Starter Bakery

I've been coming to Starter Bakery for a while now, and it never disappoints. Most recently, I tried their quiche, chocolate babka, olive bread, kouign amann, chocolate croissants, ham and cheese croissant, and ginger molasses cookies. Whether it's sweet or savory, everything here is amazing--there's a reason I keep coming back for more! The location is open, light and airy, perfect to grab a coffee and pastry to relax or catch up with a friend.The variety of pastries they offer is almost overwhelming (in the best way). Trust me, you'll have a hard time picking just one. Let me highlight a few favorites:-Olive Bread: Perfectly balanced with just the right amount of salty goodness baked into the bread.-Croissants: Flaky, buttery, and absolute perfection, whether sweet or savory.-Kouign Amann: A masterpiece of caramelized layers that's beautifully crispy and rich.-Chocolate Babka: Soft, sweet, and chocolatey--what more could you ask for?Every item is executed with such care and balance of flavors that it's clear they put in the hard work to create fresh, high-quality products. It's the kind of place where you can taste the passion in every bite.Tip: They're on the Too Good To Go app but you pick up from their warehouse in Berkeley, where you can score pastries at a discount. The catch? You don't get to choose what you get--but honestly, everything is so good, it's a win no matter what.If you can't make it to their main location, you're in luck: Starter Bakery also supplies pastries to local Philz Coffee locations.TL;DR: Whether you're craving sweet, savory, or something in between, Starter Bakery delivers every time. Do yourself a favor and stop by!

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.

Everything always looks good here, however, once I try something I like that is normally my go to.... I chose the pecan buns because the first time I came they were phenomenal!!! I did notice the young woman get my buns from under the counter which she said the others were display only! "OK no problem". I paid, left, got in my car anxiously awaiting to eat one of my buns, which the other one was for my daughter. So upon the first bite, I noticed that the topping was very hard, chewy and cold. The bun itself seemed a little stale or like they had refrigerated them. When you go to a bakery in the morning, you want something fresh and that's what you expect. This was not that.! These definitely either were a day old or have been put in the refrigerator and recently taken out before they serve them. Disappointing.!

Amazing pastries! Every item I've tried is better than the last. You can also buy them at Koin coffee!

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.

Delicious. I was impressed. I alsoLike that they seem to use a bitLess sugar than most bakery dessert places and that I appreciate.

Checked out starter bakery today after it being recommended to me as a friend. Upon walking in I was immediately *pleasantly* overwhelmed by the selection of pastries and sandwiches. I opted for the ham and cheese croissant which was simply divine. It was perfectly crispy and flavorful. The caramelized onions inside were so tasty, and is something I have never before had in a ham and cheese croissant. The line was pretty long, but went by really fast. The interior is spacious and had a clean light and bright feel. I will definitely be returning to starter bakery in the near future!

Always loved their pastries at the farmers market. The Kouign Amann are amazing and the coffee was good.

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.

I love starter bakery, have tried the croissant, twice baked almond croissant, and the seasonal tartine pastry. All very good, pastries are on the pricier end but they are definitely good quality and very tasty! Can't wait to continue going back to try more things.