Its just after thanksgiving. Your tired of having leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast every day since... so you come here. The morning bun, soft pleasant and simple, fresh goodness... and just as sweet as the young lady who served me. Almond croissant has a carmalized portion that I found absolutely delicious. I would have liked a bit more almond paste but I think most people born in the US would prefer it this way. Interior has an imoressive bread display. Fruit tarts, cakes, cookies and so much more. Also inside is an oval community table. Light blue wallpaper and a memorable lightining as you walk in. Feels super comfortable. Great alternative to the big chain coffee shop next door. Super value on the two itemd I ordered too. read more

La Farine - almond croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Oh let me start raving about this place now. If you're like me and you love bread and pastries and desserts, then La Farine is definitely the place for you. You can pick up baguettes, rolls, different types of bread, pastries, cakes, and other goodies here for a fair price. They also have coffee if you are looking for a caffeine fix. On my most recent visit, I tried to savory focaccia with goat cheese, green onions, and pine nuts and the orange currant scone. Both pastries were super good. The savory focaccia was very herby and was the perfect salty snack for the morning. The orange currant scone was sweet without being overwhelming and flaky and great. This place has some sort of pastry/bread option for everyone and is definitely a place that you need to check out if you are in the Rockridge/Elmwood area. read more

La Farine - Savory focaccia with goat cheese, green onions, and pine nuts. - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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When I think of La Farine, I think of well-made French pastries that satisfy my sweet tooth! They have a wide selection of breads, croissants, tarts, and cakes, and since even my stomach has some limits, I can only comment on the few items that I've tried. Most recently, I had their frangipane, which has a brown sugar and almond filling. Since I'm a big fan of almond croissants, I was hoping to be blown away by this treat, but I thought it was great if not overly memorable. On the other hand, the morning bun was a flaky, airy, sugary concoction that I quickly devoured after the first bite! The slice of their lemon shortbread was also a delight and not too tart. Speaking of tarts, their fruit tarts look delectable (with various combinations of fruit on top) and attracted quite a bit of attention from other customers while I was in the shop. Staff are helpful and efficient, although at times I wish they were a bit warmer/friendly. However, La Farine is definitely a place worth visiting if you are looking for a snack or need a treat for a special celebration. read more

La Farine - Lemon shortbread - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Covid-19 Review: La Farine has been a favorite stop on SF visits. Went to pick up some pastries and currently they allow only three people in the store at a time and cc transactions are preferred. They still have all their pastries and breads - they are just all in the display case or behind the counter. The only things that you could touch are pre-packaged bags of Guittard chocolate chunks and I think some coffee beans. Picked out a frangipane croissant, a chocolate croissant, a ginger cookie, and a raspberry walnut scone. All were delicious (friend had the latter, but I didn't hear any complaints). There were only two people ahead of us at 10 am on Friday, so it was quick and easy. Didn't take pics bc are them too fast! read more

La Farine is such a wonderful bakery! My favorite is the mini fruit tart and my husband loves the savory buns. The croissants are also pretty good and they have a variety of pastries to choose from. Also a plus that the price is just right! Busy on the weekends but the line goes pretty quickly and service is fast. read more

La Farine - Mini fruit tart. - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

God created La Farine, and the Morning Bun was born! as good as it gets. these creations are the perfect morning starter, with coffee, it's an impeccable pairing. their rugelach is also very impressive. i come across very few that are. and i brought home a loaf of their sour batard. delicious with butter or olive oil. this was the last stop on my NoCali trip last weekend. so glad i went out of my way to discover it. what a wonderful little bakery! it encompasses everything a bakery should. simple and authentic. read more

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Great breads, cakes, pastries, and other desserts. Customer service is good too. You get exactly what you see on the website. One of their branch is so close to work that it is very convenient for us to just drop by during our work break and pick up a dessert for any celebration. read more

