Cute store. Very clean. I like that they display each donut and muffin in the case with its name and price (vs just a list of flavors on a menu) so you can see exactly what you're getting. The lady at the counter was super nice and personable. She was easy to talk to and friendly. She asked if we wanted our treats warmed up but since I was taking mine home, she recommended to heat it up for 45 seconds at home. Thank you!! I ordered: * black sesame mochi muffin - nice chew, great sesame flavor, and not too sweet * churro mochi muffin - covered in cinnamon sugar, so good. Great texture as well. * banana bread pudding - looks so ooey and gooey! I took an edge piece because I like the chewy crispy texture. Love to return when I'm back in the area. read more

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Clueless staff during today's visit, at least they were honest about not being to answer my questions. They offered to show me an allergen sheet but it had nothing related to drinks on it which was what my question was about. Worthless stop today. Kinda made going out of the way in the future not likely! read more

Been a long time customer. I love their mochi donuts. I used to get them at other local shops that sells their mochi muffins and donuts. I usually get guava, passionfruit donuts and their chocolate brownie muffin. I ordered their matcha and roasted matcha powder to make my drinks at home. Everyone loves them. I rarely get a chance to make it out to their store location, so I was excited. Got several mochi donuts, matcha powder for home and just matcha latte drinks. I was very disappointed in the drink itself. It was too sweet and very light matcha flavor. My friend also had the same drink and agreed. I asked the staff if they can add a bit more matcha, but they said it would be an extra charge. Fair, but for a known matcha place, my expectation was high. I expected to have more matcha in it. Ended up adding more when I got home. Probably won't get plain matcha latte again. Picture attached - milky green. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Matcha Latte. Needs more matcha. - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Third Culture Bakery is a popular LGBTQ-owned Southeast Asian bakery known for the original mochi muffin. All baked goods are 100% gluten-free since the opening of the bakery. Their mochi donut is a butter mochi-style donut that is baked and not fried. The bakery currently has two brick-and-mortar locations - a showroom in Berkeley and a matcha cafe in Walnut Creek. [Parking]: Easy and free street parking in this part of the neighborhood. [Atmosphere]: This is a takeout only bakery with limited outdoor chairs. Our party ended up eating baked goods in the car. [Menu]: Yelp's top highlighted items include Black Sesame Mochi Donut, Mochi Waffle, Ube Mochi Donut, Banana Bread Pudding, and Matcha Mochi Donut. *** Ube Mochi Donut ($3.75): Crunchy and chewy texture, but ube was a bit sweeter than I would have liked. Black Sesame Muffin ($4.75): Slightly better than the mochi donut, but black sesame flavor was not distinct enough. *** Overall a solid 3.5 stars for both donut and muffin. read more

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Cool spot in a tucked away area of Berkeley. Yummy mochi donuts and yummy Asian flavored drinks. We got Thai tea and pandan donuts and lychee strawberry soda. The staff were efficient and friendly. Definitely a good spot to hang out and have a coffee in some sun. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Date of visit: 4/19/2026, a day after Cal Day 2026 I might be in the minority here, but I really did not enjoy the baked goods. I made a stop before heading back to LA after Cal Day, specifically to try their mochi donuts and a mochi muffin, and unfortunately both were much too dense for my liking. The moment I had to put effort into cutting through them, I knew this was not the type of mochi donut I would enjoy. To me, a great mochi donut should be light, airy, and chewy. These were much heavier and denser than what I personally prefer. Honestly, until this visit, I did not even realize there were such different styles of mochi donuts. Maybe I have just been spoiled by the many amazing mochi donuts I have had in Southern California and Japan, because those have completely set the standard for me. The mochi muffin unfortunately had the same heavy, dense texture. If that is your thing, you may enjoy it, but for me, both the donuts and muffin were not what I look for in baked goods. read more

