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    The Pantry

    3.8 (942 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Order The Pantry Takeout or Delivery

    The Pantry Photos

    Business Info

    THE PANTRY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Pantry

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    Corned beef
    Nick B.

    So this was our second visit. The prices were high for the setting but they must pay a ton in rent. I want to support Filipino owned business but that may be our final visit. I think the center might be knocked down soon, the property manager IF they exist do not bother to hire a gardener or maintain the parking lot. If this place can relocate when this center turns into more condos I will go back and try it. The workers are polite

    Tocino
    Jeff J.

    Breakfast for 3. - Ambiance (1*) I'm all for dingy diner experience. It usually brings back nostalgic vibes. But dingy diners don't usually also have an army of ants crawling along the tables. - Service (4*) Very friendly, very fast. They did move us (meaning they at least recognized that dining with ants was not desirable). - Tocino, $16.80 (4*) Thought it was delightful. Eggs cooked great. Meat itself very flavorful. Mixed altogether with the rice made it very homey. - Value (3*) About right for a breakfast plate these days. - Final Word Pretty tasty spot. It probably should have gotten a 4*, but the whole ants experience left me really uncomfortable. It did cross my mind- if there are ants out here, what is in the kitchen...?

    Teriyaki Steak Special
    Gerald R.

    BRUNCH BETTING When I go to the Jockey Club at San Mateo Events Center to bet on horse racing, if I'm hungry I'll go to The Pantry for breakfast. I've eaten several items like chicken fried steak, tocino, longaniza, and loco moco. However there is one item that stands out at The Pantry - teriyaki steak. I judge restaurants that serves brunch by the steak and egg dishes especially if there are different cuts of steak. I've eaten at a restaurant where I had coulette steak and eggs. Another restaurant I would eat tri tip and eggs. In Hayward I went to a restaurant that served ribeye and eggs. About a month ago at a steakhouse on my mom's birthday for brunch I ordered petite filet and eggs. At The Pantry one of the specialties is teriyaki steak and eggs. Last Saturday I ate here before betting at the San Mateo Jockey Club. When you go to a restaurant to eat the same item you want consistency. The teriyaki steak I ate several years ago had that same tender and juicy meat. One aspect I love about the teriyaki steak is it not charred. Therefore you don't taste the burnt residue. The teriyaki steak is simply prepared yet very delicious. If I go back to The Pantry I'm reluctant to order different items even though I'm tempted because teriyaki steak is so unique as it's an item I rarely see at a diner for brunch. After eating at The Pantry I went to the Jockey Club, which is two-minute drive, to place bets on horse racing. I lost money at the races so overall I had a better time at The Pantry that day.

    Bacon Cheeseburger
    Mike W.

    We ordered the sizzling sisig, and yes it was sizzling but it was lacking flavor and didn't look close to what they had pictures of. My wife enjoyed the loco moco. My son had a burger and was asked if he wanted the cups or fries. He said fries but we weren't aware that the fries were an extra $4.95.

    longanisa
    Tiffany L.

    I came here for lunch and got the longanisa (~$17) which came with two longanisas, an egg, and rice. Longanisa is one of my favorite filipino foods so I really loved this dish. I do feel like it was a little more on the expensive side though for what they give but still delicious! It has very much a denny's vibe and service was good

    Tocino
    Jonathan C.

    No-frills family owned diner. Mixture of standard diner and Filipino cuisine. Came on a weekday lunch and there seemed to be a local crowd. Very retro decor that reminds me of an old ski lodge. Service is very limited and aside from taking our order and bring our food, we were largely ignored. Loco Moco: Solid version Tocino : Hash browns and sautéed onions were solid. Nice flavors of the meat, but some pieces were a bit tough. Portions were very generous. Overall, a solid place for those looking for tasty home cooking.

    Allister D.

