Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Bench

    4.9 (58 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Order Bench Takeout or Delivery

    Bench Photos

    BENCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    More like Bench

    Recommended Reviews - Bench

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Darci K.

    I love spending time in Berkeley. There's always a new place to discover, and this trip wasn't any different. I discovered Bench almost by accident, and it turned out to be a great discovery. It's a quaint, super tiny coffee shop, that absolutely should be on your list of places to try. I stopped in fairly early in the morning, and all of their savory pastries were already gone. I don't know if they just don't carry a lot because of the small space, or if there's some mad rush at the crack dawn of the morning. I wanted to try their banana cream iced coffee, but got hung up on ordering a mocha instead. I really wish that I ordered the banana cream and absolutely will be going back to try it. Since all of the savory items were already gone, I opted for a chive and cheese scone. Seating is incredibly limited as in this is a place you go to get things to go, more so than sitting and enjoying. I absolutely would not consider this to be a work friendly place. Since the vibe was to go, I still had to hang around so to speak and wait. The coffee space is fairly quiet, with their people that are working upstairs. I don't know if it's an owner's/manager or what but they were super loud which overshadowed the quiet atmosphere of the shop. You order at the counter and then you pretty much hang out. It appears that some people knew to order ahead because they seemed to come and go fairly quickly. When my coffee was done, no one called out my name, no one said anything. I guess I was just supposed to know that it was sitting at the counter, waiting for me. They absolutely get credit for using really good coffee. This is exponentially better than my usual place. The mocha was pretty to look at, but definitely needed some added sugar. I was able to grab one of the few empty seats. Once my coffee was ready, which I'm glad I did so that way I added the sugar and my scone. As I took a bite into my scone, I realized it was the wrong scone that was given to me. This was not chive and cheddar. It was I think ham and I don't know what. Normally, I would've said something, but at this point I needed to get going, and I've already taken a bite out of the scone. It's just disappointing when you pay for one thing with the expectations of trying it, and then find out it's something completely different. There's a little to no parking outside because it's Berkeley, so keep that in mind. Price point is equivalent to if not higher than the green mermaid store, but much better! Even with the mixup, I will be back!

    Austin Z.

    Both hands up for this wonderful coffee place I happened to stumble upon, right outside the skirts of Downtown Berkeley. They're located right on the intersection of MLK and University, right behind the Indian restaurant. This coffee place is honestly a little bit small, so please proceed with caution at all costs. But it really makes you feel cozy at home. They do have upstairs seating, but rather really limited. It will be full at times, and at times, not at all. It depends on the time that you go. They have a wide assortment of sweet and savory pastries available as well. I got their ham & cheese scone, as well as their speciality drink, their banana cream iced coffee. I love how balanced their iced coffee is with the banana cream, which surprisingly, is made with ACTUAL banana puree made from actual bananas. The barista who made my drink was very nice and very chill, and served it rather quick. That's what's up! If you're looking for a locally-owned coffee shop right here in Berkeley, look no further than Bench Coffee! Trust me, it will be a trip worth it :)

    Counter
    Sara L.

    In between errands, I stopped by Bench to try a latte and baked goodie. In this early afternoon, the place wasn't crowded. And has the feel of an art deco loft. After reviewing a range of options, I decided upon a Golden Latte and chocolate chip cookie. Each was @$5 with tax, decently sized and absolutely yum. The latte tasted like a perfect blend of espresso, steamed oat milk, and turmeric. Major kudos to the barista. I've found most not to be blended well at all nearby. The chocolate chip cookie had just the right amount of sweetness. All in all, this place is a great weekend stop!

    Banana cream iced coffee
    Maggie W.

    I was intrigued by the banana cream iced coffee. It certainly seems like this is the summer for ganan coffee drinks. They use fresh bananas in the cream and you can definitely taste the difference (compared to creams that use banana flavoring). I think the cream flavor is really good and the coffee blends well with it. I took off 1 star because there is a bit of a sour undertone, which I'm not sure if from syrup or from the coffee itself. Service was very quick! There seems to be two stories with a spiral staircase to the upstairs. Some chairs and benches to study or read on on the first floor. Didn't check out 2nd floor.

