I went to A-1 Bakery specifically to try their pineapple BBQ pork buns and ended up getting an egg tart as well after seeing all the positive reviews. Neither disappointed! The egg tart had the perfect egg-to-crust ratio. The custard was smooth, and the crust was nicely layered and flaky. Definitely worth adding to your order. Now for the real reason I came, the pineapple BBQ pork bun. First off, these things are HUGE! When I saw the size, I thought it might be mostly bread and full of air inside, but that definitely wasn't the case. There was a generous amount of BBQ pork, with just the right amount of sweetness without being overly sweet. The pineapple crust on top was relatively thin, but very good and complemented the soft bun and BBQ pork nicely. The prices are also very reasonable for the size and quality of what you get. There are tons of other pastries to choose from, so I'll definitely be coming back to try more. If you're craving a pineapple BBQ pork bun, A-1 Bakery is definitely worth a stop! read more

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Delicious pastries and cakes. It's only a block or two away from the other bakery, cherry blossom. I like this place more because of their moist Swiss roll cake, delicious bread, the cream bread, and the small paper cake. Not too sweet and also moist. The service is also great here! Super friendly and kind. There aren't a lot of different varieties of pastries compared to other bakery, but I still think they have a pretty good selection of 10+ different kinds. I do their hk milk tea is mid here compared to cherry blossom bakery. But for their cakes and breads. Definitely a hole in the wall, definitely give it a try! read more

I was looking for the traditional white cake with whipped cream and fruits inside and this was the nearest bakery that had it. The cake itself is very light, i mean i could finish a round cake myself, that's how airy and light it is. I do wish that their cream would have a little sweetness to it. Warning, if you do go, it does smell like cigarettes around. I'm not sure if those are employees taking a break and smoking outside. The parking can be tough on busy days. read more

The staff here are incredibly friendly! Their fruit cake is both delicious and reasonably priced. The cake is perfectly soft, with a light cream that isn't too heavy, and they are always generous with the fresh fruit filling. This has become our go-to bakery for every special occasion. Also their red bean toast and raisins toast are so yummy too. read more

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

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- 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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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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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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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

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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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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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

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

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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We love this place and go pickup pastries all the time but I would advise never ever door dash from them. We do because my daughter is picky and only likes their pastries vs other Chinese bakeries. But out of 10 orders only 1 has arrived on time. They make the dashers wait for sometimes longer than an hour while giving pastries to in person customers. Why do door dash if you don't prioritize those orders too? So I'm doing 3 stars. 2 taken off for door dash delivered. I would not door dash again as our last order took 2 hours to arrive when A1 is a 8 min drive. It wasn't the dashers fault - a1 kept telling them 10 more min , then 20 then 30 etc. read more

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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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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

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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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