Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Starter Bakery

    4.3 (165 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    Starter Bakery Photos

    Business Info

    STARTER BAKERY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like Starter Bakery

    Recommended Reviews - Starter Bakery

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Matcha latte, pastries
    Cathy H.

    Came here on a Saturday morning for breakfast. It's quite popular so be ready to wait in line but the line does move quickly so you won't be standing around too long. There are a few tables inside and outside that you can sit at. I got a hot matcha latte with oat milk and some pastries to share. We tried the ham and cheese croissant, a seasonal passionfruit and regular kougin amann. The pastries are so flaky and delicious! Highly recommend trying this bakery if you like pastries.

    Latte with coco banana bread (half since I was hungry)
    Sherry Z.

    Located in Rockridge, plenty of street parking, but limited seating. If you have a group larger than 4 people, I would recommend you grab and go and find somewhere else to sit. The space is open and has a long display case with all of the delicious pastries. If you only want a caffeinated beverage you can skip the long line and order at the counter. The latte is solid and goes well with any of their baked goods. Highly recommend the twice baked ham & cheese croissants. I get it every time I'm here. I'm normally more of a sweet pastry with my coffee, but the crispy, savory, and sweet (because of the caramelized onions) combination of the croissant is very satisfying. I also recommend the cocoa banana bread which has the lovely texture of the cocoa nibs on the top. Honestly, I feel like you can't go wrong with any of the pastries so try a couple out and find your favorite!

    Plain kouign amann
    Alex M.

    My first experience with kouign amann was at Starter Bakery during the pandemic, and I'm so glad to see that they've expanded over the past several years. I visited their Rockridge bakery on a recent weekend morning (~10 AM), and there was a long line out the door. The line moved quickly, and I admired the pastry case and variety of kouign amann flavors while I waited. When it was my turn to order, I kept it simple with a box of the plain kouign amann. My pastries were boxed up and added to the queue, which seemed chaotic at first glance but was handled efficiently by the staff. I took my pastries to go and enjoyed them at home later that evening. While Starter Bakery's kouign amann are petite, they pack a big punch with extremely rich, buttery layers. The texture was denser and chewier than kouign amann from other bakeries, but the bottom had the same caramelized crispiness that I loved the first time I tried it. Visiting the bakery was convenient, since it is located a block away from the Rockridge Bart station. On my next visit, I'd be curious to try the seasonal kouign amann flavor and some of their savory pastries.

    Jade L.

    I met up with my friend here for a foodie day together since it's a very short walk from the Rockridge BART station. I selected a few pastries to try, namely the signature original kouign amann, cardamon pistachio twist, and almond croissant. The first I requested to be heated so that I could eat on the spot, and the other two I requested to be packaged for takeaway. I thought the kouign amann was alright but not great. Other kouign amann have had a crispy exterior and soft interior. However, the kouign amann at Starter was completely soft, gooey, and very sticky, so much so that the sugar stuck to my teeth, and I had to scrape it off. I'm accustomed to kouign amann holding their structure for each flaky bite, but the kouign amann from here was deflated and borderline soggy (presumably from the sugary syrup oozing out of it) even though I ate it immediately. I tried the cardamon pistachio twist and almond croissant later when I got around to it. The first had a slightly off-putting (almost sour?) flavour at first, but I got used to it after a few bites, and I have to say it was my favourite of the trio. The almond croissant was way too sweet, and the filling had an artificial almond taste. Overall, I'd rate this bakery 3.5 stars because while the pastries were decent, and the staff worked efficiently to get us our orders promptly, I've had better pastries at mere coffee shops that don't specialize in making pastries in-house.

    Kelly R.

    Got a cappuccino (wanted a mocha but they were out of the syrup) , egg and cheese sandwich, and a seasonal veggie quiche. The food was pretty good, not my favorite bakery I've had. Nice and clean. Friendly service. Glad I tried it out!

    Box
    Melody L.

    Cute bakery in Rockridge serving delicious pastries! Came here on a Friday at around 8am and the place was decently busy, but we got to order right away. We decided to order 6 different pastries. We first tried their Seasonal Strawberry Almond Frangipane, Seasonal Strawberry Kouign Amann, Cardamon Pistachio Kouign Amann, Chocolate Pistachio Kouign Amann, Chocolate Babka, and Twice Baked Mocha Pecan Croissant. I liked all of their Kouign Amanns a lot, especially the strawberry one which added a nice fruit element! Their kouign amanns have very crispy layers and very flaky. I'd honestly recommend all 6 of the pastries we tried, especially since the prices for this place are lower (~$6) than some other high quality bakeries around the Oakland and SF area. The decor inside the bakery is really cute and there are quite a few small tables you can sit at to enjoy the baked goods. Service was nice and fast. Overall: solid pastry spot I'd recommend anyone to check out!

    David T.

    Oops. Came back, got another cappuccino, and it was terrible. I guess I shouldn't expect a bakery to also have excellent coffee although there are a handful that manage the trick

    Mille feuille
    Tasha H.

