I don't know why it's taken me so long to review this place, but three words: BURNT ALMOND CAKE. This family-owned bakery has been around for a long time and is considered the oldest family-run bakery in Silicon Valley. They're best known for their famous Burnt Almond Cake, though they also offer a variety of other pastries. Personally, I come here just for the cake. They sell it by the slice or cupcakes, and they also have whole cakes ready to go. If you're looking for a custom cake, though, be sure to place your order in advance. Whenever I'm in the area, I always stop by to pick up a few cakes to bring home for my family, but I can probably eat a whole cake to myself lol. Their prices are still surprisingly reasonable, which makes it even more worth the trip. read more

I'm usually all for supporting longtime local businesses, but Peter's Bakery somehow managed to give me all the warmth and customer service of a giant corporation...without the corporate refund policy lol. As a first-time customer, I had no idea they donate your paid order if you miss the pickup date. I was told I received a reminder email and that the policy was disclosed, but neither happened. I spoke directly with the owner, Cassey, explained the situation, and asked why no one contacted me before giving away something I had already paid for. At some point, she basically just stopped responding to me on the phone. All of this over a $30 order that probably could've been resolved with the tiniest bit of customer service. Instead, I'm now annoyed enough to be writing a catty Yelp review and hoping for Peter Bakery's demise lol -- Edit: just to reiterate here, cause I hate being called a liar. I came the following day and I was told the cake was already donated. My call today was to escalate the item I paid for but was given away. Lastly, no information about donations in the email, nor was a reminder email sent. Rather than checking their systems to verify, they continue to double down. $30 bucks lost on my end, but I hope my review sheds light on their shady customer service. (Btw, still no call back from that co-owner) read more

My friend wanted to try Peter's Bakery famous burnt almond cake and made a 25 min drive across San Jose. We ended up getting three burnt almond cake slices (2 vanilla 1 chocolate) and some brownies. The brownies were pretty good, balanced sweetness and chocolate flavor without being overwhelmingly sweet and I enjoyed the walnuts, but it was a very fudge like texture and I prefer my brownies to be slightly more cake-y and airy. If you like fudge brownies you'd like these. My issue was the burnt almond cake, both vanilla slices were on the dry side. The chocolate slice had a hint of chocolate otherwise tasted exactly the same. The almonds and cream were fine, I would've preferred stronger almond flavor. Was meh. Price is good at $5 for a hefty slice. If I'm in the area maybe I'd go back, otherwise it was about the same as a Safeway cake slice. read more

Peters' Bakery - Burnt almond cake slices (2 vanilla, 1 chocolate), 3 brownies - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

I've heard about Peter's Bakery for years and I'm so happy I finally got to try it! We got a slice of the burnt almond cake. It was really delicious and we enjoyed every bite! The top was coated with almonds and powdered sugar with crystallized goodness. The cream was really a nice touch with a good amount of sweetness. I love the cake layers because it was sweet and flavorful. Definitely recommend giving it a try! read more

Peters' Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

This used to be my go to place for Apple pie because it was good and cheap and not overly sweet. But that is no longer the case. Apple pie. Not bad Bear claw : was ok. No traces of almond flavor or paste. Tastes more like a danish pastry. Chocolate eclairs: I asked for a custard eclairs, got the whipped cream. Sad. Should have checked before leaving the store. read more

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My last review was on ordering a cake. But what if you just want a 'you' treat. That's what I did tonight, I got a piece of cake just for me, myself, and I. The minute I walked through the door I was greeted. They were prepping to close in 20 min, cleaning up the glass fronts....but never felt rushed. I loved every bite btw. Of all the years/times I have come here, I didn't realize they had parking in back. You don't need to hope for the front street parking, just take a right and park in back. Less stressful. read more

Peters' Bakery - Burnt Almond cake square - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

The team at Peter's did a Christmas cake for us. It was a hit with the kids! And we love how it ended up looking. This is a San Jose classic, so do not skip out! We ordered online and the checkout process was very easy. Not sure if it's my taste buds, but now the burnt almond taste TOO sweet for me. I remember loving it when I was younger. But it's pretty hard to finish my slice. I think this is too sweet for Asians. But the kids love it! read more