I like La Farine's bread and their savory pastries. I love La Farine's coffee cake. I do not like La Farine's cookies in the jars. Every one I've ever ordered has been old and stale and they're not cheap. At least sell them for half off if you're gonna sell old cookies. I most recently asked if they made them fresh daily. The woman behind the counter said yes. I asked twice and she said yes both times. Sure enough the cookie was old, stale and not good. I ordered 4 different types and none won any of the 4 of over: chocolate chip, peanut butter, rugelach, oatmeal. Mehhh. Savory morning bun? Yes. Bread? Yes. Pastries? Yes. It's expensive, but damn tasty. All the desserts seem sugary and not sure how fresh they actually are and again, those cookies aren't good. They don't warm anything up and the coffee is pretty pedestrian, but for bread and morning pastries it's a-ok! read more

It must have been cupcake day cuz this was our 2nd box of cupcakes that were dropped off at the office. Both in the afternoon and within 30 mins of each other! I had already had one from the other box, but since both boxes contained mini cupcakes, I shouldn't feel bad right? I believe this box contained: 4 chocolate 4 vanilla with coconut 4 red velvet I decided to try the red velvet. The cream cheese frosting was light and the cake was moist. I enjoyed the cupcake, but I had just had a really fluffy moist lemon cupcake from another bakery, so this one was slightly denser which I didn't prefer. But most of my coworkers had also had a cupcake from the other bakery as well and they loved the ones from La Farine more! I'm not sure if the cupcakes came from this location since they were a gift, but they were a big hit! read more

La Farine - Cupcakes - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Overall a really good bakery on college Ave. I got the Swiss Twinkie, chocolate croissant and Irish soda bread and they were all delish. Clearly so that I forgot to take pics of the other two items! :) will definitely come back for the savory morning buns! read more

La Farine - Swiss Twinkie - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

I loveee their fruit tarts. We actually ordered them (instead of cake) for our wedding in 2017 from the location on Fruitvale. So, each year we return and get one for our anniversary. This year I stopped at this location because it was closer to our home. Very crowded on a Friday afternoon, I was kind of surprised! Maybe crowded is the wrong word (they only allow two customers in at a time for COVID), but it was busy, with a line at the door. I ordered a tart and a baguette, and both were delicious. Little did I know, my husband also bought one for our anniversary, so we happily ate both of them for the next few days :-) read more

Best thing here is the fruit tart. It's very fresh, large, and they let you choose which one you want! Second best thing is the morning buns. I got the savory one, and there was cheese and ham inside. It's a good alternative to sweet carby bread. I didn't really like the espresso cookie--it was too rich. But I did like the almond tea cake. :) read more

La Farine - fruit tart selection - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

A cute place to stop by for Pastries in Desserts if youre in the Oakland College Area! They have delicious cookies and bread. Must try if youre craving something sweet. Must try: Cheese Knots or Croissants read more

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The best fruit tartes in the world! My kids now ask for a fruit tarte for their birthday instead of birthday cake! Service is awesome, and I also love their location on Solano in Berkeley! read more

I love me some sweets so when my friend Seong P. recommended we stop here and pick up a Sweet Bun, she didn't have to ask me twice. What I took home to grub on later: SWEET BUN: She was right. This was a great bun with just the right amount of sweet that would have been perfect with a coffee or hot chocolate. Even by itself it was addicting. Definitely not something to be missed! MADELINES: Soft, buttery, addicting. These were perfect. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/la-farine-oakland-2?select=1FUlx5fb8CKIL-Tj3s30Ug#HHlE6da0kxjuo_gsIAjNEQ CINNAMON ROLL/ALMOND CROISSANT THING: I wish I knew what it was that I bought but I gave it to The Canadian and he was nice enough to share. It was ripped off from the original roll so I had no idea what it looked like but all I can tell you was that it was heaven in my mouth. Cinnamony.. almondy... flakey goodness... they nailed it with this one. Great place to pick up some great buns! I wish I wasn't so full when we went in 'cuz I'm sure I would have picked up a lot more if I knew how tasty these were! read more

