Peninsula Pastries

First time here today, I had a peach custard tart. It was yummy. Not a big selection but probably because we got there late morning. Will be back…

I get a laugh out of the reviews for this place that start out something like, «I’ve been to Paris, so I know French pastries.» Give me a break! Do these people even realize how much that comment makes them sound like pretentious D-​bags? A lot of us have spent time in Paris. It doesn’t make us experts on all things French.
Having got that off my chest, I can say this place is excellent. The pastries are top notch. The prices are high, but not outrageous for the quality of the product.
I also find it amusing that some find the French owner off putting. She’s French! Seriously, I’ve found her to be nothing but charming. She takes her craft seriously and wants you to enjoy her pastries at their peak of freshness.
In sum, the overwhelming number of glowing reviews about this place are accurate. You can disregard the few bad reviews from L.A.-type snobs.

Well, I was so excited to check out Peninsula Pastries as I am a sucker for legit French pastries after spending a year in Montpellier back in my college days. We rode bikes to Peninsula and I walked in and thought I had made my way back to France… absolutely beautiful cases of pastries. I should have known something was up when the person who works there could help me with recommendations since everything looked so good… really?!? I ended up selecting an apricot pastry and was so excited to sink my teeth into it… unfortunately, it was stale and just not what I was expecting — such a disappointment!

The apple turnover at Peninsula Pastries changed my view of the world. It’s that good.
I live in a wildly expensive city that likes to say that it has «the best of everything.» Until I visited Palm Springs on vacation, bought an apple turnover from Peninsula Pastries, and felt my knees go weak, I didn’t realize what a lie that is. The couple who make these delights are true artisans — and artisans can’t afford to live where I do anymore. A thriving artistic culture includes so many important things, big and small, that you never think about. The touch of magic in an apple turnover is one.
Life is not long enough to keep yourself locked up in places that prefer to import, rather than make, this magic. If you live in the Palm Springs area, I actively envy you. If you don’t, you just have to go there, and taste what the artisans at Peninsula Pastries are doing with butter, flour, and love.

If you have ever been to Paris and sampled the wealth of baked goods that come from the patisseries — like no other place in the world — then Peninsula Bakery is the place for you.
Chocolate tongue, a long pastry that is studded with the most delicious chocolate chips I’ve ever tasted, is one of the most wonderful pastries I have ever had anywhere in the world. Frankly, I could say that about many other pastries in this wonderful store. Everything of course is homemade. They import their flower from France. The woman who owns the bakery is one of the most wonderful people I have talked to in a store. Their breads are sensational. If it were OK for me to weigh 400 pounds, which unfortunately it is not, I would be camping out at Peninsula bakery and eating my way through every single day. This bakery is a must for people who love good baked goods. ooh la la.
Run!

As a real Frenchman, I can assure you that this place is legit.
The bread is very authentic. Best bread I had in the US so far.
I also tried the Apple Turnover: WOOOOW! This is so epic! You should try this!!!
The owners are so nice and friendly. I am really glad I stayed around the corner. Wish this place was in my neck of the wood.

Best pastries around! So authentic they come with a French couple (one behind the counter and one baking in the back)! This place is awesome. And addictive. And very, very dangerous.
I think I have tried just about everything here. And I am much more a bread guy than a pastry guy — but when they are this good, you become a pastry guy (at least until the afternoon, when the baguettes start coming out from the back).
I remember, when I was visiting France some years ago, going into a pastry shop waiting in line. I noticed that everyone bought these almond croissants that were flat and dusted with powdered sugar. At first I thought that they looked like someone made a mistake and tried to cover it up with powdered sugar. Yes, someone did. I did. I had no idea. That was how they were supposed to be! I went to a few patisseries that trip, and they all had them — and sold them faster than they could make them. Never saw them in the US like that. Not for over 20 years. Until now. Oh, how it brought me back — and back to the shop on Palm Canyon. And back again. You eat them with a fork. And good luck eating a whole one. They are really for sharing.
While you are at it, get some plain croissants (wonderful!) and grab a «pain a raisin» or two. Oh, and lest I forget — the butterscotch twist. Oh, my! I am not usually a fan of butterscotch. But this thing is incredible. so perfect. Mmmmm… I found the chocolate twist a bit too chocolatey for me, but others enjoyed it quite a lot.
The tarts deserve a separate paragraph. I have tried three from here, and all have been quite excellent. Special mention, however, goes to the apricot tart. Let me first say that all the tarts look just perfect. The flavor of this tart was just superior. The crust was crumbly and sweet, strong enough to keep it all together, but not so strong that you have to chew it.
In the afternoon, when the bread comes out, another line forms at the shop. And the baguettes are quite good, very authentic. My taste goes toward pain levain, but, unfortunately, they do not do that here. But the bread they do make is of excellent quality.
Mille fois merci, madame et monsieur!

Great tacos! Excellent customer service. Little hole in the wall close to work. Perfect for a quick lunch.

