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    Baker & Commons

    3.7 (310 reviews)
    Open 7:30 am - 6:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Baker & Commons Takeout or Delivery

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    BAKER & COMMONS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Baker & Commons

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    Latte
    Maribella S.

    They served me a bowl of coffee which was pretty hard to drink? It was delicious, but why not use a cup? The food was ok, but they didn't warm it up or anything...I don't think I'm going to go out of my way to come here again.

    Avocado Toast
    Fiona W.

    Wait, like it's really delicious. My friend raved about this place. Now I won't shut up about it too. I've gotten the biscuit, biscuit sandwich, quiche, soup of the day, avocado toast, and drinks. My favorite is the biscuit. Best biscuit in the area. I really like their soups too. Overall, everything is good. I'm not much of a coffee drinker but it's pretty yummy. Food was ready fast too. Lovely spot to catch up with friends over delicious food and drinks.

    Pastry Display
    Ryan R.

    Baker and Commons is the kind of spot that earns its line out the door... and honestly, it's worth the wait. The buttermilk biscuits are a must, especially with the butter and daily jam (raspberry today which happens to be my favorite). As someone with UK family, I'll just say these are the closest thing to a proper scone I've had in California. I also had the shakshuka, which was rich and flavorful, though I do wish it came with more bread. The real star, though, was the mocha. Probably the best I've ever had... get the large if you're planning to stay awhile. Despite the crowd, the staff kept things moving and friendly. The space feels casual and cozy with that signature Berkeley buzz. Great prices, great food, great vibe. A no-brainer for brunch.

    Stefan T.

    Outstanding hours and interior spaces - good desserts and ok pricing. I love the hours of this bakery. I actually was looking to go to Nabolom but they close at 2pm on most days - this conveniently is right next door. I can't tell you how much I appreciate a place like this open late - its casual and perfect for visiting with friends. A bar area available too for mingling if your dining solo. Good desserts - but for almost every dessert I saw room for improvement. To start with mango pannacotta had 1/4'' of water on top. Probably wasn't too fresh and was way too sweet. I get these in Little Italy in SF and was shocked by how sweet it was. Owners need to try what they serve at Stellas - not saying its the more authentic way but this was super sweet. The chocolate cream pie had a delicious rich flavor and texture and the crust flavorfully toasty but the crust was soggy. On this dessert I would blind bake the crust add a thin layer of melted chocolate to the crust and then fill in the chocolate cream. Leave off the bits of chocolate on top - doesn't add anything the way a layer of chocolate between the layers would to keep things from getting soggy the next day. Blueberry bread pudding was ok - but it was one big clump like it always is. I hate to say it but this dessert could be so much better if it was two layers - one layer of bread and one layer of pudding - its so easy - I make better bread pudding at home myself and am a novice. The tiny $1 almond pastry was perfect. If I had a cup of coffee and a few of those it would be 10/10. Maybe if you got this far just do that.

    Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich, 2 Poached Eggs & Toast
    Kathleen S.

    I only have great things to say about this place. I usually come for the freshly made baked goods, and I decided to come for the food. From the 2 dishes I got, I think I would still stick to their goodies at the counter. Going to try other dishes still though! Service is great, you order at the counter and take your name tag to the table and they bring the food out. Quaint spot but so lively with families and students.

    Great artwork througoht
    Joel H.

    The first time I passed by this shop with my son he explained that there is always a line outside. My wife and I came here for some breakfast and surprise... there was a line outside. Now I know why. Only one person taking orders and people deciding what they wanted when they got to the front of the line. My wife and I were no different. There was so much on display that we could not decide what we wanted to do. They have an extremely friendly team who walked us through the process of ordering, taking a seat and waiting for our food. I did get a cup of their excellent coffee to wait with. We found a comfortable seat and waited (just a few minutes for our food.) The egg sandwiches (see photos) were amazing... Fresh eggs with either fresh bacon or sausage on these incredible biscuits. These were truly delicious and a treat. My wife and I enjoyed it all so much. The cinnamon muffin was awesome. This is such a great spot for both the locals and visitors. A cozy spot to hang at with friends and enjoy some really good food [and coffee.] We are definitely looking forward to our next visit. KUDOs to the team at Baker & Commons.