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My friend has tried this place numerous times. I decided to try their limited mango matcha latte with ceremonial matcha. There was a short line. The employee took our order. There was another worker whisking up matcha for another order. The matcha lattes came out in a timely manner. For my mango matcha, it had good creamy mango flavor. Matcha was good as well, maybe it could've been a little deeper in flavor for me. Overall, a good mango matcha latte. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I got the Roasted Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte. As usual, the staff is very friendly. The shop is clean and they have matcha to purchase. Thanks for a great experience! read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Roasted Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Spent a day in Berkeley and Third Culture Bakery was our first stop! Came around 1pm and some items were already sold out, so we picked up the Raspberry Lychee Butter Mochi donut, Buko Pandan Butter Mochi donut, Ube Mochi Muffin, and the Salted Egg Yolk Mochi donut. My friend also ordered the Black Sesame Matcha which was ready after 5 minutes. Limited indoor and outdoor seating available. Loved the chewy, dense mochi texture! My favorite items were the mochi donuts as the different frostings on top made them stand out. The Ube Mochi Muffin had good ube flavor and was not overly sweet. This was my first time trying Salted Egg Yolk and it wasn't my cup of tea, but it was well made so if you are a fan of that flavor, you would enjoy this item. Friend said the matcha was pricey but good quality. I will for sure be back! Next time, earlier in the day to be able to try more of the donuts that had sold out. read more

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Caramel Matcha Latte Ube Mochi Muffin Service was good. Inside was nice. But that's all it got for me. I tried to give Matcha another shot but I just can't get behind it. It's not my thing so I couldn't finish the drink. That Ube Mochi Muffin was good but it barely tasted like Ube. If something is Ube, I personally want the flavor to be there. It wasn't anything. That's so unfortunate. It's not for me. 3/5 read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Ube Mochi Muffin - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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It's been so long so I've been back. After all the SF locations closed of which I visited all I was saddened that my only option was back to the OG location. Is it worth it though....10000% yes! Wanted to get a matcha but the line for drinks was too long. Got the ube, Thai tea and birthday cake donuts. Also the orange five spice, Ube, birthday cake muffins! Were they delicious?! Yes. The texture is what I come back for. More dense than than the mochill and modo varieties. The flavors are strong. And they're still great the next day! Def be back when I'm in the east bay! Come back to SF! read more

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Love the matcha here! By far one of my favorite places to go! The drinks are always consistent and delicious, and I absolutely love the pastries--they're fresh and flavorful every time. The service is great. This location is usually busy, but the staff always make sure the drinks are prepared perfectly. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. There is only street parking hard to find parking when it's busy. The ambiance is beautiful and thoughtfully decorated. There's limited seating inside, but plenty of outdoor seating available. I do wish they would expand to the Oakland, San Leandro, and Hayward areas--I'd love to see them grow there one day! 10/10, highly recommend. I'll definitely continue supporting this business! read more

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Stopped by before my hair appointment and the drinks did not disappoint! I'm a big fan of Hojicha and I was very happy with my drink, I will say that it was a tad bit too sweet but with the ice slowly melting it was good! As for the donuts, I wasn't too big of a fan since the thai tea donut. It was coated with heavy amounts of sugar leaving me wanting to down a cup of water immediately. The flavor was overpowering and the texture was not the best. The line situation inside the store is also a bit tricky since the store isn't that big but they do have some seating outside for you to enjoy your treats. Staff were also super nice and assisted with sharing their specials for the day. read more

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always a fan of the bright pink walls, it's like a bright star among the drab, dark colored brick buildings around; I usually get one of their mochi donuts, it's more dense than MoDo which is actually my go-to for mochi donuts. this spot is a close second. however, I'm here to talk about the new savory mochi muffin they brought out about a month ago. it was their ham and cheese mochi muffin and I must say, it was not as good as I expected compared to their other mochi donuts. I think it might've been a bit undercooked... I don't think I would try another one unfortunately. I think I would also stick with the sweet bakery items moving forward. I also ordered a lychee strawberry matcha milk tea (with the oat milk option) and I was pretty happy with that purchase. Overall, I wouldn't dock them more than a star for the underwhelming pastry because most of the others are excellent. It might just be that savory isn't their thing... read more