    Amazing pastries and viennoiserie. Mille feuille - what a triumph. The pink cream actually tasted of berries, and the pastry slices were crisp without being too hard. Truly delicious and beautiful. Pain au chocolate - 3, count them, 3! Sticks of chocolate and a very crisp exterior- lovely. Kouign Amann - it seems like this is what they're known for here, and they do it well. The pastry is crisp, not overwhelmingly sweet and not overly dense like others I've had. They have a ton of different flavors, but the base pastry is all the same, it's just the small amount of toppings that are swapped out.

    Another set of goods
    Jennifer T.

    One of the gems in East Bay. They close early around 3pm so make sure to pick up pastries for a weekend or for family. My mom in San Jose always asks when I'm going to bring a box of pastries from here. The pastries are made with quality ingredients and with Kerrygold butter. There are seasonal pastries too but they do the best with their staples: kouign amanns (hazelnut, pistachio, chocolate, and a seasonal flavor), croissants, pretzel croissant (favorite), chocolate croissants and many more. There are also some breakfast pastries available there, and the coffee is well made. I missed out on the seasonal Pannettone last year but I hope to order it this year as it is not Christmas without a panettone in the morning with some coffee. I love this place and glad there is a Rockridge location.

    Breakfast sandwich
    Jose Manuel C.

    Showed up after a Trader Joe's run. Coffee was good, breakfast sandwich was good, rustic Italian one was cool. Service lacks attention to detail, waited an extra 20 minutes for something they forgot. 4/5 service needs better attention to detail.

    Standout chocolate babka
    Mille C.

    4.25 rounded down to 4 stars; yummy but a little small for the price. Located 1 block from Rockridge BART, across the street from Zachary's Pizza on College Ave. Street parking can be difficult. Busy streets. Beware traffic. Recently saw a grandma almost get run over by a car blowing thru the pedestrian x-ing right in front of the bakery. Discovered chocolate babka when Philz Coffee opened in San Ramon! Had babka before but think it is more of a New York thing. First time I've seen it in a Bay Area cafe in years. Much preferred than chocolate croissant which only has a small bar of chocolate in the center. In the babka, chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the bread as a slightly gritty spread. (Kinda like unsweetened cocoa that clump together when making hot chocolate from scratch. They're like mini bursts of chocolate if you don't stir and dissolve thoroughly before drinking.) Unfortunately, Philz almost always ran out by morning's end. Even worse, they stopped carrying babka soon after. Good news, staff mentioned they got their pastries at Starter Bakery. Better news, they also said that SB had a stall just a few yards away at the Saturday farmers' market in the mall's parking lot. Bad news, the stall was so popular, the babka often sold out before 10 am. Best news, my sister and I now go straight to the source. Do a pilgrimage to Oakland at least once or twice a month for our babka fix.

    Apricot cheese
    Denise L.

    Had their pastries from the Niles farmers market and their fresh baked goodies are delicious! Tried the apricot cheese danish and it wasn't too sweet and so tasty. They had lots of different types of kouign amanns, and I tried the hazelnut one. It was heavenly! Would definitely like to try their pastries at their store.

    Abha S.

    This is a cute little bakery and Café on a quaint street in Berkeley, across from Trader Joe's. There is seating inside and out. The café offers Wi-Fi and lots and Lots of sweet treats to try as well as savory sandwiches and quiches. The coffee is also very delicious and strong. Definitely a great local spot to check out if you're in the area.

    Soggy and raw bottom in dessert in front

    See all

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    So far I've tried the chocolate croissant and veggie quiche. They were amazing. The best I've had!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 5 of 5

    Starter Bakery Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Starter Bakery

    Are there any vegan pastry options available here? Thank you! :)

    Not a one.

    View All 2 Questions

    You might also consider

    Ain't Normal Cafe - Cappuccino

    Ain't Normal Cafe

    4.0(216 reviews)
    0.1 miRockridge, North Oakland
    $$

    Brief Summary: - Located near the BART station…read more- Unique coffee, tastes like there is noticeable fruit notes - Coffee is not sour - Interior and exterior seats available - Simple and super tasty dishes that are perfect for breakfast or brunch What I loved most about this cafe is the food dishes, so I'll start here first. When I go into a cafe, dishes usually include sandwiches, baked sweets, pancakes or waffles. But there are times when I look at the menu and I'm trying to wake up, so I want a simpler menu. Here, they have the toast with butter. Yes, this is the perfect dish for the moment that I tend to have when choosing the first meal of the day. I also love their other menu, which is the toast with a canned fish. The cafe also sells these alongside coffee beans. The toast is sliced thick with a generous smear of butter. The toast surface has a golden shine from the melted butter. Every bite has a juicy butter taste. On the side of toast is a side of a beautiful semi-boiled egg with a runny yolk -- my favorite type of way to eat yolks. Next time, when I visit here, I will definitely try the canned fish and eat that for breakfast. That is another good breakfast menu I would love to have and try with a cup of coffee.

