Finding excellent pàté isn’t the biggest problem San Franciscan’s face, but solving it is one of our biggest delights. Right in the shadow of the TransAmerica Pyramid, Maison Nico is a must stop for me when I am downtown and need either a perfect pastry or want to bring something home that is special. Sometimes it is lobster aspic, or a creamy mousse de foie, of a simple coffee and a canelé. Everything they create is a thing of love and beauty, as well as delicious. Whenever I am planning a special picnic they are my first stop, usually to grab a thick slice of country pâté, some house-made pickles, bread, and a tart for dessert – perfect.

They have a very well-curated and well-priced wine selection also to fill out the basket. On a sunny spring day they put a few tables on the sidewalk and it is a remarkable experience looking up at the pyramid and having a snack and a glass of wine.