I had stopped going here because my favorite morning buns weren't fresh, but I have been back and my goodness! They are back to the freshness that I knew. The staff were busy and friendly. Recommend feeding your fix for fresh baked bread and Pastries. read more

Literally the best sourdoughs ever!! I've had my fair share of sourdoughs and got to say these are the best!! The shelf life is pretty long and my Mom buys A LOT because we don't get them out here in Fairfield. read more

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Delicious sandwiches, but make sure to come early enough for the hot version. Don't forget the bread for later

I love Semifreddi's. Have been coming here for 35 years to the Kensington site. Love their baked goods. Sure wish they would lengthen their hours. It's really a drag to get there at 3:00 and find them closed. read more

Solid!! Love love this bakery since they opened! Love all of their sandwich bread loaves. So glad they will slice it for you. So many bakeries don't have slicing service. Takes time, I get it (ie: ACME). Thank you for that extra service Semifreddi's! Always very nice young folks working in the shop. IVM read more

Love your bread. Thank you for making it. It brings me memories of the one back home in my country. You guys are a home away from home. I especially like the ciabatta crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! Yum! My kid and I sit and eat half in one sitting. Bag "warns" of addiction and we are joining the "recovery group". You have my business as long as I live. Many Hugs. read more

Delicious sandwiches, quaint location and building, kind and helpful service. I have come here for years.

This review is solely based off the sandwiches they make here. They have a ton of delicious bread and other goodies I just don't get them that often. I go here every so often for a sandwich. They make great hot pressed pannini sando's that I've been eating since high school. This actually used to be the go-to spot for me and my boys in high school when we were taking a girl out to lunch LOL I always get the southwest turkey pannini. Great flavors and they put on just the right amount. If you have yet to get a sandwich from here you should definitely try one! yummy! read more

Semifreddi's Bakery - Southwest Turkey - Bakeries Near Me - Kensington, California

Their bread uses enriched wheat which makes it disgusting and spongey. Unfortunately this place will probably stay in businesses for a long time considering that a majority of their clientele lost their ability to taste decades ago. Its funny how so many mediocre businesses will stay afloat so long as they are convenient to the horde of old people. read more

We have been fans of Semifreddi's bread ever since it opened in 1984. I can still remember the first loaf of sourdough I bought and how deliciously fresh it was and how it stood out among products from other bakeries. I have been buying Semifreddi's ever since and my family loves their bread. It doesn't taste fake like the ones you find in the regular grocery store. Our favorite is the sour bâtard with the nice thin crust on the outside and soft sourdough goodness on the inside. Friends in other parts of the country often request we bring them Semifreddi's sourdough. Semifreddi's also makes an irresistible morning bun bursting with nice cinnamon-y goodness. I usually get their deli multi grain bread for my sandwiches and hubby likes the Dutch crunch and French rolls for his. One tip: when buying their deli sandwich loaves you can get them sliced and when doing so be sure to ask them to check for large air bubbles (holes in the bread) which often happens due to the food chemistry in bread baking. It seems to happen a lot with the deli multigrain but then their bread is so made-from-scratch wholesome and delicious that I can tolerate this minor annoyance. I did talk with the owner once about this problem and he immediately made it right by sending me a certificate to compensate. The company is well run and the owner really cares. read more

Semifreddi's Bakery - A loaf of wholesome and earthy deli multigrain and a sourdough roll. - Bakeries Near Me - Kensington, California

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I've lived near SemiFreddi's for the past 32 years! My go to place for just about anything bread or cookie oriented - I think their sourdough baguettes are the best around and definitely beat Acme or Cheeseboard and I love them too! Their challah, both traditional Sabbath challah and their cinnamon laced challah ( a dessert for me) are pure delights. Oatmeal, snickerdoodles or chocolate chip cookies are all weaknesses of mine! Thank goodness I'm a lifetime member of Weight Watchers or I'd be there daily for ALL! Pam read more

Pass on the pastries....Sunday morning they taste stale...chewy and flavorless....but hey at least they're less than $3.... The breads are the only way to go unfortunately read more

