Cocola

It’s a small cafe that has a lot of sweets and desserts. Some of the best tasting desserts in the area. It’s located right in the Santana Row strip so it’s nice to snack off and walk around the area. They have sandwiches, desserts, and coffee. It’s a bit pricey but kind of expected for the Santana Row area. We got a cream cheese croissant and a coffee for about $16. Overall, a great place but could be a bit crowded in the evening. A nice place for an evening stroll.

I recently stopped by Cocola Bakery at Santana Row and was genuinely impressed. Their strawberry croissant is exceptional — beautifully flaky, golden layers with a real fruit flavor that tastes fresh, not overly sweet. The balance between buttery pastry and light strawberry filling is perfect. The café itself feels elegant and relaxed, with friendly service and a nice spot to sit and enjoy coffee. Prices are on the higher side, but the quality easily justifies it. Even as a first-time visitor, it’s clear why this bakery has such a strong reputation. Cocola is worth the stop — especially if you appreciate a perfectly made croissant.

This is an overpriced and overrated food spot. Go elsewhere if you’re looking for quality French pastries. We got a flaky pastry with a crème filling, and it was absolute trash: it tasted stale and unoriginal (I think some pillsbury DIY dessert is better than this). Cappuccino was nothing special. Only decent thing was the iced banana mocha. Overpriced (3 items cost $21). Seating was cramped, and they looked like they were still setting up. Do not recommend.

Fun dessert shop to share cakes and coffee. It wasn't too busy, we got two tables to fit 8 of us. We ordered 4 slices of cake and black coffee with sides of cream. The items were plated quickly as well as the coffee. The cakes were tasty, not too sweet. You can taste the fruits in the cakes we choose. Service was nice and efficient. It is our go-to dessert usually after dinner at a nearby restaurant.

This coffee shop is in a great location. Has a wide variety of pastries and a decent selection of coffee drinks.He sat outside and santana has great people watching, but the traffic sounds are pretty loud. The food and drinks are fairly delicious and well made. But the outside chairs are really uncomfortable, not so much possibility for lingering.

Must try👨🏻‍🍳 Cream Cheese Danish Mushroom Danish ( had a bit bitter aftertaste ) Lots of seating available!! The outdoor seating is a vibe. They have lots of drinks options and sandwiches too. Cute spot!!

I ordered a sandwich, a coffee, and a cup of hot water. I later realized that the hot water was a paid item, which was fine. However, the hot water was served in two stacked disposable cups, and I noticed afterward that the bottom cup had been reused. I’m not sure if this is considered normal practice or if additional staff training might be needed, so I’ll leave that judgment to you.

Stopped by Cocola at Santana Row right at opening on a Saturday. No crowd at all, which made it a relaxing start to the day. I got a hot mocha, the flavor was average, but the portion size was generous and the price surprisingly affordable for Santana Row. Tried the mushroom croissant and was really pleased. it had a nice savory umami flavor. Also had a pistachio croissant, which was decent but tasted like it wasn’t made fresh that morning. Pastries are on the pricier side and the quality is average. Service was fast and the baristas were friendly. Outdoor seating was lovely, and there’s plenty of parking, but it’s only free for the first two hours.

I love it .great experience nice employee good pastry and I will coma back again thank you so much

I have to admit that when I saw this place listed in Eater's "Best Bakeries in South Bay" list, I rolled my eyes a little. My first impression of Cocola (having past by it several times when I'm in Santana Row) is that it's an "Instagram bakery," meaning a place that serves nice looking pastries in a good looking setting but doesn't really deliver in taste. I won't name names of other bakeries that are in this category... *cough* Paris Baguette *cough*. However, I decided to give it a chance instead of harboring onto this initial judgment. I got the hazelnut cake, the creme feuillet, and pistachio croissant. I was very surprised at how great the first two pastries tasted. They were both very well balanced and not overpowering, which is usually my experience in having these kinds of items at other bakeries. I was pretty disappointed by the pistachio croissant. Not only did the green cream filling look unappealing and unnatural but it also tasted pretty awful. I thought that this croissant would be a nice alternative to the traditional almond croissant but unfortunately, it didn't deliver. In all honesty, I would probably have given this place a perfect rating had it not been for this one croissant. While I didn't get any savory items, they also didn't seem like anything too special from what I saw. Overall, I think that this bakery is decent if you live in the nearby area and need a no-fail "safe" bakery to order a pastry or dessert. I would definitely consider stopping by here for a sweet treat after visiting Valley Fair or Santana Row.

