Sweethoney Dessert 杏記甜品店 — Restaurant in Foster City

We ordered the mango pomelo sago (w/ matcha) and coconut milk pudding (in coconut), both of which were good but not great. The mango dessert had little pomelo and the ice-cream did not taste like matcha. The coconut milk pudding was essentially milk inside a coconut (w/ coconut skin); it did taste good, but it could have been more thoughtful.

What almost broke our experience though was the cold and unwelcoming service:

When we ordered two desserts, we were told that we needed to spend at least $5 per person (it was four of us) for dine-in; we were visiting the place after a hearty dinner for some light desserts, so this ask was unwelcome. What was weird was that it was late in the night and the place was basically empty and hence there did not seem to be a good reason to impose this requirement. It would have made much more sense to keep this restriction if the place was busy and they wanted to disincentivize customers to order too little for the time they occupy a table. Again, the minimum order amount itself isn't that high, but it left a bad taste in our mouth and was entirely avoidable.

They added a mandatory 18% service charge without giving us any say in the matter. We were not happy with their service, so we might have wanted to skip the service charge altogether, so charging us an exorbitant 18% felt unfair.

As it stands, I would think twice before going back to this place. I suggest that the place work on their food as well as service quality (the latter needs much more attention) because there's a lot of potential...

I’ve had Sweethoney Dessert years ago when they had a store in Dublin. It was my first time trying the one in Foster City. There was only one other table present when we arrived so our stuff came out rather quickly after ordering. The server was very friendly too.

Since we were not really hungry, we just had snacks, a drink and a dessert. The snacks were not bad, but the Thai curry fish balls were too pricey. 8 small fish balls for $8 - $1 for one small fish ball was too much. I think $6 would have been more than enough, but guess we’d have to blame inflation. 5 wings for $10 was also expensive, but at least they were much bigger. Both were a little spicy, which I liked.

The purple yam sago milk was okay. I liked that it was not very sweet, but it was a bit simple for me. That’s okay since my wife ordered it. I really wanted the mango pomelo sago tofu pudding. The pomelo was tart and the tofu pudding silky. There was mango, but the flavor was weak. If it had better mango, then I would have completely satisfied with the item.

This wasn’t a meal, and it ended up at $37 pre-tip. Think it would have been $30 more to have a satisfying meal for two. I give 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 based on its fast food arrival and...

Sweethoney Dessert in Foster City offers a sweet retreat for fans of Asian-style confections, especially those drawn to Hong Kong-style recipes. The menu leans heavily into fruit-forward creations like mango pomelo sago and coconut milk pudding, with textures ranging from chilled jelly to smooth herbal soups. Many of the desserts are freshly made in-store, and presentation is thoughtful—perfect for sharing or photo-worthy moments. The café feels cozy but modern, with seating best suited for small groups or solo visits. Peak hours can get busy, especially after dinner, so ordering ahead or visiting mid-afternoon tends to be easier.

While service is usually efficient, staff interaction is minimal and seating turnover happens fast. Parking is shared with neighboring businesses, and restrooms are available only outside the café in the plaza. Pets aren’t allowed indoors due to health codes, but leashed dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables. If you’re looking to enjoy the desserts picnic-style, nearby parks like Marlin or Boothbay are within a short drive. Overall, Sweethoney strikes a nice balance between traditional flavors and clean, accessible presentation—earning a...