BEST DARN BAKERY IN THE BAY AREA! ...drool. pause. Slap own face...take a bite... Yaaas, you heard me, best dang bakery in the bay area. The deep, glorrrious flavor their sourdough has is noteworhty. The crust on the sourdough batard is chewy and the middle just delicious. I grew uo in El Cerrito so this bread was always a staple at my home. Their baguette is fab, all three varieties. The wheat bread is great, olive bread divine, croutons like whoa addicting. I stopped biying them bc I eat them as if they were a bag of funyons. Coffee is fab, prepared sandos yummy...but hit the pause button. The pastry...dear gooodness. Happy dance off the charts fab. Support local enjoy the best. read more

The best croissants ever, amazing customer service! Nick, Miles and Beth, you guys rock it! read more

Semifreddi's Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Kensington, California

Yes for bread and limited bread only Used to be a five Had great sandwiches on their rolls Now only have four types. Purchased vegetable yesterday not great anymore tiny amount of olive tapenade, no cucumber, so little mushroom, could barely taste No condiments like mustard or mayonnaise Had to fix up myself at home said two kinds of cheese but didn't get any feta. Love the bread but don't call this a deli anymore This used to be a five and if they reconstructed their shop post-Covid then it could be a five again read more

Everything I have tried there is amazing! Bread, cookies, morning buns, and coffee. The staff is very helpful

Home of the Bay Area's last latte under $3, this is the bakery making those delicious Dutch Crunch rolls used by sandwich makers far and wide. The space is compact at both this and the Claremont location, but they're definitely producing high volumes of great baked goods for such a small bakery: the morning buns and the blueberry cheese danish being my favorites, though a good chocolate chip cookie is sometimes all I need. Also, if you haven't tried their cinnamon twist bread toasted with cream cheese, what are you waiting for exactly? read more

This quintessential neighborhood bakery in Kensington's circle is just right: tiny and jam packed with fresh baked goods, inviting open doors down the street from the farmer's market on Sunday mornings, and generous quarter-cookies as samples on some mornings. You'd be inhuman not to go in and buy something. Items I liked: $1.95 for a sweet baguette that remained fresh the next day (a bit more expensive than Acme's, but nice crust, not too bready, slightly chewy but not too gluten-y). Additional $1.95 for the cinnamon morning bun, which IMO is much better than La Farine's (and I think cheaper too). The challah is just right for French toast or bread pudding if you (gasp) let it go stale. If you're going to get Semifreddi's, I d0 highly recommend going straight to the source. Yes, they also outpost to the local Safeway's, Lucky's, Berkeley Bowl, and Andronico's... and their baked goods can be found in the front cases of many local coffeehouses, but my favorite goods have still been right from their own bakery storefront. read more

Semifreddi's was around the corner where the kensington farmers market. saw it when i was looking for a seat to sit to enjoy fat daddy's q. Semifredd's offers breads, sandwiches, pastries (scones), and coffee sampling: sourdough baguette/poppy seeded baguette (1.95) 3 stars -mostly crust not much bread within, bread pretty sour. my taste has evolved from sour craving to delicate sourness. semi's baguette no longer fits my needs. crumbs: -though semibusy, associates were courteous, efficieint, and timely in their service. -usual breads seen at other location. -very small shop, no seating. grab n go. read more

Lovely lovely place. Its actually quite small inside but they stuff a lot of bread in there! I got their croissant and morning bun. Both very sweet and delicious. However, I do think La Farine makes better pastries, Semifreddi's does make good bread! Parking can be a hassle so park inside the neighborhood down Santa Fe Ave. Also cops tend to patrol there so watch out for them! read more

Semifreddi's Bakery - Huge bread! - Bakeries Near Me - Kensington, California

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The best ginger cookie I've ever had. They don't have cream cheese danishes at the moment but they're making sandwiches and have other pastries and breads. read more

First time that my order was wrong. I got home and discovered the two choc chip cookies i ordered were missing, bot there were two choc croissants instead. With covid masks and clear plastic barriers, we didn't understand each other. Maybe next time i will write my order. read more

Yeah.... I come here once a week at a minimum... Prices are fantastically low and the baked goods and sandwiches are of the highest quality. I usually get the seeded baguette with cream cheese (toasted) for $1.50. YES FOLKS... one dollar and fifty cents. But if you're watching your figure then I would go for the Caprese ($4.95) with focaccia and extra balsamic. I swear, you'll get addicted....so don't forget to ask for/bring a stamp card. If you buy 12 items (and get 12 stamps) then you can get a free drink or a free morning bun or some other stuff. ALSO...if there's no parking right out front, you can park in a small lot directly across the street from the bakery. read more