    Bar area
    Mia B.

    Had such a good experience at Bench! It is such a quaint shop with relaxing vibes to match its lovey menu. I got the date latte, and it was so tasty! The flavor was a nice balance of sweetness and nuttiness that made every sip taste so so good. Would for sure come back here.

    Dog friendly cafe and a homemade pastry and the best coffee.
    Yalda A.

    Lovely Dog friendly cafe and the best coffee and nice home made pastry. Sweet owner sun is creating the atmosphere for community.

    Cute decor
    Amanda L.

    Me and all of my coworkers' go-to spot for amazing coffee and solid matcha! They have fun flavors if you wanna change it up, but my basic vanilla latte is always great. Their house made pastries are all super good too and serve as a the perfect treat. Staff are very friendly and accommodating and the space is very cute! Definitely recommend.

    Latte
    Sherry Z.

    Small coffee shop along MLK near trader Joe's. There is not too much seating, so don't expect to be able to sit and do work while enjoying your coffee and pastries. Service was fast and friendly. It would be nice to have some placards saying what pastries were in each display, but being told in person was fine! Got a latte and a spinach and mushroom handpie. I really enjoyed the handpie. It was filled to the brim with spinach and mushroom and had a lovely buttery crust. The latte was enjoyable, with no complaints here. Plan on coming back to try some more pastries!

    Menu - didn't get pic of coffee but their banana cream was awesome!!
    Angie G.

    Super cute and great coffee!! Don't forget to try their pastries! Their customer was awesome i don't remember their name but they were so sweet and amazing!

    an ivl and banana cream latte
    Dina A.

    The vibes in the cafe is great! Definitely go here if you like calm and relaxed environments. From the coffee to the decor, everything was great and beautiful. I tried their ivl (iced vanilla latte) and it was sooooo good. Service was amazing.

    Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cake

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Best cappuccino in town. Amazing homemade pastries. Even Persian cookies and tea. Brand new place so still a hidden gem. Highly recommend.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of N R.
    39
    15
    6

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    A super nice little coffee shop with great pastries and delicious coffee. The owner makes the pastries themselves, try them!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Megan G.
    108
    24
    10

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Bench has an amazing vibe, home made pastries, and great coffee. At the heart of Berkeley. Super nice people. I stop by daily to get coffee.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tom B.
    0
    26
    1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Unique pastries, great coffee, and service at a reasonable price. I highly recommend their awesome rose tea, also!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Baked goods and coffee were amazing, vibe was very friendly. Definitely worth checking out.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Bench

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Bakeries 82,749 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Fournée Bakery - Meyer Lemon Shortbread ($2.25) - really dry, felt old. Not good.

    Fournée Bakery

    4.6(734 reviews)
    1.8 mi
    $

    I'll start by saying that I am ashamed of myself for not having some pictures here because…read moreeverything looks AMAZING and everything is AMAZING. The shop is small and very rustic looking with amazing displays of everything delicious. We were staying very close and walking here in the morning was easy. First couple of days there were only a couple of people ahead of me on line... One the weekends, not so easy, line is always out the door. Why??? Because everything is AMAZING!!! Besides myself and my wife, I was buying for my three grandchildren who LOVE Fournèe. I purchased a good assortment of pastries to bring home including a morning bun, croissnst, almond danish, cheesy bun and some random items I that I pointed at. All amazing and all with their coffee which is also delicious. My next visit will definately include a sandwich or two and some of that inccredible look bread. The items are buttery delicious. Everything is packed with flavor and all items are the definition of fresh. I'll be back soon and I'm ready to go bread and pastry hunting... YUM! KUDOs to the team at Fournée Bakery.