    This is a good breakfast spot! I love that it's Filipino owned but they serve both Filipino and American classic breakfast dishes. My wife and I were craving Filipino breakfast so we wanted to try this place out. The place feels old with that classic old diner vibe. There are lots of family photos on the wall and other memorabilia decor. The place is pretty quiet with no music in the background; you can hear the family talking in the kitchen. I do think they should have background music to provide a better ambiance. We ordered the tocino and longanisa plates with 2 eggs each and some rice. The pork tocino was sweet and delicious. My wife's longanisa was cooked to perfection with even a nice grill char texture to it. The biscuit and gravy were pretty solid too with the gravy being thick and had notes of chowder. I thought the gravy was a bit bland; I like my gravy with that sausage taste and lots of bits in it. The pancake was cooked perfectly! I loved the texture and fluffiness. My toddler son enjoyed this thoroughly. I do want to come back again to try their sizzling sisig. I know this'll be good! We're huge fans of this place. I highly recommend this spot.

    Tocino Special
    Sheri P.

    My family and I have been dining here for years, even when it relocated to current location. Service is excellent with an extensive menu of breakfast, lunch, dinner entrees!! Took us awhile to figure out!! Ordered the Filipino Tocino , chili con carne omelet, Truck stop special,Joe's special with an appetizer of Sigsig....! All with a generous portion of hash browns w grilled onions -a "must have" here! Just a typical "hole in the wall" (near Ross and Trader Joe's) but serving up delicious Comfort foods with a Filipino flare!!

    Breakfast for 2
    Ed L.

    Let's Make Breakfast Cheap Again... I couldn't believe it when I went to pay. No itemized receipt on the screen till after I paid and asked for a receipt. Charged me extra for garlic rice when silog suppose to have garlic rice. Tasted like rice with garlic salt. Added a service fee and then tip off the grand total. GTFOH playing games with the bill. Steer clear of this place.

    Chicken Adobo Lunch Special
    Pearl R.

    I have been driving passed this place a lot since I live in San Mateo but today I thought I might stop by and try it out! Externally the place looks not as aesthetic as other breakfast/ brunch spots but the food here is actually really good! It's a Filipino brunch spot and i absolutely love the honey dipped fried chicken!!!! The adobe is a little too salty for me but overall I would recommend this place.

    Chicken Teriyaki with substituted vegetables
    Jay F.

    We've been coming here for Filipino breakfast for years. Our whole family enjoys the food. I always order the longinesa and my #2 loves the chicken teriyaki. Very generous and flavorful delicious food. Very home style ambience. Staff are very friendly and efficient. Oh and the coffee is great! Highly recommended! Always coming back!

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    Page 1 of 24

    The Pantry Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Pantry

    Do they take Apple Pay? Or are they cash only

    Yes Camille we do accept apple pay

    Do they make fresh veggie lumpia like the ones you get from Goldilocks? I live in Redwood City - far away from Filipino restaurants.

    Not on their menu, few Filipino choices available. Shanghai lumpia, tocino, longanisa and chicken adobo were all I can recall.

    Is this closed? Just tried to come on Sunday and it looks abandoned?

    Well, I'm just eating a good stack of pancakes here right now :) (Oct 24th, 10:00 AM)

    Someone told me that this place is relocating again, that the lot they are has sold, does anyone know if this is true?

    plan to build 4 residential buildings was approved in 2020. just not sure when construction will actually start bec it takes a long time to get a construction permit. can send emails to the people in charge of the concar passage project found in the… Read more

    Are they open, went there Thursday and it was closed?

    They're still open. I asked them this morning and they said the lot was sold, but they have a 5 year extension on their lease

    Butter or margarine?

    Parkayyyyyy!

    How much are the breakfast and brunch?

    About $10. Large portions.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Avenida Restaurant - CHICKEN AND PORK ADOBO

    Avenida Restaurant

    3.9(1k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Came here for happy hour and had a wonderful time! The food is probably some of the best Filipino…read morefood I've had lately in the bay. You can tell the quality of the food with each bite. The pinakbet was not skimping on the bagoong and was delicious. The kare kare was tender and the bangus sisig had a perfectly crispy bottom. The high quality of the protein here really makes each dish taste worth the price. The cocktails were also really good, I enjoy the purple jeepney which was an ube based cocktail. They do have smaller sizes for entrees that you can order so you can sample more of the menu. Will be back to try to crispy pata! The service was also very warm and friendly, they first asked if we've had Filipino food before (which we have many times) to see if they could help make any suggestions from the menu.

