I love this panaderia. It's been here since 1993 and is a real legacy spot in SF. Doña Carmen is so nice every time I stop by. My go-tos are the Salvadorian tamales and the pan dulce (especially the conchas). The location is amazing right on 24th and Mission and next to the BART station, so it's super convenient. Prices are very reasonable too. Their breakfast special is hard to beat: coffee, two breads w beans and cheese or chorizo for just $5. One of my favorite things is that they open at 5am, which is perfect if you're an early bird and want fresh bread and coffee before work. Such a neighborhood gem. Only downside is parking is bad if you want to drive there. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

2.5/5 I came by La Major one recent evening craving a sweet treat. As a lover of hole-in-the-wall spots, La Major was promising. We asked the sweet woman at the register what she recommended, and bought what she picked out. For $3 it was a decent sized pastry. We took the pastry to a nearby park to eat, and discovered that she had thrown in some extra sugar cookies, which was so kind of her. The pastry had a hard shell which encased what was probably condensed milk. Honestly the combination was a bit odd and the shell was less buttery and rich than I wanted. The cookies were cute and not too sweet, but also not the most flavorful. I think I might have ordered the wrong thing, and there were a wide selection of other tasty-looking pastries in the display case. If I come back to this bakery, I might try the concha or the roll cakes! read more

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We came here with three simple criteria: we wanted something sweet, close to BART, and it was open. We tried two items, the cornbread and the bread pudding. Both were decent. The cornbread was very moist and leaned more toward a corn-pudding texture than traditional cornbread. Overall, not a bad way to end the evening. BB read more

One of my favorite totally non pretentious places in the mission that still feels like old school mission. Love coming here during the holidays because of their tamales (especially the rajas ones!) their pan dulce is pretty good too and it's still an affordable and warm welcoming feeling place. They open early and stay open pretty late as well. I need to make my yearly visit soon! read more

A reliable staple in the Mission with reasonably priced tasty treats and a vibe that feels like the past 30 years have passed them by (in the most charming way!). I usually come for the "sweet bread" or the cheesecake, and a cup of joe. The pastries range from $2-$5, and they're always rotating (recently tried a peanut butter cookie with a pineapple custard, and that was delicious!) It's a good place to come if you are looking for something sweet, the staff are friendly, and you're sure to meet neighborhood locals if you decide to eat in or take it to go. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Tasty treats. Cheesecake in the back, special pineapple cake in front. With coffee, $10.50 all-in. - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend was hyping this spot up so we decided to swing by around 10:00am on a Sunday. Originally came in for some conchas but they were out (definitely shows how popular they are!) so we asked for some recommendations on what else was good. The cute lady working suggested a pastry that used similar ingredients as conchas so we tried that. Unfortunately we didn't really enjoy the pastry we got, it was hard, dry and overall lacked flavor. I'll still give them the benefit of doubt though since it was lying there for a while, so it probably would be better if I came earlier. For now giving this panadería a 3/5, but would be willing to come back to try their conchas. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Stopped here for a quick pastry to hold me over until lunch. Although the name is Latin it appears to be operate by an Asian crew of staff. Hence pork buns were in the display case. I happen to be more of savory vs sweet so I took the baked bun. It was not good at all the texture was gummy and the filling was probably the worst flavor and texture I can recall in the last 25 years . Needless to say I will not be back. I don't typically down peoples food but this was not good.no pictures because well .... It waste good so it wasn't worth taking a picture. It looked nice but tasted horrible. read more

Whenever I'm in the area and taking Bart I stop here on my way out. The Mexican pastries are pretty good yesterday's pineapple pastry was really good! And I bought a couple tamales this time. I've only had one tamale so far and I really enjoyed it for lunch today. This place if I'm quoting you right has legacy status with San Francisco. They've been in business for 30 years and they showed me the certificate on the wall, how awesome is that! Coming here you'll always see it a lot of local patrons getting their coffee and pastries and possibly tamales. It has an old school San Francisco local vibe but they're happy to welcome everybody! So next time you're by this location check them out! read more