Come for the pastries, desserts, and drinks, and not so much for the service. Not very pleasant staff, IMO. Santana Row stuffiness, perhaps? Like I need them more than they need me as a customer. We came here basically because they were open late for a cafe. I'll save the calories, money, and grumps the next time I have a craving.

Cute cafe with an aesthetically pleasing interior/outdoor seating area/pastry selection. My mom and I stopped by for coffee and a quick snack (we shared the Mango and Passion Fruit Mousse) mid-shopping trip. The food/drinks were fine (standard, nothing special), but the 3 stars are for the lukewarm, borderline cold service, which was enough to deter me from a future visit. Overall, Cocola is conveniently located (perhaps a reasonable place to rest/take a break after a long day of shopping), but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back.

Ordered their whole fruit tart for Thanksgiving, and it was ok! Even though the description says it has a raspberry mousse, it was actually mango (I should have taken a picture of the yellow inside)... At least it tasted delicious! The frangipan and butter crust tasted dense, but at least the flavor was there. They also misspelled Thanksgiving and the writing was a bit sloppy. For an $80 fruit tart, I expected better. I normally like Cocola's cakes, but this may be a pass in the future.

Sunday morning @9am & NO ONE was there! No one was at Santana Row & no one was the bakery!! I was able to get in/out in under 10mins! I tried their Strawberry Croissant & OH EM GEE!! It's SOO delicious!! Their Cheese Danish was delish as well' I also enjoyed their drip coffee. I highly recommend both! ‍

Had a great sandwich and side salad here. My daughter opted for one of the desserts (a very well made croissant). Honestly, the only complaint I have is about the seating - not enough of it. We had to wait around quite a bit to find seating. I've eaten here multiple times but this is the only time Ive submitted a review. If in Santa Row, you should definitely try this baker.

Let's point out the obvious, it's extremely overpriced. I mean you are on santana row so what do you expect? I am still rating it a 4 despite that. The deserts look amazing. The Macarons were delicious but this tiny box of 6 was $15 the large size ones are $30! I like how the ice cream comes in a container already it's so easy with kids! Service was quick and helpful. Ambiance was nice and cute. We will be back!

This is a cute lovely cafe for some pastry and quick rest after strolling in Santana Row. My friend and I got the strawberry croissant, apple tart, orange soda and a chai latte. I love that their croissant is crispy and flakey, unlike some cafes where croissant looked good but was too soft and soggy. The latte also come in a huge mug!

Order this place to go! The dining area is small and crowded. Cool packaging and excellent cheese cake!

Cutest little shop. It almost reminds me of being in Europe at a local cafe. There is indoor and outdoor seating. There is something for everyone from pastries to coffee. There is a limited savory menu which I found convenient. Service is good and the decor is relaxed. It's a great place to meet friends or just hang out with family.

Super efficient service and they are super nice. We've gotten the strawberry croissant before which is unique and delicious. Today we got the blueberry muffin. It's not too sweet and it had a cardamom or ginger flavor? Either way I'll come back for the strawberry croissant!

The manager who has the bob cut hair with thick round eyeglasses is extremely rude and arrogant. I was really disappointed with my visit to Cocola in Santana Row. The customer service was rude and unwelcoming from the start. There's no sign anywhere that says customers can't sit near the door, yet after we sat down, the staff came and abruptly told us we had to move. If that's a rule, then put up a clear sign and don't place tables there in the first place. Overall, the place is overpriced and the desserts honestly aren't that good for what they charge. With how poorly the situation was handled, I left feeling frustrated and unwelcome. Definitely expecting better from a store in this location. Management really needs to step up staff training and customer experience.