    Delicious
    Kevin H.

    Wow. Just wow. Best coffee I've had in ages. Excellent bitter kick. Ordered tiramisu and it was perfect. Well priced for college Ave as well. Though staff is nice, line was quite long -- expect to wait. Crowder and bustling but, for me, this made me feel more "part of it" than "too crowded." Would highly recommend.

    Outside sign
    Sierra L.

    We ordered pastrami sandwich and tiramisu. 11/10 for both. A bit pricy but it's worth it! Nice spot to catch up with friends or go on a little date. Quite busy so not great for studying or reading. Line moves quite fast.

    Ruby B.

    Yum! Whenever I am in Berkeley I try to stop by Baker and Commons. It gives small-town vibes in the best way possible with friendly staff and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. They have great mochas and delicious house-made biscuits. Their caesar salad is pretty good too. Highly recommend!

    Sign
    Andrea R.

    This place is amazing!! Located in the heart of Elmwood, Baker & Commons is a neighborhood staple. Their coffees all come with two shots of espresso, and they have a rotating menu of baked goods that smell and look incredible. They also have a menu of food for their sit-down restaurant, including a soup of the day. The restaurant itself is on a corner lot. It gets great sun and has some outdoor seating. You can pick up a free postcard at the register with a beautiful watercolor painting of the restaurant on it (perfect to put up on your fridge!). The coffee is excellent. The double shot of espresso is tasty. I've had both iced and hot coffees from Baker & Commons, and I loved them both. The iced latte I had did not taste watered down, which is a huge plus. I also tried some baked goods: a slice of pear cake with a salted maple frosting, a savory scone with sun-dried tomato and herbs, and a slice of coconut almond cake. Genuinely so good! And I'm not even a dessert person! The people who work here are extremely friendly and will strike up a conversation with customers, regardless of the length of the line. The restaurant has a very homey feel. I'll definitely be returning!

    Red Berry Jam Oat Bar (I think it was raspberry) it was Vegan & Gluten Free :)
    Holly S.

    Stopped in on a whim and they had one item in the bakery that's gluten free and vegan... it was a red berry (strawberry or raspberry jam bar, I was too excited and hungry lol. The bar was hands-down one of the best oat bars I've had. The crust and oat crumb was a perfect balance of juicy jam and streusel. Not overly sweet. I can't wait to go back. Helpful staff and a very large indoor dining room, come and plan to stay and visit with friends or get some work/studying done.

    Interior
    Jessica L.

    Such a cute little brunch spot, great place to go with a group of friends. I got the avocado toast, which was a little bit on the pricier side, but definitely one of the better tasting avocado toasts I have had. Would come back to try the biscuit sandwiches and cakes!

    Inside
    Max K.

    It's a very local cozy neighborhood cafe with variety of great choices of coffee drinks and pastries/cakes. Great place for brunch and afternoon coffee. Check for soup of the day for sure. Service is normal cafe order-to-sit with great casual atmosphere with WiFi. Indoor and outdoor settings available. There is flat entry and wide inside and outside for navigation. Good for kids with high chairs and outdoor seating, seniors, groups, meetup and couples. There is free parking lot bring the cafe. Free and paid street parking spots available.

    Shakshouka

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    9 months ago

    Love this place - kind staff, tasty food, and cozy vibe. Can be hard to get a table at peak times. Desserts are particularly good.

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    Baker & Commons Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Baker & Commons

    Are you re-open for indoor dining?

    They have in door again yes

    Hello, Do you serve GF bread?

    Do they do the build your own Mac and cheese like Elmwood cafe did? Really hope so. Such a great fall meal.

