Eastern Bakery — Restaurant in San Francisco

Eastern Bakery is a Chinatown institution. It's as old school as it gets, being at the same location on Grant Ave for decades! This is the place where Chinese grandmas would place their orders for their famous moon cakes, coffee crunch cake, wedding cakes and "wedding cookies" to be passed at weddings. I have very fond memories of eating their flaky butterfly cookies and steamed sponge cupcakes as a child.

My family has been going here for years to get our coffee crunch special occasion cake fix. As the legend goes, Eastern was able to obtain the fame Blum's coffee crunch cake recipe - soft spongy cake with whipped cream frosting mixed with chips of coffee crunch candy between the two cake layers and the sides of the cake. Light, airy. Not too sweet, with a nice sweet coffee candy flavor. My family members purposely save room for dessert if it's known if this cake is being served. You can also order extra coffee crunch topping by the quarter pound if you want even more. It's great on vanilla ice cream too. What is also cool is that they can write in both Chinese and in English for special occasion desserts with their famous Chinese red icing at no...

Favorite bakery to get fresh mooncakes! I always visit during the Midautumn festival, around August and September. They are definitely pricey, around $7-8 per mooncake depending on whether you want one or two yolks, which are extra, but I think it's worth it for the quality. Factory made mooncakes are often $30 or more per box of 4 anyway, so I consider the price to be comparable.

I always get the traditional lotus paste with one yolk, red bean, fruit and nut, and mung bean. I've tried wintermelon; not my favorite flavor. They're so fresh sometimes they're warm! Paste is very soft and smooth, yolks seem to be house made as well, with the way they crumble. There are way more fillings and flavors during the Midautumn festival, but other times of year, generally they only have lotus and maybe red bean.

Haven't tried the other pastries, other than the egg tarts, which are...

Their window displays look good. Their speciality is the coffee crunch cake which has been famous for years. The reason why I gave it 2 stars was because when I was paying for the cake I noticed a molded cookie on a tray and told the cashier. She said I was spreading rumors and to stop. I got angry and told her to look for herself. Several customers heard the exchange of words and went to look for themselves. They nodded in agreement. The cashier gave me a dirty look and I said I would make sure I get the word out. Be careful. Look at the cookies, pastries and cakes before you leave the store. Otherwise they will not admit it. Better safe than sorry and while I'm at it, their winter melon moon cakes had mold inside when I bought them for my mother. A friend didn't listen, bought some, and the same thing happen. Be alert and don't assume when you're shopping in...