I was really disappointed with the service at Cocola in Santana Row today. I ordered a mint tea and paid, then sat down with my pastry. Only after all of that did I get told they were out of mint tea. At that point, I was forced to choose something else I didn't want, instead of being informed up front or offered a refund. This feels like a basic customer service miss -- if something is unavailable, that should be communicated before taking payment, not after. The situation could have been handled much better with proper staff training and management support. A simple heads-up or proactive offer to refund would have gone a long way. Hoping management improves how customer issues like this are handled in the future.

Nice and inviting bakery at Santana Row. Desserts were good (we ordered their napoleon, chocolate croissant and chocolate mousse cake)... they were good but nothing extraordinary. Prices are a bit more expensive but I understand theyre at a premium location. Nothing to complain about, really. If youre craving for cafe food, Cocola will do the job.

Plenty of options and quick service. We got the cheese danish and enjoyed its flavor, drip coffee was good as well. Plenty of outside seating options and cute atmosphere.

My husband and I were passing through Santana Row yesterday and we decided to browse Cocola Bakery to see what pastries were offered. This is a very quaint and beautiful setup. They have available seating inside as well as a large seating area outside their store Front. The variety of pastries and cakes are colorful and so elegantly shown. I believe they also offer affogato options for nice days like yesterday and hotter days during the summers. When we walked in, we were automatically welcomed by the staff/baristas and asked if we needed help or had any questions. After browsing their whole selection of pastries, I noticed the pistachio almond croissant and told my husband that it looks delicious and pistachios are a thing/trend right now. He also noticed there was only one left so he said it may be super popular. So guess what he decided on? Haha yes we bought the pistachio croissant. To my surprise, it was not overly sweet but you can taste the pistachio cream inside the almond croissant. The almond taste of the croissant was also perfect. We didn't get a chance to order a coffee with our pastry so when we come back.. we will definitely try a latte or maybe the banana hot chocolate everyone is craving about when we were there. The only thing I suggest is offering Matcha (ceremonial grade, of course) on their menu: Iced and Hot with options for Strawberry or Regular (it's great to see sugar free options for syrups as well) but I know many cafes won't have too many sugar free options except for sugar free vanilla syrups. But if they had Matcha .. I would've definitely ordered an Iced Matcha with light strawberry syrup. But we will be back for sure as this place offered a pastry that was great to eat.

Mushroom croissant is the best! Perfectly flaky, buttery and packed with umami. I've been coming to this spot for the last 13 years and it still hits every time. Great vibes. Self-serve water, clean tables (take out your own trash!), and a respectful crowd. Lots of locals know show up. Depending on when you go, expect to see weekday techies on Zoom meetings or weekend girls energy. It's always the right place at the right time.

Stopped by Cocola at Santana Row right at opening on a Saturday. No crowd at all, which made it a relaxing start to the day. I got a hot mocha, the flavor was average, but the portion size was generous and the price surprisingly affordable for Santana Row. Tried the mushroom croissant and was really pleased. it had a nice savory umami flavor. Also had a pistachio croissant, which was decent but tasted like it wasn't made fresh that morning. Pastries are on the pricier side and the quality is average. Service was fast and the baristas were friendly. Outdoor seating was lovely, and there's plenty of parking, but it's only free for the first two hours.

Cocola Bakery is a Santana Row classic. I love the pastries and it's always a wonderful treat after dinner or lunch. One of my favorites is the strawberries/raspberries and cream cake. It is light, fluffy, tart, sweet and oh soooo good! Every bite is soft and is quite fresh. There is indoor and outdoor seating and but tends to fill up quickly on the weekends and evenings. If you notice that there is no seating, you can always get it to go and walk towards the south end of Santana Row and grab a seat there by the fountains and enjoy your snacks and desserts there. I can't believe I have been coming here for the past 18 plus years. Oh how time flies by fast. They also offer coffee, tea, snacks, salads, sandwiches and other drinks. Service is pretty quick and friendly as well. The atmosphere hasn't really changed over the years and still looks identical to how it looked like almost 20 years ago.

