Can I get something STARTED for you? For years at various…read morecoffee shops, I've enjoyed their fine product, usually the blueberry muffin. Today, I'm at their company store on Solano Avenue in the gastronomic epicenter of the lovely town of Albany, California enjoying a nice warmed up chocolate croissant, and a passionfruit Madeline. A nice clean facility, friendly staff, and calm environment. To say that this is the best chocolate croissant I've ever had might be stretching it, but I can't imagine better? The warm melting bittersweet chocolate is what makes it so tasty. Nothing worse than a chocolate croissant with cold hard chocolate in the center. First the chocolate croissant, and then for dessert the passionfruit Madeline. Snap, crackle, pop. What a way to START the day! Next time I'll grab one of these sandwiches for lunch. This is a real winner. Don't hesitate, bring a date. Note: They have a huge wholesale business and if I had a coffee shop, that's where I'd get my product.

Stopped by after brunch to get some pastries for the ride home…read more I've been to their other locations. This one is nice because it has plenty of street parking. The line was short and I could see that the selection was still good. I came for the kouign amann. They have some of the best, always crispy and buttery.

I really wanted to like these bagels. I saw that Market Hall started carrying them instead of…read moreAuthentic Bagel. Organic, boiled, 48-hr fermented...they're talking my language! But unfortunately, these are dry, flavorless, overcooked, and just miss the mark. And I like big holes in my sourdough, but not my bagels. I'm a New Yorker, but I really don't care if these are "NY style" or "Montreal style", I just want a bagel that doesn't taste like cardboard or like it was baked a week ago. Perhaps the quality has degraded over time, since I see so many positive reviews. Hope the owners read this review and continue to iterate, because the Bay Area really could use more good bagel options.

I came by early early one weekend morning (before they actually opened) and awaited those special…read morebagels to be delivered to their deli, Saul's. $1.50 a bagel.. i bought 5 with my change purse.. that's $7.50 I had to dig up. On Tuesdays, Panera sells you 13 for about $7. Einstein Bagels a la Costco sells you like 12 for $5. Berkeley Bagels has a great chew on their bagels. Here you're absolutely paying for artisan. Imitating the NY style of baking and boiling, effectively resulting in a tough and drier outside, with a hearty chew on the inside. I love the seeds and spices on the everything bagel. Theirs are more pronounced, more pungent, sharper salt... difficult to explain. Definitely for the occasional splurge. Perhaps it's not fair to put a price on an art of a bagel. In the end, though, I felt, after eating one, that for the difference in texture, whatnot, it was not worth the steeeeep price. Weren't differentiated enough for me. And yep, I surely did read that NYT article as well.

I pass Rainbow Donuts quite regularly, located on San Pablo Ave in Berkeley. It's a pretty pink…read morebuilding from the outside and for a recent order, I actually chose a food delivery service instead of making it over in-person for my kiddos recent birthday breakfast surprise . We ordered two decorated donuts (we left a note that it was a birthday, and to choose something fun), hash browns, an egg and cheese croissant, and coffee. They were having a special if you spent x amount, your coffee was complimentary or in all reality, I think it came to about .25 cents! They chose the cutest panda bear donuts as the decorated donuts, and it was such a fun breakfast vibe full of all the whimsy. They included a bag with napkins and coffee creamer which was a nice touch. And omg, the egg/cheese croissant...so good! There is truly something special about the discovery of breakfast croissants at spots that don't typically market them. (See pic) but the croissant was hearty and layered high with gooey cheese and warm egg. The croissant was warm, buttery, and it seemed like potentially put in a press. Chefs kiss, no notes. I noticed you could add meat and/or avocado, but it was perfect paired down. All in all, a food delivery gone right! Hard to come by these days, and my first time ever executing a delivery order before 7am haha. Thank you for adding to a truly special day, can't wait to visit soon!

Last time I visited was 2019 and the cake donuts are still as amazing as I remembered…read more Only came in for donut holes and 2 donuts and the lady generously gave us extras to go! Made my day. Maybe she could tell I was having a hard time choosing amongst their variety of flavors. Cake donuts are a must. Tried blueberry, ube and red velvet ones. Texture is soft, not too dense nor dry, with great flavor. Very chill store, friendly staff, good vibes.

Super super cute spot along with tasty bagels!!! Located on a somewhat busy street, however, there…read moreare plenty of street parking around. We ordered the turkey deluxe & the gold standard. The bagels were delicious and the toppings were so fresh. I thought the coffee was delicious too, I'm def interested in some of their wine options the next time I'm there towards the afternoon. Service was friendly and kind. Can't wait to come back.

