Bakery Lorraine

While browsing around the amazing farmer’s market on a Saturday morning at the Pearl, I stopped in for a pastry (or two) and a cup of coffee. I knew to expect a crowd and was not surprised to see a long line snaked throughout the establishment. The line moved quickly (thank god) and I was able to order from limited pastries. It was about 10am and the whole display case was empty and most items were sold out leaving me to choose from what they had left. I went with an almond croissant and a chocolate poptart along with a mocha latte. Everything was fab! Can’t wait to go back!

Mediocre spot. Seemed highly overrated to me. Numerous friends recommended this bakery but despite the cool ambiance of the place, it is no more than mediocre pastries and food.

Hard to know where to start as everything is A+!
The highlight for me was the Savory Bread Pudding. Who even does that? Awesome! It was like a giant muffin made out of Thanksgiving stuffing! The flavor that day was bacon, swiss, and sun-​dried tomato. So good, crispy muffin top with moist but-​not-​soggy insides. I went back the next day, (yep!), and unfortunately was short on time so I couldn’t get the bacon, jalapeño, cheddar version. Such is food freshly prepared.
Other indulgences from our group were the Croque Madame — very nice bechamel with a poached egg, delicious! And…
Pop-Tarts…don’t even mention those crappy box things in the same sentence with these. Amazing pastry dough around strawberry filing with a light, evenly sugary frosting. Not a frosting guy, but this stuff is good. And…
Kouign-Amann…think croissant popover and then take that to 11 on the buttery goodness scale! Unreal!
I’m really not a sweets for breakfast person, but the pastries here are off the charts. Get one of everything!

Perfect solution when you are looking for a light/​healthy lunch in the Pearl area. I was impressed by the menu’s creativity with the sandwiches and salads. The whole grain salad was a real surprise in flavors and texture that set this place apart from others. I’ll definitely be back and avoid the typical fare served at the other locations open on Saturday here.

Great Owners just made us awesome breakfast and after we chatted about how they moved here from SoCal/​Carpinteria, they brought us a half dozen of their famous French Macaroons. OMG.
ps, the baked oatmeal is out of this world!

A year later and I FINALLY got to try Bakery Lorraine’s breakfast. During the past year, we’ve stopped in to try various macarons or their delicious pop-​tarts on occasion, but never sat down to enjoy a meal.
We came somewhat early on a Sunday (around 8:45) before the farmer’s market crowd. That was a good decision because there was no line! Yay! On the down side, they seemed to have fewer bakery options in the macaron case (no tarts, cakes, or pies, and only a few macaron flavors). I still got my favorite strawberry pop-​tart, but I’ve been dying to try one of their beautiful fruit tarts.
Anywayyyy…for breakfast we tried the baked oatmeal and the croque madame. The oatmeal was a great option, although some of the berries weren’t as ripe/​in season as I would’ve liked. The whipped cream on top was the perfect addition, however. My husband’s croque madame was SUPER yummy, and it left me wishing I had ordered one sans meat. Our coffees we ordered were also perfect, and although it’s the same coffee as Local Coffee just without the latte art, I prefer it at Bakery Lorraine.
Also, I don’t typically write updates to my reviews, but I wanted to report that their macarons are now labeled! I don’t know if that results in faster lines, but it definitely helped in our decision making since we didn’t have to ask what each flavor was.

