If you enjoy cute character desserts, delicious drinks, and an overall cozy cafe experience, I…read morehighly recommend that you stop by Always Yours Bakery Cafe! Not only are you able to purchase from their bakery case, you can also request to have desserts made for special events! (In advance of course.) I very much enjoy their macarons and fresh fruit tarts. They also added Banana Matcha to their menu when it became a craze, and I 10/10 would recommend it. They use high quality matcha powder (Marukyu Koyamaen) for their drinks. This is one of the few things that drew me into their cafe. The baristas are extremely friendly and have a wonderful sense of humor, AND they support small businesses! While you wait for your order, you can browse their shelf full of crystal candies, matcha sets, candles, and they may also have Natsume matcha tins available! (This is not the matcha they use in their drinks, but it's nice to have other options available to buy.) ^^ So if you're in the East Bay and are looking for a business to support, go to Always Yours Bakery Cafe (they're also available on the Too Good To Go app)! They have beautiful outdoor seating available, as well as cutesy seating indoors. Not sponsored or anything, I just wanted to review one of my favourite cafes in Castro Valley. ^^

LOVE this bakery! They have a lot of different and unique desserts and beverages that taste…read moredelicious and aren't too sweet. I recently ordered some desserts here for my daughter's birthday party and they turned out beautiful and delicious. Natalie, the owner, is so nice and made the process seamless. Highly recommend this place for a quick treat or for larger dessert catering!

I remember the first time visiting Baron's Quality Meats and Seafood and we bought a Denver Steak,…read morewhich was recommended by a friend's dad who used to be a butcher. [From the web] "A Denver steak, also known as Zabuton, is a relatively new, well-marbled, and tender cut of beef from the chuck primal section under the shoulder blade. It comes from the serratus ventralis muscle and is prized for its rich flavor and buttery texture, similar to a ribeye, despite being from a traditionally tougher area of the cow. It is best cooked using high-heat searing methods to fully develop its flavor and tenderize it. After cooking it, it wasn't as tender as we had hoped. He said you need to braise it. D'oh! We enjoy looking at the customer's dry aged beef sitting in the display case. Support your local business.

I always stop here when I get the chance, the quality of meat can't be beat! Much higher quality…read morethan the average grocery store meat. Staff is also always friendly and helpful.

Health Unlimited is an health oriented biz with emphasis on organic healthy goods. Small footprint…read more Parking lot packed at peak times. Offerings: books, veggies, vitamins, bulk grain sales, snacks, canned/packaged/frozen/refrigerated goods. Close to a mini whole foods. Everything priced. Sections easily discernible, basically self-service till check out. Associates standing by to render assistance. Bites: Barbara's Jalepeno cheese puffs(7 oz. 4.59) -an healthier version of cheetos. Yummy. similarly priced. Store very organized. No clutter. Sips: GT's raw kombucha "gingerade" (16oz. 4.75) -50 calories, 3 grams sugar. Has healthful "bacteria" to fight bad bacteria in gut.. -similar taste to Jamaican ginger beer without an overload of sugar, this is healthier. 4.5 stars quick, courteous service. Easy to find items without needing assistance. Will return. *other places may have similar or lower prices. Here it's in & out quickly.

Good health food store in Castro Valley!!!…read more Located in the Castro Village Shopping Center, it's a rather small store packed from top to bottom with all things health related. The prices, well, they are a little higher. And if you can't find something, they are more than willing to assist you. I've been here a few times and have always found what I was looking for.

It's been over 5 years of operations and things are humming along well:…read more - new rewards program - lots of traffic = fresh produce/products - community oriented staffers, they give away the leaves/stems of the produce they have prepped - all fiber is good fiber and free organic fiber is unheard of - they finally got rid of the dumpling spot and now have a salad bar, it's organic, wholesome and economical! Prices based on size not weight, individualize to your hearts desire or pick one of their menu options. We did the create your own, so so many toppings!!! And dressings. Buy small, support local endeavors like these.

I love the quality of produce and groceries here. I wish it wasn't so expensive but hey... you get…read morewhat you pay for ;) ... Keep an eye out for their on-sale items and def sign up for their points program. Bulk items are 10% off every Thursday. The employees seem pretty happy working there, which is a great sign. The only downside to this place is parking. You really have to post up and scout for a spot, occasionally up to 10-15 min.