Very cute little bakery in a quaint area surrounded by other small shops and plenty of outdoor seating! The bakery itself seems to mainly be a takeout spot, with minimal indoor seating which felt pretty inconvenient given the limited space for customers, however it did seem to serve more of a purpose as a waiting area anyways. The structure of the bakery leaves a bit to be desired as well, as we found the glass display cases as the only form of menu, so being in the front of the line while still deciding what to order caused some unnecessary anxiety. Regardless of those nitpicks, the baked goods themselves were pretty good! Service was instant, and all of the treats looked delicious--it was hard to choose what we wanted! Our favorites were the Thai Tea and Ube Coconut Mochi Donuts. Both had really strong flavors--the Ube in particular was very clear in comparison to most other Ube desserts in my experience. The textures of the mochi donuts were really well done too, with soft exteriors and chewy, glutinous interiors. The same can be said about the Mochi Muffins, though with crunchier parts around the edges. We found the contrast of textures to actually work really well! However, the flavors of the Muffins were lacking a bit--the Red Velvet didn't stand out much, with the frosting tasting a bit too sweet, and while the Five Spice had a really interesting flavor, it was also a bit too sweet, drowning out the more unique citrusy flavor. Overall, however, all four of the goods we had were enjoyable eats, and would definitely return some time to try out other flavors! read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Thai tea mochi donut, ube coconut mochi donut, red velvet mochi muffin, orange five spice mochi muffin - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

I ate some of Third Cultures mochi donuts at the San Francisco Coffee Festival today. O-m-g! These donuts were delicious! I had a Meyer Lemon donut while my friend had a strawberry one. We shared bites and soon they were all gone! I had to buy another lemon one to take home. The counter service was prompt and very nice! The festival was really busy - a lively ambiance - but the service staff were quite calm and focused. The festival had a good mix of coffee and non-coffee beverages - perfect setting for Third Cultures donuts. Def made the event even better! read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - My lemon mochi donut to take home! Nice and chewy. 11/9/25 - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Still obsessed, as always. But recently tried the passionfruit matcha spritz! 10/10!! So good. I have also fallen in love with the hojicha strawberry latte. Omg heavenly. Not even a guilty pleasure, just a highlight of each week! read more

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We were eating at Standard Fare nearby and came here to get Mochi Donuts for the families after. They have a small interior but it has a cool design that feels welcoming and I love the interesting merchandise they also had for sale. The also created the Mochi Muffin which I didn't try this time but my friend who ordered it loved it! Much chewier than normal muffins. Service was fast, you order at the register and staff will quickly grab your order and box it for you. Honey Bug Bite Oolong Tea: They had this for sale with an eyecathing "Top Tea Pick NYT 2023, 2024". I bought some for a friend and for home and its an excellent tea with a distinct and unique taste you won't forget. Even if you dont' get it from here I would recommend you try to find it if you like tea. Mochi Donuts: Chewy and tasty, made from California grown Mochiko rice flour. These were SO good and I loved the more traditonal donut shape compared to other Mochi Donuts. I got the Black Sesame, Yuzu, and Passionfruit and all 3 were excellent and not too sweet. read more

