This cute shop is located in downtown Palo Alto and has such a chic vibe. You'll find tons of artisanal baked goods and desserts, and the ambiance felt straight out of the Victorian era. Everything was beautifully presented. The workers were friendly too! Their items were a bit pricey, but worth it for the quality. Their spiral croissants were so much better than Fancy Flavors. It was flaky, buttery, and filled with delicious pistachio cream. This spot is especially great for more traditional flavors. The Anton Hokkaido Milk Crepe Cake wasn't overly sweet and the cream was light and fluffy. It was perfectly up to my standards when it comes to sweetness. I'd definitely come back again even if I'm willing to hurt my wallet because the sweets are just too hard to resist. read more

Marvel Cake - Pistachio Spiral Croissants - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Beautiful desserts, very sweet, however, the service could have been better for the price tag we paid. My family and I stopped by Marvel Cake during Mother's Day for a sweet treat on Sunday. This location is in the strip of Downtown Palo Alto and has limited parking (similar to the rest of the stores there, there is a lot of parking, and you will need to get lucky). My mom does like the Marvel Cake in their first location, so we swung by here to try this one out! Location-wise, this is a smaller shop than the original one in West San Jose with limited seating inside. I would say it's not work from home friendly however, I did see a college student next to me on her laptop so maybe I am incorrect here! The interior is nice and light, matching the elegance of the desserts. We ordered three items on the menu: the pillow cake, the bisou, and the blueberry lavender roll. Here are some thoughts: * Pillowcase cake: It may seem like this would be a fluffy cake due to the nature of its shape, but it is a gelatinous Jell-O cake with fruit jam. It was not bad, and tasted refreshing and light. I didn't know if I liked it at first, but ultimately I did come back for seconds and thirds, so this is approved. * Blueberry lavender roll cake: This was not at all what we were expecting. I did not taste any lavender, nor did it have a strong blueberry flavor. I think what threw our party off was the layer of gelatin that surrounded the cake. Texturally, we were not a big fan. * Bisou: This one was our favorite one. I appreciated the nutty crust in the bottom layer of the cake, while the filling was soft and bouncy. It is very sweet, however, but overall, I really enjoyed this one and feel like it would go great with a cup of coffee. What made the experience here a 3 instead of a 4 or 5 was the service we got. We weren't greeted when we came in, which, to be fair, is totally fine, maybe they were busy. However, the person helping us stared at us the whole time and did not really communicate well with us. When I tried to order the cakes for my family, they looked bothered that we were there, and I was not sure if they understood what pastries I was ordering because they did not repeat it back to us at all or confirm anything. When I did place the order, they slowly grabbed the plates and looked visually confused, which again, if they wanted to, I could have repeated it back to them. After they gathered everything, they put it in front of us and rang me up. The whole time, they did not say a word to me at all. Did not reconfirm anything, did not acknowledge we were there, did not say thank you. It was a bit strange, and I had to check with my family if it was me or if that was a really weird experience (it wasn't me). read more

Stopped in for dessert and left very impressed. Yes, the prices lean a little high but once you see (and taste) what you're getting, it makes complete sense. These are proper gourmet pastries, and they're priced accordingly. One pro tip before anything else: refrigerate before eating. I cannot stress this enough! These desserts are on another level when served cold. Don't skip this step. I ordered the Opera Classic, Pistachio Tart, and the Chocolate Hazelnut Tart. All three were excellent, but the Pistachio Tart was the undisputed star. It was pistachio on pistachio and was rich, layered, and indulgent in a way that almost gave Dubai chocolate bar vibes. If you know, you know. That one alone is worth the trip. Service was quick and genuinely helpful! The worker steered me in the right direction with recommendations, which I always appreciate when navigating a menu full of tempting options. I'll definitely be back to work through more of the menu. If the pistachio tart is any indication, I don't think it's possible to order wrong here. read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Cute little boutique shop that has all the fancy cakes and desserts. Stepping inside feels like going to a Parisian bakery, it has all the wonderful pastries that are all so good and appealing to your senses. I tried their chocolate croissant, their hazelnut, pistachio, and strawberry pastries. My fav is definitely the chocolate croissant and the hazelnut. I usually pair it with a nice cup of almond mocha. They have alternative milk which is also a great option for dairy free peeps. Service is really fast, I haven't had an issue with having to wait in line which is great. read more

