Rosalind Bakery is located one block from the Pacific Ocean. Owner Matthew Kosoy believes the breaking waves release negative ions into the salty air, and that they make the yeast in his bread “a little more active and happy.”
This geeky attention to the science of baking is just part of what makes his bakery in Pacifica, California, different from most others. But then, Kosoy is a little geeky, as a former software developer should be.
I’m not sure about the ions. All I know is that as I wandered along this stretch of Pacifica beach, the scent of fresh bread wafting in the air lured me straight to Rosalind Bakery.
From Bytes to Bites: The Rosalind Bakery Backstory
Matthew Kosoy spent nearly two decades as a software developer. He moved from his hometown, Philadelphia, to Pacifica in 2012 for the surfing. But he spent many hours commuting to the renowned Tartine Bakery in San Francisco for his “fix” of their hoagie roll, which is based on those at Sarcone’s Restaurant in Philadelphia.
Then, one fateful day, his mother sent him a recipe she spotted in the New York Times for the Sarcone’s bread he craved.
Soon, he was baking, taking classes at the San Francisco Baking Institute, and selling his bread to neighbors and faithful followers at Pacifica’s Farmer’s Market.
Fast forward a couple of years, and Matthew opened Rosalind Bakery, named to honor his grandmother.
Award-Winning Hoagies
If you are eating an absolutely delicious hoagie someplace in the Bay area, chances are pretty good that the roll came from Rosalind. Their bread is available in Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, and San Francisco.
Several Rosalind restaurant customers, like Palm City Wine in San Francisco and Flour & Water Pasta Shop (both owned by fellow Philly transplants, as it happens), have won awards for serving the best hoagies around. Palm City Wine, one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America in 2020, sells more than 150 hoagies on Rosalind rolls each weekend. Dad’s Luncheonette in Half Moon Bay, another customer, has found its hoagies celebrated in the New York Times.
Matthew just smiles…he knows the real secret to a great sammie is the bread.
Inside Rosalind’s Bread
Kosoy uses a cold fermentation technique, refrigerating the dough for 48 hours. He says this produces more lactic acid in the dough, imparting a distinct flavor. He makes two-foot-long hoagie rolls “as big as your arm,” he says. The rolls are topped with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Sourcing is important to Kosoy. He uses flour from Central Milling Company, one of the oldest milling companies in the country. The menu is full of items made from fresh seasonal ingredients grown locally by friends and neighbors in the Bay area. Local delicata squash finds its way into soup, while citrus and pine nuts contribute to a delicious salad. Gluten-free bread is available.
Rosalind creations include a classic coastside country sourdough loaf, olive loaf, walnut rosemary, whole wheat, rye sesame, and baguettes. The bakery in Pacifica serves two varieties of 8-inch hoagies daily: roasted turkey or roasted carrots topped with caramelized onions, provolone cheese, greens, and aioli.
Word continues to spread about these delicious baked goods. You can find Rosalind Bakery’s bread, muffins, and croissants at numerous Farmers’ Markets in the Bay area. Loaves are available at grocery stores in Pacifica and San Francisco.
Good Morning at Rosalind Bakery
Rosalind opens early in the morning, so you can grab one of their delicious breakfast sandwiches (or “sandos,” as they call them), like the cooked-to-order eggs slathered with housemade pimento cheese on thick slices of grilled sourdough.
It is a great place to stock up on pastry and bread for a road trip along the Pacific coast, too. If you need more ideas of stops along the way, read this FWT article.
A morning visit to Rosalind is a good idea for another reason. Where else can you have a fresh handmade scone and listen to live music?
Stop by Rosalind on a Friday morning between 10 a.m. and noon to get your fill of delicious baked goods and listen to the Don Rowell Trio.
The San Francisco Peninsula hosted the author.