    I've been here a handful of times over the years, usually for a meeting or because I desperately…read moreneeded caffeine before entering Trader Joe's. I'll give it to you straight. The good: Their vanilla latte is genuinely good. Flavorful, balanced, and not overly sweet. The food is decent too. The bad: Why is a vanilla latte pushing $7 these days and still arriving nowhere near the top of the cup? When I asked about it, I was told it's just one ice cube short of the normal volume. But consistently? Maybe that's what they mean by Ain't Normal. My bigger issue is the service. Maybe I've caught them on off days, but the staff has consistently come off with a bit of attitude. Nobody needs a parade when they order coffee, but a little warmth goes a long way, especially when you're charging specialty coffee prices. At the end of the day, the coffee is good enough that I've come back more than once. I just wish the cups were fuller and the customer service matched the quality of the drinks.

    Photos
    Ain't Normal Cafe - Savory Scone

    Savory Scone

    Ain't Normal Cafe - Oat latte

    Oat latte

    Ain't Normal Cafe - Butter Toast

    See all

    Butter Toast

    Binge Coffee House - Egg Coffee

    Binge Coffee House

    4.6(431 reviews)
    1.7 miDowntown Berkeley
    $
    Family-owned & operated
    Locally owned & operated

    I was craving Vietnamese coffee, and my friend suggested we try Binge, I'm so glad we did because I…read moreloved it! I ordered the egg coffee, and my friend and I also got the popcorn chicken to share. The coffee was so yummy! It had a nice, strong coffee flavor. It was my first time trying egg cream and I enjoyed it. The popcorn chicken was also tasty and it came in a generous portion. I especially liked the sauce that came with it. We placed an online order, so everything was ready as soon as we got there, which was convenient. The store was clean and spacious, and I thought the prices weren't bad! I'm definitely a huge fan of Binge and would love to come back. Makes me wish we had coffee spots like Binge back home!

    Listen, maybe I'm a hater but it's a no for me dawg. I was so so excited to try, and hopefully,…read morelove this place. But alas, it fell a bit short for me. We went on a Fri morning right around opening and it wasn't very crowded. Ordered at the kiosk and our order came out pretty quickly with my husband getting the cookie butter matcha and me getting the ube matcha. Idk if it was our timing or order, but the matcha was slightly watery and did not have a strong flavor. Additionally, my ube tasted like straight coconut than ube to the point where my husband was like yo they dyed some coconut foam purple LOL I highly doubt that was the case, but point made. The interior is fine, small but tables and wifi if you want to get some work done or study. Prices are what they are for matcha right now so I was sad to pay those prices and get a drink that was just okay. I'm not sure I'd give this spot a chance again, but eh there are a lot of competitors to give a try instead.

    Photos
    Binge Coffee House - Strawberry Matcha Latte

    Strawberry Matcha Latte

    Binge Coffee House - Pandan Matcha Latte

    Pandan Matcha Latte

    Binge Coffee House - Ube Matcha Latte

    See all

    Ube Matcha Latte

    The Chocolate Dragon Bittersweet Cafe & Bakery - Cafe au lait and chocolate chai

    The Chocolate Dragon Bittersweet Cafe & Bakery

    4.1(776 reviews)
    0.4 miNorth Oakland
    $$

    I came by this past Saturday and loved the delicious variety of pastries, baked treats, sweets, and…read morebeverages offered at this adorable cafe, including hot chocolates, flavored coffees and tea, banana blueberry bread, and so many unique chocolate bars. Service was friendly and sufficient, and I appreciated the option to sit inside or among the sidewalk seating. I opted for outdoors which was ideal with shaded tables, beautiful skies, and live music happening in front of the shop next door, as there was a community event happening along College Avenue. I got a chocolate milkshake which was pretty standard. They use vanilla ice cream, then just add the requested flavor. It was tasty nonetheless. I also tried the house bread pudding, made using chocolate croissants. It takes 10 minutes or so to be ready and is so worth the wait, moist and chocolatey, a hint of spice. Quite satisfying, if you ask me. Altogether I was pleased with my experience here.

    The caramel latte was DELICIOUS and SO flavorful... which unfortunately isn't great news for my…read morepockets because I already know I'm coming back for more. I definitely want to come back and try some of their other lattes because if the caramel one is any indication, I'm in trouble! I also really appreciate that they have certain days where laptops aren't allowed and set time limits to make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy the space and chill. I love that concept! I went on a Sunday afternoon and the ambiance was perfect! quiet, cozy, and not too loud. Definitely a cute spot to grab a coffee, relax, and enjoy your drink without feeling rushed.

    Photos
    The Chocolate Dragon Bittersweet Cafe & Bakery - Fun decorations

    Fun decorations

    The Chocolate Dragon Bittersweet Cafe & Bakery - Chocolate Chai with oat milk!

    Chocolate Chai with oat milk!

    The Chocolate Dragon Bittersweet Cafe & Bakery - Inside

    See all

    Inside

    Starter Bakery - bakeries - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...