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We ordered the raspberry almond cake for a birthday and it was delicious. I loved the idea of doing a raspberry mousse instead of frosting in the layers, and the hint of almond in the cake paired perfectly. It was a light and airy cake and everyone enjoyed it, there were no leftovers! I will be back to try some of their other baked goods as well. read more

I bought some birthday minicupcakes, devils food cake and dark chocolate flavors, plus a fruit tart. All were luscious and tasty. The server was very nice, as they always are, and calmly boxed my purchase amidst the busy-ness of the store. Somehow, the cases are always full of beautiful cookies, croissants, morning buns, etc., etc. in spite of the many customers who drift in from the streets. Very often, this is my go-to bakery for that special dessert. read more

When I walked pass this bakery, something special about it stopped me and we went in. Maybe it was their blue china, or the variety of bread, or the consistently crowded service counter, anyhow, we went in this small bakery and ordered almond truffle tart ($3.75), savory morning bun ($3.7), morning bun ($2.05) and apple croissant. The tart was dense but not overly sweet, packed with almond and chocolate flavor. The bun has good texture and nice flavor. The service was nice. We munched on our slices while feeding our baby. We didn't feel rushed or despised. They have one big wooden table inside the store, so you can't have your private table. read more

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Since our La Farine on Solano closed in 2014 this is the one I shop at when I need more apricot soda bread. Karen W's recent review of the Fruitvale La Farine reminded me I had been out of that bread for a while. I was in the neighborhood after visiting Alan today and walked over here before stopping at Casa Barotti to pick up pizza for dinner. There was a sign on the door (or window) saying that masks were not required but were appreciated. I was masked and so were the staff and other customers. I waited briefly while the people in front of me were helped and then the friendly young woman behind the counter turned to me. I asked if they had any apricot soda bread and she announced triumphantly that there was one left. I said I would take it and she wrapped it up, wished me well and I was on my way after paying. I was very pleased. read more

The tarts are just amazing. My friend raves about them. The crust has just the right amount of flakiness and the cream is SO GOOD. The fruits are also really fresh so the whole thing together is perfect. The best fruit tarts I have had. read more

La Farine - Mini fruit tart $4.75 - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

This is about a week after I had gotten Tartine and I actually prefer La Farine! Yes, it's more expensive than say an Asian bakery but it's much more affordable than Tartine and I'd like to say on par with coffee shops. Also, the pastries are pretty wonderful. La Farine is an absolutely adorable french bakery shop and if that didn't convince you it's the Daily Cal's favorite Bakery! 1) Swiss Twinkie ($2.xx) - I will admit I bought this mostly because it had the word twinkie in it and I had to erase all former memories of the squishy twinkies you get in a box at a grocery store. This Swiss Twinkie though is actually a croissant filled with a nut puree and topped with cinnamon sugar. The croissant was baked perfectly! It was not too hard on the outside and soft in the inside. I also like the fact that they have more a sugar topping rather than a stick-to-your-mouth or hard-as-a-rock glaze. It adds the right amount of sweetness without eating difficulties. 2) Fruit tart with blueberries, raspberries, and mango ($4.xx) - Their tarts are absolutely gorgeous and I'm so glad my friend got one to share. You eat with your eyes first! The crust is flaky but not too hard so you can easily cut through it. The fruit is sweet and refreshing. For reference, the full size tarts are around $25-30. 3) Pate Feuillete with ham and cheese (Savory Morning Bun) - This is like a savory bun basically and my friend who got it absolutely adored it. She didn't even mind eating it at room temp (rather than warm) claiming that the butter and pastry was enough to make it taste good. 4) Chocolatine ($2-3?) - It's your classic chocolate croissant except it looks more like a roll. I'm not going to complain though because it's just flaky, chocolate goodness. Finally, there's literally a cornucopia of bread here and you can get a hearty baguette for like $2 (which might be cheaper if not the same price as Safeway, which begs the question, "Why are people bothering to buy from Safeway?!?!"). They had free rustic bread slice samples on the table and it tasted like good bread to me. Next time I'm in the bay area, I'll be sure to stop by! read more

