Nonna Mercato

This is my favorite bakery in Long Beach. Their pastries are very good quality and sized generously. Their croissants are incredible. I highly recommend the plain croissant, strawberry and cream croissant, nutella croissant, and pain au chocolat. The filling for the strawberry and cream croissant is the best. I believe it is whipped strawberry mascarpone. Their gluten free muffins have a nice texture. The matcha croissant is not my favorite, as it is somewhat lacking in matcha flavor. I would compare the coating to the matcha Pocky coating. As for their brunch, it is also incredible. The baked eggs are my favorite. The sauce is very good and the eggs were cooked perfectly, with bright orange yolks. It's incredibly fresh and vibrant from the bright tomatoes and fresh herbs, but also balanced out with creamy soft cheese. It's served with a fresh crispy baguette. I would recommend the brioche toast as a shared sweet appetizer. We ordered ours with a side of blueberry jam. One area that they could work on is their coffee quality. The cappuccino was quite bitter and the milk was not steamed very well. I ordered the peanut little, which is made with housemade peanut milk, layered with espresso and some milk foam and topped with cacao nibs. I would not recommend this drink because it has a strange texture. It's somewhat gritty and the cacao nibs mean you have to chew when you drink. I have also tried the banana buzz, which I found to be very watery and it did not have a strong banana flavor. Instead of ordering coffee here, I would recommend walking down the street to get a coffee at Coffee Drunk while waiting for a table for brunch, as the wait is usually over 30 minutes.

Good bakery with gluten free and vegan options for muffins and doughnuts, and pasta but not for freshly baked bread. Some small winery wine and chocolate selections. A little pricey. Outdoor seating. Coffee and pastry can be ordered at the counter, the host/hostess seats customers for meals.