Without a doubt one of our family's favorite neighborhood gems. The fluffiest buns and quite a selection. Service is always great as they have some of the nicest people behind the counter. The place is no frills in terms of decor, but it gives consistency and nostalgia. The place is consistently busy with an array of customers ranging from the OG contractors who come in to convene for their AM caffeine (coffee/ HK style milk tea) and a bun to fuel their day to all the passersby coming in for a pink box of yum. The bakery has a great cake selection and has even expanded to some nice custom cakes. I can vouch for the awesome cakes as we've used them for many of our own personal events. People always ask where the cake is from. We love the freshness of their mixed fruit cakes! read more

- Ordered a birthday cake here - Called over the phone the day before to reserve the cake - They allowed me to text a cake design I wanted - On pick up, the cake didn't look exactly as I sent but it was still good! - Ordered a few more baos before we left - Enjoyed the onion bun and hot dog bun Cake - They use fresh fruit! Hard to find these days since most folks use cans - It wasn't too sweet - Not overpowered with cream Location - Street parking may be a little hard to find in the daytime but was pretty open at night. Be patient! read more

Mixed fruit cake $37. Fruit on top was so fresh!! Filled with strawberry and cantaloupe. A bit of a line whenever I come, but it moves quick. read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Mixed fruit cake - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Cake itself is great. Ordering experience? Disappointing and frustrating. I came in after work on a Wednesday with a reference photo for a custom birthday cake -- a simple white cake with pink borders and bunch of fruit on top. The photo included chinese birthday cake toppers and gold sprinkles. I asked whether they could replicate the overall look (colors and design), and after confirming with the man working in the back, I was told yes multiple times and that it would be ready by Friday evening. I was quoted $120 for an 8" durian chiffon cake. I was informed durian costs more than mixed fruit and that the toppers and decorations were extra. When I asked how much the cake would be without toppers and sprinkles, I was told the price would drop to $52 -- meaning the add-ons were an extra $68. This felt... very disproportionate given how minimal the decorations were; it was five (5) toppers in total and costs just a couple dollars online. The difference of $68 is nearly the cost of TWO regular 8" cakes. I clearly confirmed multiple times that if I removed the toppers and sprinkles, the cake would still have the pink borders and fruit, just simpler. After opting for this version, the man's attitude had changed; He became dismissive and impatient, clearly wanting me to just order and pay. I was told yes and oI chose to pay upon pickup to avoid any confusion, and to make any adjustments if needed. However, the cake I received did not resemble what was discussed. It appeared to be a default design -- a standard white cake with a star-and-moon cake collar. There was no pink cream, no sprinkles, and none of the agreed design elements. This was not the pink-and-white base with fruit that was confirmed multiple times in person on the day of order. While the cake itself was good, the final product did not match what was promised. I had also informed them to contact me if there were any issues with the order. Since this was for a birthday, I had really hoped this would work out -- I would have been a returning customer. Unfortunately, this experience has made me rethink ordering custom cakes here in the future. A shame since the ones posted online are pretty. read more

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Oh wow their cake is out of this world. I always buy their cake with fruits. One thing about it is that it's not sweet. Everyone loved it whenever I bring it for different occasions and asked where I bought it from read more

My favorite chinese fruit cake spot. Creamy, moist and not too sweet. Perfect for my kids birthday cakes. Customer service is great too. The lady at the counter is nice and easy pick up process. read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - 1/2 sheet cake - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Thank you A-1 for making this fresh and delicious cake. The design was beautiful and I could not ask for more. I also like to order their fresh bbq pork buns. Mother would ask me to buy them a dozen at a time because that's the only thing she likes to eat for breakfast. She always tells me "A-1 makes the best BBQ pork buns". I also like to order for myself their egg and spam sandwich. It's a good alternative to spam musubis that I can get for me kids. The Spam and egg is unique because they also add a sheet of seaweed and makes the eating experience a lot more fragrant. They also have other delicious pastries like sponge cake and mini hotdog buns and many more. Their milk tea is hot! I also like that their service is always so good! I'm in love with this place! read more