I went here with my family on Saturday. I have to say that…read moreI'm not the chain's target audience (eating healthy to me is having one bacon cheeseburger instead of two). I'm giving 4 stars because the store is great for the regular shoppers. The store is open daily from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. The employees were friendly and available. My wife didn't find the lip balm that she was looking for, but a male employee did his best to help her. The Christmas decorations are low-key, but nice. There are even a lot of small stockings with the names of the employees on them. I'm bringing this up because the staff being like a family was the basic vibe that I felt. There were a good number of items on sale. There were also some NEW FOR YOU items. A lot of the signage here looks vintage, but it's all easy to read and helpful. There's a decent selection of beef jerky products, but zero-sugar meat sticks taste too bland to me. I was willing to buy an egg salad or tuna sandwich, but neither seem to be sold here. The selection of prebiotic drinks is excellent. (When I tried the drinks years ago, my stomach did so many backflips that it made a gymnastics team.) 3 shoppers were annoying and in the way, but that's a common theme when I go grocery shopping anywhere. Note: Both prices include tax. BROOKiE SQUARES CHOCOLATE CHIP ($5.26): 7.5/10. The ones from another chain are better, but my wife is a fan. The Tom's deodorant for my son was $11.06. This is a bit pricey. Powerhouse Hobbs: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Will_%22Powerhouse%22_Hobbs%2C_2022_%28headshot%29.jpg A local professional wrestler entered the store right after we left (I was stunned, and only quietly said hi). He plays a heel (a bad guy), and he was snarling when he walked up. It's nice that he stays in character. Lol. This will never be our go-to store, but we had a good experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZCm4iy8k6o&t=1s

I would advise being cautious when buying produce on sale. If they're advertising deals on any…read moreproduce (like buy one, get 50% off), there's usually a reason, just got home with two bags of cuties, one bag is fresh, while other is just old and bad. Check in the store as you may only realize once you get home. Overall, the store itself is neat and clean, and the employees are very friendly. They also offer a wide variety of organic options, which is a plus. But I would double check any produce before you buy.

Giving this place anything less than five stars is criminal! Everyone that works here has always…read morebeen great. It's probably my favorite local market. It's great for lunch and has my favorite miso. I wish they had more ice creams like coolish but they have so much for being their size. The sushi is always killer. Also the aisles are very wheelchair accessible

This place is cute. Based off the one star reviews I went in with the intention of receiving bad…read moreservice but the girl behind the counter was so nice! It's a grab and go slash little market place. I got a bunch of onigiris for my sons field trip. We are not Asian and I attempted to make them once and failed miserably but this place looks like it has all the ingredients and supplies I need to make them next time! I got a spicy tuna onigiri to eat in the car and it was good. The spam musubi was also good. Not outrageously delicious but good! I'd come back.

Green Valley Produce offers most basic veggies and fruits at a reasonable price. Other products…read moreavailable are grains, pasta, dairy and some canned food. Their hours can sometimes be a little inconsistent at times. They are usually open everyday even on holidays and offer delicious fruits in the summertime. Parking lot is kept clean but you have to drive in slowly if you have a low car. I've scratched my bumper a few times driving in too quickly. My fault, not theirs. Atmosphere is usually quiet, people don't tend to browse and usually go in and out. Staff is friendly and helpful with finding specific produce. I would definitely encourage everyone in the area to support their small business.

Green Valley Produce has been around for at least 20+ years but first time visiting after a 6 year…read moreabsence. I believe new owners and gentleman working was friendly and welcoming. I mainly visited for the fresh roasted peanuts which was the big draw here over the years. Sizes ranging from a small, medium to large bag @ $3.99/lb. The medium will get you a lb. Not sure when they were roasted but still good. Green Valley Produce is a small open store/stand offering fruits, some veggies, (no fresh herbs) and Middle Eastern spices, some vacuum-sealed meats, lentils, olive oils, dates, and some all meat puff pastry and vegetarian pies made locally. I left with some okra, yams, garlic, ginger spices, homemade beef pies...and of course, roasted peanuts. *** Overall 3.5 stars *** Pricing on fruit reasonable considering I just went to the Farmer's Market and noticed Green Valley selling the same Cara Cara oranges for 1.89/lb vs $3.89/lb which will get ya 4 oranges! I'm all for supporting small business but sheesh! Open 7 days a week from 830am - 730pm I wouldn't go out of your way to stop by unless you're wanting some roasted peanuts, reasonably-priced fruit and veggies and in the area. Support small business! Plenty of lot parking in front and located off B Street, next block over from Grocery Outlet