Peters' Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

I had recently went here for a dessert and were picking up for a last minute BBQ we were invited to. I had called in a Cake for pickup. I had ordered the Coconut White cake with Buttercream. The gal (Michelle), was super friendly and held the cake under my name until I was able to pick up later in the afternoon. I had got a few other Bakery items but the cake was ready when I came to pick up later, The Apple turnovers and Whipped cream turnovers were phenomenal as well as the Coconut cake. The gals working behind the counter were all super nice and helpful. It is no wonder that this Bakery is about to hit their 90th anniversary of being opened serving delicious pastries in the 408. read more

Peters' Bakery - Apple pastries and fruit cake Cookies - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Service was great! I ordered online. They gave available times to pick up on Christmas Eve. The door to pick up is separate from walk-ins. No wait for pick up. Now, the actual cake: so disappointing. I used to get the burnt almond cake for my birthdays but stopped about 5 years ago because of how dry the cake got. Gave it a try this holiday season and nothing's changed. Maybe I'll try again in another 5 years ): threw away the rest of the cake after cutting a few slices because everyone was so disappointed. Was pretty embarrassed. Really wanted this place to wow me again, but it's just not the same. Sad to toss a $34 cake read more

Peters' Bakery - Dry lemon cake ;( sad - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

I haven't been there really recently but their burnt almond cake is so delicious and they keep going on and on and on. We(our family) have been buying cakes and other baked goods from Peter's' Bakery from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and just bought a burnt almond cake a few years back and it's still so great. Whenever I'm passing by in the area, there's always a line outside the door!!! They are great!!! read more

This place has always been a family favorite because of their burnt almond cake... but have you tried their pastries?! An absolute must! For the holidays we ordered an assortment of pastries and the star of the show is the apricot danish from Peter's Bakery! Light, fruity, aromatic, danish perfection! Thank you to the lovely staff for making such amazing and yummy treats! read more

Peters' Bakery - Star of the show- apricot danish! - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

My family and I have been getting their cakes for my birthday since I arrived at this country. The burnt almond cake is our go to and is absolutely magnificent. The sponge is very light and the buttercream isn't overly sweet, making the cake feel not too heavy on the stomach. The people working here are always happy to help and even make last minute small changes to a full cake you get that day! read more

We stopped by a couple days ago because of the burnt almond cake, I had a craving for it. It was a random weekday so there was no line and everything inside was available. The burnt almond cake was delicious and moist. The only small issue I had was that I ordered one regular burnt almond slice and one of the chocolate burnt almond slices. While it was being boxed up I went to look at the other goodies so I didn't realize I received a regular chocolate cake instead. Maybe I wasn't too clear and maybe I should have stayed there to point them out but the slices were next to each other. The slice was still good. We also got the banana bread which was fresh and delicious and a couple cookies. The inside of the bakery was nice and clean, gives off old school bakery vibes. I've never tried any of the other cakes but I need to when I get a chance. read more

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The burnt almond cake is one of the best around. We get one every year for my wife and brother in laws birthdays. Truly a cut above the rest. Evenly sweet and sticky. A lot of their other items are great also. Highly recommended to enjoy a sweet treat read more

The best burned almond cake around! Coming through the door, the workers call to assist you right away. They are super helpful and full of smiles. The bakery is a small quaint space on the corner of the street where the line can go down and wrap around the street. The sweet aroma of the fresh baked items smell like a small piece of heaven. Go and try a piece of silky smooth burnt almond cake or the strawberry ring or angel food cake or chiffon cake or red velvet or cookies or the varieties of loaf breads or brownies or bars... so many more things to pick from!!! read more

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Peter's Bakery did an amazing job making my daughter's cake! Not only was the cake incredibly yummy and delicious, but the decoration was absolutely stunning. All the kids and adults loved it everyone ate it and gave so many compliments! For every occasion, Peter's Bakery always delivers the best cakes. Highly recommend! read more

