Boulange De Cole Valley

Doesn't Recommend

katsareswell

Joined 7 years ago

MOST MISERABLE STAFF EVER! Great pastries.... I am a nanny in Cole Valley and when I started working with this family they informed me that the kids like to go to Boulange after school on fridays for a treat..so this is our ritual. I have to admit though, every friday I absolutely dread when 3 o'clock rolls around and I know that the kids are going to start asking for Boulange. I have NEVER in my life gone to a cafe/restaurant/store/anywhere and been met with the same staff each time and consistently had horrible service. A bad day I can understand, but EVERY friday being horrible? I just dont get it. I have never seen a member of this staff smile and pleasantly greet myself or other customers. The only time I have ever seen the 20something staff seem to be enjoying themselves at work is when they are conversating with each other. I, myself, am in my 20s and have worked retail and I have never met anyone in my experience with the attitude these people have.

They are never on top of cleaning up tables or restocking condiments. The water dispensers have been empty every single time I have gone here.

The pastries here a good, but unless you want to feel uncomfortable to entire time you are eating here, I would reccommend going some place else ... you can find other cafes with pastries just as good within a few blocks.

Doesn't Recommend

twosome

Joined 5 years ago

terrible service. I have stopped going to this bakery because the staff is so rude. The pastries may be delicious but it's not worth the aggravation.

Doesn't Recommend

fraying

Joined 7 years ago

Atrocious Staff/Owner. I live a block from Boulange de Cole Valley, and really wanted to like it. The food is awesome and the atmosphere inside is lovely.

Unfortunately, every time I go, the counter staff do something so rude, I remember why I hate the place. Today the old asian lady behind the counter actually yelled at me when I couldn't remember what I ordered right away.

Put the staff on Prozac and this'll be a Cole Valley institution. Until then, avoid it unless you like abuse.

Recommends

zabss

Joined 9 years ago

great pastry, divine french toast but bad service, shaky tables***pls replace them***. ok 4 stars for the pastries and cakes. 5 for the french toast. 2 for the frittata: tasteless and loaded of potatoes, 2 for the soggy baguete ready to go, 4 for the homemade bread. Unfortunatley I have to rate the service only with 1 star. Only the middle aged lady (Linda?) and another super nice guy are always smily.The rest of the stuff is always misarable, they hardley greet you and almost never reply with a welcome to you thank you. What is wrong with the staff here?!!!! also, please change the shaky tables, most of my coffee gets spelt all over . I would give a 4 starts to this place but the bad service and the lousy table plus dirtiness around make it down to three

Recommends

jenyang

Joined 7 years ago

Attention all Francophiles and pastry lovers. I come here every weekend I can and am eating my way through the entire menu -- haven't had anything I didn't like yet. Mouthwatering pastries of all kinds, great salads that are a value, and a fun place to have a coffee and hangout (they let you stay as long as you want). Service a little hectic.

Recommends

nikita1

Joined 7 years ago

Go for the tartines, stay for the pastries. This is where I study, bring my daughter for weekend breakfasts and bring out-of-towners, especially for brunch. Everyone is always happy. The tartines (especially the salmon), salads, and soups are all wonderful -- everything tastes fresh, authentic (French), homecooked, and not oversauced or salted. The granola is sinfully good. The pastries are beautiful eyecandy as well as a delicious finish to brunch or lunch (save room!) Pluses include the lovely Euro ambiance, large farmhouse tables, coffee served in bowls, salads served on beautiful square dishes, etc. I can think of two big minuses though: long lines and big crowds on the weekends often mean simply leaving and vowing to come back before 10 am next time. The other one is the fact that they are always short-staffed and many of the staff have the absolute worst ATTITUDE. They seem to hire mostly 20something hipsters who clearly would rather be someplace else. I have been ignored, given dirty looks and hostile words by the waitstaff, who seem to regard all patrons with disdain. I wish they would at least keep a manager on hand to help out with this issue. And yet, I keep coming back. :)

Recommends

coyotl

Joined 7 years ago

excellent coffee, pastries. This is a favorite spot for locals and for people working at nearby UCSF. The bakery has excellent light from the West, and outdoor seating with a great view of the Parnassus/Cole intersection. great for people watching.

The bakery consistently has one of the best coffees in town and you get free refills. great brioches, croissants and salads.

I found the staff to be friendly, if perhaps a bit overworked.

A high quality SF bakery. I recommend it.

Doesn't Recommend

cce

Joined 7 years ago

Rude staff. Upon a staff member turning away from us mid-order, we continued to the check-out where I ordered a soda. The rude female behind the register asked if I had already ordered it, and when I said "no", she rudely raised her eyebrows and shook her head in disbelief for not having done so. The food is not bad, but the service left the worst taste. I would expect more from what appears to be an elegant establishment.

Recommends

Eric Hope

Joined 7 years ago

I Love This Place!. One of the many things that makes me LOVE my neighborhood! I only found out the ACTUAL name of the place today (up until now, I've been calling it "That French Place on the Corner". Could be confused for Zazie with that description, except that Zazie isn't on a corner). Every time I've been there, I've been delighted: absolutely LOVELY pastries, excellent coffee, served in proper porcelain cups (or bowls). Everything is very well-prepared & tasty; one of the best interpretations of French Toast I've had in a long time. This is definitely one of my favorite cafes in the neighborhood, and we have our share of nice ones! My only complaint is that it can often be difficult to get a seat, as the place is so popular & buzzing (particularly on the weekends). Don't visit this cafe, though. Because then it'll be even HARDER for me to get a seat! Stay in your own neighborhood! Boulange de Cole Valley is for US!!!

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Authentic French breads and pastries bring out the neighborhood in Cole Valley.. The Scene
It seems as if all of Cole Valley gathers at this casual eatery: parents with small children, the self-employed who use the generously sized tables as an office away from home, and those looking for tasty baked goods and great coffee.

The Food
The breads and pastries at Boulange de Cole Valley can be even better than those in France. The cannelés de bordeaux (small cakes baked in wax-lined molds) are not to be missed; neither are the macaroons, available in a variety of flavors and packages. Along with perfect pains au chocolat and baguettes, the low-key hangout serves simple meals. Tartines (open-faced sandwiches) range from the traditional charcuterie with cured meat and pickles, to the innovative jardin with eggplant, tomato and béchamel sauce. Even the croque monsieur is the real deal--its layers of cheese, ham and béchamel broiled to perfection.