Nice "mom and pop" neighborhood grocery store that's been around since 1950. Small but organized…read moreoffering essentials, BBQ options and sauces, and a selection of local and organic products, wine, beer with a small produce section. Sadly, they stopped offering barbecue (they did a yummy tri tip sandwich) as of 6 years ago but offer a great meat section to do at home. I picked up some short ribs and sausages and very happy with the purchase. I decided to make a coffee rub for the short ribs and after 3.25 hours (wrapped in foil) of slow baking/indirect grilling they came out amazing! To complete the meal I picked up items for a salad and some Semifreddi rosemary focaccia that I slathered in garlic butter and warmed up. So good! :) Clean environment, convenient and great local store. Small parking lot with plenty of street parking. I'll definitely return and shop again soon.

Castro Valley's best kept secret. Helio is an old school butcher, he knows his meats and how to…read moregreet! Everything is farm fresh and affordable. Highly recommend this mom and pop as it's still here 50 years later for a reason.

Went here because I got a gift card as a Xmas gift. The owner honored it. I love the Dubai cups and…read morethe Turkish delights are my favorites, everything always tastes fresh and is high quality. I will for sure comeback to try the mixed nuts. Can you guys please make a cookies and cream Turkish delight?? Please and thank you!

The Old City Roastery been on my watchlist since they popped up all on my fyp with their famous…read moredubai chocolate desserts, various candies from Jordan, and sourcing of other popular ice cream like the Tu Cha fruit tubs. I finally had some down time to stop by on a Saturday lunch, and it was pretty empty since I visited during Ramadan. But the man working behind the counter was so friendly and patient with me. I literally felt like my stomach was bigger than my eyes, I wanted to try everything. But got a few chocolate covered goodies from kunafa to dates to regular dark chocolate for me and my coworkers. EVERYBODY loved it. My favorite hands down was the chocolate covered date. You HAVE to get that one. I only got a single, but I wish I got like five. You can also pick and choose and they provide you a little baggie to put them all in. They also sell turkish delight which he cuts for you by hand. I really enjoyed the pomegranate one as a nut-allergy girlie. The rose water was a little too rose-y for me. Too floral, it tasted like the smell of a grandma with her potpourri. They also sell nuts and other goodies like Palestinian ceramics. I had to get myself a Falasteeni ceramic magnet. It was so beautiful, painted with olives all over. Zaytoun aesthetic! Will def be back to calm my sweet tooth. And always, free Palestine!

This is for the version & price point of Planted Table that existed in 2021/2022. (I stopped…read moreordering from them because my allergies were activated, and I needed to do an elimination diet. When I came back to them a couple years later, the price point had gone up & I was priced out.) The portion sizes were large. I think it was like $12-13/meal. 99% of the dishes were delicious. I was REALLY pleasantly surprised at the flavor & taste. I expected gentrified dishes. It was good! I was also specifically looking for meal delivery that generated less waste. Planter table delivered that. I got cool enough with my driver (and tipped well!) that he brought me a little thank you plant. I loved that I had the same driver each time. It was just a really pleasant experience overall. Nothing bad to say.

I resubscribed in April after a break during which I went back to pretending I might cook. I get…read moreabout 6-8 meals per week plus lots of extras. I am not vegan but this hits the spot and is the best meal service I have found. The food is still amazing and I'm happy to see the meal options have expanded, there's seasonal produce options and Acme bread, and now they post calorie information. They have family style option to get a bigger portion for those who have a family, or for me, to bring to a pot luck. They also have individual desserts and full size pies/cakes. Seriously - they have everything. They no longer offer wine for those who care. There are some additional pick up options, too, but I stick with Jack London Square on Wednesdays from 11:30-2:00. Pro tip: get the cookie dough!!!!! And the chili. And the breakfast burritos. And the bake at home pizza ........ $20 credit Referral code: QWC3D2MJ