I've said it before, and I'll say it again, whenever we're craving great pastries, Ones Cafe &…read moreBakery in Castro Valley is always our go-to! Every visit seems to bring something new to try, which keeps us coming back. My personal favorites? The Spicy Lemongrass Chicken Croissant and the French Tart, both absolutely delicious! Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area!

One's Cafe is getting quite the buzz out here in the East Bay. They started with a super small one…read morein Castro Valley (the one I visited), but I just recently drove past their newer Alameda location that looks like a bigger space. The Castro Valley one is super tiny, no indoor seating and really only enough room for about 2-3 people to line up to order for the inside. It's a bit too tight in there for me. They do mostly Asian inspired pastries, mostly using croissant dough in all kinds of creative shapes and sizes. Even though many things don't fit my preference as I'm not big on savory pastries or ones that have meat in them, they do make some attractive and unique looking pastries. So I get it, why people line up for this. But I have tried several sweet type pastries and here are some notes. Custard Tart ($4/5*) Probably one of the best egg/custard tarts I've ever had. This is one of the simpler things in their display case. This is literally a flaky pastry and a well made custard filling. Most everything else in that display case is 2-3 times bigger and much more going on with fillings and decorations. I like simple pastries so this hit on my sensibilities big time. The custard was smooth and not too sweet, very Asian in sweetness. And the best part was the crust, it was so flaky, light and buttery. 10 times better than any egg tart I've had a Chinese or Portuguese bakery. Almond Danish ($7.50/3.5*) This is one of their more elaborate creations, even tho this is somewhat simpler than many other pastries they have. But this name doesn't really correlate with what I tasted, there is a lot more going on. The pastry part is in the shape of a muffin, but the texture is flaky like a croissant, maybe slightly more dense than a croissant. Then there may be a small amount of almond paste in the middle, but there were a lot more of this coffee cream. This was too big for me to eat in one sitting so I split it in half. It was decent but it definitely isn't an Almond Danish. Lol Strawberry Croffle ($5/5*) I love true Belgian/Liege waffles made with a yeasted dough but cooked til crisp in a cast iron waffle press. Not sure if this is Liege style but it carried a lot of the characteristics of one. Crisp from caramelized sugar being cooked in the exterior, nice chew in the center and garnished simply with a strawberry cream. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cold Brew ($4.25/3.5*) I didn't love it, but it wasn't bad. It tasted better if drunk with one of their pastries. Alone I wouldn't do it again. But as a companion with a pastry, sure. I'll round to a fiver cuz service is usually pretty nice and efficient. And even tho 75% of the things here are too busy and complicated for me, the simple things I have tried, really schmacks. So a fandom has formed.

I always thought Tram Coffee was popular for its coffee, and I am not a coffee person, so I never…read morevisited the store before, but today I just realized that their fruit tea is just as good. I tried the Peach Orange Tea with 25% sugar and regular ice, and it was so refreshing! I think there's lemongrass in the fruit tea, which adds a really nice flavor and makes the drink even more refreshing. The regular size is $7, while the large is $9.50, but the large is really huge! Definitely a good option if you're looking for a refreshing drink. The staff was friendly and helpful too. I'll definitely be back to try more of their fruit teas!

Nice trendy coffee Spot in downtown Hayward。my first time here and found out that they have wide…read moreselection of fruity teas and Vietnamese coffee mixed drinks, along with some snacks. I ordered the salted cream coffee with coffee jelly to try. The coffee taste is very strong and deep but also smooth and fragrant. The first few sips took a bit of time to get used to but it got better as I sipped it. Located right next to the movie theater. Very convenient location indeed!

Came here for a quick coffee run and decided to try this place out. Since the last place had closed…read moredown sadly but this coffee sop is true coffee shop! I love it here to the customer service to the coffee itself! When I walked in I was greeted right away and had plenty of options to choose from. I decided to get the Mexican mocha which was a miss for me it had a weird spice aftertaste. I mean I know us Latinas are spice but we sweet too lol! My man got the crème brûlée latte which was sooo delicious!! I for once chose a bad option usually I am the one who always picks the best option! But it's ok I will definitely come back for some coffee!

