Sarmentine - Organic French Bakery — Restaurant in Petaluma

French fantasy meets road trip reality. Also: croissants were harmed in the making of this review.

Our first morning in Petaluma. My wife, the culinary connoisseur, fluent in both sarcasm and salad pairings, and lover of all things Parisian, was still under the covers, eyes barely open, when she whispered her love language: "I need a croissant."

Challenge accepted.

I hopped in the car, channeling my inner delivery knight, and followed the buttery scent trail all the way to Sarmentine. A jewel box of French-baked temptation, where the pastry case gleamed like a glass-encased promise and the vibe whispered bonjour in buttery undertones.

The lineup? A caffeine-lover's dream. Cappuccinos, cortados, Americanos, chai lattes, and matcha, all proudly poured with Straus Organic Milk and handwritten with elegance on a gilded chalkboard. You could practically feel the Parisian sidewalk breeze just standing in line.

And me? I don't even drink coffee. True story. I never acquired a taste for it. But I brew it daily like a barista with a wedding ring.

But I stayed focused, heroic, really.

I secured three croissants. Two classic buttery croissants: golden, impossibly flakey, and warm enough to make angels hum. One for each of us. I also purchased one chocolate croissant for us to share: tender and crisp, with layers that unfolded like a buttery accordion playing the French national anthem.

And for the queen herself? A large Americano, black, strong, smooth, and no nonsense, just like her.

I returned to our hotel, bearing the sacred goods like I'd just crossed pastry Valhalla. I whispered, "Your breakfast has arrived." She sat up like Sleeping Beauty smelling espresso. First bite of the croissant? Eyes closed. Sigh released. Marriage re-certified.

It was everything she wanted, and a flakey mess. The croissant crumbled like a delicate love letter all over the bed. Sheets? Toasted. Pillows? Lightly buttered. She laughed mid-bite and said, "Worth it." Then took another.

We split the chocolate croissant like international diplomats. 50/50. No crumbs wasted. The chocolate was rich but not too sweet, tucked into folds of dough that crunched and melted in perfect harmony. We were both smitten.

TL;DR: Sarmentine is where buttery dreams rise, espresso flows like poetry, and your wife's sleepy croissant craving becomes a full-on romantic moment. Even if it leaves a trail of crumbs across the duvet. Whether you're a road-tripping Texan or a local in need of edible elegance, this is the place.

Pro Tip: Buy more than two pastries. Trust me. One bite in, and you'll wish you brought a bakery box and...

It’s hard to obtain a 5-star rating when Della Fattoria and Stellina Pronto are just a two-minute drive away. While the selection of pastries is unique compared to many bakeries (though not in Sonoma County), the quality is average.

The piano is a nice addition to the ample seating (tables and a few booth/chair combo tables) but the interior lacks personality.

Service (counter service only) was fine; staff was nice but made several errors and though tables were cleared they were not sanitized.

The food: Many items are made with organic flour. The quiche Lorraine was lacking; our slice had two slices of broccoli and there was no meat. The epi baguette was good, and in a pinch I would order it again. Croissants: not much lamination. The plum croissant was fine - nothing special. The almost croissant tasted like it was made with artificial almond extract and the consistency (and color) of the filling was bizarre (watery and orange). The croissant had been sliced open to add the almond spread. The almond pear tartlet had a delicious crust but it was not flaky (slightly overworked), the flavor of the pear was completely lost, and it tasted as if we were eating a roll of marzipan. The hazelnut Paris-Brest was lacking in Hazelnut flavor, though the flavor of fresh cream was noticeable. Unfortunately, the pastry seemed slightly stale, as though it had been stored in a refrigerator for several days.

The coffee was very bitter (try Stellina coffee for comparison).

To summarize:

Sarmentine is a mid-tier option for pastries comparable to Tim Hortons, or slightly below Illy, if you’ve been to Europe.

I wouldn’t go back unless I needed a baguette and the local bakeries...

I’ve been to Sarmentine about 4 times now and the pastries and breads are top tier! I also enjoy their drip coffee (served in an actual mug, nice and hot, very flavorful). We had an almond croissant, chocolate almond croissant, and each a slice of the quiche Lorraine. You can tell all of the ingredients are quality and I appreciate they have organic options. The croissants were flakey, delicious, plenty of filling, and fresh! The quiche Lorraine was very fluffy with great flavor and crust. The critique I have is that every time I order an item that needs to be warm, it is never warmed in the middle. It seems they haven’t mastered heating the fridge items. The last time I went (about 6 months before this visit), I was pregnant and needed the meat in the center to be completely heated through for health reasons. I took it back and they couldn’t warm it further because I already had consumed part of it so they offered me a new item more warmed but it still was a bit cold in the center. Today, when we ordered the quiche, it was also the same cool temperature in the center. I ended up taking it to go so I could warm it at home. I also notice that they still struggle with the front desk staff. It wasn’t busy when we went and the staff seemed unorganized (ie: poured us the wrong coffee after asking us a couple times, needing to remind them which pastry we wanted). I hope after more time they are able to have a better flow in their service operations. Overall, I think this is a very quality place to grab some bread and...