The best gluten free bakery in the San Francisco Bay Area is also dairy free and next to a salty ocean breeze that offers a splendid respite from the city.

Saltwater Bakery

Oh the things a mom will do to keep her baby healthy and happy. 

That is how Saltwater Bakery in Pacifica came to be.  It is both gluten-free and dairy free because her baby couldn’t handle either.

Momma bear is Tawyna Marsh, who started baking gluten free treats for her baby in 2010, then started selling wholesale to cafes in San Francisco. 

In December 2017, she opened a store front in Pacifica and decided to sell coffee and drinks too. 

You can read the whole scoop on her journey on The Six Fifty.

Worth getting out of bed for:

• The gluten-free blueberry muffin ($3) is lighter and fluffier than expected.  Yay!
• They serve non-coffee lattes, called “Wellness lattes” made with almond milk, honey, coconut oil, and MCT oil.  The Harvest Moon one has turmeric inside ($6) and is a yummy yellow color.

Might stay in bed because…

• The vegan donuts are not fried.  They’re faux-nuts.  Baked like muffins in a donut shaped pan and topped with icing.
• The chocolate brownie bread has an off cocoa flavor that could have used some more brownie love.

The textures of the sweet loaves are what one would expect from gluten-free goods.  Denser and heavier than goods baked with flour. 

The loaves come in banana, pumpkin, lemon poppy seed, and chocolate brownie flavors for $3 a slice.

A Gluten Free Gem

Despite the potential quirks, this bakery is a gem. 

Gluten-free bakeries are few and far between even isn the San Francisco Bay Area. 

This one brings fresh baked goods and artisan, pour-over coffee to an otherwise quiet street with not a whole lot else going on. 

In addition to their wellness lattes, they also have organic espresso drinks.

Stop by for a hot cup of something before heading out to the Pacifica Pier or nearby Mori Point for a morning stroll along the beach. 

The bakery is just one block from the waves and all the men fishing at the pier. 

In addition, the beach and hike are dog friendly, so you can bring the pooch.

Bathroom Situation:

There is no bathroom, but there are public restrooms at the Pacifica Pier one block away on Beach Blvd.

Saltwater Bakery Facebook page

1905 Palmetto Ave, Pacifica, CA 94044

Open Wed-Sun, Closed Mon-Tue