    We came back here today again after a long hike at Tilden and got a ton of bread. One loaf of…read moreMiche (French country bread) and one loaf of rye. We also tried one of their chocolate almond croissants which was quite yummy and still warm. The chocolate was oozing out. It was pretty sweet but not too sweet. This croissant was different from other croissants because it was a lot more dense and not that fluffy. I didn't have a problem with that. We both wanted to try their grougeres (French cheese puffs) but found out that they were discontinued. The customer in front of me said that they always have new things and you never know when they will discontinue something. He enjoyed the chocolate cloud cake. I found out today that I could get a light bake or a dark bake for the Miche. This was very good to know as last week I had a dark bake and it was very bitter. Today I intentionally got a light bake. Right next door is a Peet's coffee shop which is perfect for getting a cup of coffee and enjoying it with their fresh pastries. This is such a cute little neighborhood and the people in line today was all so friendly. I will be coming back to this charming bakery regularly to enjoy their amazing bread and pastries.

    Photos
    Fournée Bakery
    Fournée Bakery - Inside of Fruit Croissant ($4.75) - Organic Seville orange marmalade, cream cheese, and Lemon Verbena oat streusel. Good!

    Inside of Fruit Croissant ($4.75) - Organic Seville orange marmalade, cream cheese, and Lemon Verbena oat streusel. Good!

    Fournée Bakery - Inside of Cheese Roll ($4.25) - Levain dough with Gruyère cheese, Manchego cheese, & cubeb pepper. Delicious. Chewy bread, very cheesey.

    See all

    Inside of Cheese Roll ($4.25) - Levain dough with Gruyère cheese, Manchego cheese, & cubeb pepper. Delicious. Chewy bread, very cheesey.

    Masse's Pastries - Mango mirror mousse cake

    Masse's Pastries

    4.3(1.1k reviews)
    0.6 miNorth Berkeley, Gourmet Ghetto
    $$

    I have been shop forever and I'm finally here. The store is kind of small, but it's very cozy and…read moreyou can tell that they decorate it themselves. The chef was outside helping out and he was super nice very friendly. He was very enthusiastic about his dessert and was introducing it to us. We went when the store is almost closing, so there wasn't that many selection left, but we got the vanilla custard and that was so good full of the vanilla flavor. It's not overly sweet and feel very light. It was so good that I even got another one to take home with me. They also have a good selection of Macaron and they are not overly sweet. They are very light and the seasoning was really well. The cake was also really good. I got one of the chocolate walnut cake and that one was very rich with coffee flavor. I love it. I will definitely come back again.

    The descriptions and prices are not marked on the display case, but the employees (owners?) there…read morewere more than happy to list them all out. Honestly, they really need to include signs and probably allergen information as well. But I'm not sure if the owners opt to omit the signage on purpose to encourage conversation. The cakes were good and the pricing was fair. Limited seating available. Overall, I enjoyed the pastries and would come back if I'm craving some European style cake.

    Photos
    Masse's Pastries - Raspberry chocolate

    Raspberry chocolate

    Masse's Pastries - Hazelnut chocolate cake

    Hazelnut chocolate cake

    Masse's Pastries - Chocolate raspberry cake

    See all

    Chocolate raspberry cake

    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Strawberry lychee roasted matcha latte

    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley

    4.3(1.2k reviews)
    1.5 miWest Berkeley
    $$

    Cute store. Very clean. I like that they display each donut and muffin in the case with its name…read moreand 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.

    Maybe back in the day, Third Culture's matcha was considered novel, innovative, and really good…read more But compared to all the new matcha spots popping up, I honestly don't think their drinks hold up anymore. Especially at the price point, you expect a more premium drink. The matcha was gritty and tasted mostly like milk, with just an essence of whatever flavor it was paired with. For the price, I was expecting something much more flavorful and refined. The donuts were fine, but nothing particularly special or memorable. Overall, I just don't think the drinks or donuts justify the price compared to what's available now.

