Starter Bakery has been baking exquisite pastries and breads since 2010. We respect the ingredients we use, we take the time needed to create the most delicious and authentic products. We bake 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to assure the freshest product. We are independently and locally owned and plan to stay that way.
We bake because we love baking and we are passionate about offering you the absolute best! Starter Bakery was founded in 2010 by renowned pastry chef Brian Wood and has been baking hand-made pastries on a round the clock schedule to assure the freshest daily products to our customers.
We bake because we love baking and we are passionate about offering you the absolute best! Starter Bakery was founded in 2010 by renowned pastry chef Brian Wood and has been baking hand-made pastries on a round the clock schedule to assure the freshest daily products to our customers.
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Starter Bakery was founded in 2010 by renowned pastry chef Brian Wood and has been baking hand-made pastries on a round the clock schedule to assure the freshest daily products to our customers. Brian has literally written the book about baking and pastry, Baking and Pastry: A Professional Approach, developed for the San Francisco Baking Institute, where he also taught and developed the pastry program.
Starter Bakery offers a wide range of baked products from sweet to savory, French-inspired and classic American. We are continually developing new products. We always offer seasonal products. Consumers can order our products through our online store for pick up and third party delivery. Wholesale customers can order through the wholesale portal.
We also have an online store at our bakery where you can pick up freshly baked items on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We sell a limited selection of our baked goods at specialty retailers in the Bay Area. If your favorite store is not on this list, ask the bakery department to begin carrying our products.
Reviews (28)
Kim P.
Jan 26, 2022
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Starter Bakery has consistently had delicious treats with seasonal specials that keep me coming back almost every week. They can be found at various farmers markets on the weekends, or MWF here at their West Berkeley location that requires an online order. Not to mention a lot of coffee shops stock their pastries!
Here are the items that I keep coming back for:
#1 kouign amanns - this is what I would recommend to anyone for their first time, their seasonal flavors, which seem to change almost every week or so, always use fruits that are in season and are absolutely delicious. Every kouign amann
Here are the items that I keep coming back for:
#1 kouign amanns - this is what I would recommend to anyone for their first time, their seasonal flavors, which seem to change almost every week or so, always use fruits that are in season and are absolutely delicious. Every kouign amann
K. H.
Jan 24, 2022
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Tried this bakery at the Montclair farmers market yesterday. My wife and I tried a wide number of different items ( highlights were a cinnamon twist, croissant, and cheesy croissant). All were flaky buttery goodness though. When we area are in the Berkeley area, we will stop in to the actual bakery.
Jana C.
Jan 20, 2022
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Virginia C.
Jan 15, 2022
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Eager to stop by and pick up a morning pastry at Starter Bakery this morning for a visit with my 94 year old mom . Waited for five minutes outside the front door for service - the clerk inside was oblivious to my gentle knocking on the door - head down in her cell phone. When she did open the door we discussed the pastry choices available and I placed my order. I then waited another many minutes for the order to be bagged up only to then learn from the clerk there were none of that kind of pastry left. When I asked what they had available she said "I don't know" with an attitude
Daisy R.
Jan 13, 2022
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Olha I.
Jan 08, 2022
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John Nguyen
Jan 05, 2022
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Nick Wls Farmer
Jan 04, 2022
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We've been regulars through Too Good to Go for several weeks now, ordering at least once a week, and we love everything Starter Bakery produces. Literally everything! I normally can't stand muffins, but theirs are actually delicious. And when it comes to things that I do like in general, for example cinnamon rolls, what Starter Bakery produces is heavenly. Starter Bakery is one of the best perks of living in the East Bay.
Mickey W.
Jan 02, 2022
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I usually get Kouign Amann from a local coffee shop, but it was closed today. Fortunately, I spotted Starter's pop-up tent at the Sunday Farmers Market in Montclair Village. Their version of this classic pastry is so far superior to my usual source. Flaky, moist, buttery with a creamy filling and topped with a small chunk of baked apple. So glad that coffee shop was closed. I'm making Starter's my new go-to bakery.
Al L.