Peters' Bakery - Disney Princess Theme - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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I ordered their almond cake through their website for a birthday and it looked so good!! Pickup was so easy! I stored it in my fridge for 24 hours before we got to eat it and it was still so light and soft. So happy with how everything turned out :) service was amazing as always. read more

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I recently visited Peter's Bakery and had a great experience as usual. Parking is tough, so I just parked at the lot nearby. I went on a weekday around lunchtime and the store had a few other customers, but no actual line. Service was quick and there were several staff members available to help. The workers are super friendly. I got burnt almond cakes as usual and also tried the custard eclair this time. I also tried marble and chocolate almond cakes instead of my usual choice of vanilla. The cream in the eclair tastes pretty similar to that of the almond cake, though it can feel very heavy after a few bites since the eclair is so huge. The vanilla burnt almond cake is still my absolute favorite here - really can't go wrong with this. The chocolate flavored cake can sort of overpower the almond flavor at times. read more

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The burnt almond cake at Peters' Bakery lives up to the hype! I was afraid that the almond was going to be too over-powering, but was delighted to find out that it was perfect. The almond cream goes really well with the burnt almonds on top and moist cake. It's also at just the right amount of sweetness. Reason why this is not 5 stars is for service. I ordered 3 slices of each flavor: vanilla, chocolate, and marble. To start off, the staff lady who served me seemed like she was having a bad day. Vibes were definitely off compared to the other staff members around who were helping other guests. Since this is just a pick up and go type of place, I honestly didn't really care, however it wasn't until I went home and ate the cake that I noticed she only gave me 1 vanilla and 2 chocolates.. She didn't mention that they were out of marble or anything so I was pretty bummed. After you order, they go into the back and assemble it into a tightly wrapped pink box, so there wasn't a way for me to tell unless I opened the whole package up at the store. Nonetheless, chocolate was still my favorite flavor but I wish I got to try marble. I came on a Friday morning and there were about 3 parties in line. Parking was a bit of a struggle as well. read more

Peters' Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Excellent pastries . We love all !the burnt almond squares especially the pumpkin during the fall season

Highly recommend getting their Burnt Almond Cake and cupcakes. My uncle brought home a box of Burnt Almond Cupcakes two years ago, and it had a good almond flavor with generous almonds and buttercream. He also got a strawberry buttercream slice and a Boston cream cake slice, which were also delicious. I can see why San Jose residents rave about this. It's a family-style bakery that has been open for almost 90 years and is still legendary for the Burnt Almond Cakes. read more

Peters' Bakery - Strawberry and Chocolate cake slices - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

stellar cakes, and stellar service! peter's bakery is a san jose gem, and for good reason! the burnt almond cake is one of the few cakes that i can just keep eating over and over, and never get tired of it. i would recommend the burnt almond cake to anyone, it's sure to be a crowd pleaser! the inside has very homey, mom-and-pop shop vibes. what really seals the deal is the service provided by the staff. Emilia quickly helped me get my order together, and we had a nice chat at the cash register. pro tip: come on a weekday during work hours! theres no wait, which is a stark contrast to the weekends. read more

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RUN DON'T WALK TO PETER'S BAKERY!!!!!!!!! We live in Auburn and go to Peter's in San Jose for THE VERY BEST .....Burnt Almond Cake!!!! I've never gotten anything else BUT Burnt Almond Cake!! from the looks of their pastry cabinets they have a selection. read more

The sign by the door clearly says no more than THREE GROUPS inside the store at a time, not THREE PEOPLE! I made the hour + drive for some burnt almond cake after finding out my friend has never tried it. We waited outside in a single file line until there were only TWO groups inside; one couple buying t shirts, and a lady who was right before us. We then walked in and almost immediately, the girl wearing glasses with colored curly hair starts yelling at us to go wait outside. My anxiety kicks in after she continues to yell at me even more for now blocking the doorway. I nearly almost knocked over the elderly couple waiting behind us nervously trying to back up into the line of people. Cake was decent but this horrible experience left a bitter aftertaste. They need to fix their sign if they only allow 3 people inside at a time or fix her customer service skills. My friend and I were clearly only the third group inside and didn't deserve that type of treatment. +1 star for the girl that actually helped us, she was great. Even apologized for her coworker's horrible attitude, "it's been a long day". read more

