I am constantly in pursuit of the perfect croissant whether across the nation or the Atlantic. Tucked away in Petaluma, you can find the real thing. Croissants require a flaky crust (too many doughy versions stateside), buttery taste, and are perfect complements to almond paste, chocolate, or a little raspberry jam. Torn between the almond and the chocolate, I opted for the chocolate only because it looked a little smaller (lot of meals ahead). It delivered the goods on all fronts. My wife opted for the raspberry caramel tart with her cappucino and was left speechless except for the frequent umm and ahh. The second day I chose the berry croissant braid–croissant dough braided with raspberry (but could also choose blueberry). While a pastry to go would be perfect for those heading out for a hike or walk along the river, it’s hard to pass up on the atmosphere inside. Lovely tables, plenty of light, and a buzz of conversation remind you of Europe, especially in the late fall. I must mention the coffee both a light as well as the traditional French roast and cream from a local dairy in the old school milk bottle plunged into a bucket of ice, a nod to the local dairy farms of Sonoma. I could try a week of different pastries, but many come for the crepes or lunch as you see in the other reviews.

The Petaluma Sunrise Shakedown
The sun was hitting Petaluma far too bright and early, spilling across the light oak tables of Serpentine Cafe like a spotlight in an interrogation room. It was the kind of idyllic, golden morning that makes a cynic highly suspicious.
Across from me, the miniature anarchist was already mapping out her targets. A pizza box in Healdsburg was yesterday’s news; today, her demands had escalated to high-grade French lamination.
Here is the crime scene report from our morning transaction.
**The Liquid Fuel:**
* **The Suspended Latte:** An iced latte layered with clinical precision. A thick base of cold milk supporting a dark, floating cloud of espresso. A paper-wrapped straw rested across the plastic lid like a barricade, waiting for the inevitable shakeup.
**The Laminated Contraban:**
* **The Golden Spiral:** A Kouign-Amann so perfectly wound it looked like a copper coil. It started as a pristine, deeply caramelized spiral of flaky pastry. Within seconds, the anarchist struck, leaving a jagged crescent of missing layers on the plate.
* **The Striped Contraption:** A stunning rectangular pastry engineered with alternating stripes of golden and cocoa-colored dough. A clean, pristine vault of chocolate. Of course, it didn’t stay clean for long—a massive, single-bite casualty exposed the dark chocolate contraband hiding inside.
* **The Crimson Crown:** A delicate pastry knot nestled in crinkled white parchment, lightly dusted with powdered sugar. It was crowned with a single, blood-red raspberry sitting on top like a warning sign.
* **The Baton:** A rustic, deeply bronzed French baguette peeking out of a crumpled brown paper bag. It sat on the table looking less like breakfast and more like a blunt-force instrument for a quick getaway.
**The Cold Case:**
* **The Lemon Squeeze:** A bright, canary-yellow lemon tart sliced cleanly down the center, exposing a crumbly, golden-brown shortbread crust. It was accompanied by a single, pristine drop of white meringue on the side—a tiny white flag surrendering to the fork.
**The Verdict:**
Serpentine Cafe is running a dangerously high-caliber pastry operation in Petaluma. The lamination is structurally flawless, the coffee is perfectly layered, and the atmosphere is far too pleasant for a couple of rugged operators. We paid our tax, pocketed the baguette, and slipped out before the anarchist could dismantle the rest of the display case. We’ll be back on this beat tomorrow.