La FarYUM!!!! Stopped by this morning before a doctor appointment in Berkeley (daughter had the day off from school so was with me) and we came here for a baguette and a plain croissant for me and a chocolate croissant for her. This bakery has the best croissants I have ever had (and I have eaten a few in my time), but with the bakery being so far away and the croissants adding one too many dimples to my ass, I try to steer clear of such indulgences too often! read more

For a starch, bread is a surprisingly controversial thing. People are very particular about their bread, depending on their taste, geographic region, and probably background. That said, I think La Farine rivals the Bay Area greats of bread - Semifreddi and Acme (which I believe to be the best in the world, but that's another topic). While nothing will ever defeat these greats, La Farine does a fantastic job of making sure you have your fill and more of carbohydrates and that you leave with a smile. Definitely make this a stop when you are in Rockridge. read more

Atmosphere in here is cute as hell. Wish the large dining table was traded for a few small tables though. I had a ham quishe- the crust was exquisite and the filling was fine. Would have been better served warm though. I also tries the apple crassaunt. The pastry portion was lovely but again the fulling was less than satisfying. The nuts tasted old- like the fat in them had oxidized and spoiled. The apples were cooked fin other wise byt they were not spectacular. There is no doubt in my mind that they have their pastry lamination down to a science. Both items had perfectly layered and flaky dough but fillings need work here. I would think their breads, scones and tarts would be quite tasty from the looks of them as well but I was only here for a quick breakfast. read more

La Farine - Ham quishe. Great pastry. Okay filling. - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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I don't think I could EVER get tired of La Farine. After trying various versions of chocolate croissants and ham & cheese-filled carbagoodies all over San Francisco, I was so pleased to discover that my FAVORITE version of nearly all.the.pastries. was actually just a short drive away from my new neighborhood in East Bay. I have been to the three branches of La Farine (based on whichever neighborhood I'm currently at) a total of over a dozen times now.. and not once have I been disappointed. Do not leave without trying the PATE FEUILLETE WITH HAM AND CHEESE. If you think it's a mouthful, just ask for the ham and cheese pastry. It has a delicious flaky and perfectly puffy exterior and is filled with ham and creamy bechamel. Of course, the MORNING BUN (fluffy cinnamony goodness), SAVORY MORNING BUN (like its popular sweet counterpart, but filled with ham, cheese, and onion). Don't forget to also pick up a CHOCOLATINE (chocolate croissant) to enjoy with your morning caffeine fix for dessert. Warm it up to melt the chocolate and have it be better distributed within the croissant. But wait. There's also the FRUIT TART. Eating one is like eating a cookie with a cool mildly sweet creamy custard and fresh fruit on top. I'm not usually the type to go for fruity desserts but this one is so yummy and refreshing. And.... everything else. ;-) VERDICT: Worth every single calorie. Best consumed fresh. read more

Stopped by here a few days ago after lunch and thought it looked cute to enough to check out. Very classic French cafe, incredible charming, small and quaint yet very warm and inviting. Service was extremely friendly. I eyed over a dozen thing s I would have loved to try. I settled on a few little items. One Jezebel cookie which is a small petite round chocolate almond cookie similar to a sandwich with mascarpone chocolate in between- cookie was light; sweet with a settle crunch, mascarpone filling was incredible rich and tasty creating a perfect balance. The Madeleine was pleasantly light, fluffy and not overbearingly sweet. There Chocolate Macaroon was ok not fantastic, texture was slightly dry and not very sweet. The prices are quite resonable condidering the quality. This seems to be a popular place so I will definitely be back to try some of there other eye pleasing treats. read more

This review is based on many, many visits here. Wow....my obsession with fresh baked goods really started here. Now I've been in here many times, but - until my recent trip to Paris - I never really had the appropriate appreciation for the local boulangerie patisserie. This location is not far from my regular driving route for some of my clients - this makes it easy for me to stop in (although the new Fruitvale location with free parking is much easier!). Rustic baguettes, sweet batards, croissants, morning buns - ooh....it's just all so good!! (Squirming in culinary ecstasy!) One of my favorite parts of this location? This one or two block section of College Ave so much reminds me of Paris and having all your essentials nearby. I *REALLY* want to live in this area!! Within a couple city blocks, there is this bakery, a tea shop, a coffee shop, a butcher, a market, a wine merchant, a chocolatier, a coupla restaurants and more....it's like everything is right here!! So when you're in the area and buying yer groceries or having afternoon tea, stop in at La Farine for some quality baked goods. Bon appetit! read more

