Cute bakery in Rockridge serving delicious pastries! Came here on a Friday at around 8am and the place was decently busy, but we got to order right away. We decided to order 6 different pastries. We first tried their Seasonal Strawberry Almond Frangipane, Seasonal Strawberry Kouign Amann, Cardamon Pistachio Kouign Amann, Chocolate Pistachio Kouign Amann, Chocolate Babka, and Twice Baked Mocha Pecan Croissant. I liked all of their Kouign Amanns a lot, especially the strawberry one which added a nice fruit element! Their kouign amanns have very crispy layers and very flaky. I'd honestly recommend all 6 of the pastries we tried, especially since the prices for this place are lower (~$6) than some other high quality bakeries around the Oakland and SF area. The decor inside the bakery is really cute and there are quite a few small tables you can sit at to enjoy the baked goods. Service was nice and fast. Overall: solid pastry spot I'd recommend anyone to check out! read more

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Some of the best croissants I've had. I also love their financier. Cozy ambiance with tables to sit. Friendly and attentive staff. read more

Well, the line on a Saturday morning was out the door, but it moved quickly and was worth it. That bread. Swoon. It was some of the best baguette & ciabatta I've had in the Bay Area. All the pastries looked incredible with some fun flavors like pistachio and everything bagel. I also picked up a chicken pesto sandwich. It was delicious and at $12 more reasonable. I would say, I wish there was more chicken on that bad boy, but the pesto x chicken combo was delicious atop their fresh baked bread. They had ready made sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, a full coffee bar and of course their carby lineups. Some indoor seating with a few outdoor bistro tables in front. Overall, a really great bakery. read more

Okay went there today to fill a craving for pastries. Bought one of the madelines and one of their financiers,, both of which I always enjoy in Paris but these were terrible. Why do they have to ruin them by putting on some stupid sticky glaze which they would never do in Paris. Same with the banana cake. Again another stupid sticky glaze. Some of their pastries are okay and they do make a good cappuccino which was not true when they first opened. I would probably come back but I would have to be very selective about what I picked in the future. The pastries with fruit on them are generally very good read more

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Located in Rockridge, plenty of street parking, but limited seating. If you have a group larger than 4 people, I would recommend you grab and go and find somewhere else to sit. The space is open and has a long display case with all of the delicious pastries. If you only want a caffeinated beverage you can skip the long line and order at the counter. The latte is solid and goes well with any of their baked goods. Highly recommend the twice baked ham & cheese croissants. I get it every time I'm here. I'm normally more of a sweet pastry with my coffee, but the crispy, savory, and sweet (because of the caramelized onions) combination of the croissant is very satisfying. I also recommend the cocoa banana bread which has the lovely texture of the cocoa nibs on the top. Honestly, I feel like you can't go wrong with any of the pastries so try a couple out and find your favorite! read more

Starter Bakery - Latte with coco banana bread (half since I was hungry) - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

My first experience with kouign amann was at Starter Bakery during the pandemic, and I'm so glad to see that they've expanded over the past several years. I visited their Rockridge bakery on a recent weekend morning (~10 AM), and there was a long line out the door. The line moved quickly, and I admired the pastry case and variety of kouign amann flavors while I waited. When it was my turn to order, I kept it simple with a box of the plain kouign amann. My pastries were boxed up and added to the queue, which seemed chaotic at first glance but was handled efficiently by the staff. I took my pastries to go and enjoyed them at home later that evening. While Starter Bakery's kouign amann are petite, they pack a big punch with extremely rich, buttery layers. The texture was denser and chewier than kouign amann from other bakeries, but the bottom had the same caramelized crispiness that I loved the first time I tried it. Visiting the bakery was convenient, since it is located a block away from the Rockridge Bart station. On my next visit, I'd be curious to try the seasonal kouign amann flavor and some of their savory pastries. read more

