Can one pastry turn a neighborhood bakery into an Orange County destination?
At Cream Pan Bakery in Tustin, the answer appears to be yes.
Founded in 2002 by Yoshinori Inada, Cream Pan combines French-style baking techniques with Japanese influences to create a bakery that feels different from both a traditional French boulangerie and a conventional American pastry shop.
And then there is the strawberry croissant.
THE STRAWBERRY CROISSANT
Cream Pan's most recognizable creation is its strawberry croissant, a flaky pastry filled with fresh strawberries and cream.
It is visually distinctive.
It is easy to recognize.
And it has become closely associated with the bakery itself.
For many first-time visitors, the strawberry croissant is the obvious place to begin.
But stopping there would mean missing much of what Cream Pan has built.
FRENCH TECHNIQUE, JAPANESE INFLUENCE
Founder Yoshinori Inada trained in French-style baking in Japan before bringing that experience to Southern California.
That background is reflected throughout the menu.
French-inspired breads and pastries sit alongside Japanese-style sandwiches, sweet cream pans, cakes and savory foods.
The result is a bakery that doesn't fit neatly into one category.
It is part French bakery.
Part Japanese bakery.
And very much an Orange County original.
THE BREAD GOES BEYOND CROISSANTS
Cream Pan's bread selection includes baguettes, EPI, challah, ciabatta, multigrain, walnut, green olive, cranberry walnut and country breads.
That makes the bakery appealing even to customers who aren't specifically looking for its famous strawberry pastry.
A good bakery needs more than one signature item.
Cream Pan has developed an entire bread program around its pastry reputation.
THERE'S A SAVORY SIDE
Cream Pan also serves Japanese-style sandwiches, hot dogs and curry rice.
That gives the bakery a completely different dimension.
You can stop in for a pastry.
You can come for lunch.
Or you can combine the two.
That flexibility has helped Cream Pan become more than a pastry destination.
THE TUSTIN CONNECTION
The Tustin location at 602 El Camino Real is part of what makes Cream Pan particularly interesting from a local food perspective.
Tustin has developed a diverse restaurant and food scene, and Cream Pan fits naturally into that environment.
The bakery's combination of French and Japanese influences also reflects the broader multicultural character of Orange County.
A BAKERY BUILT OVER TIME
Cream Pan opened in 2002 and has developed a following that extends well beyond its original Tustin location.
The business now has locations in Fountain Valley and Lomita as well.
That growth suggests the concept works because the bakery offers something more distinctive than simply another selection of pastries.
It has a recognizable identity.
THE SOCALEAT TAKE
Cream Pan is a great example of why Orange County's food scene deserves more attention.
The bakery doesn't try to choose between French and Japanese influences.
It brings them together.
The strawberry croissant may be the reason many people discover Cream Pan, but the breads, sandwiches, cakes and savory dishes are what make the bakery worth returning to.
If you're searching for a Tustin bakery with a signature pastry and a genuinely distinctive culinary identity, Cream Pan belongs on the list.
VISIT CREAM PAN BAKERY
Cream Pan Bakery
602 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
The Tustin location currently lists hours of 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily
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