This is a yummy bakery.. I usually get the savory morning bun, it is very tasty... crispy on the outside and soft and cheesy on the Inside! Yesterday I also tried a almond paste filled croissant, that was also delicious.. their fruity cakes are absolutely delicious but very pricey and run about 30 dollars each.. overall a great place but I still do favor fournee over by Claremont hotel. read more

La Farine - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Pros: The baguettes are relatively cheap, The ambience is really cozy and they usually have baskets of sample bread pieces. It's on my way to the bart. The breakfast pastries are usually a winner and good with a cup of coffee :) The rugelach is very similar to the one from Sweet Adeline's Bakery, traditionally crescent shaped and probably use the same cream cheese ratio. Cons: I found the sweets to be sub-par and since I'm a big cake fiend, that's a big dealbreaker for me. The Jezebel was decent, but pretty standard/nothing spetacular The limoncello cake was ridiculously stale. I ate it right off the bat, but the cake itself was a level of staleness that I couldn't even achieve if I left the cake outside for 3 days. I wasn't pissed off, as much as just really puzzled? because I'm pretty sure a bakery of this caliber does not resell items from the day before unless otherwise marked down. The lemon cheesecake had a tasty icing but the cake itself was really dense but not in a creamy way. I would probably bump it up a star but ratings are only relative to other bakeries and other reviews. I feel like better quality bread could be gotten at ACME bread, Phoenix Pastificio, Cheeseboard, etc. and Berkeley possesses a variety of quality bakeries, such as La Bedaine, Crixa Cakes, Masse's, etc. The cashier/barista is always grumpy but I always encounter the same one so I can't speak too much on that. read more

One of my favorite bakeries in the easy bay. My favorite from them is their croissants! So incredibly fluffy and flaky :)

Delicious with attitude. The place smells absolutely delicious. I wonder if their restroom smells this way too. I have gotten the orange cranberry scone, carrot cupcake w/ cream cheese frosting (I woofed this down like the 3 little pigs), and the frangie pane (almond croissant). All super delicious What I haven't found welcoming is the matter of the workers here. No, "Hi, welcome to La Farine! May I help you..." or A non-snappy answer to "what is this". Work on that and you'll have even more costumers flocking your way! read more

One of the best bakeries in the area. If you love happiness, you'll love La Farine. This place basically can do no wrong. I've been coming to this bakery ever since I was a little kid and have never been disappointed. They know how to make a mean pastry! My personal favorites: The morning bun. I don't even know what they do. But goodness this thing is scrumptious. It's always perfect. Covered in powdered sugar. Just amazing. The chocolatine. An exquisitely flaky pastry with a big chunk of chocolate on the inside. I just shed a tear thinking about it. The cakes. For many of my birthdays my parents would buy my cake from here. It was always so good. The flavor. Everything. My favorite kind looked like a log. It was super cool and I just loved everything about it. There are only a few tables here but this is a great place for grabbing a sweet snack to go. read more

Went here a few weeks ago when I was in town visiting, and I'm still thinking about it... You absolutely must get a morning bun. It has fresh ham, cheese, and onions. Delicious. You must also try the sweet version of the morning bun. It's like a cinnamon roll and a croissant had a baby. The line runs out the door (with good reason), but it moves quickly and is worth the wait! :) read more

My sis got a raspberry cake for her boyfriend's b-day. It was cute and delicate looking. It was rimmed with almonds and had a solo raspberry sitting pretty on top of it. The cake was dipped in Amaretto. That was pleasant because it wasn't doused in the liqueur. The butter cream was light. The cake was delicious and not too sweet. I also had a fruit tart. Let's just say I wouldn't be coming for a fruit tart because it was okay. My sis had the list of the types of cakes offered here. Most of the cakes had a different variety of liqueur in it. The smallest one was $28.00 and was the size of a soft ball. For a loved one, it's worth it. I'll be sure to check this place out for myself. I would definitely want to get a cake here. read more