Amazing bakery! Delicious well made beautiful pastries. I don't remember the exact name of what I ordered, but it was a vanilla cream pastry puff and a keto zucchini parmesan bread. Both were delicious! The vanilla cream reminded me of crème brûlée, it was amazing not too sweet or heavy perfect creaminess and nice texture! I shared with my sisters so they could try and they loved it as well. Everything is well displayed and smells amazing right when you walk in. Friendly staff. I am happy my sister lives right above so I can come here often to try more delicious treats!

Visited on a Friday evening - the line was long but service was pretty efficient. The seating outdoors was plentiful and reminiscent of (what I imagine to be) a French cafe with decorative metal tables and chairs which are light enough to easily move around depending on your party size. The dessert I tried was a tiramisu and the pistachio croissant, which were very tasty. I also ordered the smoked salmon croissant sandwich, which came with a small green salad with a yummy, mustard-y vinaigrette, and a side of mixed fruits. The sandwich was plain but tasty. This experience, for what its, was pleasant, if not just a bit overpriced which also isn't surprising considering it's Santana Row.

Overdue review of this spot. My fiancé and I have enjoyed their Cappuccino and pastries and dare I say better than Eatly. Upon walking in, a display of amazing pastries, desserts and also great sandwiches and salads. Staff are very friendly and happy to make suggestions as there is simply too many to choose from. Today, my fiancé and I enjoyed a breakfast pastry that had egg, bacon on an amazing croissant, as well as a plain croissant. We also enjoyed two cappuccino that were the closest we have had compared to our time in Italy. The pastries are delicate and flavorful, the coffee is nothing but quality. This is the perfect spot to enjoy with friends and family while enjoying the atmosphere of Santana Row. We will be back to try their lunch menu.

Craving coffee after brunch and wanted some dessert as we walked down Santana Row. We had latte, banana hot chocolate to go with some sweets. I personally prefer flaky pastries so I enjoyed the almond croissant while the others loved the mousse and tart. It was packed and a bit confusing at ordering and they missed one latte but we were about to cut the line to add the missing latte. Decor is cozy and small but cute.

The people who work here are nice enough I guess . but the patrons will let their annoying small dogs carry on and on barking away it's like a super nuisance noise , they don't care who they're bothering . especially for out of town visitors tryinto relax on Saturday night on the sidewalk cafe to enjoy it it's my first time in San Jose and I gotta listen to some dog with high pitched yaps pierce my brain and the staff don't regulate this for the other customers and i had to leave bc I couldn't stand to sit there and have someone else dog bark in my ear . I was tempted to throw my coffee on the dog bc it was beyond irritating . I feel the staff can tell them to leave but they don't care

I've been to this bakery twice, and both times the experience was so shockingly bad that I feel obligated to finally speak up. The manager here ( wearing glasses) is consistently rude, disrespectful, and completely unprofessional. She has twice forced my group to get up and move from a table that we had every right to sit at. We were not blocking anything, not causing trouble, and the table was placed there by the bakery. If customers aren't allowed to sit there, then don't put a table there. Instead of addressing us politely, she yelled at us in front of everyone, saying "your group needs to move, you're blocking the way," when we absolutely were not. The tone she used was hostile and unnecessary. What makes this even worse is that this is not the first time she has treated us like this. A couple months ago, she did the exact same thing to my mom, who is handicapped. She made her move from the same spot--yet the group before us sat there without any issue. The double standard is impossible to ignore, and honestly it felt discriminatory. I never left a review back then because I hoped it was just a bad day. But today, coming back with a group of friends, she behaved the exact same way again. Same attitude, same rudeness, same disrespect. Clearly, this is how she chooses to treat customers. No business should allow a manager to speak to people like this. It's rude, it's unwelcoming, and it shows zero regard for customer service. After being treated this way multiple times, I can confidently say that we will not be returning--and I hope future customers are aware of how poorly people can be treated here.