    Don't know, but I suspect that if they do it wouldn't be as good as what Elmwood did. I base this on our experience with their chicken curry sandwich -- one of Elmwood's best offerings -- which they totally did wrong. Please see my review for… Read more

    View All 4 Questions

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    the mochi donuts are soooo good! i'm still thinking about them a couple days later. i wish i got…read moremore 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 !

    always a fan of the bright pink walls, it's like a bright star among the drab, dark colored brick…read morebuildings 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...

    Tanzie's - Pork belly sizzling plate. IG: @_emwong_

    Tanzie's

    (294 reviews)

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    I just ate here today. It's the middle of the night…read more I live 30 minutes away. That said, I'm debating if I should drive back tomorrow to eat here again. I'm so impressed with the food here. I ordered the garlic pork jowl and I'm still thinking about it. I'm not even an egg person--I usually end up giving my eggs to whoever I'm with--but this one was delicious! It was so light and creamy, it didn't tase "eggy". I also got the jasmine chia bowl. It's very pretty and also tastes good. But the stand out was definitely the garlic pork jowl. Parking isn't the best here but it's not terrible. It's located at the corner of a neighborhood with street parking so you may just need to park farther away. The restaurant kind of reminds me of the restaurants in New York as part of the seating is in this outdoor tented area. Also there's a line so expect a bit of a wait.

    Chiang Mai regional Thai breakfast/ brunch spot that is really popular in the Berkeley area. Came…read morehere with my parents on the weekend and as expected, there was a line. (It'a popular and the restaurant is pretty small). This place has a really cozy vibe because it kind of feels like a converted residential spot. And I'm not an architectural expert, but the windows have a Tudor style feel to them. The owner was here and she was getting people in and out as soon as she could. Everyone there was very friendly and accommodating, especially since my parents are getting a little old. We got a table inside eventually away from the draft coming from the entrance. We ordered the khanom krok to start and we ended ordering a few mains but shared everything family style. We ordered: Gaeng hung le (pork belly) Grilled pork jowl Sai oua (Thai sausage) Each of the dishes were served with a fried egg or 'lava' egg (basically soft scramble). The dishes were beautifully presented and tasted as good as they looked. There were plenty of spices, but it wasn't too hot. Just a beautiful spot with delicious food and really friendly service. I'm a huge fan.

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    Café Etoile

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    Came here on a weekday around noon. The staff were super friendly and provided great service!…read moreOrdering was quick, took about 5 minutes, but the food did take a bit longer, around 20-30 minutes, which was understandable as it was a little busy inside. There's both indoor and outdoor seating. The interior has a warm, inviting atmosphere with plenty of windows, making it perfect for a coffee chat or study session. Based on rush, you may not get a buzzer, so watch out for your order at the pickup window! I got the Chicken Croffle, and wow, the chicken was incredibly juicy and flavorful! It was so tender, literally shredding so easily with just a stab of my fork. The savory chicken paired perfectly with the slightly sweeter croffle underneath. The croffle itself had that perfect crunch from all the layers of a croissant but with the softness of an actual waffle. One thing I did notice is that the croffle was a bit challenging to cut with the knife provided, but it was still totally worth the effort! Overall, the food was great! I love that they have other Korean-inspired dishes. I definitely want to come back and try those!

    Standard Fare - spring vegetable ragout with spicy chickpeas and couscous

    Standard Fare

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    Cold, military-style, and deeply disappointing farewell from Standard Fare…read more.. My wife and I have been going to Standard Fare for over a year. The food was always good, but the service was never particularly warm--polite, efficient, and impersonal, like a well-drilled operation. Today we took a twenty-minute ride with our six-week-old baby for one last visit before they close for good. We arrived before their advertised closing time, yet were coldly denied service. There was no one waiting behind us, but we were met with an inflexible, robotic "sorry, we're closed." No one was overtly rude, but the interaction felt rigid and mechanical, as if following procedure mattered more than acknowledging the people standing in front of them. It would not have taken much effort to accept one last order from a loyal couple with a newborn--especially since nobody else was waiting behind us. In the end, Standard Fare is closing exactly as it operated: precise, rigid, and lacking warmth. Hopefully the next business in this location will treat its customers with a bit more empathy.

