Manresa Bread

About Manresa Bread

Manresa Bread is a bakery and cafe in Town & Country Village, the open-air center on El Camino Real across from Stanford. It is one of five Manresa Bread cafes. The others are in Los Gatos, Los Altos, Campbell and Santa Cruz.

The business began in 2013 as a pop-up at a farmers market. It grew out of the kitchens of Manresa, the Los Gatos restaurant that the bakery describes as a three Michelin star restaurant. Head baker Avery Ruzicka leads the bakery. The company notes she has twice been a James Beard Award finalist. Manresa Bread calls itself a female-founded bakery. Its baking now happens in a production facility of about 18,000 square feet that supplies the cafes.

The Palo Alto cafe describes itself as a neighborhood spot and a crossroads for students, professionals and visitors. That fits its location, a short walk from the Stanford campus on the other side of El Camino Real.

How the bread is made

Manresa Bread is unusually open about its process. On its story page it lists the steps that set its loaves apart:

• It mills its own organic flour and uses house-milled flour every day.
• Loaves are naturally leavened and go through a 96 hour fermentation.
• Dough is divided and shaped by hand.
• Pastries use a traditional viennoiserie technique with cultured French butter.
• Eggs, dairy and grains come from small, family-run organic and sustainable California farms where possible.

The long fermentation and fresh flour are why the loaves have a deep crust and a tangy, open crumb. Whole grain flours appear across the range.

What to buy

The Palo Alto cafe sells three things above all: bread made with organic grains, seasonal pastries and coffee. Sourdough loaves are the core of the bread shelf. The items the bakery ships give a sense of its staples: whole wheat and levain loaves, a mixed box of sourdough breads, extra large kouign amann and almond granola. Pastries change with the seasons, so treat any single item as a guide rather than a promise.

Coffee is part of the cafe, which makes it an easy breakfast stop. If you want a dedicated coffee bar instead, our coffee guide covers the options around town.

Ordering, delivery and shipping

The website offers three ways to order from the Palo Alto cafe. Pre-orders go through a Toast catering page, which suits larger orders for an office or a party. Same-day pickup also runs through Toast. Delivery is available through a separate ordering site.

Manresa Bread also ships nationwide. Shipping orders close every Friday and go out the following Tuesday. The bakery recommends express shipping so the bread arrives fresh. It sells to restaurants and shops through a wholesale program too.

The other Manresa Bread cafes

If you live farther south or are heading to the coast, the same bread and pastries are sold at the bakery's cafes in Los Altos, Los Gatos, Campbell and Santa Cruz. Each has its own pre-order and pickup pages on the website. That makes the Palo Alto cafe a convenient pickup point for anyone working near Stanford who lives elsewhere on the Peninsula.

Who it suits

The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating, so it works for a quick breakfast, a coffee meeting or a pastry break during a shopping trip. It is a good stop before a walk across El Camino Real to the Stanford campus. Home cooks come for the loaves. It is also a reliable place to pick up something for a dinner party. The site does not publish allergen or gluten-free information on the pages we read. Nearly everything here is made with wheat and butter, so ask staff if you have restrictions.

Tips for visiting

• The cafe is Suite 138 at 855 El Camino Real. Town & Country has free parking, but the lots near the food tenants fill at lunch.
• Pre-order on busy weekends or before holidays if you want a particular loaf.
• The cafe closes in the late afternoon, so plan bread runs for the morning or midday.
• Kara's Cupcakes is in the same center if you want something sweeter. Our bakeries and desserts guide covers the rest of the city.

Location and getting there

Manresa Bread is at 855 El Camino Real, Suite 138, Palo Alto, CA, in the Town & Country Village area of Palo Alto. Our Town & Country Village guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.5 miles away. That is roughly a 13 minute walk.

Parking: the center's own free surface lots.

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• Hudson Grace, store, under 0.1 mi
• Wildseed, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Telefèric Barcelona, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Boichik Bagels, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• El Merkat Spanish Market, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• Town & Country Village, under 0.1 mi
• Stanford Stadium, 0.3 mi
• Palo Alto History Museum, 0.4 mi

Other bakeries, ice cream and sweets nearby: Sweet 55 (under 0.1 mi); The Penny Ice Creamery (under 0.1 mi); Antoine's Cookie Shop (under 0.1 mi); Kara's Cupcakes (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full bakeries, ice cream and sweets list.

Before you go

• Popular items can sell out by early afternoon, especially on weekends. Go early for the best choice.
• Many bakeries take orders for cakes and large quantities. Allow a few days' notice for special orders.
• Seating is often limited, so plan to take treats to a nearby park if the shop is busy.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against Manresa Bread Palo Alto location page; Manresa Bread: Our Story; Manresa Bread shipping page; Manresa Bread home page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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