La Lune Sucrée, San Jose

Raised in Germany, La Lune Sucrée founder Bettina Pope further cultivated her passion for carefully crafted baked goods while living abroad in Paris and Sussex. So when Ms. Pope moved to America, she ached for the crusty baguettes and puff-pastry quiches she had savored in European patisseries. She began gathering family recipes and seeking out apprenticeships with pastry chefs such as Olivier Grimaud of Aux Delices de Pierre in France. Now, as head chef at La Lune Sucrée, she fills plates with her favorite French and German cafe fare, from flaky, light croissant sandwiches to crisp salads and homemade soups. Additionally, Ms. Pope enfolds European cheeses and cream sauces into crepe batter she makes from scratch and doles out fresh-baked French baguettes to picnickers and arcade-goers short a mallet for Whack-A-Mole.