Alice Street Bakery Café — Restaurant in Oakland

If you ever find yourself with a fancy coffee in hand, farmers market goods in your bag, waiting patiently in line at Bake Sum (they're great, love the vision but respect is due where it's due...) , well, you first need to pay homage to Alice Street Bakery Cafe.

Alice Street Bakery is the OG!!! This is where it all starts. This is the quintessential Cantonese bakery satisfying all your sweet and savory bun, custom cakes, and drink needs. Everything is exactly as it should be: perfectly set up with a couple tables for your Cantonese uncles and grandpas to mull over tea and cakes during their morning chats, while the young kids ogle over pretty slices of cake in the front, and regulars hustle in and out with their favorite buns. This is not precious, butter-laden, French-inspired pastry culture. This is Cantonese baking at its best, its most original, and yet perfectly situated for our modern times. AND the staff is surprisingly, ridiculously, helpful and sweet. We need to keep places like Alice Street Bakery alive and, trust me, we will be back many many times again. And tip...

Tea: I had never had Hong Kong style tea before, so I ordered it without sweetness, but the helpful woman at the counter asked if I was familiar with it, and since I was not, she advised that it would be bitter, so she suggested that we start with 25% sweetness, and add more incrementally, if preferred. This was an excellent suggestion because it is quite strong,and was helped along with about another 15%, I believe. That was the nicest tea drink I've had in quite a while, so I'll definitely stop in again when I'm in the area.

Food: I didn't order any, but they have many sandwiches and savory buns to choose from. Most have meat, but I saw one cheese version, and the bagels have a vegan cream cheese option.

Sweets: Many, many options, including soft sweet breads, which I prefer due to them being lower in sugar than most...

I purchased a 6" fresh fruit cake from Alice Street Bakery, and it was an absolute delight! As a first-time customer, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and efficiency of their service.

Here's what stood out to me: Efficiency: I was in a rush to find a cake for Mother's Day, and Alice Street Bakery didn't disappoint. Despite my last-minute request, they assured me that my cake would be ready by 5 pm.

Moist and Flavorful Cake: The cake itself was a masterpiece. Moist, flavorful, and not overly sweet—the perfect balance. The sponge was light and airy.

Convenient Payment Options: They accept cards, which is always a plus for me.

Reward Program: Alice Street Bakery has its own reward program. As a new customer, I received a 10% discount on my first purchase. It's a great incentive to keep...