    Bustling on a Friday night - great food and great vibes! We had a reservation for the evening and…read moreluckily so, as the restaurant was packed. Located in downtown San Mateo, it can definitely be difficult to find parking, even in the garages. We had to circle around a couple of times until finding a street parking spot. Keep that time in consideration and come early if you have a reservation. The inside has relatively dim lighting and is quite spacy, and there's plenty of seating both upstairs and downstairs. Service was pretty quick despite how busy it was, and the servers were great! We ordered: - hot calamansi tea - thai chili & garlic wings - inihaw na pusit - pork sisig - sinigang - garlic rice The food came out pretty quickly and mostly all at once. Standouts of the night were the inihaw na pusit (super tender and chewy, and grilled with a great char) and pork sisig (super umami and tender). With that being said, was very satisfied with all the dishes, and there wasn't one that left a negative impression. I will say that this restaurant does lean on the pricier end, but there's a great ambiance for good food and conversations with friends. Would come back!

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    Avenida Restaurant - View from below

    View from below

    Avenida Restaurant - BUKO PANDAN MILKY ICE

    BUKO PANDAN MILKY ICE

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    Isla Restaurant - Squid link Rice

    Isla Restaurant

    3.7(1.1k reviews)
    7.5 mi
    $$

    This restaurant truly deserves a great Yelp review! We came all the way from L.A. to visit Napa…read moreValley and San Francisco, and after eating at several American restaurants and ordering steak the whole trip, I told my husband that before leaving San Francisco, I really wanted Filipino food. I found this place on TikTok and decided to give it a try--and I'm so glad we did! They have their own parking, which is already a plus. As soon as we walked in, I loved the ambiance and the interior--it felt warm and inviting. When I looked at the menu, everything sounded so delicious that it was hard to choose. For appetizers, we ordered the chicharon bulaklak and squid balls--both were amazing, especially when dipped in vinegar. For our main dishes, we had nilagang baka, and the broth and meat were incredibly flavorful and comforting. The garlic fried rice was perfect, and the chicken inasal was absolutely delicious--marinated so well and cooked just right. We also ordered halang-halang na manok and ginatang crispy pata to go, and I can't wait to enjoy them at home. To top it all off, the server gave us free leche flan, which was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture. Overall, we had a wonderful experience, and I will definitely come back!

    Service is mediocre. Do better. It's very disappointing to see Filipino restaurants like this…read morelacking SO MUCH hospitality. Kept giving this place benefit of the doubt but yall really out did yourselves today lol pls do us paying customers A HUGE FAVOR and get out of the service industry. Everyone that worked today 4/25. Idk what was in the air in yall restaurant but if I was your guys manager I'd be very embarrassed to see this review on behalf of you all.

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    Isla Restaurant - Seating area

    Seating area

    Isla Restaurant - Longsilog Plate

    Longsilog Plate

    Isla Restaurant - Garlic Rice

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    Garlic Rice

    Chibog - Tocino

    Chibog

    4.1(1.2k reviews)
    10.6 mi
    $$

    This place is our ride-or-die Filipino restaurant, and for good reason. Every visit, we roll with…read morethe same legendary order: Lumpia Shanghai à la carte, combo sisig, and a bowl of garlic rice and every single time, it hits like a warm hug from someone's lola. The food is Asian comfort at its absolute peak. The lumpia? Crispy, savory perfection. The sisig? Sizzling, bold, and dangerously addictive. And that garlic rice was simple, fragrant, and the kind of side dish that quietly steals the whole show. The service and ambiance are exactly what you'd expect from a tasty Asian restaurant. you will leave stuffed, satisfied, and already planning your next visit before you've even left the parking lot. If you know Filipino food, you already know. And if you don't...this is your sign to find out.