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I met up with my friend here for a foodie day together since it's a very short walk from the Rockridge BART station. I selected a few pastries to try, namely the signature original kouign amann, cardamon pistachio twist, and almond croissant. The first I requested to be heated so that I could eat on the spot, and the other two I requested to be packaged for takeaway. I thought the kouign amann was alright but not great. Other kouign amann have had a crispy exterior and soft interior. However, the kouign amann at Starter was completely soft, gooey, and very sticky, so much so that the sugar stuck to my teeth, and I had to scrape it off. I'm accustomed to kouign amann holding their structure for each flaky bite, but the kouign amann from here was deflated and borderline soggy (presumably from the sugary syrup oozing out of it) even though I ate it immediately. I tried the cardamon pistachio twist and almond croissant later when I got around to it. The first had a slightly off-putting (almost sour?) flavour at first, but I got used to it after a few bites, and I have to say it was my favourite of the trio. The almond croissant was way too sweet, and the filling had an artificial almond taste. Overall, I'd rate this bakery 3.5 stars because while the pastries were decent, and the staff worked efficiently to get us our orders promptly, I've had better pastries at mere coffee shops that don't specialize in making pastries in-house. read more

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4.25 rounded down to 4 stars; yummy but a little small for the price. Located 1 block from Rockridge BART, across the street from Zachary's Pizza on College Ave. Street parking can be difficult. Busy streets. Beware traffic. Recently saw a grandma almost get run over by a car blowing thru the pedestrian x-ing right in front of the bakery. Discovered chocolate babka when Philz Coffee opened in San Ramon! Had babka before but think it is more of a New York thing. First time I've seen it in a Bay Area cafe in years. Much preferred than chocolate croissant which only has a small bar of chocolate in the center. In the babka, chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the bread as a slightly gritty spread. (Kinda like unsweetened cocoa that clump together when making hot chocolate from scratch. They're like mini bursts of chocolate if you don't stir and dissolve thoroughly before drinking.) Unfortunately, Philz almost always ran out by morning's end. Even worse, they stopped carrying babka soon after. Good news, staff mentioned they got their pastries at Starter Bakery. Better news, they also said that SB had a stall just a few yards away at the Saturday farmers' market in the mall's parking lot. Bad news, the stall was so popular, the babka often sold out before 10 am. Best news, my sister and I now go straight to the source. Do a pilgrimage to Oakland at least once or twice a month for our babka fix. read more

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Showed up after a Trader Joe's run. Coffee was good, breakfast sandwich was good, rustic Italian one was cool. Service lacks attention to detail, waited an extra 20 minutes for something they forgot. 4/5 service needs better attention to detail. read more

Starter Bakery - Breakfast sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing pastries and viennoiserie. Mille feuille - what a triumph. The pink cream actually tasted of berries, and the pastry slices were crisp without being too hard. Truly delicious and beautiful. Pain au chocolate - 3, count them, 3! Sticks of chocolate and a very crisp exterior- lovely. Kouign Amann - it seems like this is what they're known for here, and they do it well. The pastry is crisp, not overwhelmingly sweet and not overly dense like others I've had. They have a ton of different flavors, but the base pastry is all the same, it's just the small amount of toppings that are swapped out. read more

Starter Bakery - Mille feuille - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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One of the gems in East Bay. They close early around 3pm so make sure to pick up pastries for a weekend or for family. My mom in San Jose always asks when I'm going to bring a box of pastries from here. The pastries are made with quality ingredients and with Kerrygold butter. There are seasonal pastries too but they do the best with their staples: kouign amanns (hazelnut, pistachio, chocolate, and a seasonal flavor), croissants, pretzel croissant (favorite), chocolate croissants and many more. There are also some breakfast pastries available there, and the coffee is well made. I missed out on the seasonal Pannettone last year but I hope to order it this year as it is not Christmas without a panettone in the morning with some coffee. I love this place and glad there is a Rockridge location. read more

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Had their pastries from the Niles farmers market and their fresh baked goodies are delicious! Tried the apricot cheese danish and it wasn't too sweet and so tasty. They had lots of different types of kouign amanns, and I tried the hazelnut one. It was heavenly! Would definitely like to try their pastries at their store. read more

Starter Bakery - Apricot cheese - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is a cute little bakery and Café on a quaint street in Berkeley, across from Trader Joe's. There is seating inside and out. The café offers Wi-Fi and lots and Lots of sweet treats to try as well as savory sandwiches and quiches. The coffee is also very delicious and strong. Definitely a great local spot to check out if you're in the area. read more

