Atwater Village’s Proof Bakery makes itself known long before the storefront comes into view, casting the heady scent of hot, buttery croissants and chocolate chip cookies into the vicinity. The worker-owned cooperative has grown into a chronically busy local favorite for its overflowing pastry case of picturesque cakes, focaccia sandwiches layered with shaved mortadella, and flaky biscuits flecked with chive and Gruyère. Even more than a decade after opening, Proof tends to sell out every day; by mid-morning the options can be scant, meaning this is a bakery worth waking up early for.
Young Atwater parents with their Nuna strollers out for a morning walk and coffee, television writers escaping the Burbank studio bubble for a mid-day sandwich, and regulars swinging by for an 11 a.m. Americano.
After picking up pastries, head across the street to shoppy shop Wine + Eggs for artisanal tea towels, fig-shaped candles, and a wide selection of wine.
Lunch sandwiches don’t come out until 11:30 a.m.; if hellbent on securing one, be sure to time your arrival with when they hit the case, as they tend to move quickly.