Damn, I just missed my bus, and the next one isn't coming for an hour. That's how I came upon this…read morepopular corner spot already bustling late in the morning. It comes from the team who owns the excellent Rose Pizzeria nearby (review: https://yelp.to/EOBUVdaW9G). That was enough of an endorsement for me, so I decided to try a light lunch here. As I was waiting patiently to order, I quickly read online that the Bartavelle was the bagel sandwich to order here since it's a staff favorite. Conveniently they offer a half-sandwich for $7.50, so I ordered a fennel & orange half-bagel with an herb schmear, sheep's milk feta, fig jam, cucumber, radish, herb salad, za'atar, olive oil, and lemon. Although it was crowded, I managed to secure the last empty seat at the front counter. My open-faced bagel was quite a healthy sight to behold (Photo 9). Fresh and crunchy with the fig jam lending welcome sweetness. I ordered a $5.50 Cappuccino, rich and smooth, a nice complement to the bagel (Photo 8). Made the next bus, too. FOOD - 4 stars...fresh, tasty ingredients on a soft bagel AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...very much a convivial social hangout SERVICE - 3.5 stars...everything done fresh with minimal interaction TOTAL - 4 stars...nice dooption for a light lunch RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/MBKMAXggN_

There's nothing not to love about this place. I have been here a handful of times and have loved it…read moreevery time. Kaz is a Sunday only pop up in Gioia pizzeria! It's a cute set up and I love supporting local any chance I get!! The owner is amazing and makes these fresh for Sunday. Delish bagels I just pull apart and dip into my cream cheese. Definitely recommend next time you're craving some amazing bagels.

These are incredible authentic hand made bagels. Very flavorful and much chewier than even the best…read moremachine made bagels such as Boichik or Beauty's. Kaz Bagels is a Sunday morning only pop up run out of Gioia Pizzeria in North Berkeley. If you love bagels as much as I do, you need to try these!

Very delicious Pizza,stop by on a whim and was really surprised...My wife Loved and I didn't expect…read moremuch but,was pleasantly impressed!!!!

Great spot for a quick dinner at an affordable price!…read more My partner and I stopped by Arizmendi to check it out and get a daily special on a Sunday. In total, we paid $7.50, which was not bad at all! The space is spacious inside with an ample parking lot, but I would say this is more of a grab-and-go place; there is some outdoor seating. We got a pizza with tomato, olive oil, feta, and olives. The service was quick, straightforward, and we were able to get our slices within 5 minutes and it came out hot which was great! The pizza itself is on the thinner side and has a good ratio of dough to cheese. The crust/base was chewy and light and did in fact, taste healthy (in a good way)! Do I think this place is somewhere you must go to try out? Honestly, no, it is a good value pizza that tastes delicious, but I would say to only stop in if you are around the area.

Looking for another spot to grab coffee in the El Cerrito/Kensington area? Did you know Benchmark…read morehas a grab & go secondary spot essentially across the street from their restaurant and next to Semifreddi's Bakery in the Colusa Circle, Kensington? Now ya do! On a recent Farmers Market morning I noticed they had a blueberry matcha and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I've been on the hunt for fun summer flavors, and blueberry is a new one for me. I finally had a moment to stop back in and noticed the "Summerween" menu. How fun and unique! Service was great, and I ended up trying both the blueberry matcha and the butter brew latte. Both so different, but honestly so delicious. Thoughtful detail for each, and snaps to the cold foam(s)! Benchmark Portavia also has to-go brekky sandwiches and pizza of the day slices, meatballs, salads, dressings, sweet treats, and frozen cookie dough, full pizzas, and more. They are also a small market with a few shelves of jarred and packaged goods. This spot is perfect for grabbing something to-go for just you, creating the ambiance for a yummy cozy night in/date night, or grabbing a gift for someone for a housewarming. To note, those cookie dough balls are divine!

The sandwiches are all tough bread and no filling. Similar to a French sandwich, but for the price…read moreyou should get a lot more.

King Pin Donuts is a neighborhood staple! Located on Durant Avenue, it is close to the UC Berkeley…read morecampus and is a popular spot for students. This well-established donut shop is small but has lots of options. There is also some outdoor seating right outside the store. The service is quick, and the person behind the counter is always willing to answer questions. My friend and I both tried an apple fritter, and my partner got a chocolate milk. The apple fritter was crispy with a nice glaze on top and delicious chunks of caramelized apple inside. This donut was extremely sweet, but honestly it's exactly what we needed! I normally go for apple cider donuts, so this was a great alternative. It's a good place to go when friends are visiting!

A GLAZED BACK TO WINCHELL'S…read more Growing up as a kid in the 1980s my family and me would go to Winchell's on Sundays after Mass. The only donut I really like at Winchell's was the glazed as it had the lightly coated frosting yet the donut was not dense inside. Eventually Winchell's in the 1990s were later phased out by Krispy Kreme. I like Krispy Kreme because of the glazed also, but the sugar frosting can be too much. There are a lot of mom-and-pop donut shops that sell glazed raised donuts. However the glazed raised donuts at those shops tend to be dense inside. I like my glazed raised donuts with the balance between the ones I ate at Winchell's and Krispy Kreme. When I was a student at California I liked going to Kin Pin Donuts because of the butter milk bar. I came here to King Pin Donuts today as tomorrow is National Glazed Donut Day. The glazed I ordered had a lightly coated sugar frosting, yet the donut wasn't dense inside. If a glazed donut is dense I cannot order another one. I would equate this to a pizza if the crust is dense I can only eat one slice. At Kin Pin Donuts since I didn't feel bloated after eating the glazed raised donut I ordered another raised donut but this time with a chocolate frosting. What I really liked about the raised donuts at King Pin Donuts are the crispy outside. At King Pin Donuts for the raised donuts there are three textures: sweet frosting, fluffy inside, and crispy outside. How do you know if donuts at a donut shop are good? Just order a glazed or chocolate raised donuts to taste to find out if they're not dense. If a donut shop cannot bake a basic donut like raised donut, then most likely the rest of the donuts are not that good. If you are unsure what donuts to order at Kin Pin Donuts just order a raised donut.