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There won’t be peanut shells on the floor at 321 California Ave., but there may be pastry flakes.
Croissanté, a French bakery with locations in Santa Clara and Los Gatos, will open in the space that previously housed beloved dive-bar Antonio’s Nut House, confirmed Croissanté owner Sean Kang. Expected to open early- to mid-2026, the third location of Croissanté will be similar to the one in Santa Clara – with a full kitchen and ovens churning out a large selection of croissants, breads and various pastries.
“We wanted to expand further north and then we saw that spot was open,” Kang said. “It’s a great area. It’s a big corner spot where we can fit our kitchen and also our oven spaces. It just felt like a great spot for us to go in.”
After the closure of the Nut House in August 2020, the former property owner Storm Land Group planned to remove the property’s parking lot and replace it with a new dining pavilion and courtyard. But this year, the property was sold to B. Pastry, the parent company of Croissanté, for an estimated $4.5 million, according to the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Kang does not plan to use the former development proposal that was approved by Palo Alto in 2022.
Founded in Santa Clara in 2023, Croissanté aims to offer high-quality French pastries and bread to the Bay Area. What differentiates Croissanté from other bakeries, Kang said, is that it imports its flour and butter from France and maintains high standards for freshness – pastries and bread are baked throughout the day, not just in the morning. Additionally, new items are rotated into the menu each month, with current seasonal specials including stollen and panettone.
Croissanté offers a bevvy of croissant options, including croissants in flavors like flaxseed and maple syrup, white sesame and honey, matcha, hazelnut-raspberry-chocolate and caramel-macadamia ($5.25-$8.50). Cube croissants ($10), featuring a crispy cubical exterior and a soft, buttery interior, are available after noon.
In addition to croissants, find a wide selection of breads, including baguettes in flavors like chorizo and goat cheese or red wine, fig and cream cheese ($7.90-$8.70). Also available are kouignoù-amann, scones, canelés, financiers, Madeleines, tarts and cakes.
Croissanté soft opened its second location on Dec. 7 in a smaller takeaway operation in the former spot of OY! Gluten Free Baking Company in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos Croissanté does not have its own ovens, so multiple deliveries occur throughout the day to supply it with baked goods from Santa Clara.
“We are trying to do multiple deliveries, at least three to four times a day, to make sure that bread(s) we display are fresh and they’re not over a few hours old,” Kang said.
Kang is a longtime Bay Area resident, attending Saratoga High School and San Jose State University.
“I love food. I love eating. I like to share what’s really good, what I’m really passionate about,” Kang said. “It just brings me joy when I’m giving good food to good people.”
Croissanté, 2908 El Camino Real, #100, Santa Clara, 408-564-5092; 276 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; 408-827-4261; Instagram: @croissante_bakery. Santa Clara open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Los Gatos open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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