We moved out of CA to Nevada. I MISS MY SEMIFREDDI's BREAD :( Waaahhhhhh My father was a baker, I'm picky. It's THE BEST sour dough on our planet. Enjoy Californians. read more

Yummy, to die for! My dad used to work at the emeryville loacation near Pixar when I was a child -- he would bring the cinnamon twist bread and biscottis home all the time. After many years of baking there he found a new job which meant no more weekly semifreddi's. Since he was there for so long he had created long lasting friendships with his coworkers so he would sometimes visit and they'd send him home with bread and treats. I love that this location exists as it gives me access to good quality bread and childhood memories. If you haven't tried the cinnamon twist bread please do! My fav way to eat it is by eating what's on the inside as the cinnamon swirls are so delicious. read more

So far i have tried the chicken with pesto and spinach focaccia and a coffee. PROS: sandwich was pretty good! Good combination of flavors and the inside wasn't completely packed with meats and such so it wasn't pouring out as I was eating it. Just the way I like it. Coffee is strong. CONS: my sandwich had a dog hair in it for some reason and I didn't see a dog around. Seems a little pricey, but it is in kensington. Coffee almost tasted burnt. Overall, aside from the dog hair experience, I would go back to try other things. It's convenient for a quick bite and not many places around here have specialty sandwiches. This place is not a sit down restaurant tho there are a couple tables outside to relax at. It's a very small shop. read more

Semifreddi's Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Kensington, California

I just had their Chip's chocolate cake and true to their name, it was full of chocolate chips. The cake itself reminds me of cake you can make from a store brought chocolate cake mix (maybe it uses the same cocoa) but I'm too lazy to bake so for 6 dollars, SemiFreddi's gives me a cake shaped like a giant blossom and wrapped up in a shiny bag. It lasted about three days in my fridge when I discovered that microwaving it for about 30 seconds turned it into something really special. The chips melt and it becomes a soft warm cake with a molten center. Try it. I've had their ginger bread cake too and it is truly something out of this world, the spices and flavors make it the best tasting ginger bread cake I've ever had and the color is beautiful too. Unfortunately, they only sell it in December. One year, they didn't even make it. We also like their biscotti. Crunchy and not too sweet, and perfect with a glass of milk or chai. Their almond biscotti is particularly good. read more

Really ADORE this bakery, especially during pandemic mode. They are so responsive and careful and sell so many things at this walk-up window in the Colusa Circle. In addition morning buns, olive a d challah bread, we are huge fans of the biscotti!! Prices are very reasonable too. Thx! read more

This is my favorite coffee shop in the area. They have amazing chocolate chip cookies and a good selection of other pastries and breads. I mostly only go here for the cookies and the drinks so i can't say much about the bread. The cookies are usually on point - but they do run out often if you go too late in the day. However, you can always call them in the morning and have them set aside some cookies for you. And i can never go wrong with an iced vanilla latte. read more

SemiFreddi's on Colusa Circle in Kensington is the type of place to go to for morning pastries, breakfast sandwiches or lunch if "fast food" just won't do it, but there is a craving for fast-ish food that is a cut above. SemiFreddi's has been at that location easily for 30 years. It is a very small, walk-in counter surrounded by luscious breads, rolls and buns. A small counter on the right holds a very small coffee bar. The ambience is a nothing fancy neighborhood place simply filled with delicious delights. It gets busy at lunchtime and since it only takes about three people to make a line out the door (literally), the staff is polite, but not overly friendly in order to keep things moving. As mentioned as a cut above fast food, there will be a little longer wait (well worth it), than the standard fast food restaurant. On the menu is sandwiches, panini's, and other delicacies surrounded by their delicious breads and rolls, which serves as the star of every meal. My personal favorite is anything on their flakey, oversized, buttery croissant. If I'm lucky, for lunch, I can order a breakfast croissant if there are any left over. Accompaniments are a simple bag of chips and Italian sodas featuring Perrier fizzy water. Because the breads and pastries are so good and the other ingredients used are fresh, you just can't lose if you want a delicious something-something for breakfast or lunch. The only seating at the store is outside at a pair of tables outside. There are also some benches and in a pinch, a bus stop bench close by. Prices are not cheap, but not super expensive. A sandwich, bag of chips, Italian water and possibly a cookie for dessert is somewhere in the area of $9-$11, but it the payoff is a much better than fast food meal that can be enjoyed outdoors or transported anywhere for a business meeting, or family lunch. Picking up that loaf of bread or dinner rolls is also an added convenience - they have a bread slicer! Yay! Looking for a satisfying meal that is a cut above? Stop by SemiFreddi's. They are a Kensington institution that knows how to get it done. read more

