Skip the dinner hype - everyone books evening reservations but the real magic happens at the bakery counter before the restaurant opens.

7am arrival strategy - get there when they open for warm pain au chocolat straight from the oven. Their kouign-amann made them famous before the restaurant even existed.

What to order - kouign-amann ($4), almond croissant ($3.50), espresso ($3.50). Skip the $45 dinner, spend $15 on world-class pastries that rival Paris. Similar quality to Du Pain et des Idées but without the 8-hour flight.