Marvel Cake - Chocolate croissant with an ice almond mocha - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Cute little spot in downtown Palo Alto. It's not a super big place but I felt like the decor inside could make for some nice photos. I would say things are on the "pricey" side but you are paying for the beautiful looking dessert and I guess the overall vibes of the place. Surprisingly, I really liked their House Latte while we were eating dessert and would definitely get that coffee/dessert combo again. We ordered the following: 1.) Latte House 2.) Pistachio Mousse Tart 3.) Passion Fruit Tart 4.) SwissRoll - Raspberry As stated before, I think the House Latte was really good and I also really enjoyed the Passion Fruit Tart. The Passion Fruit Tart had a nice soft filling and a balanced sweetness. My wife did not like the Pistachio Mousse Tart since the Mousse was on the harder side but I actually enjoyed it since it was more "solid" so the dessert kept form. I also liked the bit of chocolate inside the Pistachio Mousse Tart that my wife did not enjoy. read more

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We had a fantastic experience at Marvel Cake in Palo Alto. Alex was absolutely amazing, warm, welcoming and incredibly knowledgeable. He took the time to describe the pastries in detail, which made choosing our desserts even more enjoyable. We ordered the Lemon Tart, the Serenity, and a couple of americanos.Everything was exceptionally good. Lemon Tart: A beautifully balanced dessert with bright, zesty lemon curd sitting in a perfectly crisp, buttery tart shell. Refreshing, smooth, and not overly sweet, exactly and precisely what a classic lemon tart should be. Serenity: A true standout and a visual delight. This pastry layers blueberry mousse, almond cookie crumble, and raspberry compote into a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. The mousse was light and airy, the crumble added a gentle crunch, and the raspberry compote brought just the right amount of tartness. Every bite was exquisite. Paired with their well-crafted americanos, the entire experience felt like a treat for the senses. Marvel Cake and their hosts are all about craftsmanship, creativity, and outstanding service. With Alex's thoughtful guidance and such beautifully made desserts, this spot is a must-visit in Palo Alto. Highly recommend! read more

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Pastries are beautiful and taste delicious. A smaller location than the one in Walnut Creek, but that doesn't matter when the desserts are this amazing. Tried the crème brulee tart. It was delish Service was great. Staff is very pleasant and patient. The ambiance will forever be a 10/10! Beautiful and Parisian read more

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Stopped in for a quick afternoon treat with my son. The inside is very small - only four small tables which comfortably seat 2, maybe one of them would seat 4 - definitely would not recommend for a group. The dessert options were cake forward, though they also had some pastries. Cakes averaged about $12-14, with some roll slices about $7-8. They also had a selection of macarons. Their pastries included chocolate croissant, Dubai chocolate pistachio croissant, filled croissants, and apple turnovers about $6-7 each. They also had a menu of drinks including tea and coffee. We opted for a chocolate hazelnut cake roll and pistachio cream filled croissants. Both were good but nothing I would flag as stand out. Overall I think this could be a nice option to catch up 1:1 with a friend - share a brewed pot of tea (beautiful tea cups and pot!) and cake but only if you can do so without several others at the same time. read more

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Just gorgeous cane for a child bday and stayed for the friendly service & pretty esthetic read more

Marvel Cake - Beautiful - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Good location, near to the exit of basement garage where you don't to find limited street parking. Cakes are a bit pricey but the vibes are nice. I had the lemon tart and rose latte, lemon tart was great not too sourly or sweet. The rose latte was my favorite, rose petals and coffee were such a great match. read more

