Nestled in San Francisco's Japantown, Jina Bakes is a delightful women-owned bakery famed for its inventive pastries, cozy vibe, and must-try delicacies like the Kalbijjim croissant and creamy mango panna cotta.
"The bakery innovator who first put kalbijjim short rib stew inside a croissant, Jina Bakes opened an official storefront in fall 2021, making the former pop-up permanent. The French-Korean bakery expanded its menu to include a chewy injeolmi croissant topped with a rice cake and dusted in soybean powder; cream puffs filled with black sesame or hojicha cream filling; and the banoffee croissant, a croissant with bananas, toffee sauce, and whipped cream." - Dianne de Guzman, Becky Duffett, Eater Staff
"This modern bakery pulls sweet and savory pastries out of the oven six days a week. Expect a menu of Japanese-inspired baked goods such as the locally famous kalbijjim croissant, which comes topped with Korean spicy braised short ribs and melted mozzarella cheese. Other fan favorites include the injeolmi croissant, dusted in roasted soybean powder; matcha, black sesame, and hojicha-filled cream puffs; and slices of burnt Basque cheesecake." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff
"The kalbijjim croissant from this Japan Center Mall bakery is filled with umami-packed short rib from nearby Daeho, topped with mozzarella, and torched until charred. It’s savory-sweet perfection, and there’s nothing else like it in the city. This place also does other flawless Korean- and Japanese-inspired pastries, like the squishy butter mochi that has just the right touch of vanilla, seasonal kouign amann with sugary, golden-brown shells, and injeolmi croissants covered in stretchy rice cake. Grab one of each to go. " - julia chen 1, lani conway
"Tucked inside the Japan Center Malls next to the AMC Kabuki 8, you’ll find Jina Bakes: a quaint bakery serving up memorable pastries with a Japanese and Korean twist. The kalbijjim croissant is a must: a collaboration with nearby Daeho boasting their spicy braised short ribs, vegetables and torched mozzarella cheese. If you’re looking for even more traditional Korean flavors, reach for the injeolmi croissant, Jina’s delightfully stretchy, chewy pastry dusted in roasted soybean powder. Headed there on the weekend? Be sure to snag one of their cream puffs filled with matcha, hojicha, or black sesame cream." - Lena Park, Eater Staff
"The kalbijjim croissant from Jina Bakes will change your life. It’s stuffed with well-spiced short rib (made at Daeho), and topped with mozzarella cheese that's torched until bubbly and charred. It's just one of many examples that show off the Japantown bakery's pastry wizardy, and balanced flavors that typically involve a Japanese or Korean twist (never leave without a bag of butter mochi). Cream puffs are generously filled with hojicha or matcha cream, and perfectly stretchy injeolmi croissants are covered in chewy rice cake and roasted soybean powder. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez
