- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Alisha F. said: "The Russian Cream Cake is INSANELY GOOD. It is not too sweet, and also not "not sweet enough." The golden raisins in the middle layer of the cake offered an extremely mild flavor and a really nice textural element. The smallest…" read more »
261 reviews for Acme Bread Company
Review Highlights
-
"Overall, get the SWEET BAGUETTE at Acme." In 15 reviews -
"Best cinnamon currant bread in Berkeley." In 7 reviews -
"I love their Pain Epi for its picnicking versatility." In 8 reviews
Loading...
261 reviews in English
-
Review from Courtney J.
Berkeley, CA
5/23/2012
How I love thee, Acme bakery, let me count the ways.
I have never tried anything from this place that I did not enjoy. Croissants, ham and cheese turnovers, orange currant bread, olive bread, rustic bread, sour baguette, panettone, etc., etc. It's all fabulous. The prices are decent. Waiting in line is totally worth it.
My dad loves the ham and cheese turnovers so much that I will get in line at 7:45 a.m. to buy him some before my 16-hour drive home for Christmas every year. -
Review from Ray B.
Berkeley, CA
5/8/2012
Mmmmmmm. The whiff of yeasty baked bread as soon as i get out of my parked car is just PRICELESS.
Gastric juices starts to flow. I think to myself...damn why didn't I bring some bottle of olive oil with me...I always end up eating half of the loaf on the ride home anyways.
Love all their breads here. My favorites are rustic sour, pain epi (bc of the awesome shape), and sweet loaf. OH and the pumpkin bread. Damn you seasonal pumpkin bread. You're so good. So good.
Also a plus, walking home like a parisian with a baguette nestled in your arms. -
Review from Andres D.
Berkeley, CA
5/6/2012
Having moved to the area from AZ (where they don't have bakeries... and many other things) ACME was very well received!
The bread is fresh, the service is friendly and quick, if there's not one near you, try it at your own risk! If you're looking for suggestions, my favorites are the baguette (sweet or sour), olive bread, herb loaf, and twinkle (like a mini baguette). -
Review from Sarah D.
Berkeley, CA
4/28/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Taste: Delicious melt in your mouth sourdough cheese roll. Yum! This bread roll looks like a standard sourdough roll but when you bite into it you wont believe your taste buds. The cheese is miked and baked right into the batter.
Sound: Standard bakery noises and the Mom next to me telling her kids not to put their grubby paws all over the samples.
Site: Tiny, super tiny, counter (a banquet table doubled as a counter) covered in packaged breads and two cash registers. Wall to wall bakers racks stacked full of fresh baked Acme bread.
Smell: Yeast, cheese, bread goodness.
Overall Feel: The company doing so well may want to expand their location a bit considering costumers line up outside the bakery waiting to buy bread, rain or shine. I'm game but there really isn't room for more than two customers in the shop at a time.
Also, for sanitary reasons, the employees selling bread should be wearing gloves when handling bread if they are touching money, or have one designated register person. Money is filthy, even the tiny tissues can beat. -
Review from Tiffany H.
Rohnert Park, CA
My girlfriend and I had breakfast at 900 Grayson and they served Acme bread; there was no question upon leaving breakfast where we were going next. We got there around 10:00 and there was a line. You could smell the aroma of the bread waffling outside everytime the door open. Couldn't wait to get inside. The only downfall I see here, too much to choose from, I wanted it all!!! Ended up with a rye, the walnut and current, and of course the sticky cinnamon bread - OMG it was delightful. I live in Sonoma County and I will be on the hunt for someplace local to purchase this gem of bread or maybe I just have to make a trip to Berkeley everyweek ;-)
On a side note: They only take cash so be prepared -
Review from Sam W.
Emeryville, CA
3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
My mom kept asking me, "Have you found a good bakery?" having moved from Bakersfield. I really never knew what she meant as bread was just bread to me until I tried Acme Bread Company.
Wow! The bread here is great. So many different types all beautiful and delicious.
This is some damn good bread! -
Review from Natalie C.
Pleasanton, CA
1/24/2012
Basically the best sourdough bread I've ever had.
Get the cheesy bread. -
Review from Sandra L.
San Francisco, CA
3/2/2012
Well, I'm probably not going to be a constant customer but that doesn't mean I'm not a fan of this place!
I walked over here this morning with my friend and I was so excited about it because I knew there was one in the SF Ferry Building and I never had the chance to go to either locations!!
We arrived around 9:30am and there was already a line! There's actually a cafe next to this bread factory for customers to buy coffee and other delicious pastries (that take the bread from Acme).
I picked up a challah roll, epi roll and a sweet baguette. My friend bought a chocolate croissant and a cinnamon twist. (I have no idea why he would get something like that at a renowned bread place but in his defense, he said that well .. even if a croissant is made by incorporating pounds of butter, it's still made with the highest bread quality so it's probably still the best damn croissant in the entire area! heh at his logic. So for him, he would recommend getting it croissants!)
I was literally overwhelmed by the amount of bread on the shelves. Note that this place is actually not that big, in fact it is quite a small shop and there was a huge selection of bread. It's also an opened kitchen so I thought it was really cool to see the cooks pull out fresh baked breads. You can also very distinctly smell the deliciousness of fresh baked bread while you're in line .. standing outside the shop, getting a customer like me very excited!!
I literally wanted to buy everything.
But from my recent experience, if you're a first time customer and want to taste a variety, I wouldn't recommend getting the sour baguette because although it was yummy, I also got the epi roll and it tastes pretty similar. So I would say, either get one or the other and then get something else!!
I also looooved the challah bread.
But sadly, the bread wasn't warm at all. :( I wish it was warm when I broke off a chunk to wait for the 52 UC Campus bus back to campus.
Alas, it was good bread. Inside was soft, developed jaw pain from chewing it but that's when I know I'm eating good sourdough bread! -
Review from Kelly T.
1/23/2012
Acme bread is such a local gem! I love these guys.
It's a special thing to have warm, fresh baked bread available to consume at your will. Acme helps me to exercise this right.
They are also super supportive in the community and donate a lot of their goods to local schools, charities and programs. That just makes them all the more likable. Nice work Acme. Keep it up! -
Review from Paolo V.
Emeryville, CA
Damn....this place is such a treasure! I live in Emeryville, and have always purchased Acme baguettes in SF, either at the Ferry Building, or at Andonico's. Little did I know, the bakery is local!...not to mention the store front is just 5 minutes away! The bread here is the bomb! I just love how fresh and soft they are (even warm at times!!) when you pick up your baked goodies from this place.
I usually go here for the sour baguette, and at times, the sweet. The other baked goods, such as the croissants, are good.....but the bread is what you go here for! I usually tear a piece off right after I leave the cashier to taste the soft freshness of the bread. So damn yummy! -
Review from Brian M.
Vallejo, CA
4/7/2012
I love this bread!The Berkeley store is pretty busy(always a line) but not as busy as the ferry building most times.The only downside is they only accept cash,so good to know before you go.My favorite is the walnut loaf with cranberries.I have tried almost all of the breads and some pastry, all excellent and very fresh!
-
Review from Yvette U.
Atwater, CA
2/3/2012
I stopped here on my way back to the central valley. The bread is pretty good, it's a bit more dense than I would like, but overall it is good. I will have to return to try the other types of bread just to be sure ;).
FYI: Cash only -
Review from Yina M.
San Pablo, CA
4/2/2012
Acme Bread is so good it's worth the drive... I wish they had an Acme bread in our area.
-
Review from Leah G.
Sacramento, CA
3/24/2012
the local food co op has Acme bread,but nothing beats stopping-by their Berkeley
bakery....today i'm in yeasty bread heaven. so worth the out the door,in the rain line wait -
Review from David N.
Danville, CA
4/26/2012
They have the best bread. You need to get there early.
-
Review from Pedro U.
San Francisco, CA
3/9/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Once you step inside the shop enjoy the fresh smell of awesome bread. Everything is delish there including their pastries. Just make sure to bring extra cash....no credit card accepted.
-
Review from Tina Y.
Berkeley, CA
10/12/2011
Straight up great bread. Finding consistently great french bread is challenge in the Bay Area, but not if you're lucky enough to live near Acme's bakery like me. Bonus - the bread is cheaper at the bakery than at local grocery stores!
It really doesn't get better than the Pain Epis. Crusty sweet "ears" of deliciousness. This is the bread many great restaurants serve - and you can't get it at the grocery store, only the bakery. My Dad was visiting around the holidays once and I insisted we pick up a pain epis for dinner. He could not fathom why so many people would stand in bread line....then when we got the front of the line - sadness, sold out. I made him go back later in the day when a new batch was ready. He was incredulous. Then he ate it. Now when whenever he visits from Texas, he always takes a pain epis with him on his flight home.
Puff pastry stuff is great too. Apple turnovers? so buttery and so delicious. Walnut cinnamon current bread - slice it up and toast it with some butter, or use for fantastic french toast. Win Win. -
Review from P G.
Berkeley, CA
4/1/2012
It was my first time going there, since living her for almost a year and i would always see a long line, when walking by.
I was craving something soft & sweet and tough I'll give this store a shot.
It was a Saturday in the afternoon, and it didn't have a long line, like other Saturdays.
So i went and there were only four people in front of me and before going in i already knew what i was getting a cinnamon roll.
Before entering i hated how people would go in and the door would close behind them and you had to wait until they got out and the door closed behind them and person waiting had to open the door and this process happen 4 times.
They should just leave the door open and make a U Line to make things go faster instead of this stupid, time consuming, energy wasting line they currently have.
I got in OK, but very frustrated, but that went away when i saw the two beautiful women working the counter ( theres no counter only a table ) and the smell of fresh bread. I had to scout the place very fast since i was up next.
I look to my right just a wall with a poster and flyer's. Look to my right and see busy people working. See one guy cutting doe, measuring it and modeling it , another removing bread from oven and another putting dough in a larger flat table into the oven and I'm screaming in my mind i want to go in and see them grow and eat them.
OK, back to the front and seeing all the different kinds of bread, i was getting overwhelm. So i started to look around to see if anything resemble a cinnamon roll.
Took me 2 Min to spot what i was looking for a Cinnamon Twist, but i was also looking for something that was sweet but couldn't (tough i forgot to ask, so next time).
So i order the Cinnamon Twist (forgot the price), smelled it and went out side.
When i was outside i broke a piece and it was very soft.
Ate it and it was one of the best cinnamon rolls i had in my life.
It soft and chewy, it had the right texture and the right balance and sweetness and cinnamon.
Went home, poured some cold milk and started to slowly eat and savor the cinnamon twist, it was very very good.
After i finished it, i stand up and said to myself that was a good ass cinnamon roll, then my stomach started to growl for more. So i made Two sunny side down eggs with cheddar cheese and ham sandwiches. After eating them my stomach still was growling and i knew what it wanted another sweet and delicious cinnamon twist. So i decided it was time to go to back to sleep, cause i was tired from walking before i got a sweet tooth.
So i would high recommend going here to get the cinnamon twist. -
Review from Fay S.
Sacramento, CA
2/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
i love this place. fresh bread & great prices.
today i picked up the sour baguette ($2.20), sweet bagart (2.55) & cinnammon currant loaf (4.25) for a total of $9.00
i get soo excited when i walk into this shop & see the variety of flour+yeast goodness. & i always bring home more than i truly need. i try to try a few different loaves everytime, and i have yet to be disappointed. my bf can eat one loaf as a side dish to any meal & i personally love the sweet loaves! my personal favorite thus far is the Cinnammon Currant loaf. sooooo yummy, a great snack or end to any meal.
& when you are here in the Berkeley bakery, stop by fanny ann cafe next door. that's another gem.
cash or check only. -
Review from Carla C.
Updated - 1/3/2012
The year changes from 2011 to 2012, and Acme remains the same - wonderful! The first thing you notice as you arrive is that each person leaving is munching on bread they just bought! I love the ham turnover! And the apple turnover. And rye bread! ($8.50 for all 3.) Great staff - pleasant, efficient! Anything here is wonderful...so start with one thing...and just keep returning to try each new thing in turn. Yes, there are lines...the quality is the thing that cannot be denied. Oh, yes...bring lots & lots of cash...you cannot resist the aromas and tastes!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/25/2010
Whats not to love? okay - four stars because there's not a store in the big valley of california.… Read more »
-
-
Review from Beatrice T.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love you Acme, for your delicious breads and great prices. I've been in LA for over a year now and still have not betrayed you. I do wish, however, that you'd stop being such a prude when it comes to the epi. It's my favorite so I need you to put out more. By 2pm on a Tuesday, you were sold out.
-
Review from Marda L.
Livermore, CA
2/26/2012
An epic Pain d'Epi!
-
Review from nick r.
Sonoma, CA
11/25/2011
go here everytime I'm in Berkeley. I get several loaves and freeze what I can't eat right away.
this place is legendary. -
Review from Mimi L.
La Habra, CA
2/13/2012
Bought a loaf of this bread at Lunardi's Market in Belmont, CA and it is delicious.
We had it as toast, but it would be just as good plain. I think it is every bit as good as Boudin. Warm toast with butter and jam or untoasted with salami...Ymmmm! -
Review from Anna A.
Berkeley, CA
4/5/2012
This is without question the best bakery around. The bread and baked goods are very European (a reminder of home for me). Find the staff to be efficient, but not overly friendly but that doesn't detract from the quality of the bread. The baked goods are almost too tempting -- however a weekly visit is definitely worth the extra workout needed for balance!