    Really enjoyed this Filipino spot -- the portions are generous, the food is flavorful, and…read moreeverything came out fresh and satisfying. We ordered a couple of silog dishes along with the sizzling chicken sisig. One silog plate came with beef tapa (with the option of grilled or pan-fried) and chicken tocino, while the other included longanisa and pork tocino. Everything paired perfectly with their garlic fried rice, which was honestly one of the highlights of the meal. The sizzling chicken sisig was packed with flavor, and the portions were definitely enough to share or take leftovers home. Service was friendly and welcoming, and the staff made us feel right at home. I also noticed two different families order the lechon kawali and kare-kare, and both said those are their favorite dishes here -- definitely taking that as a recommendation for next time. Looking forward to coming back and trying more from the menu!

    Photos
    Chibog - Indoors

    Indoors

    Chibog - The reason for stopping by. combo sisig "chick-boy" (chicken and pork/baboy)

    The reason for stopping by. combo sisig "chick-boy" (chicken and pork/baboy)

    Chibog - Lechon Combo

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    Lechon Combo

    Patio Filipino - Chicken Tinola

    Patio Filipino

    3.6(1.3k reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$

    My brother-in-law recommended we try Patio, which is one of his favorite Filipino spots in the Bay…read moreArea. He even went as far as saying that they had the best crispy sisig. I actually don't eat pork, but even I knew those were bold words. We had dinner reservations for a table of 10 at Patio at 7pm on a Friday. The place was busy, and most guests came with big parties of 8+ people. Half of our group arrived on time, and the restaurant went ahead and got them seated at our reserved table. We ordered several things off the menu including the appetizer sampler (fried calamari, fried shrimp, wings, and lumpia Shanghai), garlic rice, pandit bihon, bangus sisig, chicken adobo, pork sisig, bangus sisig, and crispy pata. I ate the fried calamari and shrimp, bangus sisisg, garlic rice, and a piece of chicken adobo. I also ordered a side of fried egg to make my dish a silog. Loved the fried rice and bangus sisig. I apreciated that the fried egg was perfectly overeasy with a runny yolk. More often than not I get the yolk cooked nearly all the way through. The other dishes were satisfying as well. I can't vouch for the pork sisig, but it was unanimously agreed by the other guests in our party that Patio's is the best. We shared desserts among each other including the fried flan and frozen mango. The fried flan was fun to try once. The frozen mango dish was so unique. It had a chopped mango topping and mango ice cream over a meringue base, which we realized had the texture of the cake part of brasso de mercedes. Lastly, I thought the service was fine. Some dishes came out quicker than others, but the staff members apologized for being backed up in their queue.

    5.14.26 I had a very…read morelong review that they deleted. Guess they didn't like my honest opinions. I've been coming here since they opened and loved every single dish they have. Over the years the food quality and taste has gone downhill. I came here in 2021 and the food was terrible. I waited a few years and ordered food last week hoping the taste and quality magically went back to what they served in their early years, but sadly it's still terrible. Their Kare Kare is so watered down you can't even taste any peanut butter. The dinuguan is 1% meat, 49% inedible parts (see photos), and 50% sauce. Huge ripoff! This is the last straw for me and I won't be returning ever again. The prices are insanely expensive for the tiny portions. There are much better Filipino restaurants in the surrounding areas. Parking- street

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    Patio Filipino
    Patio Filipino - Crispy Pata

    Crispy Pata

    Patio Filipino

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    Fil-Am Cuisine - Best combo! 1 pork and 1 chicken! You'll be dancing when eating!

    Fil-Am Cuisine

    4.2(1.5k reviews)
    13.1 mi
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    I can't believe I haven't typed a review for this place! I've been coming to Fil-Am since 2012 when…read moreI first moved to Daly City, and even though I live in San Jose now, I still make the drive whenever I can. From day one, I've always been greeted with such welcoming smiles and amazing customer service, to the point where they already knew my order lol. They're mostly known for their BBQ plates (which are definitely worth the hype), but honestly all of their food is amazing. I also used to visit their South City location when it was open, and the customer service there was just as kind and welcoming. Definitely one of my all-time favorite spots. Just remember to bring cash!

