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    Sutter Cafe

    4.4 (44 reviews)
    Open • 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Ed U.

    Who would think to come to the Sutter Stockton Garage for a homemade tamale? I was on my way back from a medical appointment at 450 Sutter when I decided to stop here based on the little sandwich board on the sidewalk. I quickly looked at the Yelp app and found that people do indeed come to what looks like a little sandwich and candy shop right across from the elevators (photo: http://bit.ly/12cdY0c). And why? Because the owner, a quiet, charming woman named Holly Li, married a Mexican-Chinese man and learned to make tamales from her sister-in-law while living for years in Mexico City. Her tamales caught the appetite of a 7x7 food writer (photo: http://bit.ly/14EnpYh), and now she's developing a cult following through the Yelp gravevine. A sign perched precariously in the corner atop a stack of phone books heralds her Chicken Tamales with a quote from 7x7: "A perfect ratio of masa to shredded chicken and olives" for $2.75 each (photo: http://bit.ly/13exIa8). OK then, two please as I expected them to be small for that price. They are and come steamed in their corn husks (photo: http://bit.ly/14hBz2W). Peeling them off gingerly given the heat, they are perfectly molded with the masa thick and almost gelatinous and with a generous filling of spicy chicken, chopped jalapenos and olives (photo: http://bit.ly/12y6a7X). She came back with a squeeze bottle of siracha gave an even greater kick to every bite. They are definitely delicious and made me want some enchiladas and refried beans on the side. Two more please. FOOD - 4 stars...homemade tamales with panache and flavor and you don't have to take the 14 AMBIANCE - 2.5 stars...looks and feels like an office building business SERVICE - 4.5 stars...Holly is great and steadfast TOTAL - 4 stars...you don't have to park here to get a satisfying tamale

    Tamale ($3.50) - Tiny bite sized tamale with hard masa that does not even come with sauce. Terrible.
    Ahmad J.

    Sutter Café is a small coffee/sandwich shop in the basement of the Sutter-Stockton parking garage. This place is hidden inside and unless you go looking for it there is no way that you will run into this place or spot it from the road. It's accessible from the Sutter street entrance next to E&O Kitchen and Bar. After passing by it many times I finally decided to give it a try. I saw a big sign for chicken tamales ($3.50) so I decided to get one to-go. As expected it was cash only. The short review would be that the chicken tamale was crap. It was a tiny bite sized over steamed masa that enclosed literally a minuscule amount of chicken. It did not even come with any sauce to help slide this down. I don't know what I'm missing but this was one overpriced crappy tamale that I have no intention of ever getting again. Some of the reviews here have praised these tamales to the high heavens. I'm not one of them. I'd rather go to Tropisueno or any of the Taqueria's in the hood (Tenderloin) and get decent tamale instead.

    Sausage& Egg croissant
    Borah Y.

    The lady made a warm breakfast croissant for me, fresh eggs. Shes really sweet and the cafe is easy, located inside sutter-stockton garage building near the elevator.

    the interior of the restaurant
    Luis C.