Peters' Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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A classic and wonderful place for freshly baked goods. Hot take but I personally love the cookies. The almond cake is staple, and I'd definitely recommend trying it when you go. read more

I've heard so many great things about this bakery, being that we are new to the area we really wanted to try this San Jose staple. The burnt almond cake is light, moist and balanced well with the whipped sweet cream. It's easy to eat more than you planned bc of how light the cake and cream is. What I enjoy most is the variety of baked goods this shop has. You surely will find something for everyone in your party, regardless of taste preferences. I appreciate the long hours the bakery opens, I'm able to pick up a cake before my 7am commute to the office. Also they provide a cake knife/server, complimentary! Another plus of this bakery is of how fairly priced it is. You get good quality baked goods at a reasonable price. It makes it a no brainer to get a cake for large family gatherings and company parties. We recently bought a cake for a Christmas party, unfortunately when we cut into the cake we found that the flavor and filling was wrong.... I reached out to the bakery via Instagram and the owner was very accommodating. They acknowledged the mistake and did what they could to make it right. I appreciate the fairness and how honorable this business runs. I'll definitely be back, for the delicious baked goods and for the WONDERFUL customer service. Thank you! read more

Peters' Bakery - Burnt almond cake and apple turnover - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Peter's' bakery has to be one of the best in the South Bay! 100/10 recommend! My family has been going here for years for their specialty burnt almond cake. It's soooooo good and the best ever. No one else makes it like them, so it's the only place it get it from. They even have a cupcake version so you can try it out. All their pastries all also to die for! My coworker buys the big size and they are gone by the end of lunch. Ordering online is super easy and customizable. So cheap to add a birthday message. Parking is hard, but it's so worth it. The store is on the smaller size, so there's almost always a line out the door. I think they let 3 customers inside at a time, but it goes quick. Very nice customer service. read more

What can I say about Peter's Bakery that hasn't already been said other than I love it! I grew up down the street and loved grabbing treats since childhood. Now that I've moved out to the area I still make it a point to visit Peter's to get my fix. My son and I are obsessed with their shortbread cookies. read more

Went to peters for the seasonal pumpkin burnt almond. It was delicious as per usual and perfect flavor. The only issue I had was that the size of my slices were different so I'm not sure if I got hooked up with a bigger slice or got ripped off with the smaller slice. Shout out to the lady taking my order and able to find a chocolate burn almond cupcake in the back for me. I can't wait to go back to eat more sweets. read more

Peters' Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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One of the best bakeries in San Jose CA. They are known for their burnt almond cake, however their other pastries are scrumptious.Chocolate eclairs with whip cream or custard,apple turn overs whip cream,and their donuts are all our family favorites. The line can get long just miss the crowds in the morning and you should be good.Limited parking but people are always coming and going just be patient and you will score a parking. read more

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Overall: This is a San Jose staple bakery and they're very well-known for their Burnt Almond Cake! I arrived after work to pick up a few slices of cake and pastries. The workers package everything in the pink box and tie it up in a string ribbon which is very cute. The cream puff was big for me to finish so I shared it with my mom and she loved that it wasn't too sweet. The Burnt Almond Chocolate is my fav, the almonds are the star of the cake. read more

I had Peter's toasted almond cake a long time ago at an office event. We went to Peter's to pick up a cake because wanted something special to celebrate mine and a friend's birthday. We chose the Shirley Special. Parking was a challenge. We did not know there is parking in the back. There was a line to enter the store, but once we got inside, the process was efficient. The array of baked goods was tempting. I loved the plastic disposable cake servers available to customers. We left with chocolate eclairs and the 2 cakes that we pre-ordered. Our cake were beautiful and delicious. read more

Peters' Bakery - Shirley Special - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