-
Review from Jacquee P.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 8/11/2011
ACME is Amazing with French breads.
Everything else like sourdough, ciabatta, i.e. non-French bread is a gamble.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/29/2007
First timer to Acme? Consider the EPI. OH! It's the best form of bread in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD. And… Read more »
-
-
Review from Victor G.
4/18/2011
Acme Bread popped into my vision when i saw people walking away from a warehouse with bagfuls of baquettes and various breads. i was standing in line at oyster bliss XX at the time. finally, i saw the name "acme bread" on the side of the brick building.
sampling: long slender baguette (1.85?)
-fantastic taste, no wonder people literally had a whole bagful of it
-lots of bread inside the crust. not too sour.
*sour rustic bread(med-3 ish)
not my kind of sour but bread's fine
crumbs:
-the making and baking of bread happens in the background
-a front desk with bread on display & for sale. low expenses= cheap bread?
-acme is becoming my favorite bread, much better than costco's ciabatta.
-friendly, fast service....Listed in: Berkeley
-
Review from gwynnie p.
San Francisco, CA
3/1/2011
Yes to New York Rye! It's so hard to get good rye bread in the Bay Area. I don't think they make it every day here, but it's available on Sundays for sure. They do NOT have Rye Raisin Rabbits on Sundays, which is a major bummer. Not a fan of the pumpkin rolls or almond croissants.
When the line is long you don't have a lot of time to decide what you want or ask any questions, which sucks because there is so much deliciousness to choose from.
Park in the lot BEHIND, not in front of the bakery, Fanny, etc. -
Review from Tam F.
2/8/2011
I love Acme bread and finally had the chance to stop by . They have an ASS lot, but I was able to find street parking pretty easily. The retail bakery itself is in a small space, and there were pushy patchouli wearing people there standing in line behind me. What I loved was that going to the source was cheap cheap cheap and fresh fresh fresh. I was so happy to get what I needed to sop up delicious crabby garlic butter. I also love to not have to schlep to Ferry Building or pay a couple of dollars extra at our local grocery store.
Winner winner bread for dinner (or lunch, breakfast, snacks, etc.)Listed in: Ass Lots-Parking Situations…
-
Review from Eric B.
2/9/2011
i would go further than Tam and say that the parking lot here is ASS-tastic. After all, where else can you buy cheap, fresh, and high quality bread at Acme (plus an apple turnover for dessert), pick up some granola and coffee (among other things) at Cafe Fanny, and buy great European wine at Kermit Lynch. And all within a short direct walk from the front door of your car? The only thing left to do is drive a few blocks down San Pablo to Tokyo Fish Market, go home, and make it all a fantastic meal (and more).
And that's just one reason why Walnut Creek (or Danville) will probably never match Greater Berkeley in terms of culinary greatness or top shelf variety...And you get the often quirky, self important, and pushy locals as a "bonus". -
Review from Vivian C.
Berkeley, CA
8/21/2011
Acme is awesome! Came here on a weekday around 1030 with the bf and he commented that despite the line out the door at Cafe Fanny next door, Acme is the true gem.
There's some parking in this little lot, but don't count on it--luckily there's plenty of street parking all around.
Three words: WHAT A STEAL!
Delicious crusty breads, baguettes, and rolls for just a few cents or dollars--don't even get me started about the APPLE TURNOVERS...or do: they're amazing! We got the last two of the batch--still warm from the oven--buttery, flaky, apple, nutmeg, sticky goodness. Could be a little heavy if you don't sit well with buttery things, but oh so delicious when you're hungry. MMMMM COME TO ACME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!!
Next time definitely want to try their savory turnover (they were out when we got there) -
Review from Kara R.
1/23/2011
I thought it would be Chinese food, or possibly Vietnamese food, or maybe Mexican food that I missed the most when I moved to the East Coast. It turns out that no, I miss the simplest of things: absolutely ANYTHING from Acme bread. Even when living in the Bay, I was so captivated by Acme that I always kept a freezer bag full in case of emergency.
The crusty/chewiness of the crust on a sourdough baguette has never been rivaled, and the smells and texture of upstairs bread can never be beat. Accepting care packages now! -
Review from Tim E.
Albany, CA
11/6/2011
Acme understands the concept of basic bread.
They have what I call 'European bread', meaning non-sweetened.
It is that cultural difference that made it hard to find it in other stores.
The average American is not a bread eater and if they do they often (always?!) add sugar (or honey) to the bread. Even in a Trader Joe or Berkeley BowI just very few options.