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Date of Visit: 6/15/2025 We visited the Marvel Cake located in downtown Palo Alto on a warm and sunny Sunday. After we went shopping at the Stanford Shopping Center, we stopped by the Marvel Cake for coffee and dessert. Marvel Cake was established by Maryam Menbari in 2009, and the first physical store opened is located in Campbell. The cafe in Palo Alto was opened in the summer of 2023, offering some indoor and outdoor dining tables for customers to enjoy coffee and tea to pair with cakes, macarons, and pastries. Lavender Latte $7 I got the lavender latte which was infused with lavender smell and also the lavender flower buds on top. Serenity $12.5 And also the blueberry mousse cake, the Serenity. I was debating whether to get the strawberry mousse but since I already tried it before, I went to the also popular Serenity. The mixture of blueberry mousse, cake, and fresh blueberry was superb, and it was not too sweet, which was a nice combo with lavender latte. read more

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I've been to the Los Altos location before and really liked it. The cakes there were delicious and the ambience was lovely, so I was excited to see that Marvel Cake opened a shop in Palo Alto and wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately, the experience here was not as good. Because of a nut allergy concern, I asked the staff about which cakes did not contain nuts. There was a sign saying customers should ask staff if they have nut allergies, but when I asked, the staff member didn't seem very willing to explain and simply pointed to two cakes without much clarification. Later I noticed the lemon pie, and only after I asked again did she mention that it also did not contain nuts. It would have been helpful if that information had been shared when I first asked. The selection of pastries was quite limited, and the ambience didn't feel as nice as the Los Altos location. Considering the higher price point, the overall experience didn't feel worth it this time. I hope the Palo Alto location can improve both service and selection in the future. read more

Pastries looked great but out of the 5 (the Dubai croissant was eaten before I can take a pic ) only 2 were worth coming back for..that was the ube black sesame mousse and the Dubai croissant. We ordered two lattes, one regular and one pink rose and they took forever to serve it to us. To the the point that we finished our sweets already The place is cute but the prices were to $$$ and staff were not that friendly. And no, will not xlme back again. read more

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I've visited Marvel Cake quite a few times -- both their Campbell and other spots -- so I had high expectations walking into the Palo Alto location. I'm happy to say this spot also retains what I love about them. The pastries look and taste heavenly. read more

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This place is run with a complete lack of professionalism. The manager's attitude is consistently rude and dismissive, setting an awful tone for the entire bakery. It's unacceptable to treat employees with such disrespect. The lack of leadership is obvious and creates a negative energy the moment you walk in. One employee, Marcela, was openly giving dirty looks and speaking to her coworkers in an unprofessional way while customers were present. That kind of behavior is incredibly off-putting and shows how poor management has allowed this type of conduct to become normal. The food might be fine, but the experience is overshadowed by the hostility and lack of basic courtesy. Until management changes and staff are properly trained on respect and customer service, I wouldn't recommend supporting this business. read more

3.5 stars overall This review is long overdue; but I wanted to write it; initially I found this spot becusse of wanting to order a birthday cake for my husband; and I thought their cakes looked unique so I had to buy it and picked it up the day off; and it looked gorgeous. 5 stars for presentation Upon him cutting the cake; it was honestly super dry; and one of the worst cakes I had ever tasted and I was super sad; and we couldn't eat it; we had to toss it. I do think the cake was old; perhaps if they didn't sell for a few days and then sold it, I don't know it was dry icing, dry interior; and tough inside. I contacted the business to let them know, and they tried to make it right by offering store credit, which I took, and we tried their croissants; the spiral ones, and they were delicious. I don't think that I would ever buy a cake from here again but it's a good spot for pastries etc. but maybe if I do, I will update my review. their customer service is friendly. Parking can be rough since it's Palo Alto; but that's with every store. Their drinks are pretty solid as well read more

