Starter Bakery

Magda G 2 months ago

​I have been reading amazing things about Starter Bakery, so I was excited to try it out with my girlfriend. The ambiance is wonderful - I absolutely love the deep blue color scheme, the cute matching mugs, and gorgeous plants. They have a lot of different pastry choices, but unfortunately, there was only one vegan option: a tiny hazelnut sweet bread. ​I ordered the bread along with an Americano. When I tried to take the pastry out of the package to share it with my girlfriend, it completely crumbled into a big mess. I went up to the counter to let them know, and the employee told me it was actually meant to be eaten straight from the package. She mentioned it was on the drier side being vegan, she took the crumbled mess and gave me a new one but it ended up having the exact same issue. It wasnt dry, but it just wouldn't hold any moisture and was far too crumbly to eat. ​For $5, this tiny pastry was a major letdown. To make the interaction weirder, she took the original crumbled bread back from me and I'm only assuming threw it away, which felt entirely unnecessary. Having been vegan for nine years, I’ve had some truly amazing, moist vegan baked goods, so this was incredibly disapp

Ra Sh 3 months ago

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I had a wonderful experience at Starter Bakery on College Avenue. The pastries are always fresh, high-quality, and beautifully made. Everything I’ve tried has been delicious, and you can really taste the care that goes into the baking. The atmosphere inside is warm, cozy, and inviting—it’s the kind of place where you want to sit with a coffee and enjoy a relaxing morning. The bakery is known locally for its excellent pastries and breads, and it’s easy to see why. One thing I especially like is that they also offer tasty small savory dishes and light lunch options, which makes it more than just a bakery. The staff are friendly, the space is bright and welcoming, and every visit feels like a treat. Whether you’re stopping by for a croissant, coffee, or a quick bite, this place is definitely worth a visit. Highly recommended! 🥐☕✨

Fine Dining Auditor 3 months ago

I stopped by Starter Bakery on College Ave this morning for a pastry audit, and I have to say, I’m seriously impressed by what they’ve got going on. I got there right when they opened—parking was a breeze, and there was no line. The space itself is massive, which is a nice change of pace from the tiny, crowded bakeries I usually hit. The staff were super friendly, and they took care with how they packed my stuff—four items in a box, the rest in a bag—so everything made it home in perfect shape. Here’s the breakdown of what I tried: Butter Croissant: Really solid. Great golden color on the outside, and the inside has that perfect honeycomb structure you want to see. You can tell they put the time into the fermentation. Kouign Amann: This is honestly one of the best I’ve had lately. I popped it in the oven for a few seconds to warm it up, and it was incredible—that caramelized crunch is addictive. Seasonal Fruit Tartine (Peach): This was delicious and not overly sweet, which I really appreciated. The custard inside totally complements the peaches. Definitely a winner. Chocolate Babka: I grabbed this because it looked so beautiful in the case, but the taste lived up to the look.

Fatima Saldivar 2 years ago

It is a small, pleasant, and clean bakery with friendly staff and a fairly extensive menu. To give a more accurate review, I would need to try more of their products, but from the ones I tried this time, I was slightly disappointed with their Brioche - Pecan Sticky Bun. They were too dry, but the nuts added some flavor. Their Salted Chocolate Chip cookie was average (I didn't taste the salt), but I would definitely recommend trying their Molasses Ginger cookie again.

Devang Mistry 3 years ago

Fantastic experience, we love starter bakery items! This is the first time we went to the actual store in Oakland to try their items and we were blown away. We tried their chocolate babka, double baked almond croissant, savory puff, hazelnut financier, pistachio twist and cappuccino, we will be coming back!