"Allons-y! In the City by the Bay, it's Maison Danel!"

Check out Maison Danel on the iconic show "Check, Please! Bay Area!" Diners discuss their favorites that span the gamut: Afternoon Tea, sweet and savory croissants, the Paris–San Francisco pâtisserie, French comfort food classics like the French Onion Soup, Duck Confit and Bœuf Bourguignon, our sparkling Crémant d'Alsace . . . and more!

"This San Francisco chocolate croissant made me feel like 'Emily in Paris'"

There is a scene in “Emily in Paris” where Emily enters a boulangerie, orders a pain au chocolat in painfully butchered French, and immediately sinks her teeth into the pastry. Her eyes grow wide, she blinks rapidly, and her lips part into a comical “O” shape.

“Oh my god,” she gasps. 

"Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate Last Week"

Of all the indoor dining experiences to miss during the pandemic, afternoon tea has to come in at the top — it might be cozy at home, but it can be dazzling in person. Which is why I was so grateful to finally have the opportunity to set foot inside Maison Danel, the newish patisserie and salon de thé on Polk. Husbands and owners Danel and David de Betelu went over the top with the space, which sparkles with blues and silvers, not least an enormous chandelier hanging over the glass pastry case. And the afternoon tea was a treat, with the tea poured from Blue Willow pots, and mini croissant sandwiches and sweets stacked up three tiers high. It’s a lovely place to take your mother, or godmother, or really anyone, for tea and a catch up. — Becky Duffett, deputy editor
— Full Story on Eater SF (July 23, 2021)

Parlez-vous français? Listen to Chef Danel's interview with the French national radio, France Bleu!

Né à Biarritz, il a fait une partie de sa scolarité à Saint Bernard à Bayonne. Ce biarrot a décidé au début des années 2000 de s'installer à San Francisco, "sur un coup de tête" comme il nous le dit. Il vient d'ouvrir une boulangerie, pâtisserie dans San Francisco, où LA CHOCOLATINE fait "un carton".
— Listen at France Bleu (July 17, 2021)

Our Paris-San Francisco is #1 on the 7x7 Big Eat list!

Maison Danel's Paris-San Francisco is an updated take on the iconic Paris-Brest pastry. The best part? It's gluten free!
— 7x7 (March 1, 2021)

"The Flakiest, Butteriest Croissants in SF"

This Parisian-inspired patisserie and tea salon opened at the beginning of 2020, with an oversized chandelier hanging over a sparkling pastry case. Husband-and-husband partners Danel and David de Betelu previously owned Baker Street Bistro, and Danel is the chef, who takes pride in his slow-simmered beef stock, while David comes from brand marketing, and designed the pretty packaging. The croissants are blonde and crisp, with a honeycomb interior and clean taste of butter. The indecisive can pick up a box of assorted minis, filled with everything from chocolate twists to raisin snails. But the smoked salmon sandwich is the standalone favorite, spread with whipped mascarpone and layered with lox.
— Eater SF (February 17, 2021)

"This was Most Beautiful Takeout San Francisco Restaurants Served"

The sparkling new patisserie and tea salon was always planning to have pretty boxes and bags, although they probably weren’t expecting to have to rely on them entirely. Still, Maison Danel has managed to fit the entire tea room experience into a box, layered with smoked salmon sandwiches, mini croissants, sweets, and bubbles.
— Eater SF (December 21, 2020)

"Maison Danel Reopens With Parisian-Style Croissants in Pretty Packaging"

Finally, some good news for croissant lovers. Maison Danel, Polk Street’s newest patisserie and tea salon, is reopening this weekend for takeout and delivery. When Maison Danel reopens this Friday, it will be for takeout and delivery only, with a tidily trimmed down menu, a few exciting new offerings, and pretty packaging. That means croissants, in classic butter, pain au chocolat, chausson aux pommes (apple turnovers), and pain aux raisins (raisin swirls). Their afternoon tea will also still be available to take home, decked out with mini croissants, finger sandwiches, and loose leaf rose and jasmine tea.
— Full Story on Eater SF (July 15, 2020)