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Only come here for their gluten-free mochi donuts and muffins. I ordered the Ube, Mango Passion Fruit, and Coconut Mochi donuts. All of them were soft and firm to eat. I liked the Mango Passion Fruit and Ube more. As for the drinks, I got the Matcha Latte, which was alright, and the Strawberry Lychee Sparkler was a bit too sweet. I should've asked to go under 50% sweetness instead. Preferred to go to a legit cafe for matcha drinks. They even sell their handmade packaged snacks and teas, but will skip that for now. The shop was like walking into a small commercial bakery kitchen with colorful windows. Service was alright. Parking is available across the bakery. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Ube, Mango Passion Fruit, and Coconut Mochi Donuts - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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the mochi donuts are soooo good! i'm still thinking about them a couple days later. i wish i got more to have for the rest of the week! although i didn't try every flavor, the guava one really takes it out of the park! love it! the texture is just so soft even when refrigerated. it's very different from the mochi donuts that everyone is used to but it's so much better. the banana bread pudding was also so amazing! we got it heated up and it was just so divine. it was not overly sweet which dissolved my worries. definitely will come back to try the other mochi donut flavors! the strawberry lychee matcha was also really good! never been to a place that offers a mix like that. the yuzu sparkler and the passionfruit sparkler were also very refreshing ! read more

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My co-workers and I were blown away by how delicious the mochi donuts from Third Culture were. We had a variety pack of mochi donuts and I ate a strawberry one. The taste, texture and sweetness of the donut were different than other donuts I've had. We were all pleased with our morning snack with coffee and would definitely return for more treats! read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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You have to come at the beginning of the day because they run out of stuff. I love coming here, but now I come for the monthly flavor, the monthly muffin and a touch more. I always feel good and love the fact that it is gluten free and quite good. There lemon muffin costs a touch more and is totally worth it. They did something different with the pumpkin that I like where the pumpkin is in the waffle and the cream was on top. I had one, many moons ago with cream and this pumpkin whip or something on top. Not good. The service is usually quite good. They had a guy there recently who made me uncomfortable but I haven't seen him for awhile. I certainly hope that he's no longer employed (found another gig) because there was something behind those eyes that was odd and disconcerting. But he wasn't there the last time I went in, so (whew...). The ambience is nice and cute, very pink. It is always clean, even the matcha station. BTW, everyone isn't in love with matcha! Just saying. But all in all, this is a cool place and I always love coming here. read more

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Surprised by how chewy these mochi muffins and donuts are compared to the common mochinut ones. Bought to share and we all like it. Not too sweet and the flavors really shine and taste authentic and not diluted. Would come back again! read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Black sesame, matcha, ube coconut, buko pandan, thai tea, yuzu, banana pudding - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Very cute space for a quick coffee and pastry with friendly service. My coffee was delicious, I believe it was the caramel coffee latte. I also had a seasonal mochi donut and muffin. Both were pumpkin flavored which I enjoyed. I'm new to mochi and the texture was gummy like it was undercooked but it wasn't. Lol. I'll definitely go back and try different muffins and donuts to familiarize myself with mochi. read more

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Third Culture Bakery is always on my mind. Always. Inventiveness is truly in their DNA and they always manage to nail it. I love that they always have rotating seasonal specials to keep things fresh! The caramel roasted matcha latte is insanely good. I haven't had such a good drink in so long! Caramel and roasty is such a good combo! I just wish I had a little more caramel and that it didn't all stick to the bottom. The red velvet mochi muffin was pretty good but they have better ones imo. I realize I like red velvet in more cakey and crumbly forms. Cheesecake matcha butter mochi donut was also pretty good. However I think my favorites are the ube mochi muffin and passionfruit or yuzu mochi donut. Short line on a weekday but weekend line gets pretty long. Free street parking. Some seating inside and outside. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - red velvet mochi muffin, matcha cheesecake butter mochi donut - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came for the strawberry lychee matcha. Stayed for the mochi muffin. The drink is good but the fruit definitely takes over the matcha taste. The mochi muffin was so good. Also got the banana bread which is made from the same flour as the mochi so it was chewy. Only street parking. read more