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One of my simple pleasures in life has been going to La Farine and picking up a tasty treat from their pastry case. I've been going here for about 4 years. (Tip: In the morning, grab a fresh morning bun and coffee; the morning bun will still be warm, right out of the oven!) The staff is extremely friendly. One time, I came to the store close to closing, and one of the staff members gave me an extra baguette. MY USUALS Rustic baguette: Very hearty baguette covered in flour. Good for sandwiches. Sweet baguette: Good alongside soups. Good for sandwiches, too. Walnut bread--demi: Nutritious and delicious. This bread is packed with multi-grains and (good-for-your-skin) walnut. It is the same price as store-bought bread, but it's made fresh, twice as delicious, and so much healthier for you. Morning bun: This bun has an almost-crispy, flaky outside; soft inside; and melted sugar surprise in the middle. Challah knot: My favorite is the poppyseed. (Tip: You can use these as sandwich/slider buns; just cut them in half, toast them, and put your favorite fillings inside) read more

Two days ago we started thinking about going to La Farine (on College Avenue) to buy some bread. I did some internet research to be sure that they would be open. In the process, I visited their Yelp page, and was surprised and upset to see so many recent negative reviews. My first thought was "these yuppies, hipsters, millennials, etc, are too negative, and they don't know what is good with regards to food". But after having stocked up on a range of breads from La Farine, I very regrettably must conclude that these negative reviews were spot on. Overall, the breads were barely of commercial supermarket quality. The flour in the wheat walnut levain was much too refined. The rye raisin rolls had almost no rye flavor. And the brownie was among the two or three worst brownies I have ever had - very little chocolate flavor, with the consistency of a dry pound cake. I am really sorry to have to give such a negative review. The shop is very cute, and the staff are professional and friendly - hence 3 stars instead of 2. (Maybe their tarts and pastries are better than their breads?). But this place needs to re-think its ingredients and recipes. read more

La Farine - left: walnut bread from La Farine; right: walnut bread from another Berkeley bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

I come here sometimes over the years and I just keep wanting it to be better than it actually is. It's so cute and in a great location. I think the morning buns are pretty good and the fruit tarts. That is it. There are multiple locations and it is feeling kind of chainish to me. Cookies are dry, bread is no better than acme in Safeway. Service was rude today. The world is just weird these days and people are getting nasty. Fournee in berkeley by the Claremont is far better as you can tell by the lines around the block. Their baguettes are to die for. And no I have zero relationship to or interest in Fournee. I just walk by it when I play tennis. I've now decided Im done trying this place when I walk by as it's mediocre. My wife has felt that way for years and Im finally agreeing. read more

Came in for some walnut bread and pumpkin cornmeal bread. So good and chewy room temperature. When toasted it's like bread heaven in my soul. read more

So disappointing! The almond croissant, Madeline, and bisous (chocolate cookie) were so dry and awful. No almond paste in the croissant and bad texture- Soft on the outside like it was made days ago. Pretty sure these were all days old. Not sure how this place is top in the area- super disappointed read more

One of the best bakeries in East Bay and a perennial favorite. It is great that they have so many locations. I have become addicted to their shortbread cookies topped with sugary decorations, which they change throughout the seasons. Their little chocolate heart cakes topped with a fresh raspberry stole my heart last year at Valentines and I got 6 to give away to friends. So festive and delicious. They also make very good and reasonably priced sandwiches. I have a friend who is addicted to the roast beef ones, I love the ham ones. I am happy the Piedmont location now has in store seating. I hope the College Ave. one will return to that some day, too. It has been a real community institution. read more

