Craftsman and Wolves

After such a long time, I finally made my first visit to craftsman and wolves. I came here on a day when I got my car serviced at the nearby Nissan and it made a nice little stroll to get some pastries!
The rebel within: ⁴⁄₅: I can definitely see the hype for this and was pleased by how good it was. The only gripe I had was the pungent cheese smell, it was a bit overwhelming. But other than that once you cut into this muffin and the egg oozes out its so damn tasty! I didn’t try it with any of the jalapeño salt but this was flavorful, savory and so tasty! I would go for another one!
I really wanted to try some of their cookies but they said they don’t normally come to this location until almost 11am. That was a bit of a bummer since I wanted the matcha snicker doodle and some of the other baked good I had seen from pictures! I did get my sister a blueberry kouign aman and a croissant, she said she thought they were okay and said B. Patisserie does better kouign aman and croissants.
I did see quite a few cakes on display, next time I come back I definitely want to try a cake they looked so pretty and would probably go really well with the sipping chocolate!
Definitely worth another visit and hopefully I’ll be able to try more baked goods!
Total for 3 items: $ 15

This is a cool blend of upscale neighborhood coffee house and a patisserie. From hearty quiche to kougn aman pastries (and other baked goodies in between!) this places mixes great noshes and caffeine. Today there was also a special promo… Tillamook had a van full of ice creams to sample and there was even a promo to get a $ 1 off root beer floats and affocato (espresso over ice cream scoop). This fun special event was a great reason to come and visit this cool little coffee house and soak up the atmosphere and rub shoulders with the fun staff and the locals alike. Met some nice neighbors. And it’s down the street from Cheese Plus (another cool local shop). Will definitely be back next time I am in the Polk ‘hood.

It’s usually really hard for me to decide what kinds of places to give five stars on Unilocal,especially as the chronic overthinker that I am. But when I went into Craftsman and Wolves this morning, saw the beautiful pastries and desserts behind the case/​counter, and had my first bite of The Rebel Inside, I knew: this is a five-​star kinda place.
I arrived bright and early at opening time, so the place was definitely clean & quiet. I was greeted with good service as I made the ~monumentally difficult~ decision of what to order. I was a bit scared that The Rebel Within would be just a kinda gimmicky item that wouldn’t actually taste great, but when I actually cut it half (perfectly runny yolk!) and had a bite, I was so deliciously wrong. It was heated up/​toasted to the point where it felt like it was fresh out of the oven, and my expectations were surpassed. I also tried the matcha snickerdoodle, which was good and very flavorful but I just don’t think matcha flavor is quite my favorite (I much prefer it in drinks). But the quality was still clearly there and I enjoyed it.
Having breakfast at CAW was the little morning pick-​me-​up that put me in a great mood for the entire day while at work (is it sad or spectacular that breakfast can bring me such joy?). It’s one of those places that I know I’m going to drag my family and friends out to try — a true indicator that it’s ~*super awesome*~.

After re-​visiting Craftsman and Wolves, b Patisserie, Le Marais, Neighbor Bakehouse & Mr. Holmes, I am convinced that Craftsman is one of the best of the best.
Their Kouign-​amann is my all time favorite now. Even more than b Patisserie’s because its less flaky/​falls apart but rather is more decadent, soft, chewy, buttery-​perfection.
Also no one can compare with Craftsman’s tarts and desserts. They are not only amazingly delicious but they are absolutely beautiful.
My go-​to spot when I’m craving something sweet!

(I thought this place is The Den, but it isn’t :P)
Love craftsman & wolves and excited to drop by the new location! Not much different, except maybe less pastry items like chocolate sourdough?
Maybe due to less customers compare to the Valencia location, so there are still rebel within left in the afternoon: P
Very small, similar amount of sitting spaces (though some a bit tight), cool décor.

Finally made it here for a rebel within. It is definitely a cool idea and it was fun to cut open the muffin and find the egg. But I didn’t think the muffin was all that great. So, 5 stars for creativity and magic.

The Rebel Within is to die for. Coffee was on point. Went in around 8am on a Wednesday and there was no wait.

Their café is clean and modern and the décor had a nice contrast. Everything was neatly put in the case and it just looked pretty. We ordered a Matcha Snickerdoodle which had an interesting taste. It had what tasted like hints of lemon. The texture was more like a Snickerdoodle and the Matcha was really subtle.
DO NOT ORDER THE ESPRESSO! My dad ordered a single shot and it was the worst tasting espresso any of us have ever tasted! It was bitter and tangy to the point where as soon as it hit your tongue you wanted to spit it out!

