La Farine French Bakery

Whenever I'm in Berkeley, I come here a few times a week.  What's really cool about it is the transparency factor: the back room is plainly visible, with 5 apron-clad bakers laboring over every inch of to-be-served pastries and cakes throughout the day.  This bakery has an authentic French feel to it, with many customers lining up in the morning to choose from a dozen or so different types of pastries and breads, including can't-miss baguettes.  I recommend both the rustic and sweet baguettes.  Granted, you can get them for about a quarter in France vs. $2 here, but hey who's countin?  Some of my favorite sweets are the fruit tart, eclair (really rich cream), morning bun (legendary guy that started it all), and the swiss twinkie (super flaky with nut puree).  The only place to sit is a huge dining table, finishing off the homey feel.  Bon apetit! 

Definitely one of the best bakeries I have been to in Berkeley. The Chocolatine (kind of like a square croissant filled with chocolate) is really good. The Morning Buns are good if they are fresh, but they tend to have too much sugar. The Swiss Twinkie is one of my favorites. It is a small, flaky croissant with a nut filling. In fact, it is so flaky that while I ate it almost half of it fell off into a small, sad pile by my feet, but the portion that did make it into my mouth was delicious. The bakery is also located on Solano Ave., which is a lively street with lots of shops and restaurants.