Unilocal: You’ve checked in 3 times here. What keeps you coming back?
Me: (whispering) Shhhh. I’m dreaming of their spinach croissant. Don’t wake me.
I can’t decide if I’m super sad that there’s not a Bakery Lorraine closer to me or if I’m actually super happy that 90 minutes separates me from their flaky, yummy pastries. I do know that I actually get sad and feel bad for the people who order things from their breakfast menu and bypass the breakfast pastries. It pains me to imagine that they’ve actually done whatever it takes for them to have walked through these doors and yet they’re missing out on the flaky, buttery, spinach croissants packed with just the right amount of filling. They’re missing out on their tastebuds getting to experience the delicate play between just the right amount of salty, cheesy, spinach filling and almost too much. Pro tip: rip off the end piece and smear some of the filling on to the edge pieces. There is a right way of eating these and it’s not just leaving your significant other with the plain edges while you eat all of the glory.
The husband and I balance the salty, savory spinach croissant out with a sweet croissant. Our go to is the almond. The last time we were there, I noticed that they spread the filling in the middle by cutting the pastry in half. Instead of doing my usual tearing of the ends to dip them, I realized I could just take a knife and make sure the filling is spread evenly.
On our 2^nd visit, I tried the «cheese» croissant, which was lovely for being a raspberry croissant, had I ordered a raspberry croissant. The cheese would have been complimented by the fresh raspberries that I could see on top of the pastry, however it was completely overwhelmed by the raspberry jam that was spread inside. I dug around and eventually found the cheese, but never tasted it. I was left wishing I had gone for the chocolate hazelnut croissant as my «hey, why not give this a shot» pastry to accompany my go-​to spinach.
You may have noticed that I frequently mentioned spinach croissant. I’ve had a hard time finding a good one since falling in love with one in Seattle. I’ve searched Unilocal high and low, in all major Texas cities, and have been left with little hope. We went here because a different bakery in SA was closed for the day, not because I thought I had finally stumbled on the Texas-​answer to my favorite Seattle bakery. I’m just holding out hope that this review finds another person that is also seeking out tender envelopes of spinach and cheese filling to call breakfast.

Oh, Bakery Lorraine. I really do love this place. It is such a cute café with all the delicate, airiness you’d expect out of a lady’s tea party gathering. Seeing that it is one of the few restaurants in the Pearl area, and is the most affordable of those restaurants, Bakery Lorraine does get incredibly crowded. So if you want a more relaxed, not jam-​packed experience, then I recommend going on a weekday or later in the afternoon after 2PM when the farmer’s market has been closed for awhile.
I’ve been several times now, so I will just break this down by things that I’ve had before.
Fruit tart– Wonderful! I do love fruit tarts, and the filling that BL uses for theirs is just amazing. They also manage to make the sugar coating on top just thick enough to keep all the fruit from falling off the tart as you eat it. The crust is a little bit harder than what I’m used to, but surprisingly very pleasant nonetheless.
Macaroons– They have some really unique flavors that I love, but the flavors change fairly often, so you may not get your favorites every time. (I’m really particular towards the tea-​flavored ones like early gray and rose). The macaroons here are made really well; not as fluffy and melt in your mouth as Lauduree, but probably the best in SA.
Sandwich/​Chip lunch combo– I forget which sandwich I had. But it was exactly what I expected and wanted out of a lunch. The portions are just right, the meat is delicious. It isn’t the greatest sandwich in the world, but it’ll do the trick.

So on the Day that my Queen birthed me 37 Years ago, I visited the Lorraine Bakery with my Bestie. We squeezed in the wrong door and were politely redirected to another door by a polite customer, which placed us at the back of a decent line. The bakery was buzzing and as crescents and delicatessens crossed our path, I eagerly pressed forward to peep into the amazing display of Macaroons, Cakes, Cookies, and Treats.
The same sweetie who pointed us towards the back of the line was nice enough to even pass us a menu…(Must of Known it was my Birthday) :). The day was warm but I desired to taste everything and chase it with a large cup of hot cocoa. As I scanned the menu, the Manager Rodney appeared. My Foodie in Crime told him that it was my Birthday and First appearance at the Bakery. He welcomed us warmly and even treated your girl to a free slice of Birthday Cake. Sccoorrreeeeeee (Kicks ball through Field Goal) .
As we inched closer, I took in the Décor that lightly resembled French accents. The wooden shelves were adorned with delectable treats and every inch of the Display case left my Mouth watering and Salivating. I thought I was a kid in a Candy Store and ordered Macaroons, a Fluffy Crescent, a delicate little Snow Man treat and selected a Gorgeous piece of Red Velvet for my Birthday Cake. Rodney chatted it up with me as my eyes turned into the size of Saucers admiring the display.
In my humble opinion, food should be Aesthetic to the eyes and Appealing, Appetizing and Appeasing to the Palette. When the food looks to good to eat it, it usually is and every morsel I tasted was Decadent. I couldn’t believe I had let 37 years pass without trying a macaroon. (won’t do that again) …but upon departure I was Pleased, it was Perfect, and this place was Packed ~
After bagging up our treats we continued my Birthday Celebration across the street at Southerleighs. Both places were Fantastic and reviews and photos are Posted for your Pleasure~
Over the Moon~ Ms. Foodie

