Amazing. My friends and I were in the area for a car meet and popped into Firebrand to check out…read moretheir pastries and use the bathroom. First off, it's spacious. Between the inside seats and the outdoor bench seating, there's plenty of space for a lot of people and when the weather is nice, it's even better. The pastries display was absolutely amazing. Not just their bread offerings, but also their croissants and bombolinis, my gosh it's hard not to throw caution into the wind and order a little of everything. I opted for the matcha croissant, blackberry cream cheese danish, passionfruit bombolini, and vanilla bombolini, and all were amazing and not too sweet. The topper was the ube latte that I got along with everything. Overall, a great pit stop if you're in the area or if you just want to come here because of this place. It's sure to be a good, delicious time.

While in the area for the Downtown Alameda Art & Wine Faire, we came by Firebrand Artisan Breads to…read moreto grab some coffees and a snack. I love this area of Alameda, populated with so many fun breweries and family-friendly spaces. This was our first time at this spot and we noticed a sign (see below) for the best English muffins in the Bay Area so we had to grab one toasted with butter. Would love to try it as a brekky sandwich, but we didn't want to ruin our appetites for festival food lunch..the brekky menu looked amazing including biscuits & gravy, churro French toast sticks, lemon zest French toast, brekky pizza, and the pork & jam (crispy pulled pork, house made blackberry jam, fried egg, honey-buttermilk biscuit with country fried taters...sounds delish!!) They also have a beautiful selection of baked goods, pretzels, packaged breads to-go, lunch AND dinner options including soups, salads, pizzas, kiddo menu, sandwiches, sliders, and more. I had no idea! Service was quick, hours kickoff at 7:30a, and there's indoor/outdoor seating. Plenty of parking outside or across the street if needed. Can't wait to come back soon!

I was in Alameda, CA for the day and decided to try out this coffee shop. I was in a cute little…read morepart of town and it was a bit difficult to find parking but after circling around a bit, I was able to find metered street parking about 2 blocks away from SIGNAL Coffee Roasters. It was a Saturday afternoon and there were some people inside the cafe doing some work. I stopped by with my dog who was in her dog bag and the worker was kind enough to let me order my drink without having to leave my dog outside! I ordered an Iced Black Sesame Latte with Oatmilk. 10/10. Everything was perfectly balanced! The coffee flavor was there but also the sesame flavor. Super refreshing! There were also some seating outside the coffee shop. Not too many but it is still available! Overall, great and friendly service, quick service, and great coffee! I would highly recommend if you wanted a quick stop for some craft coffee!

Wish I could give a higher rating but the last three times I've come here the espresso has been so…read morecitrusy I've ended up tossing my americano after a few sips. I've been a barista for the better part of 10 years so I know that sometimes it's hard to get shots dialed in but it's disappointing having it be consistently bad visit after visit. Aside from that, the atmosphere and service is good. Pastries are delicious, drinks get out to you quickly, store is clean, and I like the music the employees put on.

Ask for recommendations!! The baristas and cashier are super nice…read more I got the Pandan Latte, which is a new flavor to me, I enjoyed it so much!! Also they have some cool art on the wall, cute location.

Lazybird Coffee has been one of our go-to stops during a bike ride as of late, which is usually…read moreduring the weekend mornings. Usually there's a small line out the door and that has remained unchanged for this visit as well. They have a small space and tables for small parties both inside the cafe and along their front sidewalk. Their menu selection is wide, offering a variety of lattes, coffees, and teas, but also both pastries and small meals as well. It's no wonder why they're always popping around this time of day. Although I haven't tried many of their drinks, I can say that their matcha latte has been consistently good. Today I ordered one with almond milk and the matcha flavor is nicely balanced. Good ratio between matcha and milk. The matcha itself tastes pretty well rounded - not bitter, but also not too subtle in flavor. I probably got the matcha here like three times and it has not failed me yet. My partner really enjoys the Malasada but they can sell out pretty quickly. Previously I've tried their Ube Crinkle and their donuts and they were pretty good as well. This time, I wanted something a little less sweet and small so I tried the Bibingka which was great! I love mochi and the Bibingka had a mochi texture to it. It comes with some pineapple bits which I tend to avoid, but my desire to try something new overrode that today and thankfully, the bits were small. It's a dense little bite, but I enjoyed it! A perfect little bike treat. I don't get much interaction here with the workers since it's such a quick stop, but it's okay. I think depending on what time you go, it just gets really busy and employees are just trying to chug out the orders. We'll be back again for those delicious drinks and pastries though!