Who can resist Semifreddi's delectable bread? The pasties are delicious and the sourdough is to die for! You won't be able to resist their fresh baked bread. The Bay Area is lucky to have this establishment in our own backyard. If you think one loaf is enough, grab two...you'll want more after you taste it, trust us! read more

Love the bread from Semifreddi. Didn't know they had a bakery located in Kensington, an area that is closed to Berkeley. At this location, they also make sandwiches, breakfast as well as scones, muffins, turnovers and a lot more variety of breads. They are also cheaper here than buying from Safeway or Whole Food or other grocery stores that carries the bread. The counter person was very friendly and was familiar with the local clientele. My daughter loves muffaletta. When I told him that she was sick with a sore throat, he was considerate enough to suggest that they won't put it in the bread presser so long to make it too crispy for her. Now, that's what I call excellent customer service! I would definitely come back again to buy the bread and partake in their kind and wonderful service!! read more

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This is ground zero: the place where Eric Sartenaer and his wife founded Semifreddi's in 1983. At the time, Narsai's restaurant was still going great guns across the Circle. Semifreddi's expanded to other locations and was sold to new owners. Now the bread and other products are baked in Emeryville and delivered to the retail locations by truck. The original Semifreddi's has become what the French would call a "de'pot de pain". The bread, rolls, and pastries are quite good, as you all probably know. Semifreddi's -- this one at least -- does a healthy business in espresso drinks, especially drinks to go. It also sells sandwiches of various kinds. I pass by mainly in the morning. There's a steady stream of commuters stopping off for lattes, croissants and other items. This place is worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood and you're hungry. read more

Semifreddi's Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Kensington, California

This review is about the costumer service. I Stood in line here for 5 minutes to buy a Croissant and some pumpkin bread and was sadly unable to because the guy working said he couldn't make change for a $50, normally I would be like o, ok but as he is Literally holding handful of cash with more in the register and can Obviously make change hmmm... I will not waste my time in this place again read more

I love Semifreddi's bread. I could sit down and eat a great lunch consisting purely of a baguette and a drink. Their products are consistently good and super tasty. Allergy note: they are very careful about cross contact and I have been told they do not have peanuts or tree nuts in their facility, apart from a small segregated room that does pastries. As I understand it, all of their bread is nut safe. Please do always check packaging and feel free to call them yourselves to verify. read more

Good fresh healthy bread. I especially like the French rolls. And French bread. I have been a customer for maybe 6 months. I have been happy until last Saturday. I do not need to review that problem as they corrected it. I want to talk about that correction. I phoned yesterday late afternoon from my work to express a concern. The boss (Mike) wasn't in. I left a message. I was home about 2 hours later. There was a voice mail waiting for me from Mike. He said that they were "working on the problem". I show up this morning & purchased. I noticed that my problem had already been corrected. Talk about FAST & CUSTOMER FRIENDLY! This is how businesses should be run! read more

I love the pastries but I have to say the sandwiches are not the best. I went in on a Thursday morning and ordered two sandwiches one a blta. I saved it for thinking it would be the best sandwich ever, to my surprise it wasn't. The bread was super dry and they forgot to put the provole cheese . I wish the gentleman making the sandwiches would do one thing at a time or have more people helping as it was only him taking orders, making food and coffee. I will be back for their pastries and bread but definitely not their sandwiches. read more

First time trying this establishment. Coffee was amazingly perfect. Customer Service was outstanding. Will be a returning customer.

Our favorite sourdough, we search it out every time we visit the family, and bring back loafs for the folks back home.

I love this place. I think it's the original, but I then tend to think whatever I first encounter is the original*. I've been stopping by here for decades for their seeded baguettes, their sourdough batards, whatever bread strikes my fancy. In the olden days I'd pick up biscotti or one of their scones, particularly the walnut ones. They stopped making scones several years ago, to my sadness. Occasionally I'd luck into a foccacia. Today I bought a seeded baguette and the guy behind the counter chatted w/ me about the cold weather outside. Just being nice. *It _is_ the original! http://www.semifreddis.com/ read more