Walking around College Avenue on a crisp morning looking at all the little shops and eateries with coffee from Cole's in one hand and a La Farine frangipane in the other is what I call a perfect way to start the day. Now I'm not a huge fan of their cookies or their scones, but their fruit tarts and galettes, morning buns, croissants, pastries, and assortment of breads and baguettes are all heavenly. They have a great selection of tortes and cakes too. The flourless chocolate cake blew my mind! I also make sure to get (or to get my loved ones to get me) a lovely green marzipan Princess Cake for my birthday from La Farine every year! There are so many reasons to love Berkeley and the Bay Area--this little slice of France is absolutely one of them. read more

Exceptional quality and variety of baked goods. Excellent blends of coffee beans and fresh brewed coffee. Friendly, courteous, and efficient staff. read more

Have always wanted to go here for breakfast (seems like a very Rockridger tradition) and glad I finally did today! La Farine is located next to Wood Tavern on College Ave, so parking is limited during most hours of the day. The space is a bit small, with cases of pastries and one small communal table seating about 8 people. Line moves quickly, so don't be scared off if it's out the door. Majority of the pastries are $2-$5 and reasonable prices! I got a ham and cheese savory morning for $3.75, which was DELICIOUS. The bread was amazingly seasoned and the ham was fresh and perfect. I tried my friend's chocolate croissant, which was fantastic and soooo flaky and buttery. I've had their coffee before when a friend got some for me, nothing special. You'd be better off going to Cole Coffee a few doors down. I'll definitely be checking out La Farine next time I'm in the mood for dessert, as their wide variety of cakes and cupcakes looked tantalizing. read more

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This place is completely over rated. Be careful what the employees do with the eggs. I would not recommend spending your money here.

The best bakery for bread, fruit tarts, and the almond tea cakes! Always worth the wait and honestly the dreamiest way to start your morning. read more

Morning bun. If this review were to consist of only two words, they would be "morning bun." Oh my goodness...for $2.50, you get something that's sprinkled with the perfect amount of brown sugar and cinnamon and oh so beautifully rolled...the inside is filled with this absolutely divine, delectable, sweet, gooey-ish filling that reminds you of all things good. And sometimes, you get really lucky and get a warm bun because they just took them out of the oven.......ahhhhhhh. They even have mini versions of the morning bun!! Other things I've tried: - Savory focaccia with goat cheese, green onions, pine nuts: Absolutely divine!! Perfectly savory. This combo of ingredients goes really well together. They don't put this bread out until about 10 AM-ish?? So if you come kinda early on in the morning, you won't be able to find it :( - Raaspberry-walnut scone: Toasted with walnuts and filled with raspberry marmalade. Yum!! - Swiss twinkie: I think this is my next favorite thing here after the morning bun. It's a puff pastry filled with roasted nut puree and topped with cinnamon sugar. It's super flaky and just delicious - Frangipane: his is made using croissant dough. It's filled with almond paste and topped with almonds. I was a huge fan!! Bottom line: Hands down one of my favorite places for pastries!! I've been on the search for the best morning bun in the Bay Area (I've tried a few others, like La Fournée and Market Hall Foods), and so far, La Farine's take on the pastry is winning by far!! Next up: Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Grab a morning bun and head on over to Philz Coffee for a morning treat that will have you craving more!! I really want to try the fruit tart here...one of these days!! read more

La Farine - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Great bread, great pasty flour, loved the almond cake cookie thing that I got. This place wants to have a cutesy French vibe and they totally pull it off. read more

I really like this bakery! Super cute and the pastries, especially the apple croissant, was really good. I also had the brioche and the frangipane, not as good but super solid nonetheless! read more

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Actually one of the best fruit tarts I've ever had! Love the crisp, buttery crust and the fresh fruits that pair so well with the smooth custard cream. Was a perfect balance of tangy and sweet flavors that was just delightful-- I could eat this entire thing by myself read more

