WHY Sophisticated pastries, excellent coffee and fresh bread in a fast-transforming neighborhood.

WHAT Though owner Na Young Ma is a Glendale native, Proof has a Parisian look, with marble-topped tables and chocolate-colored walls. Pastries strike the right balance between rustic and refined and rank with some of the best in the area. All things meringue are invariably good, from pistachio meringue cookies to meringue tarts topped with orange curd or passionfruit. The savory side is represented by gruyère-chive biscuits and airy cheese gougères. Cognoscenti Coffee handles the java, with pour-overs and cappuccinos made with San Francisco’s beloved Four Barrel coffee.

WHO Actual French ex-pats with adorable babies, Atwater Farmers’ Market shoppers.