Starter Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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If you can successfully bake a Kouign-amann - well then - you can bake anything. It's one of the most finicky things out there and few can do it perfectly - this bakery still needs a little practice. I'm a self proclaimed review expert on said dessert. I've tried all the heavy hitters like B Patasserie - or I guess they are too cool for capital letters: 'bpatisserie.' I feel I can confidently criticize these little nuggets. The store itself is very beautiful. Too beautiful. Instagram worthy. Green plants and good vibes. People outside eating and enjoying good company. Endless variety behind the glass and everything is very pleasing to the eye. Grabbed the signature dessert and a couple others for good measure. Quick transaction and no line. Good selection too - even though it was at the end of the day. I really appreciated that. Not everything was 'sold out' like at other places, ahem Rotha. I eagerly brought them home and sliced in half everything to do a close inspection. Unfortunately, I found dough on the very bottom not up to my satisfaction. I tried to ignore it but when I bit into it I could taste some raw dough. The sides and top were absolutely delightful though. Toasted hazelnuts and sugary caramelized goodness. Flaky and moist - word on the street is these are supposed to be the best tasting and I think it lived up to that - just a technical detail I can for the most part overlook. The thing that really sets apart Tartine from all the rest of the bakeries out there is that there is never anything I've ever gotten over decades that is less than perfect. It is the benchmark. But here, I still enjoyed it overall and loved the LA fundraiser for the fires and the friendly people behind the counter who carefully packaged everything. If you want the most pretty desserts around - this is probably a best bet. read more

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I was first introduced to starter bakery by my bestfriend at a farmer's market! I love how they always have a stand or booth at the local farmer's market every weekend. I remember grabbing bread and other pastries for the first time from them and it was delicious. If you do plan on going to visit starter bakery at a farmers market, do go early on to grab whatever you want because they do sell out! That was the case for us today...which is why we decided to go to the actual bakery itself! The atmosphere was great! People were inside and outside talking or working. Service was quick as well! We went with the purpose of only getting a baguette and ended up also getting two delicious pastries: chocolate babka and dubai chocolate kouign amann. Baguette: 10/10 , it was fresh and warm! We couldn't help but to have a little taste while walking back to the car. Haha. Chocolate babka: 10/10 , it is not too sweet and they use a dark chocolate, which is great because it helps balance the sweetness of the pastry! I really enjoyed this a lot. Dubai Chocolate Kouign Amann: 7/10. Honestly, this was a bit disappointing in terms of it being a Dubai chocolate pastry. The chocolate in the photo was the only chocolate included in this pastry. The pistachio itself was just crushed up for the filling, it was not pistachio cream. There was no katafi either. So really, this was a chocolate pistachio pastry. Not Dubai chocolate. However, the pastry itself was yummy! It was incredibly flaky and crispy. The sugar glaze on the outside was delicious. Overall, I love this bakery! I do recommend for people to come and try if you have not yet already. read more

Starter Bakery - Chocolate Babka and dubai chocolate kouign amann - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

My partner brought home a box of deliciousness from this bakery from one of her clients, and I was there to help her devour it. After trying a few of their pastries, I immediately started searching for this business online. Yum yum yuuummmmm! We arrived at this bakery on a Sunday morning. Parking was fairly easy, and there were only a few people ahead of us in line. We ordered 2 chocolate dubai kouign amanns, 2 traditional kouign amanns, 1 chocolate crossaint, 1 twice baked ham and cheese crossaint, and some crossaint with fruit on top. Some lady in line behind me recommended the cardamom pistachio twist, so we threw one in the box. It was just ok and my least favorite. Everything else was delicious though! Chef's kiss!! But hunnnnay, let me tell you about that chocolate dubai kouign amann!!!!! That has got to be the best thing I've ever had in my whole entire lifeeee!! It's perfectly crispy and caramelized. It has flakey layers of heaven and has dark, rich chocolate that's not overly sweet. Perfect touch of pistachio. I pray they keep this permanently on the menu!!!! Please, please, please! I'm glad to hear of a new location opening up closer to home. Solano Ave in Albany will be their newest location that should open soon. I cannot wait!!! read more

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I went there to get a slice of citrus pie. It was very good. The store was clean, and the staff were friendly.