La Farine - Fruit tart - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Croissants, morning buns, baguettes, levain and cookies come in several selections and all are hours- or minutes-ago fresh. Best to get there before 8am on weekends for the fullest selection and best options, but they don't usually "sell out" so no need to panic. They bake pies and tortes too that are amazing. Less than a one-block walk for a coffee at Cole or Philz or Peet's or Starbucks, too!! Street parking is findable on 63rd most times and days. read more

La Farine is a great neighborhood bakery with freshly made bread and pastries everyday. Everything is relatively good, but nothing special. Some of the items are a hit or a miss. For example the savory morning bun is the best I ever had in the east bay. However, I got the savory focaccia today and it was alright. The goat cheese overwhelmed the savory focaccia while the bread was simply dry. I also tried the brioche and it was also dry. If you like tarts, they are amazing here! For different seasons, they have different tarts layered with seasonal fruit. The crust is flakey while the fruit is just right. The cakes are also good, but also a hit or a miss, as some of the cakes also seem dry and not worth the forty dollar price tag. There is a big dinning table for seating, but don't expect to do work or read a book here. Overall, if you are in the neighborhood grab yourself some well made pastries and bread but don't expect to be blown alway. read more

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Came in Mother's Day at 2 pm. There was one cake left, GENÈVE. Chocolate cake layered with milk chocolate mousse topped with bittersweet chocolate buttercream and decorated with chocolate frosting and shavings. It don't get any more chocolate than this! Well, I never liked chocolate cake so I left and checked out 3 other near by bakeries, none had anything more appealing to offer so I rushed back and grabbed the cake before it was gone. I mean its Mother's Day, the cake was for my mom and she likes chocolate! I grabbed an almond tea cake incase I didn't like the cake. They put a message on the cake, in chocolate frosting of course. It was late on a Sunday so I wasn't complaining that I literally got the last of everything they had. I was luckier than I knew! Mom loved the cake! I took a sliver to try and couldn't stop. After avoiding chocolate cake for years because of a childhood traumatized by artificially over-sweetened mediocre chocolate cakes I finally could finally taste what real chocolate cake was like and it was amazing. At this moment I could finally relate to all the references to chocolate cake being so great and dangerous because it's really hard to stop after that first bite. The chocolate they used was definitely above average. You could taste the cocoa and not excessive added sweeteners. The buttercream was nice, firm and heavy on the tongue. The cake was super moist and medium bodied, the chocolate mousse was very light and creamy. The perfect combination of textures and proportions. I took the almond tea cake with me to work the next day, excellent to pair with a lighter coffee. Super nice crust and design, with so many sharp edges it really helped make every bite taste like the first. Staying nice and crisp on the outside while soft in the middle. Similar to a madeleine yet bolder like an aged wine. read more

La Farine - Come in early or order ahead! - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Chocolate cheese cake: I scored the last slice on display! The other option would've been lemon cheesecake. I just watched a buzzfeed video about cheesecake, so I was craving cheesecake. The chocolate was nice and rich. My fork cut through the fluffy layers beautifully. The cheesecake was rich and creamy, though the whole thing kinda fell apart in the end. Really glad I got it, because it definitely satisfied my cheesecake craving. Hot cross bun: I wasn't a big fan, but my friend really liked it. It seemed a bit dry to me. Ambiance: Cute little cafe you'd expect to find on college avenue. Quaint and small with cute decorations. It's not a place to settle down and get work done. Get your pastries/bread and leave. Service: The guy who got our pastries was so passive aggressive, maybe he was having a bad day. We heard him say to the customer before us, "thank you for being a returning customer." But he sounded sooo sarcastic, and he treated us the same way. I'd probably come here again if I were in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way. TL;DR they have good pastries I guess, their cheese cake is good if that's what you're looking for. read more