Some San Franciscans argue that the butter croissants from Sandbox Bakery, Patisserie Philippe, or Starter are the city's best. Others will tell you the city lacks a proper croissant. Greg Mindel, a baker who has worked at Spruce and, more recently, William Werner's defunct Tell Tale Preserve Co., is entering the fight, channeling his considerable talents in to a new, croissant-based venture.
Mindel's new bakery, Neighbor, is currently selling wholesale croissants and other pastries to local coffee shops. "There aren't many great croissants in San Francisco," Mindel told SF Weekly via e-mail, "so I thought I could provide some. Croissants are the world between bread and pastry."
Mindel's decision to start Neighbor derived from his desire to open a brick-and-mortar pastry shop and his lack of start-up funds. The idea for the name "Neighbor" derives from Mindel always being "the neighbor who bakes and then drops it off with his friends. Neighbor is something I thought of because food for me is about community, celebration, and sharing." Mindel continues, "Eventually, I really want to be that bakery in a neighborhood making great food, allowing the food and the craft to speak for itself."
At present, Mindel is baking in a commercial kitchen in the Dogpatch, and plans to organize pop-ups showcasing his current selections as well as some new items, about which he's still being secretive. His lineup includes traditional croissants, pistachio-and-blackberry-jam croissants, and mushroom-Manchego tarts.
Those curious about Neighbor's croissant offerings can now find them at Sightglass, Four Barrel, and Cafe Sophie. "My goal," Mindel says, "is to sail this ship into open waters and see where it takes me."
