. I arrived right before opening and there was already a small crowd of people waiting to go in. The staff kindly walked us through what each pastry was, since this was our first time here. We got 4 different pastries and there were a few chairs inside and some tables outside. I love the clean industrial interior. The pastries felt literally fresh out of the oven. Warm, soft, and crisp where needed. We tried the cinnamon bon, a cardamom swirl type bun, a (I forget what it was called but it tasted like crème brûlée), and an almond peach cobbler croissant. Every single one was delicious! It seems like they must circulate the options of pastries pretty often. I would love to come back the next time I am in Monterey to try more of them! I also got an iced vanilla latte which was ok but nothing really special. Overall, loved this experience and will definitely return for the pastries. P.S., why does everyone wait in line at that other bakery across the when this one is clearly better? read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Delicious fresh pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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This is officially my husband's favorite breakfast place to go. The cream bun was delicious (I liked that it was not overly sweet). We also tried a cardamon bun which paired well with the latte.... The sandwiches were also scrumptious that we went twice. read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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Very good bakery. Got the seeded sourdough roll, butter croissant, and chocolate chip cookie. The texture and taste was great. Highly recommend! read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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ruben croissant and salmon sandwich was delicious. the ruben was crispy and flavorful. it was crowded, we waited around 15-20 minutes in line. it took around 5 minutes for the burger. inside is a bit tight with little seating. overall, would come back again. read more

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Everything is delicious here!!!!! ‍ My favorite is the seeded sourdough, baguettes and focaccia ‍ read more

This is a comment not so much about the Alvarado Street location, it's about their bread deliveries to local stores like The Grove in Pacific Grove. I buy the bread there sometimes instead of at Alvarado St. Ad Astra is apparently ok with deliveries of their burnt bread. There is no way they didn't notice it was burnt! See pic. (I cut it open to see if burnt all the way through. It wasn't but the seeded crust is normally the best part!) If you buy their bread at away locations, better check inside the bag which I did, but the person who loaded the bag put the lesser non-burnt side facing outward so it wasn't obvious. And I didn't want to touch with my fingers to inspect it more thoroughly. This has happened before. Seems they are sticking it to other places so they don't let the burnt product be seen at their own store, or throw them away like they should. The Grove should be made aware of this practice and I will tell them! read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Burned Ad Astra bread - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

So glad I stumbled upon this bakery, mainly because I parked in front of it. Their shop is very modern but wow were their baked goods gorgeous! There were so many good options that I didn't know what to get. I ended up choosing the brioche bread and little did I know, it was packed with cheese and fermented veggies! It was a pleasant surprise and so good that I finished it before making it to my next coffee spot. I love that they also sell clothes, bowls, and pantry goods here. Their open concept allows you to see into the bakery which was pretty cool! The people working here were also super cool and friendly. I definitely felt very welcomed coming into the shop. There is some seating, but there's also no WiFi here. read more

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Decent line on a Sunday around 9 am but it moved pretty quickly. They only had one gluten free option which was a small cheesecake for $25. I was in the market for a pastry so I did not buy this. Alta Bakery is right down the street. It had a crazy long line, and it doesn't seem like they had gf pastries. It seems like the only place in Monterrey is Captain and Stoker, who sells Nece GF pastries. As I said, The line went pretty fast here! I didn't buy anything so can't comment on taste or value. The worker who helped me was super nice. If you're not vegan or gf, looked like a solid spot read more

Located in downtown Monterey. I saw a long line & was curious to see what everyone was waiting for. Freshly made bread! Wait in line, order from the display of savory & sweet baked goods & grab a table to enjoy your treats. They serve bread loaves, flatbreads, croissants & more. read more

The bread is as close to divine perfection as you're likely to get. But they recently raised prices. A basic loaf (Seaside loaf) is now well into double digits. It was $10. Ten bucks is a LOT to pay for a loaf of bread, even by today's inflationary standards, but now Ad Astra is pricing itself out of my pocketbook. My next door neighbor bakes a similar loaf (fermented, seeded, as delicious as Ad Astra) and she told me she pays less than $2 per loaf. Come on guys, maybe move to a location with lower rent? read more

