Pavel’s Backerei
219 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove 643-2636
There isn’t anything quite as satisfying as a Pavel’s cookie, although the giant donuts, croissants as big as your head, and flaky danishes are all seriously good. Pavel’s is an old-school European bakery, where they make cookies and pastries with real ingredients, including lots of butter. They’re only open four days a week – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday – which is a shame, but it does create pent-up demand. There’s usually a line when the bakery opens at 7am, and they close whenever they run out. That means it’s a good idea to go early, especially on Saturdays, when the line regularly runs up the street.