Now, I just found joy
I’m as happy as a baby boy, baby boy
With another brand new choo-​choo toy
When I met my sweet Lorraine, Lorraine, Lorraine.
— Nat King Cole
… and me after discovering Bakery Lorraine in the Pearl District of sweet, sweet, sweet San Antonio.
There’s lots and lots to love at Lorraine like
* Tarts … Chocolate, Berry, and More
* Macarons … Parisan party pleasers
* Caffeine in the form of Latte, Cappuccino, & Espresso
* Fresh Baguettes and Bread
* Cakes, Cookies, and Croissants
* Eclairs, Scones, and Pain au Chocolate
* Sandwiches and Salads
* Quiche, Breakfast, or Lunch
Olivia Z. and me went silly at the order counter just picking more and more sweet treats to try. None of them disappointed. We ate most there. Got a few to go. And, now, Bakery Lorraine has me crooning fondly for when we can go back.
Each night I pray
That no one will steal this bakery away
I can’t wait until that lucky day
When I revisit sweet Lorraine.

Cute little bakery in The Pearl area. I was visiting from out of town and my host insisted we check this place out. Glad she did! It was warm and inviting (and very busy… usually a good sign). In this case it absolutely was a good sign! Loved the simple décor and getting a table wasn’t an issue even with the crowds. If the weather had been warmer plenty of outside seating as well.
We were here on Sunday morning and the line was nearly out the door. I imagine most people come here for the macaroons, seemed like everyone had a little brown box. We also followed the bandwagon and got macaroons, so I can’t vouch for the rest of the food/​drinks here. Macaroons though were very tasty and I really enjoyed the unexpected flavors. The dark chocolate cassis and the cereal milk were our favorites.
Next time I’m in town will have to do brunch!

You need to go here for the croissants! Go! Now! They’re so fluffy and airy, it’s the biggest and best croissant I’ve ever had before. Any of the croissant sandwiches are really delicious and big enough to split with your friend. It comes with a side of potatoes.
Macarons are of course delicious too! The box that it comes in (for either the half dozen or dozen) are so pretty and sturdy and can be repurposed for something else after eating too!
Order at the counter, lots of seating, and lots of shopping to do after lunchin’!

Pearl has such cute trendy places… Bakery Lorraine is no exception! For being a quaint café that really doesn’t have very many tables, it’s a good thing that there are places to sit outside nearby to enjoy the food and drinks they sell here.
My sister and I came here for coffee and dessert after lunch, so we hopped in line and tried to poke our heads around the corner to see the display — it’s really inconveniently placed; you really can’t see what’s in the display unless you’re about to order, so for my fellow indecisive folks, just be prepared to make some last minute panicking on what to order!
We decided on 2 cups of coffee, an earl grey and cereal macaron, and a slice of red velvet: just under $ 12, which isn’t too bad for a classy place like Lorraine.
The coffee had lovely floral hints to it, and the red velvet was so luscious and moist that I couldn’t help but dig into it. The earl grey macaron had an intense tea flavor to it, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the texture for either macaron — they were certainly chewy, but they lacked the crispness in the initial bites.
The cereal macaron was really just a glorified vanilla macaron (with deceptive Fruity Pebbles in the cookie…), and after a while the top layers of the red velvet started to get greasy from all the fat in the buttercream, leaving a less than pleasant mouth feel after finishing it up.
Even though some parts of dessert weren’t the absolute best, the good parts definitely shined brightly. Bakery Lorraine is just a great way to cap off a great meal! (Next time, I’ll have to try their brunch!)

What a disappointment I had today with one of my favorite places to hang out with friends and have good quality food.
Today I had the breakfast croissant with bacon on the side; I pass the bacon to others I’m with since I don’t eat meat.
I have ordered this dish at least seven times before and have never been so disappointed with the quantity of a consistent portion. My snap shot tells it all; I think I got one egg from a healthy chicken when a normal portion is at least two eggs to cover the entire croissant at least.
Well…I don’t know the menu says: bacon, scrambled egg and cheddar on a croissant so maybe they are honoring the details of the menu .
I love the food, I hope the portion sizes don’t continue to dwindle!

My visit this morning was quite pricey of course — about $ 24 for 5 pastries. But they were very delicious. Particularly, I got a butternut squash muffin that was extremely moist and extremely delicious — yum!

