Every year on June 20th, pastry lovers and devoted Francophiles alike celebrate National Kouign Amann Day—a tribute to one of the world’s most decadent and quietly legendary baked goods.
Pronounced “queen ah-MAHN,” this caramelized, buttery pastry hails from Brittany, where it was first created around 1860. Its name translates to “butter cake” in Breton, and true to form, it’s made from just five simple ingredients—flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and a generous amount of butter—via a slow, careful process of folding and baking until the dough rises and the sugar caramelizes. The result is a crusty, golden exterior with a tender, flaky interior that feels both rustic and refined.
For the second annual Kouign Amann Day, Oakland’s Starter Bakery (5804 College Ave.) is honoring the beloved baked good with creativity, flavor, and heart. Founder, CEO, and head baker Brian Wood and his team have crafted a vibrant lineup of both classic and inventive new flavors.
The pastries are a feast for the eyes—crisp, glistening, and artistically adorned or filled with indulgent touches. Each one looks almost too exquisite to eat.
Dubai Chocolate is one of this year's standout kouign amann at Starter Bakery in Oakland.(Annelies Z)
Returning is the much-anticipated Baker’s Box, a curated dozen of the bakery’s greatest hits and bold new creations, including the standout Dubai Chocolate, filled with pistachio-tahini cream and finished with chocolate ganache, crumbled pistachios, and a nod to the viral Kataifi crunch.
This year, Starter is also debuting the Oakland Pride Mini Kouign Amann Box, a joyful rainbow of seasonal flavors—Strawberry, Lemon, Pistachio, Blueberry, and Cassis Poached Pear—the proceeds from which will be donated to the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center.
“Kouign Amann Day is really a love letter—our chance to go all in on the craft, the community, and the pastry, while also giving to the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center,” says Wood.
From June 20–22, Starter’s bakery case will also feature limited-edition favorites like the Squiggle, filled with passion fruit milk chocolate ganache and topped with raspberries, and a summery Blueberry Lemon.
// Starter Bakery is open 7am to 3pm Wednesday through Friday, 7:30am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday, starterbakery.com
Kouign amann at B. Patisserie(Courtesy of @bpatisserie)
Looking for more kouign amann spots to satiate your craving? To honor this rich tradition, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to find them—whether you're in search of the authentic taste of Brittany or a modern twist on a timeless treat.
B. Patisserie
The iconic B. Patisserie is celebrating the big day too, with delightful selections that include banana, strawberry lemonade, piña colada, caramel apple, tropical smoothie, mango chamoy, key lime pie, blueberry yogurt, and peach apricot. // 2821 California St. (Lower Pacific Heights), instagram.com/bpatisserie
Craftsman + Wolves
This Mission favorite has a range of viennoiserie delights, including two kouign amann flavors—traditional with demerara sugar and their seasonal selection: passion alfajores with strawberry-peach confiture and oolong tea ganache. // Multiple locations, craftsman-wolves.com
Flour + Branch
This chic little gem of a bakery/cafe pairs charming ambiance with their kouign amann. Select from vanilla bean custard, strawberry rose compote, or Nutella. // 493 3rd St. (South Beach), flourandbranch.com
For flaky, buttery goodness, head to Arsicault for a traditional or raisin kouign. // Multiple locations, arsicault-bakery.com
Kouign amann at Craftsman and Wolves(Courtesy of @craftsmanwolves)