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Visited this place about a month ago, The shop is really tiny with 3-4 tables. We ordered a piece of savory pastry - spinach feta cheese pastry and pistachios mousse- inside it was a few layers, for me it was not like mousse texture for us it was okay and a cup of pink rose latte from my friend. She didn't like the rose latte and could not finish it. The pistachio mowe were just okay for us. I purchased a piece of Napoleon for to go, my partner and myself both liked it. They can reinforce the service with some eye contacts. read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Super cute pastry shop hidden away on a side street of Palo Alto. It exudes high end Parisian sweets and quaintness. The employee was sweet to me and the shop was very quiet. The pastry was delicious, but definitely expensive. $9 for a croissant ($8.50 if ordered online). I think the pictures might be a bit misleading as to its size, it's not large, but I did eat it across two spans. If I had the money to splurge, I'd come again to try something else. They also offer French teas! read more

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Great coffee and pastry options, great service, just didn't have lot of savory pastry options. Loved the items we had. read more

Marvel Cake - Caffe latte - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Best cake. Absolutely delightful! The rose-shaped cake was filled with a smooth pistachio cream, topped with fragrant rose-flavored frosting. It was perfectly balanced，not too sweet or heavyand had a subtle hint of tea that made it even more elegant. A beautiful treat in both flavor and presentation! The price is a little high but compared to other French dessert, it is pretty reasonable read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Marvel Cake is one of my favorite dessert/bakery shop. I've only been to the Campbell location and they always run out of the spiral croissants! Glad to see that even though we went here late afternoon, there were still spiral croissants available for us. I also tried their Dubai chocolate croissant, but it wasn't that great compared to literally everything else they serve. This place is smaller, with limited seating, compared to the Campbell location, but their baked goods are of the same quality! read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

After walking around Stanford campus and then the Stanford mall, I told my friend we needed to find a place for her to rest, especially she had fallen off the stairs once and her back has not been well since. Upon entering, I spotted one table which had dirty plate and tea cup. I asked the staff if we could have that table. She said yes and immediately went to that table and cleaned the table for us. AMBIANCE 4/5 Seatings are limited and definitely a premium here. I passed by here a few times during the summer and thought what a pretty café. It looked like a quiet place for anyone who wanted to spend a quiet afternoon having tea and cakes. Today is Saturday, lo & behold, it was really crowded & rather noisy. There were more people came in after us and line did not seemed to end There was a family sitting at the next table. Unfortunately, their boy simply could not sit still and caused a ruckus there. At one point, I thought he broke something, I saw pieces of pastries all over their table and one staff came cleaning the table. Honestly, people who go to cafés planned to have a chilled environment. Any families who have children they could not control should refrain from taking them to such places. People need to be more considerate of others. SERVICE 5/5 Staffs were overwhelmed with the weekend crowd. Took a while for our tea to be served. It was just tea bags and hot water. Still I appreciated how the friendly staffs trying to serve every patrons and work on the long lines, and still had to clean up and deal with unruly kids. FOOD 4/5 They serve Mariage Frères' tea here. The Strawberry Tart was really pretty and very delicious. Macaron's prices a bit on the high side. I would love to return to check out the place on a weekday. read more

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DS and his GF picked up three beautiful desserts from an aesthetically pleasing patisserie in Palo Alto. He chose them purely based on looks--no clue what they actually were, aside from a chocolate tart. We cut them into quarters to sample each one. The verdict? All the chocolate lovers unanimously adored the chocolate tart. The second dessert had a lovely rose scent, with pistachio and a jelly-like filling--one of my favorites! The last one tasted like hawthorn--deliciously tangy for the family, though a bit much for me. Guess I'll have to make a trip myself to fully enjoy (and understand) each treat. A great spot--5/5! read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Like other reviewers have mentioned, the service here is a mess. I stopped by on a Saturday around 1pm and there was only one person working--she was making coffee for another customer but completely ignored everyone waiting at the register. People were walking in and out while I stood there for a solid 10 minutes with no acknowledgment. Not even a "Hi, I'll be right with you." Just yawning behind the espresso machine like it was no big deal. Then I overheard a customer politely mention that the restroom was out of soap, and the staff member literally shrugged and said, "And what do you want me to do about it?" Excuse me?? That's a hard pass for me--if the staff can't be bothered with basic hygiene, I'm definitely not sticking around to risk getting sick. As for the desserts? Very mid. Some even had visible finger smudges in the display case. Yikes. I wanted to like this place, but the vibe, the service, and the sanitation are all major red flags. Won't be back. read more