A very popular bakery in Alum Rock. A friend ordered cakes for a party and we were there to pickup. Parking is limited and they only allow 3 parties at a time to enter. The bakery reminds me of an episode of Seinfeld, with the ambience and the look of the bakery. Service was friendly and quick. The cakes were good but a little dry. If you order in person they can have the cake ready in 24 hours, if you order online then it's 48. There are lots of variety of pastries, cakes and donuts. It's a nice neighborhood bakery. read more

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Peter's Bakery is an OG place for their burnt almond cakes. It's so good and sometimes it sells out. If you go to Peter's bakery, come early and be prepared to wait about 5 minutes. Each time I go, there's always a wait and if you come later in the day, sometimes their items sells out. read more

I honestly don't know how they do it... how do they make their cakes soooo good?!?! I love love love their burnt almond cakes. They're sweet but not too sweet, moist and the burnt almonds in and on top of cake is just chefs kiss :,) My favorite is their seasonal pumpkin flavored burnt almond cake. Luckily my birthday month falls in line of when the pumpkin one gets released and I actually got gifted a whole one for my bday last year! I love how great the service is here and how you can reserve a cake/slice/whatever pastries you'd like if you call in ahead of time. Peter's bakery never fails to satisfy my sweets cravings! :-) read more

Peters' Bakery - Burnt almond chocolate cake & chocolate chip muffin - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

I read about Peter's Bakery in Eater SF's "Best Bakeries in South Bay" list. Living in Mountain View, I don't come down to the Alum Rock area that often but I decided to stop by here after picking up some tamales from nearby Tamale Factory. I picked up a number of different pastries from here and I can definitely say that you will get lot of bang for your buck at Peter's. The prices are definitely "East SJ" prices and you will not be breaking the bank when ordering from here. However, I will say that the pastries themselves are bit hit-or-miss. The cakes as well as some of their Danishes/rolls are not really the best and taste as if they are made in a commercialized kitchen rather than a bakery. They seem to be known for their burnt almond cake and I personally think that the one served at Sugar, Butter, Flour in Sunnyvale (also on Eater's "Best Bakeries in South Bay" list) is much better. I will say that I did enjoy their fruit bar, English rock, and orange roll, which is something I haven't seen at other bakeries. It's a bit ironic because I don't necessarily go for the pastries with fruit when visiting a bakery. Overall, this bakery is worth visiting if in the area and you definitely won't be spending a fortune here. However, if you are like me, you will find some baked goods enjoyable and some that are better ordered at another bakery. read more

Peter's Bakery has been a family staple for generations!! Growing up, I remember that on late start days at school, my friends and I would go to the bakery to grab different cake slices. Now as as an adult, the infamous burnt almond cakes or cupcakes can always be found on a special occasion or a dessert table! Location: You can easily spot the shop on busy Alum Rock by the line out the door! Parking is tight, sometimes I park in the residential area and walk. Be careful when crossing the street!! Pricing: $-$$ All goodies are affordable for their home-baked-with-love quality! Service: As family-owned business, they treat their customers like family. But if they're busy, be patient as they have a small team. If you are on a tight schedule do your due diligence by ordering ahead of time, and pick up early! Food: Burnt Almond Cakes/Cupcakes are a family favorite. 5 stars all the way! The cake is light, fluffy and moist. The frosting is thick but not grainy and you can taste the earthyness of the almonds in every bite. You can definitely go for a second and third slice :D read more

Peters' Bakery - Burnt Almond Cupcakes - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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The pumpkin burnt almond slice here is GASSSSSSSSS (honorific). Service here is quite friendly and attentive even when the store got crowded after my mom and I entered the store. I used to come here as a child when I lived a few blocks away so it gave me a lot of comfort knowing that the place is pretty much exactly how it was back then despite changing owners. read more

Peters' Bakery - Burnt Almond Slice (Pumpkin) - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

So many mini cakes and muffin type Options. So glad we made the trip to check out this SJ staple. Our cakes traveled well and were delicious. read more

I love this place been going there for years the burnt almond and the strawberry ring is the most recommended dessert I believe there