White flour + white sugar + butter = guilty pleasure! I especially like that La Farine slices many of their beautiful cakes into individual pieces and sells them that way so that you can try something new every time you go. I've only tried the carrot cake so far and it was fabulous! Seating can be tricky. There is one big oval table inside with chairs around it, so be open to sitting with strangers and you'll be fine. Or if you are feeling particularly troll-like, have them box it up for you and go home, pull the shades and nosh your brains out! Morning Bun Update: Buttery, flaky and lightly crispy on the outside like a croissant but soft and chewy on the inside with a gooey cinnamon/sugar center. Can't think of anything better with coffee in the morning! read more

I cannot say enough good things about this adorable bakery! I've had their breads, croissants, and fruit tarts - all of which were amazing. When you order a fruit tart, they ask if you'd like pick the exact tart you'd like, which is cool because they're all made with a different combination of fruit. However, be sure to get there early because the tarts understandably sell out quickly, sometimes before the afternoon. Seating is limited, with just a few tables in this small space. You can usually find a nearby bench though on a nice day. read more

Best bakery I've ever been to. My favorite part of going there is that first aroma you get as soon as you open the door. I drive 4hrs just come here. My favorites are the morning buns and the scones. Staff is always super friendly. Like I said, I love 4 hrs away and I make the drive to this bakery. Love it! Love it! Love it! read more

I love La Farine's morning buns!!!! Perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and buttery and sweet all over! This pastry makes for the perfectttt guilty pleasure. I've always loved morning buns, but La Farine's is really something else. The biggest distinction is how incredibly moist the inside of the buns are! The center of the pastry is so soft and chewy - definitely my favorite part! Who can resist such cinnamon-sugary goodness?! If sweets aren't quite your thing, La Farine makes a savoury morning bun!!! The same croissant dough, but this time layered with cheese and ham! So delicious! One of my friends is also a huge fan of their foccacia, though I personally haven't tried it. La Farine has a huge variety of different pastries for purchase, along with cupcakes, fruit tarts, and more! My favourites are definitely: - Morning bun - Savoury morning bun - Almond tea cake Come early to ensure the best pickings! :)) read more

La Farine is one of the best French bakeries in town! It is close enough to campus that it's not too much of a detour to come here (and is conveniently located across from Safeway so you can get some grocery shopping done too), while being far enough away that thankfully for my stomach and wallet, I don't buy pastries every day. Mmm 100% buttery goodness. What I've tried: - Morning bun ($2.15) - Frangipane ($2.75) - Roasted red pepper foccacia ($4.25) The morning bun is AMAZING! The brown sugar and cinnamon filling is seriously so good without being overly sweet. The flaky croissant exterior leads to a soft, moist interior and I could eat these forever. I wolfed this down before I could even take a picture of it, which says a lot. The frangipane has almond paste inside and is covered with toasted almonds. This pastry was also yummy, but I find myself still preferring the morning bun a little more. The red pepper foccacia is almost like a mini, personal-sized pizza. There is some cheese on top and nuts inside, making for a mouthwatering combo. The sweet yet savory peppers are just perfect. I love any type of foccacia and this one is ranked at the top of my list. It's a little more expensive than the pastries, but is also bigger and very filling. I was eyeing a hazelnut torte the last time I came and can't wait to return for more of La Farine's offerings! read more

So what does one do after stuffing themselves at Cafe Colucci? That's right head to La Farine! I'm pretty picky about bakeries, especially when it comes to cookies. Most bakery cookies or other pastries are not outstanding and often not as good as the stuff I or my good friend DYC make. I chose a small chocolate tart which was so heavenly--perfect crust, smooth chocolate filling that was sweet enough.....yum! Mr Rinky (the vegan) had two almond biscotti which he demolished before I had a second bite of of my tart. Our friend, KC, had a slice of cheesecake....wow! Calories? I'm sure plenty but totally worth it! The staff was very sweet and were probably used to folks like us who kept "oohing" and "ahhhing." read more