    For a casual bite of great Filipino BBQ, you can't go wrong with this place. The restaurant…read moreembraces a hole-in-the-wall vibe while serving tasty, affordable food. I ordered the BBQ chicken, BBQ pork, and pork adobo, and all were really enjoyable. The BBQ chicken skewer (9/10) was probably the standout. It had a nice sweet and tangy flavor, and the char added great depth. The BBQ pork (6.5/10) had a similar profile, but the meat was mostly fat, which made it less enjoyable. The pork adobo (8/10) was tender and came with a rich, savory sauce that paired perfectly with the rice. I also had the lumpia (7.5/10). They were super crispy but lacked much flavor in the filling. Still solid, but I've definitely had better. This is a great spot for Filipino BBQ and classic staples. I'd definitely order the BBQ chicken again while also trying some other items. There's a reason this place is so well known in the community for serving great, affordable food.

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    Fil-Am Cuisine - Hot food

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    Fil-Am Cuisine - BBQ skewers $3.75 each

    BBQ skewers $3.75 each

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    Capelo's Barbecue - 2 Meat Plate Mac N Cheese Pork Ribs Beef Brisket Baked Beans

    Capelo's Barbecue

    4.4(857 reviews)
    7.3 mi
    $$

    Best bbq in the peninsula. Pickles in the potatoe salad wasn't my favorite but it was fine. I'm the…read moreone person who hates pickles/cucumbers. I know I'm the weirdo.

    Capelo's Barbecue gets around the bay, and it is quite a delicious, clean, and consistent barbecue…read morefrom a Central Texan native! The prices are very reasonable for the meats, and they have a variety of limitless sauces you can grab. The only negative is that the sides can be better, but that's fine - totally into going pure meat for them! We typically get the 3 meat plates because it's a great value and can feed two. I sometimes can even share one with my parents. All their meats taste equally good. Our favorites are the beef brisket and pork ribs, but their pulled pork and smoked chicken are very moist, tender, and flavorful as well. We sometimes get a hot link on the side, as it's smooth with a good snap and spice. You can request it to be sliced. The grilled chicken breasts are not as tender as the other meats, but still has a good barbecue flavor - I imagine you'd get this if you need to eat lean. For sides, the mac & cheese, baked beans, and corn muffin are our favorites. The mac has a chunky and thick Velveeta-like coating, the beans have a strongly sweet and smoky robust flavor, and the corn muffin has a soft texture. The slaws are more vinegary, and the other sides are something you'd expect from your local grocer's prepared food section. Another thing that Capelo's Barbecue does well are the sauces - they have four types that escalate in heat. They all have very different flavor profiles and are on the sweet and tangy side, but I like them all. Their spiciest sauce is not that bad and does have some natural sweetness, but you should have water ready anyways because it's the spice that slowly grows on your tongue. The employees are extremely nice and efficient, both from the food truck and brick and mortar in Redwood City. One day when we came in for a pickup order, they were celebrating an employee's birthday and offered everyone a slice of cake! I wouldn't be surprised if I went to the South and had better BBQ, but we're in Northern California so I'll note Capelo's as amongst the best I've had in the bay (I've tried a lot of them). It seems they sporadically have live music at their dine-in location (which closes late for a barbecue place), so I hope to join them sometime in the summer for that! Their schedule is posted on their website, and they also have both indoor and outdoor seating, and a beer garden. Parking is not that bad, since they're away from downtown and have their own small lot. Their food truck roams around the entire bay, but I especially love partaking when they go to my local Off the Grid.