I am dutch, but this also more in Europe, that we are used to non-sweetened bread. Well, not all Acme's bread is without sweetening additives I think (I haven't tasted it all) but certainly they do have a huge selection. And, the structure is very, very good. -
Review from Russel J.
Hercules, CA
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
You can't get bread better than from here. If you want fresh baked goods this is the place to go. My whole family loves their Epi pains loaves. The line could be long though. The longest I've had to wait is about 15-20 minutes before I could get in the door.
-
Review from David O.
6/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Herb Focaccia slab, German pretzels and Sourdough Baguette are my favorites. The quality and consistency NEVER change here, they're always amazing. I wouldn't go anywhere else for bread.
There's also croutons on the cashier table that are really, really tasty. I toss them in some sea salt when I get home and use them in soups or as a snack *sheepish look*.
Cash only. -
Review from Catherine S.
Oakland, CA
11/2/2011
Acme hardly needs my thumbs up. I think everyone knows it's great. But in an effort to put out positivity, I must share that Acme bread has become a special staple in our household. The first time I brought it home, it made my husband very happy. He makes ridiculously thick "Dagwood" sandwiches out of it. We have it with soup, salad, pasta, stew - you name it, it makes a meal.
-
Review from Jl C.
Berkeley, CA
12/28/2011
This place sells some of the best bread I have ever eaten. The ham and cheese croissant is my absolute favorite. Even though it may be greasier than my car's engine, the amalgamation of the cheddar cheese's nutty flavor and the ham's salty flavor is simply superb. Before coming to this place, I abhorred bread and did not anticipate I would ever want to eat it as a meal.
Why the four stars though, you ask? Well, I believe that a store must be perfect for five stars, and I am a very picky person. I know this store probably bakes fresh bread every day, but it could not hurt itself by making a little more of my coveted bread so that it does not run out at 3 pm when I sometimes come. And as for the sweet baguette about which many Yelpers are raving, I honestly did not notice much difference from a regular baguette and it is a misnomer since it does not taste sweet at all. -
Review from Solomon W.
Austin, TX
1/14/2011
Normally, bread is bread is bread... BUT Acme does some killer bread. It made the idea of "artisanal" bread popular, and it produces on a craft-scale AND a macro-scale, if that is possible.
This little shop is a bit hard to weave your way into; it can only hold about 3 customers at a time. When I walked in, I was amazing by all the unique breads that they had to offer.
I got the sour rye, the sour baguette, the pear levain, and the sourdough cheese roll. I took all of these wine tasting with me, and there is nothing better than grubbing on carbs when you have the alcohol-induced void in your stomach. You know that bottomless pit you get when you drink? Yeah... Acme definitely hits the spot. -
Review from Tiffany C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/5/2011
I'm obviously not French, but having had fresh French baguettes in Paris before (which was heavenly, of course) may give me a teeny bit of right to say that the one I bought from ACME today can definitely rival those in Paris...plus the nicer, more smiley bread bakers and cashiers who are very patient when you take your sweet time to browse through their great selection of bread and pastries.
Situated at the corner of Cedar and San Pablo, it's definitely a hidden gem. I parked my car on the street because I missed it when I was driving down San Pablo and didn't know it shares a small private parking lot with Cafe and Kermit. By small I mean they have only about 8 spots. As I approached the bakery I could see the bread through the big windows. The place doesn't seem big but I know right off the bat that everything is freshly made and then baked because you can see the production happening right in front of you on the other side of the store. Without a doubt, quality is observably ensured.
I knew I had to get the rustic sweet baguette because all the fellow yelpers can't sing enough praises about it, and I certainly can't agree more after my first bite, which happened almost immediately after I bought it while walking back to my car. It was crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, nutty, chewy, and just pure deliciousness. Bread this fresh really doesn't need anything else, and I ate 1/4 of it straight out of the paper bag. Then I made some little crostini with a few basil leaves and fresh mozzarella topped with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and EVOO! Simple and good eats! And did I mention extremely affordable? At the price tag of $1.80, you can get an almost 3-foot long baguette that could last you (actually, me) all day! I also got two pastries for my friend, the cinnamon twist and the apple tart, and they were incredibly buttery and flakey.
I really appreciate the fact that they list the main ingredients for the bread they make so you know what you're putting in your body. I can't wait to return and try their other bread! With my CATAHOULA mocha in one hand and French baguette the other, life post-college can't get any better than this! -
Review from Linda E.
Sonora, CA
1/14/2011
So great to go to the source! The olive bread is outstanding and rarely found anywhere other than the bakery itself.
Just another reason why I miss living in the Bay Area!