After miles of cycling, TOMO Tea House was the perfect place to cool down. This hidden gem in…read moreAlameda offers much more than just boba--they also serve authentic Vietnamese phin-drip coffee and specialty coffee creations. The Mango Sago was absolutely amazing (soooo good!), and the Taro Shake with jellies was delicious. Service was excellent, and the staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming. I loved the relaxing ambiance, family-friendly atmosphere, indoor and outdoor seating, and the play area for kids. Plenty of parking too, conveniently located next to Lucky Supermarket. Highly recommend whether you're craving boba, dessert, or a great Vietnamese coffee after a long ride. Cheers!

An absolutely adorable place for families with children or anyone seeking a sugar rush…read more A M B I A N C E They have a play pen area in pink and white to match the decor theme of the establishment which is super cute! Not many places are welcoming to children so I love that this place offers that. S E R V I C E There are a couple ordering screen stations near the entrance so you can take your time browsing the menu to order. The drinks and snacks were served quickly too. The staff do not greet you when you enter though. I made eye contact with them and smiled while they were all laughing about something on the floor behind the counter and they didn't smile back which killed the vibe. D R I N K S I got a pistacho jasmine milk tea. The pistachio foam was soooo good but the jasmine milk tea tasted way too artificial. Thankfully mixing in the pistachio foam low key saved the drink but I just couldn't finish it. My coworker comes here often so he likes it, maybe he has low expectations or maybe I'm too picky. I like real jasmine milk tea, not the powdered flavoring. For the pricing of $7 I would expect the real thing... S N A C K S My coworker ordered the malasadas, one of each flavor available (sesame seed, Ube, and I don't remember the 3rd flavor). I tried the mystery 3rd flavor and was unimpressed. It was too chewy and way too sweet custard center. I ended up giving it away to another coworker unbeknownst to the coworker I went with so as not to offend.

1. The best flat white in Oakland and definitely my top 3 places in the Bay Area…read more 2. They remember your name after the first visit 3. Jefrey is an absolutely charming human being

This cute new coffee spot in West Oakland is going to slowly become your new favorite morning…read morecaffeine infusion with the fun music, delicious drinks, and great friendly staff to welcome you to start your next new day. They have outdoor and indoor seating and a spacious design that is welcoming with a Latin twist. This is probably the only spot that I know where you can get Horchata and a tamale to pair with your caffeine fix. The service is super quick, the prices are super reasonable, and you'll feel good about supporting this small business. Perfect for big or small groups and conveniently located next to Pacific pipe and Renegade Running. You'll find some great group active meet ups in this area which is a nice little bonus. The cafe de Olla is absolutely fantastic and smells amazing. Probably super reasonably considering the quality and the taste you are getting I will easily get this drink every time I pop into this area.