La Farine is one of the places that YOU HAVE TO visit in the weekends. Their baked goods are so darn delicious, I've never wanted to eat 10 croissants at once like I do at La Farine. The worst part about it is I live up the street and I am tempted everyday, even at 5 30pm, 30 minutes before they close, to dose myself with some la farine. I swear it's like some type of drugs. If I don't have it, i'll get really moody. I dont know what they put in there but it's so good, some pastries just tastes soft but La Farine pastries have a slight crunch to it before you get to the soft sweet part... I'm drooling as i'm typing this. Amongst my favorite at this place: Morning Bun - Redefining the cinnammon bun, all the good stuff without being overly saucy. Apple Croissant - Perfect cruch, warm apple pieces, you can actually taste the bread, it's not doused with sauce. Cheese bread - need i say more! Come in early to get all their selection, they tend to run out of things towards the end of the day. read more

If it were possible to give 4.5 stars, this would be a fairer rating. La Farine's cakes, pastries and bread are wonderful. The croissants, morning buns and rustic sourdough loaves are weekly staples. This past week I was fortunate enough to taste the flourless brandied cherry chocolate cake. Needless to say, it was deliciously sinful. La Farine is one of my favorite bakeries in the area, consistently delivering high quality desserts and baked goods. Why not the full five stars? Some attitude from a counterperson. After handing us a bag with our pastries, we told the cashier we would rather have them on plates, to eat at the table. The response was a sigh and a reprimand to, "next time tell me before so I don't use a bag". Seriously? You're going to reprimand a customer over the cost of a paper bag? I hope I'll have the chance to revise this review in the future. read more

Six full years since I first discovered this place when I lived in the neighborhood, and I haven't been back in three years. I have deprived myself of the best baguette in the bay for so long. It doesn't make much sense. And, I took advantage of being in the area to make sure I revisited my weekly routine. There's a lot of damn good bread in the Bay. Yes, rustic loaves, Trouble Toast, Josey Baker's seedy loaf. All of it is perfect. But when it comes to baguettes, this is it. If you ever meet a person who is thinking of going off bread: 1. They're wrong. 2. Show them they're wrong by taking them here. Then, get a triple ginger cookie to celebrate and a rye raisin petit pain for the morning. read more

another legendary Morning Bun besides Tartine-- Croissant dough rolled thin, spread with brown sugar and cinnamon, rolled into a log, then cut and baked in muffin pans...nothing short of decadent. be even better warm, but basically tasted like a perfect not too sweet or sticky cinnamon roll center but more like a croissant. the Frangipane is also a Croissant dough filled with almond paste filling and topped with toasted almonds, and those crispy edges are just perfect. read more

My favorites include the cheesecake, the fruit tart and the Swiss Twinkie. But truly, everything I've ever sampled at La Farine has been exceptional. And if you're after special Christmas cakes like stollen or Bûche de Noël, you can find them here (and though you should order ahead, if you turn up on the morning of Christmas Eve, you'll probably still be able to get something divine). read more

We recently feted a co-worker with a cake from here. The cake looked absolutely fantabulous. In fact, I'm not exaggerating in the least when I say that it looked good enough to fuck. That would have been fine and dandy if all we planned to do with it was have a gander, take some pictures and perhaps have it sit on homie's face. Once we got down to the (nearly literal) nitty-gritty of actually eating the thing however, we were, unfortunately, rather disappointed to discover that it seemed to be little more than a pile of sawdust covered in yummy, yummy frosting. Nobody said anything about it at the time (although there was much subsequent discussion - "I thought it was just me!"), and our friend seemed to genuinely appreciate the gesture...if not the cake itself. While I don't believe that it's fair to evaluate a bakery based solely on one fucked up cake, I must say this: In my experience, most of La Farine's fare tends to look a whole lot better than it tastes, much like... Nah...I'm not going to go there. This time. read more