This is always my favorite dessert bakery whenever I am shopping in Valery Fair across the street then head over here for some dessert. I always over the mango mousse as it is my top desert here. Price over the year had been increase rapidly due to the economy and pricing in Santana Row. The valley had outdoor and indoor seating through the year. Services sometimes a miss and a hit due to the volume of the customers but it is not that busy on weekday.

Cute little patisserie shop in Santana Row. It's right next to Best Buy parking lot. On a good day it has nice chairs outside to sit as well. Service was good. I have only had the banana hot chocolate l which was quite nice and sweet. They have one vegan option which is the chocolate hazelnut pastry. It looked so good hoping to try it sometime in the future.

4 stars for pastries | 0 star for service -- overall 2 stars We came here for their apple tarts and they are honestly delicious -- flaky crust, fresh apples, and not overly sweet. Personally I wish the apples were a little more tart to balance the sweetness, but still a solid pastry. However, the service needs serious improvement. I ordered 3 apple tarts to go, and the staff just stacked them on top of each other in a bag -- no box, no tissue paper in between, nothing to prevent damage. These pastries are almost $8 each, and this is Santana Row -- a high-end location -- yet the takeout packaging felt careless and cheap. Nobody even asked if I preferred a box. I also ordered one of their house-made organic ice creams, and unlike other premium places like Eataly, they don't offer any tasting before choosing a flavor. The ice cream container was handed to me with no bag, and at checkout the cashier didn't bother to offer one. For the prices Cocola charges, basic customer service and packaging standards should be common sense. The pastries are good, but the service experience takes away from it. I hope management considers retraining staff on customer service and proper packaging for to-go orders -- it would make a big difference.

Love the cakes from here! Ordered the 8'' Le Sultan (Hazelnut cake) and it's very rich and chocolatey. It's on the heavier and sweeter side. Ordered the cake for pick up on the website. Note if you want any additional writing or signs it'll cost extra. The service is quick. There's some seating and tables inside and outside, but given it's Santana Row it gets pretty busy. It also can get pretty noisy if sitting closer to the street. My only complaint is that the prices go up ever year - when I ordered from here a couple of years ago the same cake was $50 and now it's almost $80.

I am starving and tried the tuna and the chicken salad.b The tuna was good and the pastries look delicious if I want to load up on calories and fattening desserts. I'm not overly impressed.

ehh found the pastries to be ok. Nothing mind blowing. However, great vibes with outdoor setting to chit chat. Came here because it opens till 11PM and we were looking for a late night sweet treat.

This place was packed everytime I walked by so my mom and I wanted to get some sweet treats. I really enjoyed their outdoor seating where my mom and I chilled, ate, and chatted. We got the fruit tart and napoleon. We prefer cream filled fruit tarts and sadly this wasn't that. Their fruit tart had a baked base, maybe marzipan. Other than that, the tart was good. I enjoyed the napoleon too. It was a dulce de leche flavor. The cream was super rich so I couldn't eat it too fast.

I often come to Cocola for breakfast pastries and coffee. There are lots of pastries to choose from, and I usually choose from the selection of flavored croissants. I always get the Mocha Bianca and it is such a tasty and refreshing drink. There is a lot of outdoor seating available with a nice view of shops at Santana Row. The peaceful ambience is relaxing and a great way to start the day in the mornings. I highly recommend checking out Cocola the next time you are in Santana Row!

I like that this bakery stays open late. They have wonderful pastries and the service is fast. Lots of tables to sit at, great people watching. Their mocha is fantastic.

Overpriced and not good. Had the chocolate pound cake, the size of a small muffin ($7)and their macaroons = very meh. Would not go back.

Located in bustling Santana Row. There are seats outside of the store, in the alleyway. They offer from ice cream to bakery items. We ordered chocolate ice cream, hot chocolate, decaffeinated latte, and mango cake. The hot chocolate and latte came out in a humongous mug cup. Hot chocolate and latte were so smooth and milky. They were so rich. Mango cake was very refreshing and delightful. I would visit again!

