Manresa Bread

I've been coming to Manresa Bakery in Palo Alto on and off over the years, and unfortunately, it's been a steady decline. Frequent management changes have left the shop feeling disorganized, and the staff seems to lack knowledge about the menu--especially when it comes to items they used to offer. Their marketing feels more like gimmicks than substance, and frankly, it's no different than going to any other coffee shop in the area.The space itself feels chaotic and lacks the charm you'd expect from a Manresa brand location. On the bright side, the coffee is still good, but if you're looking for the real Manresa experience, the Los Altos location is far superior. Save yourself the trip and head there instead.

This review is for their breakfast egg bacon and cheese sandwich. It was $13 which is definitely on the pricier end for breakfast sandwiches. The sandwich was on the larger side though.I thought the bread was okay. The contents of the sandwich weren't very good though. They give you a lot of bacon but the bacon was incredibly salty even by itself so having like five slices of bacon made it inedible. I did take a few slices out and was hoping to enjoy them by themselves but found them too salty. I love bacon and it's weird that it was that salty. The bacon itself was also a little on the thicker side, a little crispy but not as crispy as I would have like.The egg was basically an egg custard block which I really didn't want in my sandwich. It has that weird smooth consistency that I didn't like. I was getting nauseous the more I ate it. I was hoping for a fried egg or even a block of scrambled eggs would have been fine.The bacon jam was okay.Towards the end I was forcing myself to eat the sandwich.Also they charge one of those extra 4% Living Wage fees on your receipt.

I came here when they first opened. The Cheese Croissant (special of the day) was exceptionally good. Supremely buttery without feeling greasy... Extraordinary big in size.I didn't know at that time that they were owned by the closed Michelin star restaurant and was surprised by the quality.I heard that Arsicault also wanted this spot. It is said that Arsicault's owner humbly said that he didn't get this spot because he probably was not good enough. Honestly, I have no idea how this bustling T&C could possibly support the traffic that his business brings.Since then, I tried Manresa's Los Altos location and it was bad. The Monkey Bread and Kouign Amann were both dry and ordinary. I thought that it was because they don't bake there in-house.So I came here again. Somehow they don't have the special Cheese Croissant. Everything is extraordinarily small and a bit stale. The Pain Au Chocolat was the only thing that looked decent, so that is what I purchased.I felt like I got bait-and-switch because they gave me not the one I pointed at in the counter, but a dried-crumbly one at the back. It tastes, dry, ordinary, and a bit greasy.Having had so many setbacks, this bakery has me spent and gone.

Palo Alto Manresa is a step below the LG and Campbell locations. The staff is a bit disorganized and even the online order was delayed at least 5 minutes. There's no indoor seating but a few tables outside. The matcha latte was pretty good. They put in a decent amount of matcha powder and it wasn't overly sweet. The turkey sandwich was decent. They put in a good amount of turkey but they also had a lot of cheese and mayo making it a bit greasy. The bread was toasted but coated with that oil. The whole experience was good but not as exceptional as you'd expect from Manresa.

This is only for the Kouign Amann. I got here a little late on a weekend and some of their items were sold out. Luckily I was able to grab one for their Kouign Amann that I heard so much about. This lived up to its hype. It's flaky with the perfect amount of almond paste for each bite. After eating one I wanted another one, and I'm still living in regret that I only bought one. I shall return again and try other items.

Manresa Bread is considered a Bay Area staple in the bakery category. Some would say that Manresa sets the standard for baked goods and that is surely confirmed by the layers and quality in its craftsmanship. Interior of this location is bright, spacious with no interior seating. This is more of a grab and go style bakery. There is a small selection of coffee drinks, merchandise for purchase, coffee bean bags, and of course a variety of baked goods. They offer cookies, croissants, loaves, sandwiches, and so much more. The prices are on the higher end but the quality reflects their pricing. Croissant- this is a staple here at Manresa that never disappoints. The lamination process has clearly been perfected because the cross sections show a perfectly fluffy and airy interior with so many layers. The result is a light croissant with a soft buttery flavor profile. Any of their croissant-based pastries are sure to be a winner. Monkey bread- This was delicious and definitely tastes best the same day. the bread is a bit tough on the outside but the inside is soft and spongy with a nice caramelized toffee flavor. Service was nice and friendly. Although, one thing that can be improved is they have an enclosed bakery display since there were a lot of flies inside the store since the weather was quite warm and the staff aren't wearing masks. An enclosed bakery shelf would be a good idea for hygienic reasons. This plaza gets crowded especially during peak lunch and dinner hours so plan accordingly. Manresa is a great stop if you're looking for a snack or a sweet treat to cap off your night.

First time trying a kouign amann and I was very impressed! It wasn't overly sweet which I liked. It was super flaky and crispy and all the layers together tasted so good. The employees were very nice as well! Definitely want to come back and try more of their pastries.

A great little bakery with some delicious sweet treats. They also have sandwiches and drinks for lunch as well.

I stopped here to pick up a loaf of levain bread to make fancy schmancy grilled cheeses for a fancy schmancy lunch party. What I like about Manresa Bread is that they have a slicer. If you want perfectly sliced bread to make sandwiches, they have pre-sliced versions of all their bread. Their sliced bread is definitely better than those from grocery stores, but I do wish the crust was a little thicker (1 star off). Unlike some who do not like the crust of breads, I like a nice thick crust that crumbles when you bite into it...especially for a grilled cheese.

Manresa Bread offers high quality, delicious baked goods in Town and Country in Palo Alto (you will not see it from El Camino Real, but it is near the Trader Joe's). During previous visits I've tried some of their breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and coffee (which I believe is from Verve), and everything is always high quality and delicious!The service is always fast, and they only take cashless payment, so make sure to bring your card/Apple Pay/etc. The location is also pretty small, with no tables inside, but a few tables outside. I'd recommend taking your items to go, because of the limited space.I love the assortment of other items they sell too, like cookbooks, branded merchandise, Fishwife products, Brightland olive oil, and more. I love buying my bread from here and will be back!