Roots & Craft Tea Roasters is a San Francisco based tea brand founded in 2018 that specializes in…read moresustainably grown and harvested artisanal tea from Miyazaki, Japan. They market their teas through their website shop and at Dolores Outpost in San Francisco. Through the years they have taken part in pop-ups at various locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area serving their Matcha, Hojicha and Sencha teas along with other Japanese specialties. Although I had previously had a sampling of their teas at one of their San Francisco pop-ups and have followed them on Facebook and Instagram it wasn't until recently that I became more interested in their product. Back in late April 2020 (actually May 1st) during the height of sheltering in place and bored out of my mind I came upon a ZOOM program hosted by the Japan Society of Northern California introducing participants to make-at-home tea concoctions using Roots & Craft artisanal teas and various forms of alcoholic beverages taught by Roots & Craft founders Maya Kono and her partner Teru. I learned of so many unique tea based beverages during that hour long presentation that suddenly I wanted to try them all. Then came the announcement about a week ago that following a series of successful pop-up events at Oakland's O2 Artisans Aggregate (now also known as Magnolia Mini Mart during the COVID-19 era) located at 2311 Magnolia Street in a mostly industrial area in West Oakland that Roots & Craft will set up shop every Friday and Saturday from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM until further notice. A week later on a beautifully sunny July 4th Saturday I found myself at Magnolia Mini Mart minutes after they had opened their gate to pay a visit with Maya and Teru and their Roots & Craft shared stall located next door to June's Pizza. The featured beverage for their July 4th pop up was their Hojicha Frappe which I ordered to be made with oat milk (whole milk and almond milk were the other options). Hojicha is a Japanese green tea where the tea leaves are roasted instead of steamed which gives it a smoky, almost nutty flavor. Their Hojicha Frappe combines their brewed Hojicha tea with your choice of milk, white chocolate chips and ice cubes. It can be topped with a whipped dairy cream which I opted out of and a dusting of Hojicha tea powder. In addition to the Frappe I ordered one of two featured Japanese sandwiches that being a dessert-like fresh fruit sandwich. For the month of July Roots & Craft in collaboration with Shades of Sugar Bakeshop of Oakland are featuring a set of tea inspired macarons. I couldn't pass on that so I ordered some of those as well. After conversing with the super nice couple I took a seat at the outdoor garden located in front of the neighboring Soba Ichi Restaurant to enjoy my treats. The Hojicha Frappe was amazing and the roasted, nutty flavor really shone so much in fact that I mistakenly thought the little ground up bits of white chocolate chips were crushed hazelnuts. The fruit sandwich was a hit as well. Sandwiched in between two slices of light and airy bread were huge pieces of fresh mango, pineapple, banana, peach and orange in a lightly sweetened whip cream. I had another commitment in the East Bay that limited my time here, but I've got a couple of off days next weekend and I'll be sure to return to try out some more tea-inspired concoctions from Roots & Craft. In the meantime, I can't wait to dig into those tea-inspired macarons. For COVID-19 contactless payments via credit card is used and hand sanitizer is available on the counter. Maya and Teru wear face masks and to be respectful you should too. There is plenty of open space on site for social distancing. For more information on Roots & Craft check out their website or follow them on Instagram. Interested in those tea-inspired July only macarons you can get more info or preorder them at this link: https://www.shadesofsugarbakeshop.com/matcha

The review is for their superb service, I was unsure of their hours and they promptly responded…read moreback to me through Instagram. I swung by and got their Matcha Tonic with Hojicha Latte each ~$6. I'd say it's a bit pricey for what it is but they also have food that I Must come back to try.

I love this plaaaaaaace!!! Please try this place If I lived closer, I would be coming here…read moreeveryday. First of all, the ambience is so cute and warm. The vibes are far beyond just immaculate. There's not a whole lot of seating area, but it was empty when we got there, so we just sat and chatted for an hour by their little fireplace thing. The place gives clean cozy mid century modern bar vibes. Minus the alcohol. Service was 100/10 as well. They were so patient with us as we couldn't decide what to order from their delicious selection of drinks. We ended up getting 4 drinks for 3 people because of that My favorite was definitely the golden nectar. It had such warm fall flavors while being light and refreshing. Second favorite was the matcha calamansi. Wasn't sure if the combo would be good, but it was!!! Overall, amazing cafe!!! 10000/10 they also have a little dog that came out to tentatively greet us for a couple minutes haha