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    Capelo's Barbecue - Menu (June 2024)

    Menu (June 2024)

    Capelo's Barbecue - Dino ribs $94 (1/2 gone)

    Dino ribs $94 (1/2 gone)

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    Outside

    Kaya Bakery - Croissants (Mango Sticky Rice, Raspberry Lychee Rose, Green Onion Swirl), Viet Coffee Blackout Brownie, earl gray madeleine (08/2023)

    Kaya Bakery

    4.1(30 reviews)
    1.6 mi

    Finally got around to ordering pastries from Kaya Bakery at a recent pop-up in Sunnyvale. I set up…read morea reminder for myself when the pop up went live and ordered the omakase box to try. Pick up was super smooth and I got a reminder email the day before and text day of. Do be aware that the croissants should be heated up (air fryer is preferred) while the brownie and basque cheesecake can be eaten right away so it's not a great box to enjoy at the scene. Instructions on how to best enjoy each item is sent via email and I actually enjoyed eating the pastries over the course of a couple of days knowing the proper storing methods. Everything was delicious though! I loved the special kaya cream nian gao filled croissant for Lunar New Year. The contrast between the chewy nian gao, flaky pastry and kaya cream was amazing. I also loved the bitter viet coffee brownie and the super rich, triple cream basque cheesecake slice. I make basque cheesecake myself and I have to say this one was way better! All the flavors were great and felt fresh and natural vs. some pastries which can be too sweet or artificially flavored. Definitely would recommend if you get the chance to pick up in the bay!

    Another unfamiliar business popped on my radar. In one recent weekly promotional email from Neon,…read morethis bakery happened to offer some of their goods on a particular Friday. My friend and I both ordered boxes from them along with some other foods from other makers. I opted for the signature pastry set and was happily surprised when I opened my box to find this (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=zI-RhYfzK9HR34m9OL86xA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q). Here's what was in the box along with the baker's descriptions: 1. Oolong and Bailey's Irish Cream croissant (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=4EuzcZNQIIVLItpGqCfB2Q&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Four seasons tea cream, Irish Cream, tasty puffed rice. Seeing how this came, I ate this the same day that it arrived. I was impressed with the presentation and the flavors matched that. In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, this special fused the distinct oolong flavor with the sweet boozy flavor of the Bailey's to make a rich tea flavored pastry. 2. Raspberry lychee rose croissant (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Pv4en7ZLDdtfrzWumdsuIw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Subtle lychee cream, floral and tart raspberry rose jam. My favorite item in the box, I reheated this in the toaster oven. The fruit flavors shined with the contrast of the tartness from the raspberry and the sweetness from the lychee. 3. Cardamom bun (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=nlmEFbIbqkHIj8hC4UsCNw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Fragrant cardamom, chewy brioche. As described, the chewiness of this stood out. It was not overly sweet and the herbiness of the cardamom stands out. 4. Black sesame madeleine (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=zSxPDuDgKhsrLNBAWgKMWg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Nutty black sesame, cakey inside. The black sesame flavor is a bit muted. I also reheated this in the oven and enjoyed the crunchiness of the outer layer in contrast to the cakeiness of the insides. 5. Vietnamese coffee blackout brownie (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=pGz9uVrXB1SnrfQDPs9vbQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Intense black cocoa brownie, Viet coffee cream, sweet condensed milk. This had the most bold flavors of all the items yet was not overly sweet. The chocolate and coffee balanced each other out but I didn't feel the condensed milk added anything. Thankfully, I ate these pastries over the course of a week so my sugar levels didn't skyrocket. I look forward to trying more of their pastries if they appear again on Neon. Otherwise, I'll keep this in mind if they do a pop up.

    Photos
    Kaya Bakery - Viet coffee blackout brownie, black sesame madaleines, and Bailey's Irish cream and oolong tea croissant, clockwise from right

    Viet coffee blackout brownie, black sesame madaleines, and Bailey's Irish cream and oolong tea croissant, clockwise from right

    Kaya Bakery - Chinese New Year Box: Nian Gao Bao, Matcha Cranberry Cookie, Raspberry Lychee Rose, Vietnamese Coffee Brownie, 13 Spice Vermicelli Pocket

    Chinese New Year Box: Nian Gao Bao, Matcha Cranberry Cookie, Raspberry Lychee Rose, Vietnamese Coffee Brownie, 13 Spice Vermicelli Pocket

    Kaya Bakery - Instructions

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    Instructions

    The Pantry - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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