"Worthy Desserts and Treats for Takeout in San Francisco"

Opt for a box of almost too pretty to eat macarons, buttery pain au chocolat, chausson au pommes, or an entire tarte—plus mouth watering savory eats including charcuterie and cheese plates, Niçoise salads, and croque madames. DIY afternoon tea at home (bonus points if you dress up!) complete with mini sandwiches, sweets, and loose leaf tea by ordering the Le Classique Box, or the L'Eugenie with a half bottle of crémant to go with.
— 7x7 (Aug 10, 2020)

"Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week"

It’s not every day of the week you get invited to a croissant party. Maison Danel, a sparkly new patisserie and salon de thé, invited a few friends in for Champagne and snacks in anticipation of their opening next Tuesday. It’s my favorite kind of party: They rolled out every type of croissant, from chocolate twists and raisin snails to ham and cheese and smoked salmon. Dear reader, I ate them all, and in this croissant lover’s humble opinion, they were classic. While a Tartine croissant is incredibly dark and shatters on impact, and an Arsicault croissant is an epic butter bomb, in contrast, these were blonde and crisp, with a honeycomb interior and a clean taste of butter. 1030 Polk Street — Becky Duffett, reporter
— Eater SF (February 14, 2020)

"Maison Danel brings the Afternoon Tea Experience to San Francisco, along with a Wealth of Croissants"

The scene at the newly opened Maison Danel in San Francisco seems almost ripped out of a European travel guide: a gleaming, showstopping chandelier hangs over pastry cases packed with madeleines, pain aux raisins and croissants of all kinds, as three-tiered stands of pastries and finger sandwiches adorn the tables that draw diners in for afternoon tea.

— Full story on SFGATE (February 20, 2020)

"The Très Charmant Maison Danel" 

Hey, Polk Street, you’ve got a couple cute new spots on your drag! Who knew a former sex shop and smoke shop would transform into the très charmant Maison Danel, a French-style salon de thé (tea salon) and patisserie? There are exposed brick walls, tiled floors, a cobalt blue tufted banquette, upholstered Louis-style chairs that encourage you to sit and linger, a huge sparkling chandelier, and lots of natural light. The classic style is well-appointed and welcoming, without being too fussy.

It’s from husbands Danel and David de Betelu (the owners of Baker Street Bistro), who have wanted to open a pâtisserie/tea salon for years, and have brought on pastry chef Adrien Chabot, fresh from Paris. The extensive pastry case is full of viennoiserie—from all kinds of croissants to chausson aux pommes (apple turnover)—while the pâtisserie options include delicate macarons that actually made me like them again, tartes, and a version of pot de crème made with milk (pot de lait) that was lighter and lovely. I look forward to trying Chabot’s Saint Honoré. You can also have items packed up in cute boxes—perfect host gifts.

— Full story on tablehopper (February 25, 2019)

"Maison Danel Swings Open with a Sparkling Array of French Pastries" 

The new patisserie and tea salon opens next week with croissants, macarons, afternoon tea, and more
— Full story on Eater SF (February 10, 2020)

"Maison Danel channels Parisian Tea Salons in San Francisco"

. . . a new destination for all sorts of viennoiseries, tarts and macarons, along with full afternoon tea service as well as breakfast and lunch.

It’s a lot to offer, but owners and husbands Danel and David de Betelu are steadfast in their vision: to create a Parisian-style tea salon with classic French elegance, both in the food and the presentation.

— Full story on SF Chronicle (February 17, 2020)

"New Parisian-Style Tea Salon Promises Elegant Pastries for Polk Street" 

Maison Danel will be offering croissants, macarons, and afternoon tea in a stylish setting
— Full story on Eater SF (December 13, 2019)