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What a CUTE and trendy little bakery - came here for a matcha and so pleasantly surprised to see they had a variety of seasonal and specialty flavors, and mochi muffins/waffles! -Guava matcha latte (3/5) - I love trying a specialty matcha drink, but felt like the guava flavor was overpowering and I couldn't taste the matcha as much. However; the guava jam is really sweet and yummy, and super pleasant! I think I'll try the traditional matcha next time. The shop is really cute and sells variety of Macha products as well as baked goods. There's not really seating inside, however, there are chairs outside to sit on that are scattered around the shop on the outside. Drink drinks took 5 to 10 minutes to be made, and as we were there, it seems like it was getting busy pretty quickly. In the back you could see the workers hand whisking the Matcha so you know that it's quality they also had tens of much there so I believe that they do sell Macha powder as well. They also take people's personal cups and can make drinks in those, which I thought was really clever and sustainable. read more

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After seeing the Chinese new year celebrations for the past couple years, this year my friend and I braved the cloudy sky to get in line for the 9AM special: 1st 50 customers get a red envelope. not only were we second in line, we also got a cup of free tea and a red envelope with $1! We also got black sesame latte with almond milk with matcha shot, black and gold donut, ube donut, and a black sesame waffle to share. Our favorite was the black and gold donut- the salted egg flavor gave it that umami flavor. Wished that I could have tried the pork floss one - but not this time. The place is nice and airy as always - and we got to wait inside the store to avoid the chilly weather. Thank you third culture bakery for allowing me to feel a little slice of home right here in the Bay. read more

Someone brought a dozen Third Culture mochi donuts to the office. Haven't had them in a while. Looks like they've expanded the range of flavors. Tried 1/4 matcha (missing from pic), ube, yuzu, strawberry. Love the soft chewy mochi texture. The icing can be tad too sweet so sometimes I just scrape off. Best when fresh, but if there happens to be any leftovers...just pop in microwave for 20-30 seconds or toaster oven for a couple minutes. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Haven't been to third culture in forever. They have so much more selection than I remember. Everyone behind the counter was eager to help. The ambience was a order your mochi to go with no indoor seating. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - apparel - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've had Third Culture Bakery bookmarked for sooo long! My bf and I were in the area and visited about an hour before closing. There is a constant line out the door and down the ramp, but it moves pretty quick. The interior is very industrial, they have lots of trinkets and canvas bags for sale. There are so many muffin and donut flavors as well as a rotating seasonal waffle. We tried the ube, Vietnamese coffee, raspberry, mango passion fruit, guava cheesecake, and pandan donuts. The ube, guava cheesecake and pandan were the best! We also tried the original muffin which was great. Strong brown sugar and sesame flavor but not as chewy as I imagined. The pork floss waffle was also amazing. read more

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This place blew me away!!! I have to say, the pandan coconut mochi donut was one of the BEST things I have eaten this whole year. It was fresh, the flavors and textures were spot on. Kind workers. A little hard to park, but so worth it!!!! read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Mochi Donuts! - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I stopped by while I was in the area and decided to order a drink and a few mochi donuts. They have quite a few flavors of pastries/sweets as well as a decent sized drink menu. Strawberry lychee roasted matcha latte - I tasted the lychee more than the matcha. I wish both the matcha and fruit tastes were each even stronger. I was disappointed by this one. I was hoping it would be more like hojicha given the "roasted" part of the name. Guava cheesecake butter mochi donut - It has a decently strong guava flavor, reminds me of eating a guava mousse cake. I liked it. Key lime pie butter mochi donut - I liked the key lime part. I felt it tasted stronger initially and then fades as you keep chewing so then you just taste the plainer rice flavor of the mochi. I really like the crumbs on it. Overall I felt the pastries were better than the drink. Would recommend if you want some Asian flavored sweets - they sell some with ube and black sesame, for instance. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Strawberry lychee roasted matcha latte - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came here on a Saturday right before 4pm when they are almost closed. We got a few mochi donuts. They are all very favorful. I like the pandan and the lychee ones. Got a caramel matcha which had very strong matcha taste. Also got a black sesame latte. It tasted like a drinkable Chinese dessert "ji ma Wu". Very strong sesame flavor. Sweetness was perfect. I didn't finish the drink and saved it for the next day in the fridge. The next day most of the sesame paste settled on the bottom and the latte still had enough sesame flavor!! After mixing it , it was strong and rich again. I would say , it might be too rich since for a drink, it can be lighter for the stomach to digest. I just couldn't finish it in one setting. So if you want it to be less rich. Just wait a day and let it settle or you can even dilute it a bit more with milk at home. But if you like it as a sesame dessert , this is for you! If I'm in the area, I would definitely come back the drinks and mochi donuts. read more