    Photos
    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte, matcha einspanner (06/2025)

    Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte, matcha einspanner (06/2025)

    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Pandan Mochi Donut

    Pandan Mochi Donut

    Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Mochi donuts

    See all

    Mochi donuts

    Starter Bakery - Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are back!  Taste a flavor of the holidays. Lean into winter with deeply fudgy cookies topped with crushed canes

    Starter Bakery

    4.3(164 reviews)
    2.1 miRockridge, North Oakland
    $$

    I'm really happy to discover Starter Bakery. It's become one of those easy go-to spots for me when…read moreI want a good sandwich, fresh bread, flaky croissants, or just something a little special. Their sandwiches are probably what first got me hooked. The bread is so good, with a chewy inside and a nice crust, and the fillings are always fresh and flavorful. The combinations are also really well thought out. From there, I started working my way through the rest of the menu. I've had their Kouign Amann, Quiche Lorraine, croissants, baguette, Sourdough Batard, Sunflower Rye Spelt, pretzel buns (you can probably tell I'm a bread person), pies, seasonal radicchio salad, and passionfruit madeleines. Their seasonal radicchio salad has actually become one of my favorites to take to work for lunch. I also love that they rotate the Kouign Amann flavors, so there's usually something new to try whenever I stop by. I've enjoyed almost everything I've had here. One pie was a little too sweet for me personally, but that's really the only thing that comes to mind. I also really like the presentation and the atmosphere. The pastry case always looks beautiful and tempting, and the space feels relaxed and welcoming. It's easy to pop in and grab something, but it's also a nice place to meet friends for coffee and something sweet. The prices feel very reasonable for the quality, which is another reason I keep coming back. More than anything, I just really enjoy having Starter Bakery in the area. It's become one of my neighborhood go-to spots, and I always seem to find another reason to stop by.

    ​I have been reading amazing things about Starter Bakery, so I was excited to try it out with my…read moregirlfriend. The ambiance is wonderful - I absolutely love the deep blue color scheme, the cute matching mugs, and gorgeous plants. They have a lot of different pastry choices, but unfortunately, there was only one vegan option: a tiny hazelnut sweet bread. ​I ordered the bread along with an Americano. When I tried to take the pastry out of the package to share it with my girlfriend, it completely crumbled into a big mess. I went up to the counter to let them know, and the employee told me it was actually meant to be eaten straight from the package. She mentioned it was on the drier side being vegan, she took the crumbled mess and gave me a new one but it ended up having the exact same issue. It wasnt dry, but it just wouldn't hold any moisture and was far too crumbly to eat. ​For $5, this tiny pastry was a major letdown. To make the interaction weirder, she took the original crumbled bread back from me and I'm only assuming threw it away, which felt entirely unnecessary. Having been vegan for nine years, I've had some truly amazing, moist vegan baked goods, so this was incredibly disappointing. While the vibe and aesthetic are great, the vegan options were major letdown. CC accepted Restroom available

    Photos
    Starter Bakery - Mille bisous for mille feuille with pear! Now available at College Ave.

    Mille bisous for mille feuille with pear! Now available at College Ave.

    Starter Bakery - Our Stollen holiday bread makes winter mornings festive. Shown here in our regular size--preorder by 12/19 at 12pm PT for pick-up on 12/24.

    Our Stollen holiday bread makes winter mornings festive. Shown here in our regular size--preorder by 12/19 at 12pm PT for pick-up on 12/24.

    Starter Bakery - Earl Grey, coming in hot -- in our Plum & Earl Grey Kouign Amann, available this week for Oakland Style.

    See all

    Earl Grey, coming in hot -- in our Plum & Earl Grey Kouign Amann, available this week for Oakland Style.

    Acme Bread Company - Inside the bakery

    Acme Bread Company

    4.6(821 reviews)
    1.2 miWest Berkeley
    $$

    Don't let the line intimidate you, it moves pretty fast, and it's worth the wait! I've gone on…read moredifferent days and at different times, and there is ALWAYS a line. PROS * Super fresh bread with a great daily selection. Some sweet stuff as well. * Great prices * Two types of pizza specials * Helpful, knowledgeable staff KEEP IN MIND * There's pretty much always a line, but it moves * The parking lot out front is limited, but there's a back lot too Inside, it's small and BUSY. Bread is constantly being made, to-go orders are getting picked up, and customers are being helped. There's a lot happening in a little space, but they have their system down pat! Honestly, the line has become part of my strategy. It gives me time to scope out everything in the window and plan what I want before I get to the front. The freshness of the bread is hard to beat, especially for the prices. Between the selection, helpful staff, and quality, this is one line I don't mind standing in. Bottom line: See a line? Get in it. Then start studying the window.

