A must whenever I'm downtown San Mateo! I love my Asian breads and pastries, and this place checks…read moreall the boxes. I can't get enough of the pork sung roll. It's their twist on the Chinese classic and it's SO good! I haven't tried the pork sung and taro roll yet, so I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for that one next time. I'll also have to actually pick up a cake one of these days for a special occasion. For now, I'll keep coming back for the pastries!

This was my first time here and since we were stuffed from eating lunch at Ten Second Noodles,…read more(look for my review there too), we wanted a dessert, but for later and since there was a line out the door here, we HAD TO check it out! Hee. So I waited in line, as my Boyfriend went through and picked up goodies for us. He got us this delicious, velvety Coffee Cake, that was much more like a sponge cake or a log cake, but it had a great smooth coffee flavor! It wasn't too sweet either. He liked the bbq pork bun, but said the bread tasted better than the pork enclosed inside, so he wished he only ate the bread, part. Hee. The other cake was a green tea one and it smooth and tasty too. The ambiance was busy and they had a beautiful mural along the far right side. All their tables were full, so I didn't want to be rude and take a picture of other customers, but I liked how the line to the register separated the bakery area and the sitting area. There's also only one restroom for such a busy cafe. I hope the employees have access to their own restroom! I'll definitely go back and try other pastries here, next time I'm in town hee.

In medieval Germany, Backhaus referred to a shared or communal village oven where residents brought…read moretheir dough to bake bread. Today it translates to "bakehouse" or "bakery." This place is always good, always busy, always quick. Maybe not "always" busy, but there always seems to be a line here in the morning. In our most recent visit, my wife and I got the last Olive Loaf left, and a Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant. Both were next next level. The Olive Loaf weighs as much as a football. Twenty two buckaroos. In our previous visit we got a different recommended loaf because the olive loaf was already sold out. So, you have to get here early if you have something specific you want.

My rating may not be accurate since I didn't actually order anything. Nothing looked appealing to…read moreme, so I just went in, took a look, took a few photos and went about my day. There's a couple areas to sit and the bakery items are all on display so it's easy to see what they have and don't. I liked the simplicity of the exterior design. No dogs, only service animals. Service felt a bit pushy for me to order & the other person standing at the cashier didn't seem too welcoming or friendly.

My new favorite coffee shop in San Mateo. I met Ingrid the owner a few months back while I was…read moredoing Uber I got her as a passenger and she told me about her bakery. Fast forward I went today for the first time and the food and coffee was AMAZING. She's such a nice and friendly person and her barista was also kind. Love the inside. Nice and spacious. Also good outdoor seating as well. Mandatory you go try. I got the Mexican Chorizo Focaccia (a bit spicy) and it was Delicious. I don't really order scones when I go to bakeries, but I had to try one since there was so many options and as a cookie lover I'm a big fan of scones now. Gotta get a scone with some hot coffee next time.

My shocking favorite was the chocolate. I would say the chocolate croissant actually really…read morecomparable to some of the best bakeries in San Francisco that it took me by surprise. Wish I picked up less scones and more croissants. It was super flakey, buttery, and just perfect! Salmon and scallions tasted good and flavorful but may vary by crowd. May have been too flavorful for some. But if you prefer savory I would say this was a good pick. I would say the rest were somewhat average to my liking either too sweet, or not my preferred flavors. However, would love to try more!

I was excited to try Saltwater Bakeshop after seeing their new cafe open. I had seen them at…read morefarmer's markets in the area but never had a chance to grab their pastries. We stopped by on a Sunday morning and it was surprisingly pretty empty. I got the passionfruit kouign aman to go and it was really yummy. I like the sweet crispy outside and the dough was nicey laminated. I appreciate that it's a big larger and taller than other kouign amans in the city but I thought there could be more passionfruit jam to give it more flavor. I did like how how buttery it is. The space is nice with plenty of tables and seating. It is a bit out of the way in South SoMA so I'm not sure how often I would pass by this shop but it's a nice cafe tucked away in an otherwise kind of empty part of town.

I went on a Sunday around 11am. There was no line. It's a big space with plenty of seating…read more Friendly staff. I ordered the following: Passionfruit kouign amann 1.5/5 - There was about a 1/2 a tablespoon of passionfruit filling. The pastry itself was doughy and the exterior had a light crisp. I like mine with more of a crunch. Orange Blossom Cardamom bun 1/5 - 2 of my favorite flavors and unfortunately neither was there. I could not smell nor see the cardamom. Description says there's a paste of orange blossom and cardamom and if there was a paste it was minuscule.

Best fresh-baked bread every day. They only accept cards, no cash!! My family loves the sweet…read moreFrench bread. Still hot out of the oven. I can't help but eat some as I drive home. Dutch crunch you name it they make it and they're all fresh daily hot out of the oven. If you're Smart, you'll sneak some ice-cold butter into your purse, and as you're driving home, pull off a piece of hot, fresh-baked bread and put some butter on it watch it melt its delicious. The sweet French deli rolls are great for school lunches. The sourdough bread is better than Fishetmans wharf. They make Dutch crunch you name it they make it and they're all fresh daily hot out of the oven. If you're smart you'll sneak some butter into your purse, ice cold, and as you're driving home, pull off a piece put some butter on it. Watch it melt it's delicious.

I was nearby, so I picked up a round of sourdough bread and a cookie. The cookie was macadamia…read morecoconut chocolate chip and really outstanding, full of chocolate and nuts. I appreciated that they have small sourdough rounds of bread for $4. Seems like a reasonable price, and you could also buy the larger size. I like how they have a case of not quite cooked bread you can make at home. This shop is on a busy street, and it was easy enough to find street parking. The service was really friendly.

