Ada W.

Neat and clean coffee and crème puff shop. The crème puffs were surprisingly good--comparable to a Japanese dessert place I used to go to near Torrance, but with more flavor options. Service was smooth, no wait, and there's plenty of parking in the plaza. Flavors I tried include oolong, Biscoff, vanilla, matcha, lemon, blueberry, dark chocolate, and maple pecan. If I had to pick three, I'd go with oolong, matcha, and the signature Biscoff. I got 8 crème puffs for $30. These aren't your typical Beard Papa-style puffs; they're more delicate and refined. I'm giving them 5 stars because I think these are the best crème puffs I've had in the SGV area. I hope they stick around! The sesame crème top was decent, but not a must-order for me. Also, check their hours since they're not open every day.

Steve D.

Browned is definitely one of the best pastry shop in town. I highly recommend their cream puff as everything taste great. The service was excellent and I enjoy the outdoor seating where you can have coffee and pastry on site. My favorite flavor cream puff is macha as it's not too sweet. I am very looking forward to the next visit soon.

Juliet G.

Cute lil' mini choux bakery / cafe in a quiet corner under an apartment complex ~ I actually came here to try the Kimchi Bacon Garlic Roll W / Runny Egg Yolk and the Black Truffle Mushroom Danish, but both were out of stock when I got there about an hour before closing. My heart was broken so I just got a couple minis instead. They were running low, but I was able to try the Taro Salted Egg & Taiwanese Oolong Tea. I actually enjoyed the Taro Salted Egg because the cream inside the pastry felt more substantial in comparison to the Taiwanese Oolong Tea option. The Oolong flavor was really not very sweet at all, and was filled with something similar to a whipped cream which felt a little too airy and plain to me. The Taro Egg was both savory and sweet, I recommend you try this one if you're into anything salted egg ~ Both mini choux had a nice crust so the textures were enjoyable. Anyway, the area outside the cafe is so cute, I plan to return to Browned soon just so I can sit there and enjoy the savory baked goods I previously mentioned. I probably need to get there in the early morning though I suppose...

Ac M.

Super nice people and good pastries made from high quality ingredients. My favorite is their kimchi bacon croissant which is super buttery, flakey, crisp, and flavorful ($7.50)

Glenn A.

Browned is a hidden bakery gem tucked inside the retail area of the One apartments in San Gabriel. It's not visible from the street so keep an eye out. They are known for their signature crispy creme puffs. The shells have that perfect crunch on the outside while the fillings are light and not overly sweet. They offer Asian inspired flavors such as matcha and oolong tea, but my favorite was their signature Bischoff crunch. The creme puffs are little on the pricier end compared to the size, but the unique flavors make it worthwhile. If you visit towards the end of the day, their selection might be limited as they don't replenish their stock. Plan on going early to get a better selection of pastries.

Robert Z.

So turns out this is very close to a friend's house and we were able to walk here (along with various other establishments on Valley). Its a cute, newer bakery that really is just intended for a buy and go with some outdoor seating space. They have an assortment of pastries and coffees and are known for their cream puffs. We got there kind of late in the afternoon so various flavors were sold out but got one of each of the remaining flavors (vanilla, dark chocolate, maple cream, matcha, and biscoff). I enjoyed every one of them and thought they had a really nice balance of flavors and sweetness. None were overly sweet and the flavors were all subtley pronounced, which sounds like a paradox but best way I can think to describe it. The choux pastry was well done with a nicely textured crackelin top. The cream filling held up nicely (once returned to the fridge for a bit as we were walking around for an hour or so after getting them). The price seems a bit steep at ~$4 each but the quality and execution is there for me and also, we're in LA so ehh. This was a great new stop for me and I'm already considering returning so I can try more pastries and get the oolong cream puff. Definitely recommend for folks wanting a little treat for themselves or to share with others.

Ian A.