    The place is small (located inside a building, next to the elevators for the Sutter Stockton garage), but it's stocked with a HUGE variety of food items: coffees, canned drinks, sandwiches, salads, pastries, bagged snacks, and candy by the pound. The store owner, Holly Li, is super friendly and sweet, offering to reheat food items and carefully packaging to go orders. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eYTJwqW-bJ2iUNk7wrqh8Q?select=iBgplgA0wUDC470U1U_Opg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eYTJwqW-bJ2iUNk7wrqh8Q?select=JJkQBNtnhZ2hCn8DNXgetQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eYTJwqW-bJ2iUNk7wrqh8Q?select=lhXaK6CU14FmlOT5qcBSbg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eYTJwqW-bJ2iUNk7wrqh8Q?select=L_ud6nZ8vAFZ1o6MmgFnLw Sorry the fuzzy pictures are from my cellphone camera. 7x7 magazine awarded it best tamales in 2007. The shop has a little card next to the chicken tamales to remind customers about it. In my opinion, that award was overrated. Perhaps the magazine was trying to increase business at this shop, which is usually empty. I think that the magazine's staff should try La Palma Mexicatessen on 24th St, or other places in Oakland, to learn what really good tamales are like. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eYTJwqW-bJ2iUNk7wrqh8Q?select=Uo8qMdQlW-eg7nyeOEaTEg I ordered 2 tamales ($2.25 each). These are half the size of normal tamales, the chicken filling is tasty but the dough around it is a little too dense and dry. Maybe the batch I got was no good, I don't know. Definitely not the best tamales in the bay area. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eYTJwqW-bJ2iUNk7wrqh8Q?select=y04wmH7AHy3gD8AOp_GdMg On another visit I got an egg salad sandwich and a can of mango drink - mango flavor of drink was excellent, but I found a piece of egg shell inside the sandwich. *sad face* http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/eYTJwqW-bJ2iUNk7wrqh8Q?select=MgSsozAts-Wz0qkB84TGlg The place is lovely, it has a few tables to sit, service is very nice, and you do get a great variety of food options. So even with the flaws I found, I'd rate it 3 stars.

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    13 years ago

    5 stars for the tamales. They are amazing! If I go anywhere this place my husband demands I bring them home.

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    11 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Sutter Cafe

    “Scones, espresso, beverages, and princess cake slices.”

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    A Buttercup Dessert House - We will open in September

    A Buttercup Dessert House

    4.3(248 reviews)
    2.6 mi•Mission
    •$$

    Although they don't serve variations of buttercups, A Buttercup is one of the few dessert houses…read moreoffering Taiwanese-style treats like Bingsoo, Milk Bread Toast, and other Asian fusion creations. I'm always hunting for spots like this because I have a weakness for those over-the-top, Instagram-worthy desserts that look like diabetes in a dish. Like most places in this genre, A Buttercup is small, modern, and minimalist with limited seating. If you plan to go, aim for off-hours unless you enjoy waiting in line for sugar. The decor is cute and trendy, perfect for photos if that's part of your dessert ritual. As they say, "you eat with your eyes first," and when it comes to presentation, this place definitely gets an A+. The desserts look stunning and set high expectations. Unfortunately, that's where things started to crumble. It's like going to see your favorite artist live. You've watched the videos, memorized the songs, and paid for the experience. But instead of the electric performance you imagined, you get someone lip-syncing and barely connecting with the crowd. That was this place in dessert form. We ordered the Mango Bingsoo on our first visit, and when it arrived, we were surprised by how small the portion was. The guy next to us even looked over and said, "Whatever that is, I'm getting that next time." He shouldn't have. The Bingsoo looked great but was bland, and the "snow" was more chunky ice than soft shave. The Thai Tea Roti was also not what I expected. It came with Thai tea ice cream and sauce alongside a roti that was fried to a crunch. Interesting idea, just not the best execution. The sauce and ice cream needed a stronger Thai tea flavor to balance the crispy roti, and the flavors never quite came together. Overall, A Buttercup nails the aesthetics but misses the flavor. If you're here for the photos, you'll be happy. If you're here for the taste, you'll leave with a full camera roll and an unsatisfied sweet tooth.

    We got the pandan roti, which was fantastic! The roti itself was super flaky and crispy, and I…read moreloved the combo of the roti + spoonful of ice cream with a bit of the pandan drizzle. The coconut strips were also the perfect addition. Super decadent and overall the perfect sweet treat I agree with the other reviews that portions + presentation are a bit disappointing, but it was still undeniably tasty food

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    A Buttercup Dessert House
    A Buttercup Dessert House - Menu 1 of 2