Every time I order from Antoine's Cookie Shop, I'm never disappointed. The quality of the cookies…read moreis always consistent, and they're genuinely tasty. My favorites are the Walnut Chip and the 66% Dark Chip. Ordering is also always fast and friendly, which makes it an easy place to come back to whenever I'm craving cookies.

Stopped by Antoine's Cookie Shop and had to grab a few sweet treats! I went with a nice mix of…read moretoffee, snickerdoodle, white macadamia, chocolate chip, and oatmeal raisin cookies. A little something for everyone! The service was quick, and the cookies were fresh. Looks like I arrived at just the right time! Overall, the cookies were good, and I really can't complain much at all. My only personal preference is that I enjoy a larger-sized cookie, but these definitely did the job. I may have to come back and connect with the owner, especially since my colleagues enjoyed the cookies as well! We love opportunities to support and partner with local businesses, so stay tuned for what's next. Until next time, Antoine's!

After seeing Dion Lim's feature on Claire, I knew immediately I had to try her famous crunch…read morecake...! Omg! It was everything I dreamed of and more! And Claire is such an incredible person-- it was an honor to meet a bay area legend! My partner placed an order over the phone. You may need to try a few times as her VM is full (popular for a reason :P ). But we were DETERMINED and got a hold of her after 3 calls. We scheduled a pickup date for our 7 year anniversary. The day rolls around and we drive to Claire's home bakery. Lots of street parking in this peaceful San Mateo neighborhood. You can easily find her business from the signage on the lawn. And meeting Claire in person was just lovely, she welcomed us as though we were family friends. STRAWBERRY CRUNCH CAKE (6inch): O M G this is the stuff of dreams. I absolutely love honey-flavored desserts and this tastes even better than I imagined... Fluffy yellow cake inside; crispy, airy, malty honeycomb outside-- all wrapped with a luscious whipped frosting. And fresh strawberries throughout. My bf and I both felt this was one of the best cakes we've had ;u; I would highly recommend...! This is such a special treat you can't find anywhere else in the bay.

I ordered an 8" strawberry crunch cake for $60 cash. Claire said it serves 12 people…read more 6" cake is $40 and served 8 people. I asked for crunch on the side, which I definitely recommend if you aren't going to eat the cake all in one sitting or right away. The crunch stays crispy and you can add as much or as little as you like. The strawberry cake itself was not too sweet. The cake is a little dense, and the whipped cream is light and also not overly sweet. The crunch is very sweet, so between the cake and the crunch you can adjust the sweetness to your liking! It was delicious, however I think i prefer my cakes a little lighter. I love that Claire uses fresh strawberries in the middle. I wish there were a few more. I didn't have any trouble getting through on the phone to order the cake and even had to adjust the pick up time the next day, which they were able to accommodate. Pick up was easy and they provided a happy birthday sign to place on the cake.

A long overdue review for my favorite coffee shop ever!…read more I go here religiously (literally any time I have a day off!) and get the same iced matcha order every single time, and it's always such a comfort to see the same friendly, welcoming faces behind the counter. They have great indoor seating if you want to hang out for a bit too. The strawberry matcha specialty chocolate is hands down my absolute favorite treat, and I make sure to snag one every single time they have it in stock. Parking can definitely be tricky, and you might have to circle around a couple of times on busier days, especially over the weekend. But just know it's so worth it!

I haven't spent too much time checking out the coffee scene in San Mateo, but this wasn't a bad…read moreshop to visit. To my surprise, Kaizen has a steady line out the door. They aren't a roaster. Instead, they'll carry different roasters so you'll have a variety of options to choose from. My eyebrows popped when I saw that they were serving beans from Glitch on their pour over option. For a staggering $14 a cup, you can enjoy beans from one of the hottest roasters in Tokyo right now. Not a bad option if you're nearby and need third wave coffee fix.

I was looking for a wedding cake vendor and found simple delights on yelp . I chose them because…read morethey had Asian flavored cakes which I wanted (specifically Ube ) I did the taste testing which included ordering mini cakes with different flavors . They were able to execute my vision flawlessly . I wanted a double layer cake with flowers on it , the cake was delicious and the cream was super super yummy . They dropped it off at the restaurant and everything went super smoothly . I highly recommend simple delights if you are in need of a dessert vendor . I also tried there panna cotta when I was in store and it was so so good !!! Super creamy and fresh .

We ordered a cake for my son's birthday, and it was absolutely amazing! All the kids and our guests…read moreloved it, and several of our friends ended up ordering cakes from them after the party. They were also incredibly accommodating with our custom design request, even though it was placed on short notice. Their excellent service and delicious cake made my son's birthday extra special. Thank you so much for helping create such wonderful memories! I still stop by whenever I have a sweet craving on my cheat days and they never disappoint!

Quiche Lorraine was divine - not bacon but actually lardons in French style. The first bite was so…read moregood with the eggs and the fat and soft texture and nice exterior, and great crust. Guy at the front counter needs to not lecture people that there are more kinds of coffee than drip coffee. If someone orders a coffee: it is not ambiguous what they are asking for. They want a drip coffee.

Phenomenal food and service. I would highly recommend this pace. Love their pastries!…read more They are known for authentic French viennoiserie and fine pastries--especially laminated croissants (including pistachio, triple chocolate, and almond varieties) made with premium Normandy butter, along with delicate entremets, tarts, cakes, artisanal breads (like baguettes), and seasonal specialties such as Galette des Rois.