La Mejor Bakery - They did a cool Halloween drawing on the window. They usually have more pastries on display but I came late in the day. - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

First of all, the staff are so lovely: incredibly kind and they even gave my partner and I a cookie to try for free! We got some conchas and chocolate chip cookies. Admittedly, we came around 8pm so they were a little stiff but that didn't take away from how good they were. The cookie was my particular favorite, it reminded me of a bakery my mom took me to when I was a kid in Mexico :). And the pastries aren't overly sweet. Love this place! read more

Came by early to pick up sweet bread to take to work. It was about 6:30am and their display stands were packed with fresh bread and cookies. They were busy so early in the morning with people coming in before work. The couple working the counter were so sweet. They gave me a few extra cookies too. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is such a fantastic little bakery. No frills and small hole-in-the-wall with the friendliest staff. They were super helpful in explaining some of the breads to me. I got a Pan Rico de Muerto which is a sweet bread baked for El Dia de los Muertos. It was soft and crumbly and not too sweet despite being coated in sugar. It would have probably paired really well with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Pan Rico de Muerto - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

BEST BAKERY EVER!! My favorite cookie is the one with the sprinkles on top. Homemade bakery items (you can tell) ALWAYS fresh pastries. Best bakery in all of the mission area. 10/10 recommend read more

If you're in the Mission district on a Sunday morning, or any morning, for that matter, stop in and see my pal Joe at La Mejor bakery on 24th St between Mission and Valencia. Try the Salvadorean tamales for a real treat. They say it's all in the maize when it comes to tamales and these tamales are amazing! Go check it out! PS, the baked goods are also fresh and tasty. Yer pal, read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE this spot and I'm glad it's cash only otherwise I'd be here wayyy too much. The one thing I got here a while ago that I'm obsessed with is their cheesecake bread? pastry. Not sure what else to call it but it resembles the fluffy cheesecakes in Asian stores except it's firmer. It's a huge slice for about $3 and the lady always gives me a cookie or something extra with it which is so sweet. The workers are really friendly here and it has a very neighborhood vibe. read more

IMPRESSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS (updated): Because of our previous tasty experience, we made a special trip here to have their delicious tamales again! However, I am very sad to say that over the past few months, their tamales have changed significantly. The tamales were dry, with minimal meat and a lot of masa. We likely won't be back. read more

I absolutely love their Mexican cheesecake. I get this every time I go there. It's lightly sweet and thick (but not heavy) in texture. Just so you know, they sell two kinds of cheesecake, the wedge-shaped European style (in the far case from the door) and the brick-shaped Mexican style (in the case closest to the door). I'm reviewing the Mexican style. I haven't tried their European style, so can't comment on that one. I also really like their bread pudding. Both the cheesecake and the bread pudding are consistently good. I also once tried their bread with butter. Yes, they have a thick slice of bread slathered in butter. Not really my thing, but it was good enough and if that's what you're looking for, you'll likely be happy with it. Depending on who's behind the counter I might get waited on in English or Spanish, but it's friendly service and it's all good. read more

Just moved to SF from socal and have been craving a good conchita/pan dulce--not easy to find in my neighborhood. Decided to drive the 15 min to check this panaderia out. I'm glad I did! Got a couple of conchas, a cuernito and oreja to share with my roomates and the sweet lady threw in a couple of cookies :') I also ordered a cheese and jalapeño tamal (Im vegetarian, but dont mind the usual lard in the masa). When I forked into it, i realized it was a chicken mole one instead.. I decided to just take a bite and WOW. I ended up eating the whole thing! So much for the vegetarianism; but it was just so delicious. Most importantly, the masa was not dry at all. So moist and yummy... I'll def come back for more.. maybe cheese, maybe chicken.. Gracias, muy rico pan y tamal! read more

La Mejor Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Everytime i go in there they are super helpful. They got these delicious tamales. Different meats. Sometimes they give out samples of their baked goods. So much to chose from. This is such a family run place. read more