Ad Astra never disappoints! I needed a quick bite on my way back to work from Carmel Valley the other day and hadn't been to the CV location yet, but knew I could find something savory and delish for lunch. The Danish sandwich was soooooo good. Seeded sourdough, creamy butter and conte cheese. Simple and outstanding! Stopped at the Monterey location today and got another and a breakfast pastry delightfully named Escargot, because it's a fancy snail with cranberry clove. Interesting and tasty mixture. I also got a loaf of sourdough, cranberry, walnut and Brie for tomorrow morning's breakfast toast. Service was quick and friendly. You folks keep doing what you're doing, creating memorable bites! read more

Coming here is kind of a weekly thing! Their pastries are next-level--flaky, flavorful, and clearly made with love. The prices on their loaves are super reasonable, especially considering the quality. It's the kind of place that makes you feel good about supporting local. T Major bonus points for serving coffee from a Santa Barbara roaster instead of defaulting to chain brews. Nothing beats a perfect croissant and a well-pulled local espresso. My one small gripe? The sourdough loaves tend to be a bit overdone for my taste--just a little too tough and dark. If you're into a deep bake, you'll probably love it, but I prefer a slightly lighter finish. If you've been considering coming here, this your sign to swing by. Just be prepared--you might leave with more than you planned! read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Chicken Salad sando - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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Croissant was about $5.50 and a good size and texture. It was fluffy on the inside and had many layers. There's not really any indoor seating but they have a huge look into their kitchen which is nice to see! read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Inside - merch/snacks - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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Pastries great so yum so cool ok. Why every time I come in her for a cardamom bun is it just a bunch of bro dudes. I'm sick of the BRO-ness in there. Cashier will have a buddy come in have a six minute conversation at the registered about how it's so cool they're both dudes hahah...and hasn't even rung up anything for him to pay WHILE there's a line. Me and the person in front were waiting and laughing bc what the heck. The lame dude doesn't care about you if ur a girl or not his pal. I watched me and the person in front of me order drinks. Oh then another dumb bro friend comes in he orders a drink. Me + three others waiting for drinks. Guess who miraculously got theirs first. Yeah buddy behind the bar skipped all our tickets just so he could bro out on the counter with his buddy. Just bad vibes for service. (This isn't about the Asian guy he actually seems pretty good at this job) read more

The Bread is the star of the show. Wow. I got the olive sourdough. Man I wish I got the full loaf instead of the half. It was that good. also got a kouign amann and an iced mocha. Those were solid but also considering that I got there later in the day it probably would have been better and fresher if I got there earlier. I would def stop here again when I'm visiting. Olive loaf 5 stars Kouign Amann 4 stars Iced oat Mocha 4 stars Service 4 stars Ambiance 5 stars read more

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While in Monterey, we tried this bread at several restaurants we frequented. So on the day I was leaving, I went to the bakery, early! I got two loaves of bread to bring home with me. Absolutely did not disappoint. I sliced the bread and froze it, which means we can enjoy this bread for weeks to come. When you're in Monterey make sure you hit them up! read more

Plenty of pastry's, sandwiches and bread options to choose from. You can see them making the bread inside the shop. It's a great little place to grab a quick bite and a great cup of coffee. read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

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We came by around 10 on a Sunday and there was quite a long line. We drove out of the way to get here though so decided to just wait it out. Thankfully the line moved fairly quickly. They offer breads, pastry, and coffee drinks. I opted for cardamom bun, savory brioche and a latte with oat milk and miso syrup. My husband got the cinnamon roll. Everything was delicious and well worth the wait. The savory brioche was a highlight, filled with sausage and white sauce. The bread was fluffy and flaky. The cinnamon roll had lots of cream cheese frosting and not cloyingly sweet. The coffee was tasty and I liked the miso syrup, very interesting combo with coffee but it works. I also took half a loaf of brioche home and my baby liked the French toast I made with it. I can see why this place is so popular. Go early for the best selection. read more