I had an unexpected, magical experience at Browned (San Gabriel). It's a hidden, upscale cafe & bakery. I ordered the Housemade Pistachio Cream Top Coffee ($7.90 - Iced). The aftertaste of caramelized pistachio lingered with every sip. I felt awake and happy. I arrived at Browned (San Gabriel) on Friday (around 1:25PM). Parking is straightforward if familiar with the area. There's a couple nearby underground parking garages. Fortunately, I quickly found a parking spot. Staff is very professional, welcoming, and friendly. Staff maintained a bright, cheery demeanor throughout this experience. Staff also eagerly answered all my questions. Staff worked hard. This location would get very busy in small, sudden waves. My drink took three minutes and 30 seconds. Good time! As mentioned, I ordered the Housemade Pistachio Cream Top Coffee ($7.90 - Iced). Staff recommended that I drink from their special straw. With each sip, I felt more and more happy. This iced coffee had a milky, nutty, and caramelized flavor profile. It's velvety, chill, and smooth. The caffeine is not punchy; rather, there's a reserved yet enduring caffeine/coffee flavor. As I continued to drink, I felt the familiar welcomed stretch of energy. Its Pistachio Cream Top also elevates this fresh brew. It blossoms into the familiar flavor of fresh pistachios. When thoroughly stirred, the brew thickens, and the pistachio flavor considerably strengthens. It's a euphoric, memorable experience. Regarding ambiance, Browned (San Gabriel) is surprisingly gorgeous. The location has a breathtaking outside patio with picturesque moving images. The interior is also very sleek but cramped. Fortunately, this location also offers customer internet with password; customers must talk to Staff for details. Browned (San Gabriel) has two indoor chairs and one tiny interior counter. There's also five outside tables. I love how this location plays soft smooth jazz. There's also a tiny self-service water station. However, there's no restroom. Overall, Browned (San Gabriel) overwhelmed me with its whimsy, attractive goods, & alluring appearance. I found magic. The Housemade Pistachio Cream Top Coffee ($7.90 - Iced) is also phenomenal. If searching for something special, I wholeheartedly recommend. 4.9 out of 5!! GO!!!

Anna A.

As a big fan of cream puffs, I have been wanting to come try out this place for a long time. In additional to the cream puffs, all the pastries looked really good. It was a hard decision to decide which flavor to buy for the cream puffs. I eventually went for oolong, matcha, vanilla, dark chocolate, lemon, and oolong. Oolong was my favorite and I'm happy to have ordered 2 puffs in oolong. The blueberry danish and almond croissant was also really buttery flaky and delicious.

LeeAnn K.

Ambiance: can't speak on these since husband went to buy these for valentine's day Service: from what I know, there's a digital pre-order form for new flavor drops. The lady there also made recommendations such as the Valentine's day special and my husband was able to swap one of the original cream puffs he selected to that one Food: My favorite were the lemon and the blueberry, to my surprise. I tend to lean toward tea flavors but they did the fruit flavors justice. I enjoyed that the choux pastry with the craquelin shell was still slightly crisp and didn't get soggy even after being in the fridge for a couple of hours. I do prefer a more custard filling like what you would get at Beard Papa's, but the light whipped cream-like filling was still delicious. Overall, the execution of these cream puffs is worth the $4 dollar each~ price tag and I would love to try new flavors in the future!

Andy T.

Browned is a small bakery located at The One apartment. I was having a hard time finding the store entrance at first but discovered it's in the inner section. This isn't a store where you could really sit and dine inside. However, there are a few seats outside where you can sit but it's subject to sunlight. I went there on a Saturday at around 12:30 PM and it was very busy at the time. The line did go out the door and took about 15 minutes before I could order and go. This was ample time to look at all of their selection and menu. I decided to leave here with a 6 cream puff set. I got (1) rich taiwan dong ding oolong tea, strawberry milk mochi chocolate, madagascar vanilla bean, maple pecan with chocolate coating, blueberry heaven, and rich koyamaen matcha cream puffs. Most of these were not too sweet with the exception being the strawberry milk mochi chocolate. I personally liked the blueberry heaven and the rich koyamaen matcha and would get those again. American Express is accepted as a payment option.