The shorter lady with blonde curls was really nice to us! She answered our questions, and gave us extra cookies just because she was nice The empanadas were delicious! The place was clean and calm. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Crema empanada - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Adorable panaderia! The pan dulce is always very fresh no matter the time of day I visit. A concha is only $1, plus they threw in a free cookie! I always pick some up to-go on my way home from the BART if I happen to have a little cash on me (they are cash only!!) read more

La Mejor Bakery - Extra sprinkle cookie - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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One of the things you need to get if you're in the Mission district of the City is pan dulce . Translated as sweet bread or pastries; a cultural icon in the Latinx community since forever. The variety is unbelievable at this shop. You can pick and choose to your heart's delight. They are sweet (but not overly), fresh and certainly affordable. The good thing is they're made daily, so when you feel the need... you know where to go. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Pan dulce deliciosas - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

There were lots of times when I wanted to walk into this bakery but was honestly intimidated by all the dudes lurking in the front. Finally, I gained the courage (because I made someone come with me) and tried their chocolate cookie, one of the giant cake rolls covered in sprinkles, and the cheese jalapeño tamale. The tamale is $4 and quite good. The cookie has an interesting texture. It's almost sandy, not really chewy or crunchy. It came with two smaller free cookies, and those were frankly not good. They had a strange coconut-y taste and were grainy. The cake roll was pretty good and very dense. I might try the conchas and bread here someday but I'm not sure if I'm willing to brave it again. read more

I am blown away that this old-style panaderia os still here in the Mission. The outside decor is Christmas all year round. Inside the bakery are shelves and cabinets filled to the brim with fresh Mexican and traditional breakfast offerings (croissants, donuts and bread). The counter lady is a petite Mexican American women who is so cute and bubbly that I want to pick her up and put her in my pocket. A regular customer pointed out his favorite pastry, a triangle with crema (custard) inside. I like surprises so I'm taking a blind leap of faith that he knows what he's talking about. At only $1.50 tbis pastry is a steal. Photos of former Mayor Ed Chu and other dignitaries line the wall. I wish I could try everything but that would be bad for the waistline. More pastry for others then at a low cost! read more

Their pan dulce and bolillos are so good! Great selection of all the classics and really friendly staff. I felt at home. It's definitely an authentic panaderia environment. read more

First and last time, $3.00 for a piece of mediocre at best piece of bread is too much. I do not mind paying premium prices for quality items, but this was not it. I know all businesses are taking advantage of the pandemic to raise their prices, but this is ridiculous! I would not recommend this place because of the extreme pricing, but also that I noticed after that they didn't pass the health inspection. I do hope I don't get sick. read more

El único lugar donde conseguí pan de muerto rico, y al final la seño me regaló 2 galletas :)

I love going to this place on 24th St in San Francisco's Mission. authentic Mexican sweet bread and some Central American food also available. read more

La Mejor Bakery - I love the Christmas bread really good - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great sweets and extremely nice staff... upon realizing they were a cash only establishment they gifted me the cookie I planned on purchasing! will always come back and recommending the place to all my friends if they happen to be in the area! :) read more

This tiny panderia is located along the 24th Street corridor and within walking distance from the BART station. It is really tiny, but the workers and many of the regular patrons are really friendly to me. 24th Street and Mission is very adventurous, but this bakery has a very homely feel and a great way to avoid the surrounding riff-raff activities in the area. The panderia baked fresh pastries in that little kitchen. Tamales are also made here as well. But they sell out fast. I had the chicken tamales from here and for $3.00, they do taste really good and homemade. One of my favorite items from here is the Bread Pudding Bar. In Spanish, it is pronounced "Boudin". For $1.25, the bread pudding bar is made from day old bread and dipped in eggs, caramelized in syrup and baked to a reincarnated sweet treat. The pudding bar is really moist and very sticky. Occasionally I would get the end pieces, which is crunchy and more exciting to eat. Add that and a $1.50 small cup of coffee, you get a decadent treat. There isn't much in this bakery, with a few tables and Spanish broadcast on the shop's tv. Sometimes I am scare to come here, because I feel like I may crack a floor or break a chair with my fat ass. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Bread pudding bar and coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Love this place. Great place to get your Pan Dulce fix. So many choices and in particular when it's dia de Los Muertos get that one to share read more