Bright, beautiful space.
Order at the counter.
Help yourself to water and coffee refills.
I like how pressure-​free this place fills, even amidst the hustle and bustle.
Lovely atmosphere and yet affordably priced. You’ll love this if you are a hoochie for cake and coffee like me. 2 coffees, a red velvet cake, and 2 macarons (plus tax) for $ 12.
Macarons were lovely, but not the absolute best I’ve had; if you’ve had Bouchon’s, you get a little spoiled with macaron expectations. These are 6 for $ 12 or 12 for $ 20 in the holiday package and are wrapped beautifully! We had earl grey (really great flavor) and the cereal (not much flavor).
Red velvet cake was balanced nicely so not to be too sweet, so that was a hit with my brother, but I didn’t enjoy the texture. Beautiful in presentation.
This place is a perfect stop for a sunny day, rainy day, winter day, you name it. Would gladly come back to try other menu items.

Best Macaroon I’ve Ever Had. I had the sea salt caramel macaroon after lunch at La Gloria, and it was perfect. Melt in your mouth, soft, but the right texture for a macaroon as well.
The location of this spot is perfect, honestly, anything in Pearl right now should be killing it with sales. But this place had some really neat décor. It felt frenchy, but modern, and clean, and very put together. It was warm and inviting and there was plenty of seating and really good lighting. The staff was pretty friendly and played the part of good baker.
The desserts looked amazing, really and truly I could have gotten multiple desserts. But I chose 1 Macaroon. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars was for lack of flavors on the Macaroons. They only had about 4 choices and they were out of 1 of them. For a Saturday, you can’t run out of items. Especially on Halloween!
But if I lived in San Antonio, I’d go back! Easily!

I’ve never been so disappointed in a place as this. They have quantity not quality, it is large but not cozy for seating. Confusing setup that you have the counter on the other side of the dining area and have to pick your way through eating customers to get there just to wonder which direction the line forms. (This is from a visit 1 – 2 months ago).
Not having anything I felt was worth the price, geez at the prices, I grabbed a few small items (cookie and 2 round puffs pastries whose name escapes me as I recall this horrid visit) and sat ourselves down. The air of privileged people was thick, self importance and lack of common courtesy from other guests left a bad taste in my mouth. The parties added to that. I’ve never had such a plain tasting chocolate chip cookie in my life. I can’t describe how unremarkable it was. Soft but just not flavored, it was like eating tofu the first time at a place that didn’t understand how to use it to soak up flavors.
The only redeeming flavor here is the puffs pastries (seriously cannot remember the name right now!) Which were not overly sugared as some places are and with a huge flavor selection. Though honestly only a few flavors actually succeed in sounding good. Also the location saves their butt, and the slightly impressive water station idea they used gives credit to someone for trying to be innovative.
Not enough to draw me back, especially since the coffee tasted like it was day old leftover being tossed from a corner store.
Don’t blow your bucks here, there’s lots of places with better prices and atmosphere if you’re willing to drive/​bike a little further up Broadway.

I remember when Bakery Lorraine was a little house with the smallest parking lot. You can imagine my delight when I heard that it had expanded to a larger shop at the Pearl Brewery, full of tables and seats. There’s even a little area for water, silverware, and condiments.
Since the beginning, Bakery’s Lorraine’s macarons have been the best in town. They have a changing assortment of flavors, from cereal milk to peach matcha. If you order 6 or more, you even get them packaged in a beautiful gold box worthy of Instagram photos. When you get in line, you’ll see the baked goods already on display and a glass counter portraying the delicious sweets. Some standouts are the eclairs, peach dome, and homemade poptarts. I haven’t gotten a chance to try their coffee (Local Coffee is just next door) but my sister and I have had lunch items. She got the quiche of the day (broccoli and cheese) which was served with a side of salad and I got the ancient grains salad. Both were enjoyable and light.
Good service. The lady at the checkout was very patient and explained the details of some desserts. Another worker from the kitchen even came by our table to check on us and ask if everything was fine.
I’ve gone here on a busy Saturday where there are no seats available, to the middle of a day on a weekday (less people and a calmer ambience). Despite the time of day, if you’re in the area, I strongly recommend checking this bakery out and grabbing some macarons to go.

I’m only giving Bakery Lorraine three starts because every time I go I just stop to get macarons-​which are superb. I really really really loved the earl grey ones. That was love.
As always, its super packed and busy, which is understandable-​they do have plenty of seating outside.
I need to try and go when its not during the farmers market so its not busy and I can actually sit and have a meal there because I’m sure it is excellent (based off what I saw everyone dining on).