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This bakery offers a number of mochi pastries and matcha drinks. The original mochi muffin and matcha latte are not to be missed! I love the texture of the mochi muffins which come in a variety of fun flavors. The bakery offers factory tours for a small fee which was amazing! It was inspiring to meet the founders, hear their origin story, and try each of the individual components that go into a mochi muffin. read more

I was really looking forward to trying this spot, but the drinks didn't quite live up to the hype. I had the salted maple matcha latte and the strawberry lychee matcha latte--both were a bit too milky and sweet for my taste. The strawberry lychee syrup, in particular, tasted a little artificial to me, which is why I usually avoid fruity flavors in caffeinated drinks. We also tried the mochi muffins, which they're known for (I've seen them at Berkeley Bowl). They had a firm outer layer with a satisfying chew. I especially liked the black sesame--it had a deep, nutty flavor that almost tasted burnt (in a good way). The churro flavor was decent, with a light cinnamon sugar coating, but didn't stand out as much. read more

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The original muffin is always my favorite but I've tried just about every flavor. Recently had the chance to take the factory tour which did not disappoint! Loved learning the story behind it and the ingredients involved in the process. Owners are so nice and humble. Shop is cute and inviting and happy. Love coming here! read more

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Love visiting Third Culture Bakery often to try their seasonal drinks and goods! This visit, got only drinks which included the strawberry lychee matcha latte, golden matcha latte, and the salted maple matcha latte. The strawberry lychee matcha latte is a solid option with handmade strawberry lychee puree with matcha and milk of choice. I got 1 drink with whole milk and another with oat milk. Both tasted great, milk depends on your preference. I usually prefer whole milk in my drinks! The golden matcha latte is a match latte with tumeric and honey. The menu says it has a TOUCH of tumeric, but I ALWAYS forget how strong the tumeric flavor is. Honest, the tumeric is overpowering and you don't or barely taste the matcha and honey. I may ask for slightly less tumeric in my drink next time. If you love tumeric and matcha, this drink is for you! The salted maple matcha latte is tasty and love the combo of salt and sweet maple! It's a bit sweet for me so next time I order this, I'll ask for less sugar if they can! read more

Can't go wrong with the original mochi muffins! The black sesame mochi muffins are pretty good too. I've tried other items as well, but those two are my favorites. Service there has always been pleasant. Street parking is fairly easy each time. Can always count on Third Culture to brighten my day. read more

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I really didn't like mochi donuts until I had THIRD CULTURE MOCHI DONUTS my issue with the circular bubbly ones is that there never feels like there's enough chew, but with these butter mochi full circle donuts the most joyful part is that the amount of dough is the perfect amount for the flavor, the amount of effort I put into the chew matches the strength and deliciousness of the glaze which makes the entire donut a wonderful experience my friends and I split 6 of these once to try all the flavors but my favorite were the yuzu and guava cheesecake which we went back for this time and they remain my favorite the first time I had their matcha it was good but this time we tried the strawberry lychee matcha latte and we didn't taste any strawberry or lychee flavor and the matcha was watered down, I would give their normal matcha another try though I really wish they opened a spot in south bay but even if they didn't I would still drive to Berkeley for the donuts again I'd just be very sad about it read more

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