    Visit date: 4/19/2026…read more We came about an hour before closing on a Sunday, so unfortunately many of the items I wanted to try based on other people's recommendations were already sold out. We ended up getting three things: * The cheese twist was soooo good! The cheese was flavorful and the pastry itself was perfectly done. * The apple pastry was interesting. Unlike many places where the pastry is either bland or overly sweet, Acme's pastry had a slight saltiness to it, which I actually think is genius. I almost always prefer a hint of savory flavor to balance out the sweetness from the filling or topping. My only issue with this one was that the apple topping was not sweet at all and leaned more tart, so paired with the salty pastry, it was not quite the flavor combination I was hoping for. * The mini raspberry pastry had the same issue for me. The raspberry topping was just a bit too tart and sour for my taste. Even though not everything was a hit for me, I would definitely come back and give this bakery another chance, especially since we arrived so late and missed out on many of their most popular items.

    Photos
    Acme Bread Company - Olive oil cake with apricots

    Olive oil cake with apricots

    Acme Bread Company - At the register

    At the register

    Acme Bread Company - Cherry puff

    See all

    Cherry puff

    Bake Sum - Inside of Chocolate Chunk with Maldon Salt Cookie ($3.50) - very good!

    Bake Sum

    4.5(416 reviews)
    4.3 miGrand Lake, Lower Hills
    $$

    Gluten challenge stop #7. All I can say is WOW! We got the yuzu bun and a pandan bun…read more The yuzu meringue bun was amazing. It's like a morning bun, and the texture of the morning bun is light, fluffy. Lots of sugar on it, it shedded everywhere while eating. The filling is the star. It is a curd and has a strong a prominent yuzu flavor. They filled it VERY generously. You get curd with every bite. We both agreed the meringue on top, while good, was not needed. The yuzu curd is not too sweet, they really lean into the sour so it balances out the sweet bun nicely. The pandan bun is like nothing I've EVER had. It's the strongest pandan flavored anything I've ever had. You can smell the pandan before you even bite into it. It's a lot like a brioche bun (not dissimilar to challah in texture) with a pandan-flavored concha top. It has a cream-style pandan filling which is a SUPER strong pandan flavor. Generously filled, very generously. Will definitely return if I can. Their flavors are on a rotating basis. The woman at the counter was enthusiastic and polite, eagerly answered questions.

    I was ecstatic to try their Yuzu Meringue Bun, but I was quite disappointed with the packaging. I…read moreunderstand it's challenging to find a box that closes securely without ruining the beautiful, photo-worthy presentation, but please consider leaving it open and allowing the customer to close it at their own leisure. Yuzu Meringue Bun -- Spot on with the cruffin and meringue combination. The yuzu flavor was generous, although it leaned a little too tart for my personal preference. I wished there was more meringue -- perhaps having a layer of meringue in the center would have made it absolutely superb! Brown Butter Mochi Bites -- These were alright, but nothing particularly special. They were missing the signature mochi chewy texture, so they didn't quite feel "mochi" enough to truly be called mochi bites. Sesame Cookie -- Unfortunately, it was too hard and crisp for my liking. Crossubi -- A very unique concept and not bad overall. I just wish the interior wasn't quite as hollow; a little more filling would have elevated it.

    Photos
    Bake Sum - Inside of Mocha Cake ($3.75) - it's quite sweet and soft, but not really chocolatey.

    Inside of Mocha Cake ($3.75) - it's quite sweet and soft, but not really chocolatey.

    Bake Sum - Inside of Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4) - great, strong hojicha flavor. I still prefer the black sesame snickerdoodle though.

    Inside of Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4) - great, strong hojicha flavor. I still prefer the black sesame snickerdoodle though.

    Bake Sum - Almond Cake ($4) and Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4)

    See all

    Almond Cake ($4) and Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4)

    Bench - bakeries - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...