Overview: Unique and yummy flavors, quick and friendly service, good place to chill or study, open…read morelater than other cafés! ---- So happy to have found a local café that stays open til nighttime! While almost all other cafés in Alameda close in the early afternoon like 2-4pm, this place is open til 11pm Wednesday through Saturday and til 8pm on Sunday. They are still expanding their menu and storefront so as of November 10th, their menu has 10 drinks and 14 seats for customers. I can't wait for their new creations! They also had a mixed nuts chocolate chip cookie for $3. ---- Dalgona Dream $5.25: - 10/10 - Comes topped with dalgona bits and a larger chunk on the side - Dalgona "biscuit" offers a good texture and flavor on the side - Strong chocolate flavor and creamy - Mix well, I recommend mixing it with the lid off Choco Banana $4.50: - 10/10 - Good, unique flavor - Banana milk forward - Complimentary flavors of banana and chocolate Dulce De Leche $5.75: - 8.5/10 - Friend said he wanted it to be a hotter temperature - He said it had a good chocolatey flavor ---- Service: - Very welcoming and quick - 4 drinks took around 12 minutes - Came to check if everything was okay and offered us waters ---- Ambiance: - Bar area with 4 seats with desk lights to watch them prepare the drinks - 10 indoor seats and 2 outdoor ones - Bathroom available in the far back - Still renovating so more seats will be available in the future! - Music playing in the background was at a good level, able to hear your own conversations ---- Notes: - Menus are a little bit hard to read, small print and a light color - Prices are included on the smaller menus where you order and on one of the bigger ones behind their drink station, was not listed on the bigger signs on the front wall ---- Overall: Their unique taste and welcoming presence is great addition to Alameda, definitely will be coming back soon!

Iced Pistachio Latte…read more Server asked what I wanted: hot or iced. I asked the server if he recommended hot or iced and noted that I like both. Maybe my brain is making it up but I think he might of noted the flavor profile for each. He recommended iced as he always runs hot. Took him on his rec, it was kind of a muggy day. - Delicious. One of the best ones. Also picked up shot of espresso for someone at the time. That person said my my drink tasted like cereal (?). Cute lil spot, highly recommend.

Got the Yemeni latte (one regular sweet the other not sweet). The coffee was STRONG and spicy (not…read morehot spicy but rich and flavorful spice-forward). The pistachio and rose lattes also looked really good!

Too Good! Tried…read morethem out at the Alameda Art and Wine Fair and was blownnnn away. Anything Brown Buttered is the way to go, so i love that they feature brown buttered baked goods - I love blondies and being strawberry season, i had to try their Roasted Strawberry Blondie. it was soft, buttery, and the roasted strawberries had a depth of flavor. The Banana Pudding Butter Cake was just as soft and flavorful - almost half baked. The vanilla butter cake is also just as gooey! If i lived nearby, i would be in trouble. Looks like they ship outside the area, so now I will definitely be in trouble! haha

Treats by Mrs. T was a vendor I sought out at Alameda's Farmers Market on a Saturday. Free Parking…read morewasn't hard to find 2 blocks away. Was intrigued by the reviews about their cookies. Found the space easily as a standing board was in front of the booth. Not much decor. Hanging banner in back reads: "Let Us Show You How Sweet Life Can Be." The table itself held the bakes available: Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll & cookies: "Signature Chocolate Chip, Not Your Mother's Oatmeal Raisin, Strawberry Crunch". Along with pics, some physical samples were also on the table. By eliminating what I don't usually like: cinnamon roll, chocolate chip, oatmeal & raisins, I was left with Strawberry Crunch. I asked was actual strawberries used? Yes, they were. That's what I bought. Cookies Also look interesting. Salivating in my mind what they would taste like. Bites: Strawberry Crunch (3/$8) -semi thick cookie. Inner layer semi-moist, slightly crunchy. Buttery essence with slight sugarness + artisan ingredients. -soft crust atop cookie was a slight glaze infused with brown sugar? + ?ingredient. -top was pinkish crystallized granules infused with cane sugar, real strawberry essence/zest. *this was the piece de resistance. 5 stars worthy. Quality: top ingredients utilized. Quantity: reasonable-YMMV.