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Pastries are delicious and there is a great variety. I am personally always a fan of the hotdog bun and pork bun, but I feel like you really can't go wrong with anything at A1. It's always a bit chaotic in there so be ready to order once you get to the front, but the staff is very nice and patient. The prices are amazing, especially compared to places in the city so I highly recommend you loading up a big box full or pastries. I always say they will last me a week, but then end up eating everything within the first 24 hours after getting it because it's just too good. read more

This is one of my favorite bakeries. All the baked items I've ordered have been delicious. I tend to get the mini pineapple buns. They are consistently good and don't feel as "bogged" down after eating it. Maybe they put less fat into making it which makes it more light. read more

Love this place! Not much seating inside, but the bakery items are delish and affordable! It's cash only so be warned and I don't think they have an ATM. The service is always quick and they are nice people. It's a great Chinese style bakery out of the huddle and bustle of Chinatown and in a quieter neighborhood. I'm a huge fan of their savory items like their chicken pie, baked bbq pork rolls, and spam/egg bread. Everything is around $2-4 a piece. I always stop by when I'm in the area!! read more

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My family's favorites are the mini sponge cakes and mini pineapple custard buns. The sponge cakes stay fresh for up to 3 days and are light and airy. The mini bbq pork buns are also delicious. The staff are friendly and always have a smile for their customers. read more

Now keep in mind I am only giving a 4 stars instead of a 5 because I have not been able to try many things yet, but I had the bbq pork buns, and a my girlfriend had the same with a strawberry shortcake. They were truly delicious especially the cake. I've been to plenty of bakeries big and small but this one stands out. The gentleman taking our order was nice and patient as we were having trouble deciding what to get, and the place was nice and cozy but mainly a place to take your food to go. I will definitely be going back to try more. read more

Let's get real. There's not just one Chinatown in San Francisco. There are at least three, probably more. Clement Street is one 'hood but so is a stretch of Ocean Avenue where there are a bevy of Chinese eateries and bakeries. I like this one because it's not guilty of the excessive chest pumping that the Cherry Blossom Bakery displays at the drop of a hat. This is genuinely one of the better Chinese bakeries on Ocean. It simply doesn't toot its own horn, but frankly they do their job well without all the social media fanfare. Judge for yourself by ordering a Coconut Custard Bun and a Coconut Tart, $1.70 each and both of which were satisfying without being overly sweet (photo: https://bit.ly/47CxWJV). You really can't ask for more than that, can you? BAKED GOODS - 4 stars...well executed tarts AMBIANCE - 4 stars...well, it's a bakery, not really a cafe SERVICE - 4 stars...quietly attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...worth crossing the street from Cherry Blossom RELATED - Exploring the Outer Mission? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/37B1acE read more

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I really really want to continue being a customer here. The lady behind the counter is super sweet and the buns are so soft and fluffy. But these days, I can't tolerate the amount of cigarette smoke wafting into the store anymore. It's such a nasty atmosphere. The business owners don't care about it. These are their daily reg customers who smoke RIGHT OUTSIDE the door. The last straw was when I was helped by the dude baker. He just came in from a smoke break. No handwashing, no gloves, just picked up my order with his hands. When I asked him if he washed his hands, he said he used the bags to pick up the buns and it's ok. The bags that the buns are in... and now my bag of buns smell like ciggies... ugh Nope, I'm going to go back to cherry blossom from now on. read more

My favorite bakery! After I found out about this place, I just keep coming back. I used love going to fancy wheat or 85C but they are so expensive these days. Their bread quality is really good and affordable. Different variety and they will add new items to their menu once in a while so more options to choose from! However, I would say try to go early in the morning because they will run out of a lot items later in the day specially on weekdays. read more

Menu has new items and their reasonably priced. Baked food looks fresh. I like the new design and menu. It's conveniently located by the K train and 24hr gym. I've tried their red bean bun and tuna bun and their both decently good. Given the insane prices of eggs these days I'm surprised their egg tarts are priced that low lol. If you are into to-go dim sum you'll like this spot. read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Egg tarts $1.80ea - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Absolutely loved their egg tarts and bbq pork rolls. They even had caterpillar which was a childhood memory. Highly recommend.