La Mejor Bakery - a variety of baked goods - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

The name says it all, it's the best bakery! The location right at 24th and Mission is also very convenient. Make sure to bring cash! The pastries are very good quality and reasonably priced as well. I got one of the best conchas I have ever had here, I couldn't believe how light the bread was! I also got a delicious apple empanada. There's a little bit of seating outside, but I took my goodies to go. The staff there is so kind and friendly too. If you're looking for a great panadería, this is the place to go! read more

One of my favorite bakeries in the Mission! I'm from LA and I grew up eating pan dulce. La Mejor is just that -- great Mexican pastries at affordable prices. A concha costs $0.90 and more intricate pastries are up to $2 or $3. I also love the buttery shortbread cookies. $0.50 for a small cookie and $0.90 for a large. You can easily tell there is a strong sense of community at this bakery, too. Abuelos and abuelas alike come in the morning to get coffee and a pastry while reading the news. Don't be discouraged if you don't understand Spanish. The counter servers know a little bit of English and are super friendly! I'm a regular, and they are always kind -- even during their rush, such as Dia de Los Muertos. Sometimes they throw in a free cookie with my morning pastry if they are overstocked. I love all of it! read more

This bakery have the most friendly and very good customer service and their pan dulce WOW very delicious and well make, I will really recommended this place to get their pan dulce it's a nice experience every time I go there thank you staff to make feel this welcome in every way. read more

Great panaderia find! Yummy pan dulce at decent prices. The selection was great too for going in at 7 pm. When I went in they had a lot to choose from and it was tasty. I recommend the tres leches cake hands down! The puercito had a funny taste, but that could have been from another bread being on top of it on my stand, but did want to point that out. I'll try again in case it was that. Recommend though! read more

The bread was delicious. I stopped by early in the morning to pick up some bread for my coworkers. The ladies workings there were really nice and offered to arrange the bread in a box and she give me a few extra cookies. The tamales were bland, the have Mexican and Salvadorean tamales. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love this hole in the wall! They have Mexican sweet bread, Salvadorean tamales coffee and variety of cakes. read more

La Mejor Bakery - Pan Mexicano Mexican sweet bread in piggy, as traditional as is our corn tortilla - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Honestly Mission I feel has great food and still hold on to old school good food/eats, but this Panadería fell short, walked in and didn't even smell like pan, the conchas weren't only stale and rock hard, the concha tastes like bolillo bread and everything else was stale and hard, very disappointed. read more

i tries the bread there at least three different times and different Mexican bread and its very blah & whatever.

Cute little Mexican panaderia by the 24th St. BART stop, with the sweetest people running the place. Cash only. Conchas are $0.90, croissant shaped pastry was $1.40. Stopped by the first time with $2 in my pocket to get a concha and whatever else they recommended, owner threw in an extra sugar cookie and cup of coffee to go with the pastries. It was fast, everything looked fresh, and I'll definitely come back for the excellent pastries and service. read more

I'm a huge fan of sweet breads. However, if it's not freshly baked earlier that day, then I really don't want anything to do with it. Seriously, who wants stale, crusty, and DRY sweet breads that's been sitting for awhile? And that's what La Mejor has. As a matter of fact, I have yet to find a panaderia that equals my favorite one in SSF. I should've known something was up when all the locals were all sitting down, drinking coffee, and chatting but not really snacking at all during Merienda time. Everything that I picked up from the apple fritter round ball bread - DRY. pretty much tasted like flour and that's it, DRY, custard roll, DRY, need to add more custard, state, DRY, tasted a day or two old, and DRY. Oh and did I mention DRY? Only about 25% each of the pastries were edible. Oh, and you don't pick up your own breads here on the supplied trey and tongs in usual panaderia's. With so much other potential in the Mission, I think I'll pass. read more

La Mejor Bakery - dryer than the ice cream - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California