I was reluctant to review this place in the past since the service seemed to be so inconsistent. There were some guys there that seemed to be sugary sweet and friendly only to the young women and rolled their eyes and scowled when middled aged "lasses " like me had the audacity to want to order something. I don't expect fake sticky smiles but hey! I'm friendly and it would ruin my day to get shot with the stink eye and a scowl in the morning. Anyway, fast forward to the present. My last few visits have been great. The staff couldn't have been friendlier. Now the service matches their wonderful breads and pastries. And the free bag of cinnamon rolls that they gave me with my last order made my day (and my co workers, who scarfed them down)! read more

Semifreddi's is one of the best coffee joints in the Bay Area. Well, especially in my neighborhood. I've been a fan of their morning buns since I was kid, perfectly baked, with the center just right... soft and doughy. Their coffee is excellent, although I usually get a double shot mocha with soy milk. Also, try one of their sandwiches, all are yummy! read more

This is one of the friendliest places I've been to at 7am in the morning. Opening up and starting business a couple of minutes early with a cheerful good morning and a smile makes people happy. Makes Me happy and makes the day start off on a very Happy note. That's exactly what I received the first time I decided to stop in. And that's why I'm loving this place! The first time I came it was freezing cold outside and it was one of those days I decided to take the bus to the Bart station so I was waiting for the 7:04am bus, which is nicely located right outside of Semifreddi's on the corner! The $1.75 cup of coffee quickly warmed my hands and was just what I needed before getting on the bus a minute later. Oh, and the heavenly smell of fresh bread inside the store was tantalizing.... read more

My heart belongs to..... SWEET BAGUETTE INGREDIENTS: ENRICHED UNBLECHED WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, SALT, YEAST Our Sweet Baguette contains no sugar, yet has a clean sweet taste. Inspired by the baguettes of Paris. Great for sandwiches, picnics and meals. read more

It would be totally impossible to stay on a no/low carb diet if you lived close to this bakery. The morning pastries are all fantastic (pecan swirl is my fav), the cinnamon bread makes the best french toast, Mum's Lemon Cake is really really really tasty (great served with a fresh strawberry sauce), and all the bread loaves can be sliced after purchase. They serve really good coffee and they have sandwiches and salads for lunch. read more

I like the coziness and neighbourhood feel of the Kensington location. I particularly like their challah and breakfast items. I'm also grateful for all those bread/pastry donations that Mike Rose and the other owners of SemiFreddi's provide in support of our community. read more

Being from San Francisco one comes to be familiar with the various stereotypes in food. One time lasting staple is sourdough bread. It's a dreamy breadsource - my friends and visitors have always been impressed by Semfreddis sourdough baguettes. They are crunchy, tasty and among the best in town. On occasion the staff can also be convinced to slice your baguette for you, a valuable service when throwing a party. In my opinion also not to be missed are the cinnamon challah (delicious fresh or toasted with butter, also as French toast) and the lemon or chocolate marble pound cakes. This particular retail location was my local one growing up so I have fond memories attached to it but the goods are equally tasty from the many other stores that carry them. read more

Perfect little café to grab a cup of coffee and a perfectly made sandwich on fresh bread obviously by Semifreddi's. The veggie Panini I got was pretty amazing. read more

My usual route on the way home from the gym takes me by Semifreddi's. Each day the carbs call out to me. Each day I ignore the calls and make my way home. For some reason, today I chose to listen to the carb calls and decided to walk into Semifreddi's to find a whole wall of wonderful breads. They have good distribution, so you can find their baked goods at many grocery stores in the area. What makes the bakery special is there are many things not found in stores that are plentiful at the bakery. Cibatta rolls, croutons, foccacia and more. All sitting there beckoning to me. There is also a great sandwich selection, which I couldn't resist. I had the chicken muffuletta, which is heated in a panini machine. The cheese was perfectly melted and the olive tapanade was the perfect saltiness to accompany the chicken. I'm hoping the trips to the gym will counteract the carbs calling to me when I pass Semifreddi's. read more

Friendly staff, delicious food! They have a selection of freshly baked bread with some interesting flavors. They also have sugar cane rocks that they have aside to sweeten your beverage. read more

Semifreddi's Bakery - Hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon powder! - Bakeries Near Me - Kensington, California