Hipster place… for sure…
That being said, their bakery items are phenomenal though, but I it’s on the pricey side. $ ⁶⁄₇ for a small little strawberry lychee tart on sable breton cookie? It is SO tiny with a few strawberries and a MINISCULE amount of lychee cream. The lychee cream was really good though and had a decent flavor, but again was so tiny. The blueberry earl gray tart was really good and the earl gray cream was not overpowering, so it had a nice floral aroma to it.
Strawberry laminated brioche is $ 12, and I’d recommend buying this only if you like brioche, or have too much money to spend. I thought it was definitely a good brioche, but not something I’d spend $ 12 on again unless I was dying to have brioche…

We ordered the turkey sandwich — Amazing. The dark chocolate passion fruit cake — to die for. Was gonna take it to go but was curious and started eating. Ended up buying a second round of both plus a strawberry tart (soooo good). As I was paying I saw the sipping chocolate and had to buy a bag to take home. The super sweet woman that was working offerred to give me one on her so I would get to try it right away… maaaaannnnnnn!!! It was sooo good, served with strawberry lemonade marshmellows… homy goodness! I was in Heaven. We stumbled upon this cafebon accident and Im so happy we did! I would recommend this to EVERYONE! When we come back to the city, will definitely make this a must stop!

I’ve said it numerous times… my 5^th star is only for Michelin Star restaurants. but since Michelin Stars are usually not given to dessert shops… this place definitely deserves my 5^th star. Everything I have ordered from this place was always sooo goood! From the Rebel Muffin to the Tarts, Chocolate Chip cookies to the Matcha Snicker doodles… mmm. the Matcha Snicker doodles! I truly hope this place never changes. at least not until I’ve tried the entire menu :)

We stumbled upon Craftsman and Wolves through a random Unilocal search for coffee. The mocha was excellent. We also ordered a slice of veggie quiche and a Rebel Within Muffin. Both were so delicious and tasty! The Rebel Within had a hard boiled egg with a runny egg yolk inside the muffin. How did they do that? I’m not a fan of egg yolk, but it didn’t ruin the muffin for me. Everything looks so tasty! I would come here all the time if I lived in SF.
Wonderful service and very clean café.

I’m a sucker for anything that comes out from CAW. Having frequented their Mission spot on a regular basis, coming to their newest spot in Nob Hill/​Pac Heights was a real treat. In stopping to pick up a few goodies for gifts, I couldn’t resist buying the chocolate sourdough loaf. There’s bread, and then there’s chocolate bread. Nothing bad happens and everyone wins with chocolate bread. I also picked up some granola for good measure. Use the Unilocal check-​in feature to get 15% off too!

I much prefer this location to the overcrowded Mission one.
My friend and I came here at 9am on a Saturday expecting to be inundated by a long line; however, we were pleasantly surprised that the line was nonexistent.
The café boasts a modern yet homey vibe with a few communal tables. Contradictory to the plethora of Unilocal reviews, my favorite item here is not the Rebel within… it’s the morning bun. The bun is light, flaky and extremely buttery.
A few other noteworthy items are the twice baked croissant and the matcha snickerdoodle.
All in all, Craftsman is a solid bakery to hit up on a fine Saturday or Sunday morning for some baked goodies and a caffeine pick me upper.
Happy Eating, Unilocalers!

I’ve been on a mission to find the best coffee spot in Russian Hill, going to a new one every day for the last week. Craftsman and Wolves has hit every major point you look for in a coffee shop: location, cleanliness, taste, customer service, etc.
Right off the bat, just walking up to the shop, you feel a sense of welcoming. It’s a place that definitely belongs in Russian Hill and fits with the vibe I’ve felt in my 2+ years of working in this area. It has a very modern feel to it– hipster like– but that’s by no means a bad thing. It’s very clean inside, there’s ample room for sitting down and interesting decorations on the wall– for example there’s a bicycle. No, seriously, they hung up a bicycle on their wall and it looks awesome (check out my picture).
Other than the cozy ambiance, the food here is incredible. I feel like rating coffee shops is not an easy task. Many of them are very similar in terms of coffee, food, ambiance. You usually find yourself repeating similar things in the reviews. That is definitely not the case here. The coffee here is top notch. I truly haven’t had a better cup in this area since I started my mission (that I stated in the beginning). Also, I love that they provide soy milk. Many places do, but I like that they put the soy milk out on the counter so you can actually choose how much you want– I’m typically a person who puts a bit more than most.
The staff here are great people. They are attentive, easy to approach, and they make an amazing cup of coffee. Now don’t even get me started on their carrot infused chocolate muffin. I won’t even spoil the ending for you. All I’ll say is that you need to try it!
Final verdict: between the nice staff, the fantastic coffee and the pastries that will satisfy your sweet tooth, this is a spot that you no doubt need to try if you’re in the Russian Hill area. They offer affordable prices for above average quality and really put thought into the running of their shop. You won’t be disappointed.