    Menu 1 of 2

    A Buttercup Dessert House - Menu 2 of 2

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    Menu 2 of 2

    Milkbomb Ice Cream - ube & banana rocky road ice cream in ube pandesal

    Milkbomb Ice Cream

    4.7(927 reviews)
    1.7 mi•Potrero Hill
    •$$

    The place had a variety of flavors, especially asian flavors. The bread selection was cool too,…read morewith ube pandesal, glazed/sugar/cinnamon, concha, and brioche. Service: The owner is nice; he's operating by himself, so please be patient when a line occurs. There are no free samples to minimize line wait times, and more. Ambiance: Located in a courtyard with outdoor ordering. Ordered slightly after 6 pm on a Saturday, and quite a line developed behind me. Milkbomb sandwich $15 (5/5): Ordered with ube and hojicha in ube pandesal. This was delicious! Can choose up to 2 flavors to be put into bread of choice, and it's pressed together, then cut in half. They're pretty big, so you can share with someone. It's pricey, but I think it's worth splitting it.

    I really enjoyed the sandwich. The textures work very well together, the ube flavor was delicious…read more The ice cream was very sweet but didn't feel coy like an overly sweet Boba. The service was good, and I went at night when there wasn't a long line. There are a couple of tables outside to sit. However, it does feel a bit pricey and I hear the line is super long at times. And the matcha ice cream barely tasted like matcha. There isn't much decor to speak of, it's a store front only and no interior. And the sign for "reasons we don't give samples" is funny but feels excessive. I still thoroughly enjoyed it though and will likely come again.

    Photos
    Milkbomb Ice Cream - Thai tea+ube in an ube pandesal and matchavocado+ube in a glazed donut

    Thai tea+ube in an ube pandesal and matchavocado+ube in a glazed donut

    Milkbomb Ice Cream - Banana Rocky Road and Butter Brickle ice cream

    Banana Rocky Road and Butter Brickle ice cream

    Milkbomb Ice Cream - Half mango lassi, half banana rocky road on concha

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    Half mango lassi, half banana rocky road on concha

    Maruwu Seicha - mango matcha latte (10/2024)

    Maruwu Seicha

    4.3(756 reviews)
    1.4 mi•Japantown, Lower Pacific Heights
    •$$
    Women-owned & operated
    Certified professionals

    STRONGGG MATCHA!!!! Super creamy ice cream(?) and customizable, strong-flavoured matcha lattes. I…read morewanna go back and try more!!!!! Sweet workers, easy ordering process and tucked away in a corner of Japantown. Honestly a good little pick me up if you're in the area for shopping and want something a little more authentic.

    One of those places where I wish I didn't leave tips upfront. Absolutely pathetic service where…read moreworkers just getting by. I came with two little kids and asked if ice cream can be split into two cups. The guy at register said "sure, we can do that". Girl with purple hair hands me full ice cream and on my question if it's half portion with annoyed face gives me another cup. On my question if I can have a spoon was short "right there" not even pointing me any direction. By the time I found plastic sticks on the counter in a busy crowd handling two little kids crying for ice cream I was ready to throw it out. What a shame, I don't expect 5 star service but simply splitting ice cream, giving me a spoon or just pay any attention to me as a customer would be enough for those tips that they asked upfront. Lesson learned, never again, although we are in this mall often.

    Photos
    Maruwu Seicha - Hōjicha Latte Cheese Foam, 1/2 sweet ($6.30)

    Hōjicha Latte Cheese Foam, 1/2 sweet ($6.30)

    Maruwu Seicha - Matcha + Hokkaido Milk Swirl Soft Serve and Matcha Tea with Snow Top

    Matcha + Hokkaido Milk Swirl Soft Serve and Matcha Tea with Snow Top

    Maruwu Seicha - Hokkaido Latte with Snow Foam

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    Hokkaido Latte with Snow Foam

