Eastern Bakery
Chinese bakery · Chinatown ·
Traditional Chinese baked goods, coffee crunch cake & mooncakes
Traditional Chinese baked goods, coffee crunch cake & mooncakes
"Chinatown’s eminent sesame ball purveyor is Eastern Bakery. It’s been around for over 100 years. The sesame ball here goes for about $3; it’s cash only or, interestingly, Zelle-accessible. Each jian dui comes warm, enormous, and full of q goodness. It’s the size that puts most of the respect on this recipe — it’s a large temple to better worship the glory of sesame or lotus paste. Taking a few of these pastries for under $10, including tip, to nearby Portsmouth Square is as smart a sesame ball date as they come." - Paolo Bicchieri
"The longest-operating bakery in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Eastern Bakery has been around since 1924. The cash-only spot is a local favorite, especially for their signature coffee crunch cake: soft yellow sponge cake topped with toffee bits and mocha cream. During Mid-Autumn Festival (or any time of year, really), pick up a lotus-paste mooncake or three—while many bakeries import their mooncakes, Eastern makes them fresh in-house." - megan zhang, julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Don’t forget there’s affordable vegan food at even old-school Chinatown bakeries. Eastern Bakery, which opened in 1924, is well-known for its coffee cake and mooncakes. But this is the ideal spot for sesame balls: For just a few bucks, this vegan treat is an adzuki lover’s dream. Grab a coffee at Grant Street’s Jane the Baker outpost and nab one of these for the buzz of your life." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Eastern Bakery is a Chinese bakery in Chinatown that’s been around (and only accepting cash) for a hundred years. We like to swing by for their year-round mooncakes or a slice of their excellent coffee crunch cake, and take them to Portsmouth Square. The nearest ATM is conveniently on the same block for maximum efficiency." - julia chen 1
"Coffee crunch cake & steamed custard buns The longest operating bakery in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Eastern Bakery has graced the city since 1924. The cash-only spot is a local favorite, especially for its very popular signature coffee crunch cake: soft yellow sponge cake topped with toffee bits and mocha cream. During Mid-Autumn Festival (or any time of year, really), pick up a lotus-paste mooncake or three - while many bakeries import their mooncakes, Eastern makes them fresh in-house, and the sweet filling is gooey and thick. In fact, you can expect a generous amount of filling in most of the baked goods here, from the steamed custard buns to the winter melon cakes. The bakers do not skimp." - team infatuation