Nov 24, 2021
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Heard good things about Starter Bakery from Yelpers and it's been on my to-try list. Their products are sold at smaller supermarkets and currently at six farmers markets. I checked out their website and they have a pop-up store at the bakery the first Saturday of the month on a first come first served basis, which I decided to check out. The bakery is off Gilman next to the Tesla service center. I was able to find street parking a block away.
I got a variety of items to try including sweets, savory and a loaf of bread.
Sourdough batard - I love artisan breads and this batard fits the bill
I got a variety of items to try including sweets, savory and a loaf of bread.
Sourdough batard - I love artisan breads and this batard fits the bill
Betty T.
Nov 12, 2021
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This place is like a Rotha or Fournee Patisserie without the hassle having to wake up early and lining up. Also has more variety and seasonal items. The croissants here are definitely not as layered and flakey as those from Rotha (to be fair, no one makes it like Rotha) but it's still nice and crispy. In other words, Starter gets the job done!
I love that I can pre-order for delivery, and wake up to a bike of freshly baked goods outside my door.
Fave items include almond croissant, kouign amann (Theo seasonal flavors like apple is sooo good), and veggie quiche. Loveeee their veggie quiche
I love that I can pre-order for delivery, and wake up to a bike of freshly baked goods outside my door.
Fave items include almond croissant, kouign amann (Theo seasonal flavors like apple is sooo good), and veggie quiche. Loveeee their veggie quiche
Sonia C.
Nov 09, 2021
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This review is mainly for their Kouign Amanns. I have ordered multiple times via their website in the last year for easy pickup (usually there has been plentiful parking inside the Tesla service center area & right in front of the bakery), and generally order their croissants and Kouign Amanns. Kouign Amanns are croissants in a different shape and with an added carmelized sugar crust, so naturally they are sweeter and richer. I recently had Kouign Amanns from b.patisserie and they were good but had less carmelized sugar than the ones from Starter. I personally love the Kouign Amanns from Starter
Edward R.
Oct 23, 2021
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Tried both a kouign amann and a twice baked almond croissant but both were a bit dense and stodgy. Maybe passable, but there are just so many better bakeries out there that unfortunately it just doesn't seem worth it. Two stars is a bit tough, but more I have it, the more I don't really feel like finishing it - that's never a good sign
David Rim
Aug 02, 2021
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Steve Archer
Jul 19, 2021
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Mary L.
Jun 28, 2021
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Huge line at the Oakland farmer's market so we had to try it. Everything was fresh but we weren't huge fans of their croissants. Maybe because it was the twice baked kind? They were sold out of their regular croissants but the twice baked was a bit hard and lost a lot of the crispiness and airiness. The chocolate they use is so good. Kouign Amanns were good but wished they were crispier. Definitely the best option at the Oakland Temescal Sunday Farmer's Market for Bakeries.
Christina M.
May 09, 2021
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I tried the:
Strawberry vanilla custard kouign amann and nutella! The crunchy crust on top was yummy
almond croissant which was slightly soft but once you reheat in the oven you can get back that flakey crunchiness!
My favorite was the sourdough baguette especially when you toast it and make a homemade sandwich!
Strawberry vanilla custard kouign amann and nutella! The crunchy crust on top was yummy
almond croissant which was slightly soft but once you reheat in the oven you can get back that flakey crunchiness!
My favorite was the sourdough baguette especially when you toast it and make a homemade sandwich!
Emma Anthony
Apr 28, 2021
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Steve C.
Apr 03, 2021
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Awful bakery. The staff is exceptionally rude and the bread is kept until well past stale. I've visited their booth at the oakland farmers market a few times and always been disappointed. What should be crisp and buttery crosoints are chewy and leathery without any hint of butter and just a nasty wood-bleach like aroma.
TL;DR: Bad. Buy your bread somewhere else.
TL;DR: Bad. Buy your bread somewhere else.
Robert Du Domaine
Mar 23, 2021
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Elsa Huang
Mar 16, 2021
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Very rude service in Castro Valley ,CA , farmers market's booth. I will never go back , maybe because I am Asian, they don't look very nice to Asian people, I was distancr from the booth, they ask me to step back, I can't even see the bread from the distance, I went back serveral times to get bread because the bread is good, at the same time I want to support local business as well. And I always very nervous to order my bread because I always feel the two girls not very friendly to me. I will never go back again even I like their bread.