Very friendly staff, very affordable prices, yummy pastries at this local bakery! Always pleasant to visit them :) read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Yummy - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great quality Chinese pastries for prices you can't find anywhere else. Highly recommended!

This a great place to buy pastries. The pastries are really good. I love the egg and cheese. I love the bean cakes too. The cashier is so nice and very helpful. The store is small but clean. read more

Needed a last minute cake & gave them a call. Can I please order a 8" mixed fruit cake to pick up at 11:30, & write Happy Holidays on it? Ok, no problem! Cake was ready & very pretty! Around $38 for 8". read more

Service is great. Store is pretty spacious. Love their hours. Go to place for cakes. Always call day of to order last minute cakes, in which they have always accommodated. $35 for an 8 inch fruit cake. Not only is it delicious but the price cannot be beat. read more

Their Oreo cake is simple and most scrumptious. The chiffon cake is airy, bouncy, moist and so fresh! The whipped cream is light with lots of fine Oreo dust. Thank you for the cake. We finished a 6 inch cake within two days between me and my husband! read more

I ordered from Door Dash. Everything arrived warm, fresh and amazing! The egg custard was fabulous! I loved the pork buns and the scallion buns. I have more to try, but I'm FULL!!! read more

Love this bakery! They made a beautiful hello kitty cake for my daughter! Spongy and not too sweet which is perfect! read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love the cake and everyone come to my party comment the cake is so pretty. Highly recommend this bakery they did excellent job. read more

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I was looking to buy a last minute birthday cake on a Sunday. Most bakeries in the sunset were closed early or didn't have extra cakes available. I'm so glad I found A-1 cafe and bakery because they were able to help assemble and decorate a 6 inch birthday cake within 1 hour of calling them. The price for a 6 inch fruit cake was $26. The cake and cream was so light and airy. Each bite of cake had a lot of fresh fruit because there's a layer of fruit on the inside as well. I'm so glad I found this bakery because they said they can do decorated cakes too! I'll definitely be back next year! read more

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This is my go to spot if I want anything from a Chinese bakery. They make all types of buns and Asian cakes as well! The service is always great, the lady at the front counter is always super nice. The buns are delicious and great value if you're in a crunch for breakfast or even lunch! read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Corn bun, pineapple bun, and bbq pork bun - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

A-1 was super nice and easy to work with. We called a few days before our event and they took our order quickly. Everyone loves the light and fluffy cake, you can never go wrong with a fresh fruit cake. It was so good, many of our guests went back for seconds! We will definitely return for future events! read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Mixed fruit cake with mango border - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I absolutely love this place. My go to for all birthday cakes. It literally tastes like heaven. It's not to sweet, perfect texture, fruits are not sour. People here are so friendly! Will not disappoint. I tried another bakery down the block and it was a total disaster. Never again read more

For a long time we tried to find a bakery that made plain traditional cake - not the fruit laden soggy monstrosity or mousse cakes. I gave A-1 a try since we liked their buns. They were willing to make a lemon cake with fruitless decoration. Cake was light and fluffy and not overly sweet. They even piped roses which you don't find in a lot of bakeries nowadays, hence the fruit monstrosities. We found our new birthday cake place! read more

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First off, their sponge cakes and walnut cookies are amazing and are 100% their forte. The buns, however, rely heavily on toppings and fillings because to be honest, the bread itself leaves a lot to be desired. If you have any standards and a taste for breads, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The bread itself is proofed to be so fluffy that there isn't any flavor profile left. As my dad puts it, "the bread has no bread flavor" and I completely agree. However, like I mentioned, as long as they keep up with the fillings and toppings, I guess that compensates for what's lacking for some people. I personally enjoy the spam and egg bun and the curry beef bun, mainly because those two have flavors so overpowering that it wouldn't matter much if the bread tasted like anything or not. Any other bun will just have to be a pass for me. I definitely do stop by here and there for the sponge cakes and walnut cookies though. Staff is also super friendly and they accept Apple Pay with a $10 minimum, convenience is key nowadays. read more