Walked in just to buy a bag of coffee beans, no greeting and no acknowledgement from the staff even though I was waiting in line. Another family came in after me and was helped before me. I had to walk out and leave because clearly they weren't interested in helping. read more

Only good thing about Ad Astra are their pastries which is odd because they're "known" for their loaves of bread. Not a fan of the sourdough because it has a weird tang to it and def not the "sour" kind. Good portion but ok price for what it is. Big fan of the olive cake and kouign-amann (even if it is a bit too oily) Bread: 2/10 Pastries: 8/10 read more

I was in downtown Monterey attending a conference and came to Ad Astra Bread Co for breakfast one morning. Although the line went out the door, it went quick. It's a small little shop with minimal seating. I sat inside by the counter area to enjoy my pastry and coffee and enjoyed watching them prepare bread/pastries. I bought a loaf of bread to bring home, and it was delicious. When I'm back in the area for work, I'll definitely return! read more

Great bread, the best anywhere. The sourdough and Olive are AWESOME. The baked goods are phenomenal as well, glad I found this place. Most good restaurants also use their bread. read more

Amazing breads & baked goods!!! Worth it just for that. But the coffee is great, too.

I came an hour before they closed. There were no other customers when we arrived and ordered; the next person came while we were waiting for our drinks. There was a big empty space on their pastry display. I only ordered three pastries and a drink. My mistake for not checking; I fully trusted the person who took and prepared my order. When I got home and checked my paper bag, I was missing an order. I mean, come on. For me, I'd be embarrased if I would still check every single thing after ordering. My pastries were all in a tiny box container and a paper sandwich bag packed in a paper bag. I expected much more, especially since it wasn't busy when I came. It's unfortunate that a simple mistake will make me leave a bad review. Ensuring customers get what they paid for should be part of good customer service. read more

So when I walk in the food smell pretty good I got a cardamom bum and HOLY COW IT'S DELICIOUS.Its also kinda relaxing although the service is good You should 100% Go Here! Written by James Stapleton. Age 10 read more

Ad Astra Bread Co - Bakeries Near Me - Monterey, California

So good! Cool, clean atmosphere. I love the big window to kitchen where you can see them baking all of the deliciousness. I stopped in when my flight home was delayed. I didn't mind the delay with this egg sammy in my hands. I also got a cute beanie I wear all the time I'll definitely be re-visiting when I make my way back to Monterey. read more

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Ad Astra is a cute boulangerie/pâtisserie in downtown Monterey. We arrived early where there was no line for breakfast; by the time we ordered, the line was out the door! I opted for a cardamom bun and strawberry-vanilla cream puff with a miso-caramel latte. I tasted the sweet caramel from the latte, but not so much the miso: otherwise, it was just a solid latte. The cream puff was very simple, but I loved how fluffy and sweet the cream was. The cardamom bun, while not in the traditional Scandinavian form, was yummy and very earthy from the cardamom. The cinnamon sugary top was a nice touch, if a bit messy to eat. Overall, solid place for breakfast and brunch. Ad Astra is worth a go! read more

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Nice artisanal bakery on Alvarado in Monterey. We go there quite regularly. Their bread is great though a bit pricey. Cute ambience as you can see directly into the kitchen where the bread is made. Love their baguettes, regular or epi, as well as any of the larger loaves. While I tend to prefer Alta for pastries (a short walk away), both are awesome and As Astra has a better croissant from our family opinion. They often have a savory scone which is also fantastic. If you show up at 10 am on a weekend, be prepared to wait a bit, but the staff and customers tend to be friendly so I don't really mind. They do also serve coffee but I won't comment on that since I don't get it there. I would highly recommend pairing some bread from here with several cheeses from the Cheese Shop in Carmel, add some wine and call it dinner. read more

Great bread. Just like bread from Europe. Has crunch, taste and wholesome. I bring back a loaf to San Francisco every time we visit our daughter . Their sandwiches and pastries are also delectable. If you like real bread, you won't be disappointed. read more