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Really cute bakery with nice decor and a good overall vibe. Most of what we ordered was good but a few items weren't my favorite. The pistachio spiral croissant was way too sweet and heavy and the drinks were also too sweet and creamy for my taste. The sweet potato cake was kind of dry but the black sesame cake was good. I would say it's still worth checking out if you're in the area. But it might be a bit of trial and error to find what you like! read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

The shop has a modern, charming aesthetic that makes it a joy to walk into, with a cozy yet upscale vibe that's perfect for enjoying a treat. Their cakes are top-notch in both presentation and flavor--beautifully crafted, soft, and balanced without being overly sweet. I really appreciated how each bite felt indulgent yet light, making it easy to enjoy without feeling heavy. Please do yourself a favor and try their Bisou cake. It's the best cake I have ever tasted! Definitely a spot I'd recommend for anyone looking for elegant cakes that taste just as good as they look. The service is top notch! We were given a free drink since we ordered a lot & they know we were celebrate our birthday read more

Marvel Cake - Love the aesthetic here - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Marvel Cakes creates beautiful, elegant cakes that photograph wonderfully and taste delicious. The presentation is truly standout, and it's a convenient spot right in downtown Palo Alto, especially if you're looking for something special or last-minute without having to pre-order elsewhere. That said, the prices are on the higher side, and for certain items -- like the layered cakes sourced from places such as Anton's -- you can often get slightly fresher versions going directly to the bakery itself. Marvel is essentially a curated middle-man offering excellent products, but with a premium for convenience and location. Still, they offer top-quality selections, thoughtfully chosen, and everything we tried was high-end and delicious. A lovely place when you want something beautiful and special locally -- just know you're paying for the experience and convenience, too. read more

My friend stopped by to grab dessert from Marvel Cake on his way to visit me in Santa Clara. We were looking forward to getting the spiral croissant but they were all sold out. Without leaving empty handed, we tried other desserts. I tried the strawberry tart and raspberry cake. The raspberry cake was pretty and the cream was sweet. The strawberry tart was gelatinous. It was unique to try out. I'll be making my trip up to San Francisco this Saturday and I'll stop by to see if the spiral croissants are available. read more

Marvel Cake - Raspberry cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Staff was very friendly, service was good, place very clean n it was nice they had a few tables outside too to enjoy the fresh air. they Had a good wide selection of pastries. There were 3 of us but we only ordered 2 items n it was plenty to eat. We tried the crepe cake, yummy n light. The napoleon was huge, and the bavarian cream was very light n airy. We'll have to try their other pastries another time . read more

Super cute dessert place. Went on an afternoon that was on the quiet side. Seating is very limited inside. 4 small tables presumably for 2 guests each even though one side is a bench so you could squeeze in. They also have some outside tables, but I would imagine seating would be hard if it was busy. We got three desserts and a couple of coffees. Coffee was ok, nothing special. The passion fruit and chocolate desserts were perfect combo of moist and sweet. Chocolate was rich but not overwhelming (for us chocolate lovers) The pistachio one was a little bland for some of our taste, but one person really loved it. The whipped filling was not sweet at all. read more

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This store is so beautiful and fits right into the Palo Alto strip. The young lady at the counter was amazing and friendly, but I really need to rave to everyone on how ridiculously, delicious and delectable the Red Velvet cake is! Moving forward all celebrations, I'll be going to get the Red Velvet cake. I swear, it's that good Full disclosure though, the cake decor is deceiving. read more

Meh! Cupcakes were dry. Ordered a variety of cakes (eg red velvet icing was butter instead of cream cheese) Service is good. read more