Erika C.

Found Browned on Instagram and I'm so glad I checked it out. The shop is small and cute with limited indoor seating but some spots outside too. We got a box of 6 cream puffs (lemon delight, oolong, matcha, biscoff, dark chocolate, vanilla) and they were all delicious. These are more artisanal-style cream puffs--light, not overly sweet. If you like super sugary desserts, this might not be your thing, but for us the balance was perfect. Shockingly, the Lemon Delight was our favorite--and I don't even normally like lemon desserts. We loved it so much we also got a lemon almond croissant (10/10, so good). We also tried a pistachio latte and hazelnut latte, and both were excellent--some of the best coffee I've had from a dessert shop. Final Thoughts Browned feels like a little hidden gem--beautiful cream puffs, amazing pastries, and great coffee all in one spot. We're already talking about going back to try more flavors and goodies. If you're into thoughtfully made desserts that aren't sugar bombs, this place is absolutely worth a visit. We can't wait to come back.

Amy L.

I ended up getting all the flavors of cream puffs to try. The cream puffs are a bit pricey though. This is my ranking but i know others will have different preferences. 1. Biscoff, maple pecan, vanilla, matcha, oolong, lemon, dark chocolate, blueberry. I would come back for the first 4. The other 4 flavors would not be on my list. Other people might have different rankings. I do not like dark chocolate since its usually bitter but i have friends who love dark chocolate. The oolong was bitter and not too sweat. Blueberry was too tart for me. I liked the cream puffs texture. It had some sort of crispy texture. I also got their sesame and pistachio coffee. It wasnt too sweet and their pistachio cream was made in house. I was also a fan of their flat croissant. It was buttery and crispy. It didnt taste overbaked either. If you park underground, as soon as the elevator opens, you will see browned. Id give this place a 3.5 star since i liked half of the cream puffs

Zoe T.

A new hidden gem in San Gabriel! Browned is located inside the retail spaces at the bottom of The One apartment complex (across from Hawaii Supermarket)--since it is not visible from the outside, most people who pass by probably don't know it exists other than a banner on the side of the building. You can find it by walking from the corner entrance (past some security guards for the jewelry store in front), and it is located inside the middle of the open-air courtyard. I visited Browned for the first time on January 11th (Sunday) after eating lunch (around 2:30PM), and there were a number of people inside and outside the store, ordering/enjoying their pastries and drinks at the tables available. It is very clean inside, but the shop itself is not that big, so most people were either getting to-go orders or sitting at the tables outside. They still had a decent selection of cream puffs and pastries, so we had a hard time deciding what to get since we were kind of full from lunch. We decided to get a Madagascar vanilla bean cream puff and rich Taiwan ding dong oolong tea cream puff. The staff were nice and gave them to us on napkins since we were going to eat them right away, but they do offer boxes if you are buying them to go. The other pastries (croissants, danishes, etc) also looked really good, so we definitely need to try them next time! The cream puffs are not huge, but since they are cream-filled, I think the size is good so you don't feel too heavy after eating them. The Madagascar vanilla bean was a delicious classic flavor, and you can see the flecks of vanilla throughout the cream. The rich Taiwan ding dong oolong tea one was not that sweet at all and very strong in tea flavor (slightly bitter), which we loved (but if you tend to like sweet desserts, this one may not be for you). The craquelin on top of both cream puffs was still lightly crispy, so it was a nice textural contrast with the smooth whipped cream inside. You can tell that they use high quality ingredients and put a lot of care into everything they make. Based on the two cream puffs we got, I can confidently say that Browned is worth visiting again. I can't wait to try other cream puff flavors and pastries next time, and I hope your business truly flourishes!