See all

I always love Semifreddi's for a delicious small snack or scrumptious bread, but recently I had such a sweet experience. I hadn't been out of the house in ages and my first long walk took me to Colusa (socially distant and masked, of course) where I ended up in a fit a self-indulgence ordering a hot chocolate. I was asked, "Would you like whipped cream?" and my eyes must have shown my eagerness to completely indulge and enjoy this long-awaited treat. The hot chocolate angel behind the counter, smiling so big with her eyes, went and made my hot chocolate and delivered the most beautiful heaping mountain of whipped cream I had ever seen! I was so touched by the thoughtful human 'touch', going out of her way to make my day. It had been so long since I had been the recipient of such genuine small kindness that it made a really big impact on me. The hot chocolate was delicious by the way, but mostly Semifreddi's was skyrocketed to a favorite place with a fond memory for me. read more

I love this bakery! Their sandwiches are my favorite part of my week. I always get a smile and a little chat from the staff. Warm atmosphere, warm pastries. read more

This place has the best Challah EVER. The regular is great for it's intended use, plus sandwiches, and spread with peanut butter. Yum. The Cinnamon Swirl challah makes amazing French Toast and PB&J Sandwiches. read more

Delicious sandwiches. I love the pesto mayo, and the bread, of course, is amazing. Can't wait to try the cookies.

Summary based on several visits over years: --better than average bakery items, including some signature items like their cinnamon bread --good service --ok prices --generally ok parking --lines can be long. Solution seems to be to wait a couple of minutes and the line magically disappears I like the La Farine scones better with the added sugar on top. read more

i've never been to the bakery but i buy their morning buns from berkeley bowl and i loooove them so much! i have to restrict myself to just one per visit :) Now that i know where the bakery is i'll be sure to check it out read more

I love the Semifreddi's Rustic Sourdough bread - it is the best I've ever tried. I love toasting it in a pan and making delicious sourdough toast... no toppings needed (ok, maybe some butter). 5 starts, Semifreddi's - well done! read more

Those of you who have ever gone with me for a hot chocolate know how I am. Not just any one will do. I always ask for extra chocolate, and will go back and ask again if it's not enough. Sometimes, it's still not enough, and I may drink it or just toss it. Why consume the calories if it's not up to snuff? I keep coming back to Semifreddis as the best hot chocolate around and I've tried them all: Peets, Starbucks, Ruby's, Royal Grounds, and every other little cafe between here and Emeryville. Of course, there are the special hot chocolate places, like Bittersweet and Sketch, but those are too intense for every day consumption. I've tried Peets a couple times. The last time I went, I said to my friend, "This is the last time to see if they can get it right." And they didn't. So no more wasting money on these other places, it's Semifreddis for me. What makes Semifreddis' hot chocolate so special? 1) The chocolate - There's a difference between the powder and the syrup. Semifreddis has the chocolate powder. My palette tells me that the syrups I've encountered have more sugar. You can see remnants of the powder on the inside of the cup. I've been to the Semifreddis on the Kensington Circle, Claremont and Hollis and it's always just as good. 2) This day in history - There is a little factoid about what happened on this day in history. It's always something off the wall. Like the day, many years ago, when Lauren Bacall married Jason Robards, her second husband after Bogey. 3) It's all in the whisk - The people who work there work the cocoa in with these little whisks, which is something I haven't seen at other hot chocolate places. 4) The staff knows me - At the Kensington store, when I walk in, they know that I want my hot chocolate with extra chocolate. 5) Cookies - They recently reintroduced their cookies. Although they're larger than I need, they have mastered the classics: chocolate chip, oatmeal and snickerdoodles (a rare find in bakeries). read more

Great bread and other baked goods at a very convenient location in our neighborhood. The people who work the counter are friendly and the breads top notch. read more