    Very cute and quaint spot for breakfast. A friend suggested we meet here on Saturday for a late…read morebreakfast, what a great choice. It was pretty hard to pick from the menu items, but I settled on the Frittata with a side of Fennel Sausage, sourdough toast and a Arnold Palmer. Although the seating was full, thank goodness out food came out just as some seats were emptying out. It was a chilly day and the outside seating was full too. The service was without any complaints. They did their best to accommodate all patrons despite it being very crowded and crazy busy. Overall I would come back here, probably right as the doors open to be guaranteed a place to seat and not have to wait and hope for a seat. Oh the music was on point!! Put it on your list, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

    Cali Alley - Grilled Prawn Salad Bowl

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    Cali Alley is one of my go-to spots... I'm constantly trying to convince people to meet me there…read morefor lunch, or telling them to just DoorDash it because it's that good. It's also one of those places that makes you want to stay. The food is consistently fresh, flavorful, and generous. Every time I come here, I tell myself I'll pace myself... and every time I fail because it's just that good. The burgers are loaded and perfectly balanced, the fries are always crisp (never soggy, which is rare), and everything tastes high-quality and made to order. You have to try the chicken and waffles. The waffle batter tastes homemade and the butter takes it to another level... it's one of those dishes you keep thinking about after. I'll even DoorDash it all the way to Jingletown. The patio setup is really well done... there's a mix of larger tables for groups and higher bar-style seating for smaller hangs. The wooden furniture and cushioned benches make it comfortable, and they've got heaters for colder days and umbrellas when it's sunny, so you can usually pick your ideal spot. You order at the window and then just hang out while you wait... it's a relaxed flow and the food comes out pretty quickly. The staff are always kind and welcoming, and the whole place has a relaxed, homey vibe with really good music. Highly recommend... just come hungry.

    Cali Alley is one of those places I have looked at thousands of times when trying to figure out…read morewhat to order on Door Dash or Uber Eats. The food always looked really good, but for whatever reason I always ended up ordering from somewhere else. Well, I finally did it. I finally ordered from Cali Alley, and all I have to say is, why did I wait so darn long? Door Dash was having a 2-for-1 deal on the Cali Alley Burger, so I ordered one of those (and got another for free) , as well as on the small mac and cheese, so I ended up with two of those as well. I got fries as he side for the burgers and saved the second burger and mac and cheese for the next day. I also bought a small side of veggie fried rice for lunch later in the week. OK, let's start with the fries ... wow. Super crispy. Don't know what they do to them, but I think I almost ate all the fries that came with one of the burgers before I even touched the burger. The fries seemed to have a coating like some fries do to make them extra crispy on the outside. Whatever it was, it made them so good, I couldn't stop eating them. I was almost too full for the burger. But who are we kidding? If there is one thing I am good at, it is eating more than I should. The burger, which is described on Door Dash as "char grilled, fresh ground brisket and short rib burger, served on a toasted brioche fun with crisp lettuce, tomato onion marmalade and garlic aioli" was thick and incredibly flavorful. I couldn't stop eating that, either. It was that good. I ordered it medium, and it was pretty pink, but it was sooooooo flavorful, and all the toppings worked well together. I didn't get any cheese on it because I wanted to try to burger by itself and not mask it with cheese. I might try adding cheese next time, but honestly the burger is so good, I almost wouldn't want to cover up its flavor with cheese. Oh, I almost forgot. When you order on Door Dash, you can opt to have them include a small side of their chocolate-chipotle bbq sauce, and I highly recommend that you get it. It's a really interesting flavor and is good for dipping the fries in. I didn't try putting it on the burger, but that might be good, too. The mac and cheese was OK. It's important to note that I enjoyed the flavor but it is more of an eggy consistency than a saucy mac and cheese if that makes sense. It has a nice kick of black pepper, which I liked, though. The vegetarian fried rice was also fine but could have used a little salt. All that to say, don't be like me and procrastinate, get the Cali Alley Burger and fries ASAP.

    Baker & Commons - cafes - Updated May 2026

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