I usually trust the bf when he tells me about places that does it for him. I have a thing for sweet anything and this place is fabulous. I bought the chocolatine, croissant with chocolate inside, and a white chocolate cake. They were delicious. I gobbled it up so fast that I wish I had bought more to munch on for later. I want to try their carrot cake and fruit tart next time I stop by. read more

My adventures in Paris have ruined my appetite for American Croissants. I search and I search for that light, fluffy, airy, yet crisp delectable chocolate croissant that will compare to no avail. However, one fine morning while grabbing a coffee at the new Peet's location on College, I decided to drop into La Farine to try their croissants. At the time, I had not realized this was a chain of locations that I had previously tried (Piedmont and Solano). I purchased the chocolate croissant and to my surprise found that it was everything I had been looking for. Now to be completely honest, it was not an exact replica of my Parisian chocolate croissant love affair, but it was closer than any other croissant experience I have had in America. This particular shop is super cute with lovely staff, the best freshly baked bread and it is always packed when I drop in. Apparently they also make wedding cakes if you are interested. Now for the nitty, gritty. Like I said, I have tried their other locations (not including the fruitvale location). The reason I had no idea this was a chain establishment , is because they really don't compare. After looking at some Yelp reviews, It looks as if others have noticed what I have. I am not sure what it is, but the College location must be doing something different. Whatever it is, more butter, Shortening, etc....please keep it up. read more

Lately, I have come to terms with some addictions. Hello, my name is "cough...grunt" and I am a morning bunaholic. No really, I am hooked on mostly any type of cinnamon; coffee cake, cinnamon bread, patisserie, etc. I truly love cinnamon and I am still looking for my cinnamon girl. Anyway, this bakery makes a morning bun that is as close to perfection as anyone can imagine. It's not too sweet. Yet, the cinnamon is evenly applied throughout the bun. This makes it a tiny bit dry, but with a sweet taste on every bite. When I lived in Oakland, I used to drive from Glenview over to the Claremont specifically to buy my morning bun from La Farine. That's some dedication people. I would get my coffee somewhere else and then drive down to La Farine for the bun. It was what I called my morning Oakland loop. This place is one of things I miss, since moving out of town. read more

You have to come early, otherwise they'll run out of some of their more popular pasteries such as the Pate Feuillete with ham and cheese and the Frangipane (my favorite). No worries, I walked out with plenty others, all of which are absolutely delicious. Everything at La Farine is baked to delicate perfection. With your first bite you can tell right away that they only use quality ingredients. Almond Tart Whole $23 Lemon Shortbread Slice $1.75 Morning Bun (2) $1.95 Chocolatine (2) $2.50 Swiss Twinkie $2.25 Rasberry Walnut Scone $1.95 Madeleine (2) $0.95 Apple Croissant $2.25 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Total: $42.00 read more

Cookie jars on the counter enticed me as I waited in line for my Jezebel cake. I picked the lemon oatmeal cookie, which was a welcome snack for my drive through stop-and-go traffic through the Caldecott to visit my folks. I just wish I had ordered some tea for a little on the road tea party. The amaretto-soaked Jezebel cake with chocolate and apricot was a hit with my family. My only complaint is that I wish the line was more regulated. Other patrons slowly inched their way forward, crowding in like zombies. I think they need a Form-a-Line rope. read more

I didn't have to think too hard about this one. I've been coming here for years. I'm very particular about what I order but I give unequivocally positive reviews about the following: Pain au chocolat: The real deal. Bigger than what you'd find in Paris but gets all the other details right: the crisp exterior, the slightly sour flaky pastry, the sweet but intense dark chocolate. Easily one of the best chocolate croissants in the Bay, and only half a mile from my house (dangerously delicious). Great with coffee! Cakes: Last year I got cakes here for both my grandmother-in-law's 85th birthday and my grandfather's 89th birthday. Yes, the cake prices are so high that I only buy their cakes for people I fear may soon die. If it were my last birthday, I'd want their cake. We got the Geneve (death by chocolate) for grandma and the Chamonix for grandpa. Both were great but the chocolate lover in your life will never stop talking about the Geneve. Service: All the folks are friendly and helpful. I reserve a loaf of challah every Friday and I think it's awesome that they let you reserve and don't just leave you to capricious fate. Nothing is worse than a challah-less Shabbos. Basically, this place gets five stars because it is the rare bird that I have been coming to for decades and plan on coming to for decades more. read more