One of the best pastry cafes around. Very French style and I highly recommend. Service was friendly, and coffee was quite high quality. A nice el fresco ambiance for seating outside on a summer day!

I used to come here years ago and they never had any vegan options. I recently stopped by and was caught by surprise! They have 2 vegan desserts! I had to try them and they were so delicious! They also have non diary milk for your coffee! Amazing service and desserts.

Ruuuuuuuude and extremely arrogant. The manage (bob cut hair with thick frame glasses) was extremely rude when she spotted us scanning thru the pastries across the display. She literally told us "you cannot be here looking when there is a line" even though we had to look thru before we could make a choice of what we were going to select. Her rudeness did not stop there: after we purchased the pastries, we could not find any empty chairs so we put our pastries and tray on the handicapped table and she immediately told us that we could not be there and had to move. How can anyone go regardless of how good the quality of the desserts are??? Simply rude and perhaps we felt we were looked down upon What a bad bad experience we had... Clearly we will make sure the word spreads and others don't experience what we experienced

So it's been years since I went to Cocola. I used to go here whenever I was at Santana Row. I would get a pastry and a big cup of cappuccino. The bakery still looks the same. Same cafe tables and chairs. Times have changed. The pastries are still delicious. The coffee, not so much. It was a busy weekend so the line was a bit long. The person who rang up my purchases also was the one who made my latte. The latte was mostly watered down coffee. Like with a hint of coffee flavor. I eventually drank it all reluctantly.

Coffee is so delicious And the service is great Very spacious and comfortable place to have a coffee

I can't say much about the other things they've got, but for their chai latte, it changed for the worst. First and foremost, the chai latte I ordered this time was far from what I remembered. There has been a noticeable change in the quality of the drink since my last visit, and not for the better. The overall experience of drinking it was quite disappointing. The flavor was incredibly weak, almost as if the drink had been watered down significantly. It tasted like water and a sprinkle of chai. Not worth the $8 Aside from the chai latte, I found the service to be alright. The staff was quick and efficient in taking and delivering orders, but there was nothing particularly memorable about the service Ambiance is cute though

(Santana row) Food: caramel chocolate mousse 8.5/10 - if you like caramel desserts this would be a great choice. You can taste the caramel in each bite. The dessert is also dense and filling Chamomile tea was flavorful and can definitely taste the herb Setting: has indoor and outdoor sitting. Indoor looks elegant. Has self serve cold lemon water which always a plus. Service: great staff Price: moderate price

What not good here. Our yearly stop for coffee and dessert after having our holiday dinner. Coffee and dessert is the icing on the cake to end the evening and Cocola never disappoints. It gets crazy busy here and not much seating inside. Make sure to bundle up if sitting outside.

I absolutely love Cocola! I'm surprised I haven't reviewed it yet but I've been coming here for years. So many pastry options and every single one that I have tried has been delicious! My personal favorites being the 3 layer chocolate and the milkshake tart. This time I tried something new and got the chocolate caramel tart which was fantastic! I always pair any pastry that I get with a banana hot chocolate. They obviously have a lot of drink options but I mostly come to Cocola for the banana hot chocolate. Indoors there is limited seating and outside there is tons, when it's chilly they do have heaters so it's nice and comfortable even outdoors. The staff is super nice and they can make recommendations as well!

Over priced for bakery goods! Nice outside seating area! Tea was not too bad but water was very hot!

Nice little cafe in the busy corner of Santana Row. They are open until midnight, so it's convenient if you're out on the town and craving a pastry or hot coffee beverage. They have a good amount of pastry options as well as drink options. Their banana mocha is sucha treat! Their price is also not too bad! Really enjoyed this cafe and the service was also great even with the busy rush!

Been here multiple times but never left a review before. Thought I would do so this time round with a review on theyr pistachio tart and pineapple twist. The pineapple twist is pretty unique with the addition of coconut and the slight charred/baked pineapple hint. I would come back for the pistachio tart. Love the thick crust and the smooth creamy filling.