Super cute little bakery in DT Palo Alto. A great place to bring a friend and catch up. They have a good variety of pastries and drinks to choose from. I got an almond croissant heated up. The croissant was nice and buttery. I do think that for the price it could've been larger like some other almond croissants I've had for a similar price. However I can tell that there was a lot of effort into making the pastry as they are all super beautiful. read more

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It is a cute little place and macrons were delicious. We also had the pistachio cake which had with the little round piece of chocolate on it that had the logo imprinted in gold leaf. Oops! Big fail, it was not chocolate, it was cardboard! Who puts cardboard on a petit for? Cheap. read more

every pastry here is beautiful, perfect, and delicious. the store is lovely too i tried the pistachio pastry the other day and it was amazing read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Delicious quality desserts! On the pricey side. Nice quaint environment. Def be back. Hint: have them warm the croissants..., read more

Marvel Cake - Choco croissant - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I love this place! From the tea to the pastries, everything is delicious. I've tried the Ube Sesame, Pistachio Mousse, Bisou and the Pistachio Croissant. You can taste every flavor it displays. The vibes in the store are so cute. Makes me feel like I'm not in Palo Alto at all. The service is outstanding. The manager, Stephanie has excellent example of customer service. She greeted us right when we walked through the doors and thanked us for coming when departing. I will definitely be coming back for more. read more

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I've been wanting to try Marvel cake for so long, only to find it this past weekend while waiting for Tong Sui to open. I only knew them for their viral croissant that I have yet to try, but they had such beautiful looking desserts that enticed me to come in. This was not too far away from each other, so I thought I'd come in and see what they had. Their pastries are so beautifully made and they look like they would be delicious, but looks are deceiving. I ended up purchasing the following: -1 Pistachio Mousse Tart $11.50 -1 Passion Fruit Tart $11.00 Total: $22.50 without tip. 1 tart for $11+ is pretty steep, but you do pay for aesthetics and skills since it does look beautiful. REVIEW OF EACH TART Pistachio: I waited until tonight (2/4) to try since originally it was going to be for my husband. I wanted to try (or at least at most of it since my husband isn't that much of a sweet tooth). I was fairly disappointed by how much it does not taste like pistachio. It's very subtle, but there is a pistachio crumble underneath the mousse where you get the actual taste of pistachio. The mousse, while creamy, was very subtle in flavor and there wasn't anything special with the entirety of this tart. Beautifully made, but not what I expected. 2/5 Passion fruit: I have to say that I'm a huge fan of passion fruit and the taste. If any restaurant or dessert place offers passion fruit, you bet I'm looking for a great balance between sweet and tang. This passion fruit leaned more sweet (no tang) and was very subtle in flavor. I think it's better than the pistachio one I tried, but definitely needs more passion fruit flavor. 2.5/5. Overall, I think this place is just ok but nothing to get excited over. I do think their desserts look beautiful, but nothing to rave about. This is a cute small shop where I think it's nice if you want to treat yourself, but definitely would recommend other places instead. read more

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I ordered an assortment of desserts for a special occasion at my job, and I was blown away by the quality of the food. The flavors were excellent, and everyone who tried the various desserts were really impressed as well. I'd recommend getting an assortment of things, because so many of their offerings are worth trying. read more

Marvel Cake - Custom Cakes Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Stopped in Saturday afternoon, there was a very friendly young lady working the counter. She answered out questions and was very helpful . We managed to get the last 2 spiral croissants, a cookies and cream and dark chocolate filling. Also got a hokiado crepe cake, hazel nut tart, and a mini cake (bosan or something, don't remember). The crossaisnt were filled to the max fill filling and crispy/crunchy on the outside and outstanding. My kid devored the crepe cake, but it was very delicious as I got to try a bit of it. The hazelnut tart was very rich, could have used a nice coffee to go with it but it was also very good. The mini cake was also very good, the custard filling was excellent. Overall good service. We asked for bathroom and the lady politely told us out of order and suggested some near by locations. read more

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