Upgrade complete with the sampling of a Chocolatine (which is a choco croissanty thang) When I get really old and have diabetes, I want to go out on my own terms by binging in a place like this. read more

The morning bun was OK, a little dry on the outside. The carrot cake cup cake was OK, way too sweet IMHO. The service was exceedingly bad. How are you able to screw up service in a bakery? All you have to do is put the pastries in the bag and collect the money and then give the bags to the customer politely. My male server was not able to do that. Sometimes I wonder why people even show up for work if they are that apathetic. read more

When I moved to Rockridge in May, Sam R. warned me that it was going to be dangerous living so close to Tara's Organic Ice Cream flagship store. And while Tara's is awesome (note to self, write a review for Tara's), the warning really should have been about La Farine. Walking home from work and don't know what I want to eat? Pick up a rustic or sweet baguette from La Farine and eat with whatever cheese is in the fridge. Wake up Sunday morning and feeling down? Grab a morning bun or chocolate croissant or both, and some tea (I prefer tea to coffee when I'm feeling blue). Need a little treat or reward? The cookies are all excellent. Rounded my 4 1/2 stars to 5 because while I'm not a huge fan of the cakes, many of them do come with meringue buttercream instead of the popular/easier to make American buttercream. That effort paired with how great the breads and pastries are plus the great people who work there adds up to 5 stars easily in my book. read more

Oh La Farine, I lovvvvve you. They have incredible pastries, tarts, cakes, and breads. My favorites: orange currant scone, fruit tarts, morning bun, savory morning bun, chocolatine, sourdough loaf. You can either park on the st. or in the Safeway lot. read more

This review is loooong overdue. I have been stopping here in the morning for coffee for a month and a half now. $1.75 gets me the best drip coffee I've had since I've moved to East Bay. One of the women who works there is a total doll who is always happy to see me at 7:30 a.m.- gotta love that :) The Kalamata Sourdough and Raisin Rye are amazing as well. There are many, many pastries that look very sweet and yummy- all of which I have managed to resist so far. I really wish they had more vegan treats, but maybe not because I think I would be a fatty fatty fat fat (and broke) if anything this place created was readily available to me. read more

La Farine is a great French bakery. It really is one of the best bakeries anywhere! We buy cakes and bread here all the time. We love their fruit tart! It is sooooo good. It is better than most of the fruit tarts we had in France. They make large ones and small individual ones. I like to buy a bunch of the little ones for people at work. They always give it rave reviews too. So ... get coffee around the corner and let the bakers do what they do best. read more

I used to like their pastries better than any other in the bay area, but recently they've been getting lighter and drier to the point that there's no there there at all. The morning buns have no interior anymore. They're a dry shell packed inside and out with sugar, really a sugar bomb. I'd be happier with a Coke. The chocolate they use in the pains au chocolat has always been really good, but the pastry has gotten so light and so dry, the thing is weightless. As much of it falls on your shirt as gets in your mouth. I'm really bummed at the change. Not so long ago, they had consistently good pastries. read more

The pear and ginger tarte is excellent and a great dessert to bring to the next dinner party you are invited to. But the rustic baguette is my favorite (compared to Semifreddi's, acme and generic store brands). I wish I could have a loaf delivered to me every day. read more

Even though pricey compared to other bakeries, this is still one of my favorite bakeries in the bay area. It's been around for close to 30 years, has some definite french influences and consistently produces high quality goods. In no particular order, here are the items that I find myself ordering the most: 1)morning bun 2)chocolatine 3)standard croissant 4)dessert fruit tarts (they really are as good as the pics make 'em look) There are also a variety of savory choices if sweets aren't your thing. I can't give it 5 stars because the seating area inside is too small. This makes it more challenging to enjoy your treats and coffee there, especially on the busier weekend mornings read more