Good quality ingredients for their baked goods, which seem to be baked daily. Ordered the passion fruit Madeleine, a petite chocolate zucchini hazelnut bread loaf (finger length), and a cardamom pistachio twist kouign aman to-go. Really enjoyed snacking on these during my day. Though I may be back for breakfast/brunch and eat in the next time I am nearby. The venue has a nice spacious and clean atmosphere with wifi and a few tables inside where you can sit and enjoy your pastries and coffee or tea. There's also quiche, sandwiches and unexpectedly - for beverages, besides tea and coffee, they have 2 alcohol choices: Maker wine and Fieldwork beer available on the menu. read more

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Came here on a Saturday morning and there was so much variety!! The kouign amann's here are so good so I had to get one of each flavor. They're so flaky and perfectly sweet. I also got a ham and cheese croissant which was satisfying. I'll be back to try more! read more

Starter Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Latte was good, pistachio and cardamom puff was nice, knocked off 2 stars because they don't give change if you dont have exact cash, and service was lacking at the register. read more

My favorite place for croissants and the layered chocolate cake. I have tried several other pastries too, and honestly everything is good. I always go early morning to avoid the long line. Staff are friendly and helpful. Nice place! read more

Starter Bakery - Chocolate cake - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Previously, I had only had Starter Bakery goods at other cafes or Too Good To Go, never fresh from the source. My sister got the cardamom pistachio twist and the hazelnut kouign amann. The kouign amann was delicious with a nice hazelnut crunch. Sometimes other places have too much sugar in the middle and you get an oozy mess, but this one was just right. I don't even care for hazelnut that much, but this was really gentle, well balanced, with a hint of something citrusy. The real star here was the cardamom pistachio twist. I'm also very neutral about pistachio, but I like cardamom. This was a delightful pastry. The flavors worked well together, and had the same kind of density as a good croissant. I like when things have light layers and compress down to be really rich and dense. We were so excited about it that we demolished it. Doesn't matter what you eat, but you should end with the twist as your last bite for a lingering flavor. read more

Starter Bakery - Cardamom pistachio twist and hazelnut kouign amann - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

The BEST mocha I've ever had, fabulously delicious pastries, and top notch customer service.

A friend brought a selection of items from this bakery over to our mutual friends house. The items were enjoyed before our "real" breakfast. We had some kouign Amman (I never knew how to pronounce that first word - this is 7 years of French here), but my friends say it's pronounced "queen." The more you know, eh? We tried the chocolate babka and chocolate croissants, too! It was takeaway, so I don't know how the service might have been. Or the ambiance for that matter... As for the treats, omg, stellar. The kouign Amman was a tad salty, but it was quite nice. The chocolate treats were both oh so good, too. read more

My friend got it for me and I was honestly impressed, the texture is sooo good! And it's not too sweet at all for me. I'm definitely gonna stop by in person next time. read more

Starter Bakery - Yummy! - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Everything I got was absolutely delicious!! The service was quick (they put your items on a tray and pack them into a nice box at the register) and the space itself was really open and airy. I'll definitely be back! read more

The line looked super long, but it actually moved pretty quickly. Great coffee too. I had a Kouign-amann - delicious!

Great seasonal baked goods. Tricky to find parking around the area, but always worth a stop after picking up groceries across the street

Being a bakery, I wished that not everything was so complicated. Like wanting bread/a bagel with cream cheese, or being able to order a breakfast sandwich on a croissant. You know, simple, but it's premade and has onion on it. Adding extra things and not adding bacon is crazy though for it being a breakfast sandwich . Also you can't order food AND drinks together, they have a system where you get the food first and gotta order the drinks in the front when paying, at that point if you're getting food by the time you get your drink, food's cold again. Overall pastries are amazing 11/10 but food, eh 4/10 read more

I ordered a kouign amann and it was so good. It reminded me of butterfly sugar cookies. There's a layer of sugar outside that makes it nice and crunchy and I really enjoyed the overall bread flavor! I also tried a ginger scone and it was surprisingly good! Not too sweet and the ginger taste wasn't super overpowering. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't enjoy ginger though. Service is chill and a good place to study! read more

I got the ginger scone, and man, you would think it's light bready scone but it was like eating a donut, hellllla sweet!! ain't no way scone is this sweet. read more

I have yet to visit the brick-and-mortar store, but I'm glad I caught Starter Bakery at the farmer's market in Montclair Village. I picked up some morning buns for my boyfriend's family + a chocolate babka for myself. Everyone loved the morning buns, but the standout for me personally was the BABKA. Oh my god. So good. Will be making visits more often to Starter Bakery's tent at the farmer's market! read more