I was in the area. Stopped in for a snack. It was so good! I went back for lunch and ordered twice as much. BBQ pork buns, green onion bread, pork pineapple buns, coconut dessert thing (I don't remember the names). But everything was big and only $2-$3 each. This place doesn't look like much, but 5 stars all around! read more

Got a cake for my moms bday and it was huge! Really tasty and cream was really light. Cake was fluffy and lots of tasty fruit. read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Fruit cake with mango - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

No pictures because we ate the pastries so fast :) A-1 Cafe is a solid and affordable joint serving Chinese pastries like pineapple buns, egg tarts, and more! We had an egg tart, coconut tart, pineapple bun, and custard bun -- everything was delicious!! The folks here are also kind and very efficient, really appreciated that. Overall a very solid neighborhood joint for pastries, highly recommend and would trek out here again! read more

Food: Egg tarts. Worth the price. Service: My father visited this place and he told me it is better than another bakery around. Ambiance: Not too bad. Nothing fancy. All we need is a corner for a quick bite. read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Egg tarts. - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great little bakery in the neighborhood, and I would definitely be a frequent customer here! I stopped by cherry blossom across the street a few weeks back, and was not impressed by their quality. Then I saw A-1 bakery across the street so I decided to try it out. We ordered a bunch of buns for breakfast, and I also got a chocolate Swiss roll for my kid. Service was great, the lady behind the counter is super nice, and warmed up our buns for us so we can have it nice and warm. I've been there 3 times already in the past few weeks and their food quality has been consistent. The items we've tried are: Pineapple BBQ Pork bun- get this! Really good sweet crust on the outside with yummy BBQ pork inside. Cream bun- 5/5 soft chewy bun with light whipped cream filling, yum! Curry puff -4/5 good solid option Spam and egg bun- 4/5 a good quick lunch option. But I'm not a big fan of the sesame bun on the outside. Cocktail bun - 4/5 the coconut filling tasted good. Sweet, coconuty; however, a bit on the dry side. Chocolate Swiss roll: 4/5, soft moist cake, and the cream is light and fluffy. I wish there's more chocolate flavor though. But nonetheless my kiddo enjoys it and always asks for it. Overall, a good solid bakery option if you're in the neighborhood. I'll definitely come back and try more stuff here. read more

My friend recommended this bakery to me as I'm trying to find a new one. It was almost my nephew's birthday and we wanted to order a special cute customed cake. But our original go-to bakery on San Bruno ave was too gutsy, saying it's moon cake time and they have no time to make bday cakes. What the..? Fine, I'll take my business somewhere else. So I decided to give this bakery a try. I've been to this place several times before writing this review, each time I went here, there's always something fresh out of the oven. Nothing beats warm and freshly baked custardy egg tarts. Also, they have the best customer service and are very friendly. For example, they always help me carry cakes to my car (cuz I'm carrying my baby). They also offered me samples of cookies and their own home made moon cakes. My father in law loved the mooncake sample, so I ended up buying a box of different flavored moon cakes to try too. Haven't tried it yet, since it's not mid autumn festival yet, but I bet they will taste great. Also, their bday cake prices are very reasonable compared to other bakeries. So basically, this is my new go-to bakery now. read more

A-1 Cafe & Bakery - Pastries - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place was a pleasant surprise because it's kind of hidden behind a gas station and a tree I got the spam and egg bun and a pineapple char siu bun and both were really good. Almost no line or waiting and the food is legit. 10/10 - Would do again read more

It feels rare these days to get a whole bag of baked goods for under $20 but I got a whole bunch of buns and pastries for $12!! Highly recommend the pineapple custard bun. It's so easy for places to have custard that's grainy or too thick but the custard in these buns was amaaaaazing. Not only that but the woman ringing me up was so quick and had great suggestion. Lastly, let me just say that the bread in these buns is so pillowy, not too sweet and not too rich but the perfect trifecta. Will definitely be coming back to try everything I didn't get to this time around! read more