My friends ordered a chocolate ganache birthday cake for me from this place and it was amazing. Absolutely no complaints. If you are in PS during a decent time of year just leave this cake out of the refrigerator and you will be sure to have a weekend of gluttonous eating of their moist and velvety cake.
While in the store, my friends also picked up a half dozen croissants and three baguettes. I will honestly say that the baguettes could have been cooked a little less and would have been perfect, but the crispiness of the outside of the baguette kept the inside of the bread very soft. The dough was sweet and tasty. If you are ever in the area and need a good french style patisserie/​boulangerie, make your way to this place. I have been to Paris and regardless of whether it is on the level with an authentic French boulangerie this place is the best in the area for the most delicious bread and cakes that are baked freshly every day.

I have been to Paris and my experience with Peninsula Pastries is certainly influenced by that. I have never had anything here that was not superb. The breads, the pastries, and the service has always been the best in Palm Springs. This is truly a cool drink of water in a desert filled with mediocrity.

French pastries and bread, handmade daily by a French baker with French flour, European butter, fresh eggs, Meyer lemons, etc. Unbelievable quality and presentation. The place is spotless, the cases are pristine. We got: chocolate ganache cake, lemon curd tart, amandine tart (filled with marzipan), olive bread & Gruyère bread. And a caffe latte. Everything was exceptional. The counter woman was helpful and sweet and genuine and very informative. Even the boxes for the pastries are adorable. If I lived closer, I’d weigh 500 pounds. But I will make excuses to return.
Serendipitously, it’s in the same plaza as Spaghetteria, my new fave Italian American spot. So lunch there followed by pastries here is a European dream come true.

Lovely little gem. I went in for one item and it turned into many as everything looked delightfully good. One pastry never made it home after I dug in the bag while driving, it was that good. The taste of fresh ingredients is clear winner. And great friendly service with a French flair too. Definitely going back again!

WOW. BETTER THAN IN PARIS. I just had the most delicious, flaky, buttery, perfectly baked Pain Au Chocolat in my life. Better than Angelina’s or Lenotre in Paris. What a find and I will definitely be back!

This is a small little bakery that serves up a good cup of coffee. We came in the morning right after they opened on a Monday and a nice gentleman helped us.
What we ordered: Butterscotch pecan twist, pain du Chocolat and orange cream. They didn’t have hot chocolate. I ordered coffee.
Overall, the items were ok. The texture was a bit off and they tasted stale. This was especially true for the butterscotch pecan. The texture just ruined something that had so much potential. I am not sure when the items were made. I was already on the freeway when we started eating them.
About half the space in the display case was empty Monday. Maybe it was a busy Christmas weekend but there was not much choice.
I would really hope I was not served stale items because they were not cheap. Regardless, all three were not worth the cost.
Overall, AOK.

Everything I’ve had here has been amazing… From chocolate croissants to peach tarts. Most recently it was the chocolate Yule log which was to die for… Please support this amazing patisserie! (The bread is great too!)

French pastries. Charming pink and white décor. Absolutely, a classic French patisserie look.
The display cases were filled with beautifully conceived pastries. I was in heaven. No way could we say no.
Somehow, a box filled with a huge almond croissant, four chocolate croissants, and one almond tartlet made it into the trunk of our car. How did that get there?
If I had three wishes:

A place to sit and enjoy.
A good cup of coffee or espresso.
More chocolate in the chocolate croissants. The chocolate was magnificent, but us chocoholics are funny about small portions. The croissants themselves? Buttery, flaky goodness!
Oh, yes. And one more wish:
I wish I had bought more almond croissants. Le meilleur! Absolument!

We loved the pastry’s. We had the chocolate Ganache and the pineapple custard. Both were amazing. We returned back to the store for seconds after 30 mins. Highly recommend the place. The owner hand makes everything and gets the flour from France.
The best!

I was browsing the net looking at bakeries and found this one. I live in PS so I went up there to try it out. Decided a croissant was a good test. Wow. As good or better than any croissant I have eaten on the French Riviera.
So I went back and tried their «apple turnover». As good as it gets.
The croissant was light, fluffy and flaky, an butteryt (Hi Julia Childs), and chewy as well.
So I went back for their chocolate (deep dark) granache cake. There is a reason they import their flour from France and you taste it with every bite. Just wonderful. I am so happy I found the Peninsula Pastries.
Easy parking, credit cards for $ 12.50 or more except Amer. Ex.

French guy living in Palm Springs, and I can honestly say that I have NEVER, really NEVER, enjoyed such a delicious and yummy Chaussons aux Pommes (Apple Turnover). The finest ever with the right balance of fluffly buttery pastry, and apple.
To me, no equivalent in the desert!

I went to Palm Springs for Coachella and Unilocaled a place to grab a quick breakfast.
Legit French pastries! The Chocolate Almond Croissant was to die for!
It is a bit pricey here but worth it. YUM!