I got a double espresso…read more They roast their own beans, this one seemed like a medium roast. Had good crema and a creamy texture. I got more volume than I expected (maybe two double shots) and the shot was a bit bitter-- but more dark chocolate than burnt. 2.5 / 5.   I'd come again if I was at the library and try buying the beans for home as well.

I was excited to try this place as it's in my neighborhood and I've been looking for local places…read more I work in Pleasanton though and was cutting it close getting there before closing, but got there 20 minutes early and saw the lights were off and they had a closed sign up. I checked online and it said 4, it was now 3:41. I call and the lady told me they close at 4 and last order at 3:30. I was super grumpy as this was what I had planned for and honestly, was super hangry. That's on me. Then I see a lady come outside and up to my window. She asks if I called and I said yes and that her websites says they're open till 4. She invites me to come in because she is still there. I said, I didn't want to inconvenience her, she was obviously ready to leave. And my attitude at that point had turned crusty. She says she didn't mind, so I went in. She made me a turkey melt on a jalapeño bagel. Told me her name was April and she's had her business there for 16 years. I apologized as I left for being cranky and she said, it's ok, you're hungry! Lol She thanked me for giving her place a chance and I thanked her for making me food. I'll definitely be back. Make sure to be in by 3:30

I was craving a nice hot latte this morning and thought it would be a great opportunity to support…read morea small business. This place stood out because it had a lot of reviews and was close to my house. The cafe itself is small, a bit stuffy inside. There is ample parking on the side which was a plus. There were only three customers inside when I arrived. When I walked in, the first thing I was asked was, "What does your dog need" rather than a hello or good morning. I explained that my dog and I were there to order coffee, and I was told the menu was outside and that she would help me at the door. It wasn't necessarily rude, just an unusual interaction. A sign explaining the dog policy might help avoid this awkward situation/confusion in the future. Unfortunately, the coffee was the biggest disappointment. After waiting about 15 minutes, my latte tasted watered down and lacked flavor. The best way I can describe it is that it tasted like warm cardboard. I don't mind waiting for a quality drink, but this one missed the mark. I ended up going home and adding more coffee and milk to make it drinkable. I genuinely wanted to like this place and was excited to try it, but the coffee was a letdown. If you're stopping by before work, be aware that the wait may be longer than expected.

Love this place! Almost have the buy eighteen get one free card filled out. Imagine how much money…read moreI spend here. It's so worth it. The customer service is great and the empanadas are equally as great. My daughter will eat a full one just to have the apple one after. We come once a week almost. Chill vibes and a cute coffee shop. Idk if they have AC though. Very hot in here during the heat wave CV is experiencing.

First time here…read more I've been obsessed with empanadas since May when I was in Puerto Rico ...... I ordered an empanada of chorizo and of chicken with a side of chimchurri and a Cortado to go The cashier seemed a little bit overwhelmed I noticed she told the customer before me to hold before he placed his order and told me the same thing Inside has communal seating no outside seating available Menu is easy to read and prices are reasonable Parking lot is shared with Trader Joe's so needless to say parking can be hard to come by This venue does offer wine and beer (aside from coffee) Empanadas were OK Guess it gives me a reason to go back to Puerto Rico AYYYY Cortado was an 8/10 Gave me that extra perk Inside is clean and organized Lots of seating available Menu is easy to ready

i'm so happy i checked out this place! its conveniently located just down the street from my dance…read morestudio. i love that they have protein smoothies / shakes. they have sooo many flavors to choose from. i got the banana nut muffin one and my bf got the oreo banana pb one. they're made with real bananas! and to me, the protein taste isn't too overpowering. i also loved that the shakes weren't icey they were blended so smooth. the little nut toppings on my drink were a nice addition too. ^_^ the space is very clean and pretty too. the service was good and so fast too! i'll definitely be back and bring some of my dance friends over. ^_^ next time i def need to try some of the food!

Holy moly! I was walking to a nearby spot to grab candies…read moreand I was smacked in the face with the smell of their protein waffles! Had no idea Hayward had a healthy smoothie/wellness shop, I'm upset it took me so long to discover this place but I will be back to try their different smoothies and bowls. Ordered the Dubai Chocolate Protein Waffle. The lovely young lady greeted me with a smile, I will be BACK very soon! Give them a try!