    Kiss Of Matcha - Matcha Strawberry Latte and Matcha Latte

    Kiss Of Matcha

    4.3(613 reviews)
    3.4 mi•Inner Richmond
    •$$

    I was there! Kiss of Matcha on Clement Street in San Francisco…read more My Yelp Elite friend treated me to my very first Matcha soft serve. Hmm, I don't believe I've ever had matcha soft serve before. It wasn't what I expected. I thought maybe it would be gritty and bitter. It was actually smooth, creamy and had an earthy taste just like green tea. It also had a strikingly pretty green color. It looked too nice to eat. The shop itself is tiny and resembles a Japanese tea house. It has ordering kiosks, a pickup booth, and only four stools along the front window. My friend and I grabbed two stools up against the wall. My stool wobbled a bit. As more customers entered, the shop filled up quickly. I like the place, but it's a bit small. Located nextdoor to See's Candy. Street parking

    Yet another TikTok find! I was excited to try Kiss of Matcha since their menu looked so good, but…read moreoverall I thought it was just okay. The matcha unfortunately wasn't very well blended, which is always a little disappointing when matcha is the main event. I also tried the soft serve and liked the flavor, but it wasn't quite as creamy as I would've wanted. The texture was actually a little grainy, which threw me off. There's also no WiFi, so just something to keep in mind if you're hoping to come here and get some work done. That being said, they have a pretty extensive menu with a lot of different drinks and desserts, so I'd be open to coming back and trying something else. Maybe I just didn't order the right things for me!

    Photos
    Kiss Of Matcha - Matcha Jasmine Latte

    Matcha Jasmine Latte

    Kiss Of Matcha - Uji Matcha Latte, Matcha Frappe

    Uji Matcha Latte, Matcha Frappe

    Kiss Of Matcha - Taiyaiki Soft Serve

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    Taiyaiki Soft Serve

    Golden Gate Bakery - Happiness is a fresh, warm dan tat from Golden Gate bakery

    Golden Gate Bakery

    4.3(3.7k reviews)
    0.5 mi•Chinatown
    •$$

    Heard about this place and I'm so glad it was open today! Usually there's only one item for sale…read moreon any given day, and the menu item for today was Moon Cake. I hadn't had a traditional one yet this year, so that was a plus for me. Normally I'm not crazy about the nut moon cakes, but this one was terrific! It was the best moon cake I've had in a while - regular lotus seed with yolk and nuts. The lady at the bakery reminded me of an "auntie" and she was super friendly! Even though today was moon cake, I took a chance and asked if she had any wife cake (Low Po Behng). Unfortunately she didn't, but we had a nice little conversation in Cantonese and it brought me back to childhood and Chinatown in L.A. back in the day. Some people might not like that it's closed (I think that's when she runs out or isn't baking that day) but that's just how it goes. It's nothing personal if someone drives a long way and it's closed. It sounds like sometimes the lines can be long (There was no line for us today - score!) but it's everyone's choice if they're willing to wait or not. It's a little place and you order through the door. To me, that just adds to the quirky adventure of it all. Next time I hope she has Low Po Behng!

    This is a hidden treasure - literally! Not always open and can be random, but that's part of the…read moreallure. You'll know if it's open if the security gates have a small opening to the door. Whatever the lady makes for the day, that's the item to get and it can run out soon - then they close shop. Be prepared to pay with cash. There is a Chase and Citibank across the street. If you have a chance to meet "auntie", consider yourself special. Enjoyed our time with a little chit chat - since we were fortunate that it wasn't busy yet. I know some may be upset that it wasn't opened when they showed up - but that's kind of what makes it special - when you do get there in the right day and time. So be warned about the randomness of it all and consider yourself lucky if get a treat.

    Photos
    Golden Gate Bakery - Egg tart!!

    Egg tart!!

    Golden Gate Bakery - Almond Cookies and Coconut Tarts.

    Almond Cookies and Coconut Tarts.

    Golden Gate Bakery - Long lines are guaranteed.

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    Long lines are guaranteed.

    Sutter Cafe - desserts - Updated October 2026

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