Deliciousness! High quality desserts and breakfast items. Blueberry muffin is moist and not too sweet,Kouign-amann pastry is perfectly flaky and buttery with a choice of flavors. The seasonal passion fruit cake is not too tart or too sweet and the buttercream is delicious! Chocolate cake is rich and decadent. I love the smoked salmon on the Everything bagel season roll. I toast it at home and it hits the spot! read more

Starter bakery is a spacious, modern bakery located a block away from the Rockridge BART station. There is a lot of indoor seating as well as outdoor seating. Starter Bakery's pastries can be found in many coffee shops around Berkeley and Oakland but I was super excited to discover that they have a couple of their own locations. The service is quick and friendly. The staff go above and beyond to make your experience enjoyable. One day I went at 7:30AM and the scones were not glazed yet but the staff glazed one fresh for me. I go to Starter frequently and it is my mid-week sweet treat. Everyone deserves a little treat to get them through the week! Anyways, these are some of the pastries I've gotten so far: -Twice baked ham and cheese croissant: I was so blown away by this croissant. The croissant itself was flaky and served warm. On top of the croissant there is this delicious combination of ham, caramelized onions, a hint of Dijon mustard -Dried orange and cranberry scone (seasonal) This scone flavor is one of my favorites! There is a perfect balance of sweet, citrus, and freshness. The scone is moist and the glaze on top compliments each bite. -Raspberry Kouign Amann (seasonal) -Dried ginger and pear Kouign Amann (seasonal) Every Kouign Amann that I've had from Starter was delicious. The fillings have strong flavors and the pastry itself is crisp with a taste of caramelized sugar at the bottom. It is not overwhelmingly sweet and there is a pleasant balance of sweet/savory. I will continue to come back to Starter Bakery and next time I want to try their breads and sandwiches! I've been to a couple of bakeries in the Bay Area and Starter is a stand out. read more

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Pros: Very nice pastries, though some filled croissants are seriously overbaked. Cons: dirty bathroom. Nothing to dry hands with after washing ( makes you wonder if employees wash hands?). No toilet paper liner. Additionally, this is the first place where they charge for boxes, baggies etc to put pastries that you buy in. Personally, I think it is excessive and somewhat unpleasant. read more

Starter Bakery, what can we say besides this is NOT a start-up. After having started in 2010, 15 years in they have a good line up of artisan coffee, snacks, sandwiches, and desserts. To the Seinfeld fans, they have chocolate babka. So get one and give your loudest Ooh-Babka-Cuda cheer, much like Heart's 1977 Ooh Barracuda song. read more

The most delicious freshly baked pastries! I ordered about 6 to go for a girls day in and they were a hit! Very friendly staff. Clean bathroom and seating are for dine-in options. read more

My husband brought home some almond croissants from this bakery yesterday and I had it for breakfast today. The croissant, although, left in the paper bag overnight still tasted amazing this morning. There was a lot of almond paste inside and it was still flakey overnight. I can't imagine how delicious it would taste if I had it fresh yesterday. I can't wait to go back and try more of their menu items and this time, I'll make sure to go myself so I can taste the freshly baked pastries. read more

Starter Bakery - Almond croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing bakery and coffee selections ! Small venue and crowded but at the heart of Rockridge town , Quaint Village

On my list of top bakeries in the area along with Grand Opening (still a pop-up out of Mister Jiu's - but best pastries I've ever tasted), East Bay Bakery, B.patisserie, Fournee, Backhaus, and Ariscault (in that order of preference). I know most people would put ariscault first, and I'd agree if I were a traditionalist, their classic and chocolate are both excellent but I don't like their almond croissant and like more interesting flavors, so in my personal preference they fall behind some of these other ones). I have also tried pastries from jina bakes, sunday bakehouse, bake sum, kaya bakery, rotha, manresa, midwife and baker, neighbor bakehouse as a point of reference all excellent as well but slightly below the first list for likely personal subjective reasons . Starter is 100% going on my top list. Beautiful croissants, I esp liked the pear, pistachio croissant b/c the pears were perfectly poached and the pastry was not soggy, an issue I usually have with fruit in pastries. Latte was great, the staff was so nice and explained all of the specials. Highly recommend!! read more

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