Kristin N.
Mar 12, 2021
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First timers, this place can be challenging to find. It's along the outdoor wall of the old pyramid building, inside the parking area, adjacent to the Tesla repair shop. Lots of parking which is nice.
I'm consistently impressed with this place. Flaky, buttery, delicious pastries. The best cinnamon rolls (think croissant dough cinnamon roll). The korgiuns are great too. I love that they regularly bring out new seasonal items. Quiches are excellent too and super reasonable. Hotdog and hammer buns are also A+. My only complaint is that I wish they were open earlier. They start pickup
I'm consistently impressed with this place. Flaky, buttery, delicious pastries. The best cinnamon rolls (think croissant dough cinnamon roll). The korgiuns are great too. I love that they regularly bring out new seasonal items. Quiches are excellent too and super reasonable. Hotdog and hammer buns are also A+. My only complaint is that I wish they were open earlier. They start pickup
Doctor L.
Feb 07, 2021
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I believe that there technically be enough butter in each kouign amann to actually qualify as a source of protein, and obviously fat as well. Not to mention the sugar. While not the healthiest of foodstuffs, one could arguably subsist on these kouign amanns for quite some time. Or at least that's how I'm justifying it to myself. Don't even get me started on the bourbon pecan pie, which may have enough bourbon to qualify as a light cocktail.
These guys are absolutely destroying my Covid health regimen. Destroying it.
These guys are absolutely destroying my Covid health regimen. Destroying it.
Eri S.
Jan 12, 2021
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This review is based solely on the Panettone. Truly. wonderful. If you got one of those boxed ones made in a factory somewhere, I'm sorry. Get this one. It has a chocolate crackled top that was different and I was worried I wouldn't like it but wow. We picked it up 12/23 (distanced pick up, text when you get to the parking lot) and had half for dessert today. That was after a full dinner and i wasn't really hungry but it was so perfect - pulling apart into these fluffy, rich, lightly sweet heavenly bites with the tang of dried fruit. Thank you, Starter Bakery, for making the holidays
Katie Y.
Jan 04, 2021
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01/03/2021 Temescal farmers market- I hadn't noticed the twice baked chocolate croissant before, so I got that today! It is filled with hazelnut spread and topped with choc chips- so decadent! I think I found a new favorite item (along with the chocolate kouign amann).
Chocolate KA seemed a bit soggy today. From looks of the photo it looks a bit underbaked but I am not a KA baking expert. But I will still buy in the future
Line was short today. I think people are keeping to their New Years resolutions better than me (in fact I ate more than usual :/)
Chocolate KA seemed a bit soggy today. From looks of the photo it looks a bit underbaked but I am not a KA baking expert. But I will still buy in the future
Line was short today. I think people are keeping to their New Years resolutions better than me (in fact I ate more than usual :/)
Mike C.
Jul 25, 2020
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Haven't been to Berkeley for more than half a year. Fortunate for me, I found some of their offerings at Rainbow Grocery in late June. I'd tried Starter's offerings as my friend brought their name on my radar in enjoying some of their baked goods at Park Taven on a Sunday brunch.
Well, a short time later, my friend and I found their products at that popular market on 18th Street in the Mission and I tried their famous offering, the chocolate Kouign Amman (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Oeugbxg_s75reaCoRXiI6w&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q); please note that this
Well, a short time later, my friend and I found their products at that popular market on 18th Street in the Mission and I tried their famous offering, the chocolate Kouign Amman (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Oeugbxg_s75reaCoRXiI6w&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q); please note that this
Isa Elfers
Jan 06, 2020
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I've never been here, I just bought one of their kouign amanns at the Amazon Go store on Market. I was so shocked by how good it was even out of a clamshell container that I had to write them a review. It is a masterpiece of pastry. It is perfect in every way imaginable. I cannot believe I bought it for four dollars at a weird digital convenience store.
Richard Lossing
Sep 24, 2019
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