So happy they open a coffee and bakery near me. This place is totally charming. Smaller but perfect addition to the neighborhood. I been to the location in the mission but love this one way more. The selection is smaller here but thats okay. They do need a little work on the lattes/​coffee drinks. Their pastries are good, their kouign amann was flanky, perfect with coffee. Also got the Rebel, one of those and you will be full all afternoon. Yum! Their prosciutto sandwich was just okay. Maybe because I’m not a fan of sweet and savory. But if you are, I think you will love it.
Love their COCONUT BANANA BREAD! Delicious! So happy, now in Russian Hill!

Yes, if you asked me right now, this matcha snickerdoodle is my favorite at CAW. They are so easy to eat and very addicting.
I also order the rebel within for that soft cooked egg in the middle surrounded by asiago, green onion, and sausage. It was good, but could be better if it was warm-​up a little longer.
The chai latte was good too!
I hope you give this tasty bakery place a try. A must visit in the neighborhood. Cheers!

It’s always a little nerve wracking when a second location of a place you like opens up. The expectations are high and consistency is questioned. Janice and I finished a delicious but smaller portion brunch at nearby 1760. We were excited to see a new CAW close by and were craving some baked goods.
Nicer service, slightly calmer but smaller selection. We did come in after 3, but were surprised to see the Rebel Within sold out. I also asked about the Devil Without but the gentleman says he believes that’s not being made any more as it was probably a seasonal item. The employees said that they ran out of a number of items. Janice didn’t find a savory item that tickled her fancy. We agreed that the Buche de Noël looked great, but it was small and at $ 50 was too pricey. Though the layout isn’t as seamless as the Valencia one the setting is more inviting.
I decided on bringing back home to share a kouign amann with the hubby. We all know who reigns supreme for kouign amann, B. patisserie! The kouign amann was a good size and had a ball of chocolate ganache and a thin logoed chocolate piece on top of it in the middle. I enjoyed the chocolate and the layers, it was also not overly sweet. However it was a little on the tough side. I got a fork for it but I really just had to pull the layers apart with my fingers or just take bites into it.
So the last time I went to the original Valencia street location I found a curly hair in my rebel within and they were so rude about it. Didn’t see any hair in the pastry and the employees here seem a lot friendlier. If the kouign amann was a little softer and if they had more selection I would rate it closer to a 4. Hopefully next time I come back, they’ll have more selection, or at least not run out of that delish rebel within.

Craftsman and Wolves is my go to spot for a midweek pick me up. They serve up stylish high quality pastries and drinks. I’m totally digging the new location and am thrilled to have another option than fighting with Valencia St that can be packed at times.
I always have to have The Rebel Within. I love the concept and it consistently has such great flavor along with the gorgeous yolk porn that I swoon over.
I tried their Sipping Chocolate which was perfect for the chilly windy day in San Francisco. Rich but not overly sweet and it was the perfect amount.
Staff is friendly but my only complaint is the whole counter situation is a little awkward. I didn’t know who would serve me or where to go. Seems like they need to work out the kinks on that one.
Be aware seating is limited and the place is small.
Other than that keep up the yolk game because I’m in love.

Here’s my yummy list for CAW:
Regular French-​style baguette: crisp exterior & chewy interior for a classic bread experience (grade = B+)
Matcha green tea cookies: flavorful matcha with chewy texture & chunks of candied ginger (grade = A+); best thing I ate — delicious & innovative
Chocolate chip cookie: very thin, crisp exterior with layered Valrhona chocolate. I thought I wouldn’t like it but the taste & texture were very good! (grade = A)
Pâté de fruit: candied fruit that was very juicy & flavorful but not overly (grade = A)