Both Levain Bakery and Tartine Bakery offer high-quality baked goods, but they cater to different preferences. Levain Bakery is ideal for those seeking indulgent, oversized cookies and a warm, rustic atmosphere. Tartine Bakery is better suited for those who appreciate artisanal breads, a wider variety of pastries, and a commitment to organic and locally sourced ingredients. Price and seating availability should also be considered when choosing between the two.
| Attribute | Levain Bakery | Tartine Bakery |
|---|---|---|
| Bread Variety | Baguette, whole wheat, raisin walnut, country bread, pan breads, soft breads, sourdough breads (leavened using a cultivated sourdough starter) | Offers a variety of brown breads daily, including an 'ancient loaf' with heirloom grains, a porridge loaf, and a loaf with sprouted grains. Uses grains like einkorn, emmer, kamut, quinoa, and buckwheat. Country bread has gained cult status. Other breads include Sourdough Baguette, Country White Sourdough, 4 Seeds Sourdough, Multigrain Sourdough, and more. |
| Cookie Flavors | Chocolate Chip Walnut, Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, Two Chip Chocolate Chip, Vegan & GF Chocolate Chip Walnut, Rocky Road (seasonal), Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip (seasonal), Lemon Cookie (online exclusive, seasonal) | Known for their Chocolate Chunk Cookie. Also offer Salted Chocolate-Rye Cookies. |
| Pastry Selection | Banana Chocolate Chip Slice/Loaf, Lemon Slice/Loaf, Sour Cream Coffee Cake Slice/Loaf, Blueberry Muffin, Brioche (plain, chocolate chip, or cinnamon butter), Oatmeal Raisin Scone, Raisin Sticky Bun, Walnut Sticky Bun | Known for pastries, including croissants, morning buns, and pain au chocolat. Other pastries include Frangipane Croissant, Double Pain Au Chocolat, Buttermilk Scones, and Tea Cake. |
| Cake Options | Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Banana Chocolate Chip Slice/Loaf, Lemon Slice/Loaf | Cake options include Passion Fruit German Cake, Coconut Cream Tart, Lemon Meringue Cake, Tres Leches Cake, Chocolate Souffl Cake, and Devil's Food Cake. Special order cakes are available with seven days' notice. |
| Gluten-Free Options | Vegan & GF Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie (baked alongside regular cookies, so cross-contamination is possible) | Tartine Manufactory offers gluten-free options. They label items as "Wheat Free" because they cannot guarantee items are 100% gluten-free due to flour usage in their facility. Gluten-free options include salads and a gluten-free carrot cake made from teff flour. |
| Vegan Options | Vegan & GF Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie, many sourdoughs | Vegan options are available, including loaves, vegan pizza, and ricotta. Vegan options might include salads, burgers, pizzas, sandwiches and bread. |
| Coffee Quality | Fazenda coffee | Serves coffee from Coffee Manufactory. They use organic Four Barrel coffee, and organic dairy from Straus Family Creamery. They use beans from Costa Rica, Colombia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, blended and roasted to their specifications by Western Australian local coffee roasters '5 Senses'. |
| Tea Selection | Black Iced, Lime Bramble Iced Tea, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Green, Peppermint, Chamomile | Offers an extensive tea selection. Tea options include Black Tea, Earl Grey, Tropical Green Tea, Rosella Mint Tea, and Chamomile Tea. |
| Ambiance | Warm and inviting, rustic design with brick walls and warm colors, can be bustling with customers | The Santa Monica location has a refurbished building with stained glass windows and a garden. The San Francisco location has a more modest appearance with local art. Tatte provides a welcoming and cozy atmosphere. |
| Seating Availability | Limited seating in some locations | Seating is available, but can be limited, especially during peak hours. |
| Price Range | Cookies: Around $6-$7 per cookie; Pastries: Around $5-$6 per slice; Loaves: Around $29-$30; Tea: $3.85 | Artisanal and not inexpensive. A frangipane croissant costs $6.95, and a slice of quiche is $9.50. |
| Customer Service | Generally friendly and enthusiastic staff | Contact information for customer service is available. |