A few years into the life of the bakery, Liz and Chad applied their magic to Bar Tartine, an intimate place they opened around the corner that satiated their desire to serve more savory items, such as beef tartare on toast. (In 2015, the couple sold Bar Tartine to its current executive chefs, Nick Balla and Cortney Burns.) The Tartine brand enjoys countless accolades, ranging from regular praise in the San Francisco Chronicle to a pair of highly coveted James Beard awards, including one for their first cookbook, Tartine. In total, the team has published four popular cookbooks—all fit for coffee table display—and Tartine Bread, the follow up to Tartine, has become a modern manual for at-home bread makers.
Yes, amid the swell of reverential praise from fierce foodies and top culinary publications alike, Tartine Bakery has earned the right to posture as a jewel box, a place that is precious and exclusive. Thankfully, it has intentionally chosen to remind you that it is first and foremost a bakery, the kind you might find in your own neighborhood.