I have to echo what another reviewer (Sue F. from El Cerrito) wrote about, regarding their customer service. This was my first and absolute last time giving this place my business. Their breads were good, however the non-existent customer service was a total surprise to me. I was there with my young child, and they were looking at me like I was a nuisance. I didn't get a hello, just stares from the guy and girl working behind the counter, even after I smiled, wow! Would it have killed you guys to say hi?? Then once I asked the girl if they had what I was looking for (took me a minute to figure out where the breads were, since I was trying to make sandwiches) she just says "yeah that's it" when I asked for more than 2 of particular type of bread they had left on the shelf. Couldn't be bothered with a "I'm sorry, but we're out, that's all we have" or possibly, "I'm sorry, we only make X amount of batches a day." The girl that works the counter (Caucasian, as another reviewer mentioned) should be given extensive customer service training, or be moved to the back of the house, where she doesn't have to interact with customers, as that doesn't seem to be part of her skill set. By the way, I'd hate to think I received sub-par customer service because I'm not Caucasian, which is what it really felt like was the case here. read more

I go every morning for coffee. As a waitress at Poulet just down the street i am VERY aware of any lapse in customer service. I receive the most fabulous customer service every time I go in. Whether it's Zach, Karolyn, Lindsey Kristy, Becky or Miles ( the newest employee), I'm treated like a part of the family. Just as I treat my customers. Anything to the contrary would be so out of the ordinary considering my experience there is consistent everyday. Keep up the good work! read more

Get the cinnamon swirl bread for insanely good french toast! Trust me!

This bakery deserves every star in its rating! Visited yesterday to pick up some bread (for avocado toast)and spotted their 'olive bread'! We can't stop slicing the batard and, eating the slices, some with avocado and some without. Super delicious....While there, we spotted the blueberry muffin - same verdict - DELICIOUS as were the other items - almond croissant and snickerdoodle cookie! Will be back, for sure :) read more

They are the best in every way. And the corporate culture matches the artistry of their breads and baked goods. I love Semifreddies and wish I had one of these nestled in my neighborhood! read more

Their bread is my favorite to get from Safeway, so on a whim we decided to go to their shop up in Kensington. The bread was soft and delicious, and we decided to spring for some sandwiches which were both hearty and delicious. A rather small location, but we were on the go so we didn't mind. Definitely a grab and go kind of place. read more

Wasn't bad but I've had better. I really wanted to like the place but I am extremely self important and when I go out I expect people to jump at the opportunity to serve me! I don't think I'll be back. read more

Clearly a business that cares about the quality of their baked goods, as well as the health and happiness of their employees and customers. Delicious, fresh, lovely breads and pastries. Friendly and well informed employees. read more

We bought Semifreddi's cinnamon morning buns this morning, with happy anticipation--my first taste of these and one of my few experiences with the shop. The buns did not make us happy. They were dry and stale, probably the worst such buns I've ever had. On the basis of this experience, I could not recommend stopping there. The reviews for Semifreddi's tend to be good. Apparently my experience this morning was not representative. But it's all I have to go on. read more

Walk to any grocery store in Bay Area and it is impossible not to ran into Semifreddi's product. This bakery has its roots in Bay Area and while in Kensington area I decided to treat my friend (a guest from Los Angeles) to a nice coffee and some pastry by going through the source! What a pure mistake that was! The store is a hole in the wall, with dated counters and displays. If I didn't know the brand name I would think that this place was going out of business. It is simply sad when businesses like this bakery with such longevity in the business, continue to milk the profit and not spend a dime on their presense and looks in the community. The pastry was ok, a bit under baked and the choice of their coffee was below par. Skip this place- nothing to write home about. read more

The sweet batard is amazing, and the sandwiches are all excellent (especially the chicken salad). Not a place to sit and eat, but there's a nice set of benches in a little alley nearby. read more

I had a gift certificate to use so came here to pick up a few of their sandwiches to take home for dinner. I ordered both the Southwest Turkey and the Chicken Muffaletta along with a sourdough loaf and all were delicious ! read more

Great people, great coffee and quick service. This place is packed every time I come into get a mocha, or a cup of coffee. They are nice, and friendly even when they are busy. I come in there every Sunday from the farmers market and have to get a coffee to keep me up during the day. read more

I feel that the best thing about this place is the staff. They are fast, nice, make it a lovely neighborhood experience. I suppose I'm a bread and pastry snob. Their bread is ok. It's not baked ok site and loses something in being trucked over to this little location. Sadly the pastries are generally not top notch. Like they aren't worth the calories. If you're going to eat something delicious and bad for you then make it really delicious. This just isn't that. It's fine if you really need sugar. The more savory treats are better. The sandwiches are good. The tea is fine. Not loose leaf but ok. The drip coffee is of the dark burnt bean type like Starbucks. Espresso drinks are good. Fine as a quick stop if you're in the neighborhood. The two tables outside would be pleasant if it weren't for the fossil fuel monsters driving past constantly. read more