I can't believe I haven't written a review for a business my kids and I frequent all the time!…read moreWe've been coming to Always Yours since it opened. Hands down they have the best drinks, cookies, macarons, cakes, and now salt bread! I always come to get treats for my kid's teachers (for their birthdays, teacher appreciation week, just because, etc.). I've brought friends visiting the Bay Area to this bakery, which they have loved. Always Yours also has fun cup sleeve events, macaron classes and afternoon tea from time to time. We love supporting small businesses and this one is definitely worth supporting! P.S. with all these drink places popping up in the area...we still think the drinks at Always Yours not only taste better, but also are of higher quality.

Get the butter toffee cookie because it is so delicious!…read more The store is very clean, plenty of seating to enjoy your sweet treat. Order the ube cheesecake, butter toffee cookie, and a assam milk tea with boba. The order came out quickly. Ube Japanese cheesecake is tasty, not too much ube taste. It is super light and moist, love how it is not too sweet. For the assam milk tea, I prefer it with more tea flavor. The drink was ok, the matcha drinks look better. The butter toffee cookie was the best, it was flavorful, the toffee has added toasted nutty flavor with some sugar. I would get a box full. Overall, has a great variety of baked goods.

1 star for the (strawberry & hawthorn smoothie) drink only…read more Drinks are more expensive than other places. Service was horrible. The wait was ridiculously long. I only ordered 1 drink and it took almost 30 minutes. When I went to ask about cancel/refund, it turns out that it has been ready and no one bother to call out the number. If I hadn't ask, who knows how long it will go on. Will not come back.

The bad: No toilet paper in the restroom. I didn't even see a toilet paper holder or anything, so…read morenot sure if they even stock TP. We got their mochi milk tea and the jasmine milk tea lime cream drink. They came in tiny green cups. Pretty expensive for that tiny size. The cups were pretty flimsy IMO. My drink was leaking, so I told the staff and he just replaced the lid. It was still leaking when I got to the car. I was too annoyed at that point to go in and complain. The drinks were not bad, just average. Nothing special or seemingly high quality. I'd rather go across the street to Boba Bliss next time for better quality drinks.

Once Tea is located close to the Century Theater. There is limited street parking but they also…read morehave some free public parking lots nearby. The service was friendly and nice. The ambiance of the place was...possibly still in a remodeling phase. Otherwise, it was dark and drab. Honey White Peach Oolong Tea - light, decent, yet faint flavor.

Loved their mango blizzard drink. It was tasty and had a great texture to it. Would definitely…read morerecommend getting that drink. We also got some of their fried chicken. It was very juicy and crunchy. I loved it a lot. If you are hungry, definitely try the chicken. Parking is rough here so get the first parking spot you can find or try the free lots. It's alot of one way roads here so be careful with driving.

Hidden gem! A part of me doesn't want to write this review…read morebecause I want to gatekeep this place! The service employees are very kind and were patient as I was super indecisive when ordering. The menu is HUGE , with many healthy options available. I love that the drinks are served in traditional Mexican clay mugs (ollas). The inside area is tiny, but there is plenty of seating outside, with heat lamps for chilly days. I love their yogurt bowl and chia bowl. Their chia pudding is THICK made with coconut cream- I've tried to recreate at home and I can't get it as delicious. We've loved their sandwiches, salads and burritos as well. Their warm come straight off the grill on the patio. Their chai, cafe de olla and fresh juices are amazing. They have alternative milk for anyone who is dairy free. On weekends, expect a 15-20 minute wait as they do get busy, but it's so worth it!

The food was great! I went Saturday for brunch and sat outside. It was so nice out there. Reminded…read moreme of a family backyard. I loved the decor and ambiance. The quesabirrias were well made and stuffed, no skimping! My sister got the chilaquiles verdes and she said they were a good amount of spice for her. I got my nieces huevos con jamón and they loved it, if you have littles, make sure you cut the ham. It's cut vertically and they were big strips. I also liked that they had fruit bowls. The drinks are poured into these amazing cups. They're beautiful! The mocha wasn't my favorite but the food was the highlight, so I'm not too upset. The service was quick, fast and the people friendly. Overall, I'd take my dad there.