Can't go wrong with Semifreddis bread!! A-MAY-ZING!! had the turkey pesto sandwich. Definitely tasty but nothing super memorable. (Sandwich snob). But I would definitely go back!! small joint so don't plan on sitting down to eat unless it's outside. read more

I don't live in the area, but I stop by here approximately every six weeks -- corresponding with my hair appointments -- and I've received friendly service and the coffee and baked goods have always been top notch. read more

Why 3 stars...hmmm... First, now I remember why I stopped giving business to this location of Semifreddi's - owners, I know you don't care, because of the rate of turn over in these kinds of neighborhood establishments, but I believe in hope, and also the concept of good customer service, no matter how great or small the issue at hand. Your baked goods are good. I miss the heck out of the sticky buns...I heard from a former Semifreddi's delivery driver the dough was too hard on your equipment...whether that's true or not, think about how hard it was on the hearts of all the loyal customers not having them ever again...*sigh* So, now to the bare bones...whoever the woman is that seemed to be "in charge" of this tiny happy store today, (happiness is found in a good bakery, that makes really good mochas), I can only describe her as a caucasian woman, with an attitude. PLEASE understand, you take my money, and then bark at me like I'm some kind of a dumb ass... WHY faithful readers you ask? Let me tell you: Upon paying with my beloved Wells Fargo Visa/Debit card, I look at the screen, becoming familiar with it (anyone who is human, and not an ass wipe in a chosen customer service job; there are plenty of outstanding customer service workers everywhere) knows that if you go to 2 different stores, there will be 2 different PDQ Terminals, where PDQ stands for "process data quickly"... so give me a damn minute to adjust to YOUR particular PDQ... I'm following the instructions, and the other worker who took my mocha order, was making it says to me I have to "sign first..." [the PDQ] so I attempt to sign first, but it's not allowing that step...so I say, "I can't sign first..." when immediately I'm interrupted halfway through my reply, as caucasian woman BARKS at me, "THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS, you have to indicate the tip amount first." Okay caucasian woman, I'm not a dumb ass, so here are my instructions to you: You should get all that sticky bun dough out of your ass, because it's making you very cranky; no one was speaking to you. If your co-worker in inept, and cannot answer a paying customer herself, she certainly will be by the end of the work day because of your inane control issues. I directly tell caucasian woman it would be kinder to provide guidance in a way that is not demeaning...because after all, I'm there only for a mocha, since I decided I'm not giving anymore of my money or time to this Semifreddi's Nightmare on Colusa Circle of a crappy-assed person who clearly hates her job. Oh, and that's your $TIP$ of a lifetime. I'm sorry you are stuck in a dead end job, but if per chance you are maybe working your way through say, something commendable like paying off UC Berkeley student loans, or classes, this fellow Cal Bear says, get your head out of your ass so the baked goods, and decent coffee stand a chance, you are a disgrace to the long standing business in a great neighborhood. read more

We love this place. They serve fresh pastries, breads and coffees. Not to mention, their sandwiches are wonderful as well. I would recommend that if you ever try one of their sandwiches, try them toasted, yum! Our favorite is their Turkey sandwich. We love their Mum's Lemon Cake. The staff at this location is always friendly. Their coffee is tasty and their hot chocolates are definitely worth a try. read more

First of all, I was the only customer in the café. I ordered a large latte but told the young lady I wanted 1 1/2 inch below the top because I like my latte's stronger (more espresso less milk) and she accidently made it all the way to the top, which would have been fine, I mean anyone can make a mistake, but instead she actually poured out 1 1/2 inches of the finished product and pretended she'd done nothing wrong. I hadn't purchased a latte here for quite some time: now I know why. I think I'll stick to the Natural Grocery Café on San Pablo Ave. read more

Fresh breads and goodies on my way to work and home.....what else do you need really? lol My favorite is their sourdough

LOVE the coffee... esp the cappuccino! And their bread! Oh so delicious bread!