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Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: SOMAWhen you spend $50 or more ordering off our Platters…
Announced 1 week agoMon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
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I would give it a much lower rating for the food, but a very high rating for the desserts/cakes.
Their cakes are THE BEST. I order desserts regularly for office celebrations and we can't get enough (or have enough excuses to celebrate)! they're beautiful, delicious, moist, not just sugary, but tasty!
I went to Cafe Madeleine based on a recommendation from a friends after I told her about Tartine. I was disappointing by the food. However it looks like this place is doing a much better work with their pastries.
The seating there is very limited. Price wise, the place is slightly overpriced. Although the pastries are good and the atmosphere is pretty good as well. The decor is nice too. Service wise I did not notice any issue. The sandwiches are made from scratch in less than 5 minutes.
Pros:
- Pastries looks good and appealing
Cons:
- Price
- Quantity
- I've put too much expectation of this place. This is probably why I give this place only a three star rating.
talk about over prices sandwiches. I came here for a sandwich one day on my lunch break. I asked for lettuce and onions to be includes and got charged an extra $2 bucks?! Isn't that sorta standard of a sand which and if you must charge shouldn't 50 cents do? The reason I'm complaining about this is because my sandwich was small and already cost me $8 bucks. My company had also ordered cake from this place and I have to say their chocolate with strawberries cake is one of the best I've had. I'm sure it was pricey too though.
My advice is, either find a cheaper bakery or stick to the desserts here!
I pre-ordered cupcakes this time around. The staff that I worked with was VERY helpful and they worked with me until I was perfectly satisfied with my order. The end product turned out amazing and the cupcakes were dilicious just like every cake i've had here!
Mmm Mmm Delicious Chocolate Cake! Dark chocolate cake on the bottom, a mousse like white chocolate… Read more »
Small mocha $3 + lemon bar $2 = $5.00
BEST LEMON BAR I'VE EVER TASTED
People thought this was:
It's a good place for a quick lunch. Nice interior with lots of small round tables and a plushy red… Read more »
Don't come here for the sandwiches. I mean, really, $9 (+tax/tip) for an eggplant panini?? Come on. The flavors were ok but the sandwich dude didn't heat it long enough. It had way too much cheese. Maybe I should come back for their desserts instead.
Meh, indeed.
I came in for my fourth trip to this location of Cafe Madeline today with a couple of girlfriends. It was late for lunch (3:00) and the cafe was nice and quiet with tables available. My soy latte was quite nice and eggplant sandwich very tasty and filling though I think it didn't need to be quite that salty - maybe it was the cheese. I think of this as the perfect cute spot to wile away a few hours with the girls and treat yourselves to a luxurious slice.
I might add this is a short walk from SF MOMA and is a little more reasonable than the dining option there. Nothing like talking about art with your muse over a nice piece of torte.
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I had their grilled chicken sandwich ($7.75) and it was delicious. The sandwich is well balanced by the nice, big pieces of grilled chicken breast and the combination of brie cheese and sliced apples. I also tried their cobb salad ($8.50). It was good, too, but just not as good as the sandwich.
Since Cafe Madeleine is more of a bakery/cafe, there is just a tiny section with 5 small tables for eat-in.
Bottom Line: Very tasty sandwich.
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This review is for the mini mango cake only
Pros:
Good cake but nothing special
Lots of seating but this is during the mid-afternoon
Cons:
Pricey
I finally made it back to Cafe Madeline after 8 months of dreaming about the delicious sandwich I had last February. So imagine my surprise when my delish sandwich was no longer on the menu! I tried another pear sandwich and it just wasn't the same. Sigh...
Bring back my sandwich Madeline!!
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Pears, soft cheese, & candied walnut spread on walnut bread. I've been having dreams about this… Read more »
I ventured to Cafe Madeleine's this morning with a couple veteran Yelpers who used to be regulars when the office was a block closer. They were joking on the way over that while the coffee is amazing, the service can be a tad unfriendly. I went decked out in my Yelp gear because I was headed to a job fair soon after so I thought to myself "I'm with Yelp regulars, and I'm wearing a Yelp shirt. Are they really not going to greet us with bright shiny smiles?" The first woman to see us walk in gave us one of those polite half smiles. Ok, not bad, but I could have used a little more. But then I thought that if these women are the actual bakers, then they've been on their feet working since ~4am. I wouldn't be bright and shiny by 9am either!
I admit the coffee was solid. What was better, though, was the almond croissant, which was a hands-down 5-star champion. Most almond croissants pile the almond paste smack in the middle so you get all bread, then BAM! almond, then all bread again. To my amazement, theirs had an even spread of almond goodness throughout the entire croissant. Perfecto!
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In my dreams, I'm a svelte, adorable french girl with the best clothes and hair ever. And sometimes, even just walking past this place transports me and I almost believe it for a while. So imagine when I actually go in: I am suddenly Marguerite.
the cutest, most delicious, tiny dessert ever. Just like Marguerite.
So, several months ago I went here for lunch. I ordered a tuna sandwich and the cream of tomato soup. Simple, you say? At first glance yes....
But almost 8 hours later, (exactly what my doctor said is the time frame) I got food poisoning. I have never wished for death so badly in my entire life.
A guy I work with knows the owner so, after hearing my story, he spoke to her about it. She basically said she didn't care that I got poisoned by her food! Incredible!
So, I say to you... if you go here... DO NOT order the tuna or the tomato soup. I'm too scared to ever go back even with the delicious looking pastries in the window. Eat at your own risk!
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This is a good place if your work place has some bday or welcome or farewell events that you need a quick cake fix! Definitely has a good selection of whole cakes. The smaller individual ones are also very yummy but fatty, especially great with a cup of Joe!
Their lunch sandwiches are okay but the grilled vegetables sometimes were a bit greasy.
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I think this place is hit or miss: I've had some great desserts and pastries and then some that were fairly mediocre. The croissants and some of the cakes are great - rich with flavor and prefect for satisfying a sweet tooth craving, like their fruit torte. I had a another cake (a chocolate cake with raspberries) that was pretty good, but nothing really fantastic. I also had a chocolate cupcake that was pretty good, but, again, nothing to rave about. I guess I'd come back here, but I'd ask others what their favorite items are and select those rather than just going by what looks good - as far as desserts, looks can be deceiving.
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You have to try their cookies here. Chocolate chip-walnut, peanut butter, oatmeal....they're all good....hard enough but still chewy! I think it's even better than Specialtie.
I didn't get a chance to try the other items on their menu...will probably need to next time.
In one of life's little oddities, I am a fan of Cafe Madeleine but not particularly of their food. I guess my taste is just too plebeian for either their heavily-flavored sandwiches or fancy pastries, because friends and yelpers claim to really like both.
That said, Madeleine is one of my standby spots for coffee meetings in the area... they've got decent seating options, friendly staff and they tend to keep fresh coffee brewing into the late afternoon. They are also one of the few quality indie coffee options in an area brimming with chain cafes on the one hand and low end deli-style coffee places on the other. They tend to keep a nice vibe going in here and I'll probably see you there later today...
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This place is cute but the Cobb salad I got today is not so special. The dressing tastes like it came straight out of a mayonnaise jar and the chicken is way dry. Redeeming values are good quality bacon and the generous portion of ripe avocado.
The cashier's mood varied between super fake happy and surly when she was pulled away from stapling papers to take my money. Don't think I'll go back anytime soon.
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Yum!
I stopped in the other morning after my very smart significant other tipped me off to their delicious hot chocolate. I was skeptical -- how great could a hot chocolate from a chain bakery really be? Well, like I said, he's very smart, and I stand corrected. Delicious! It was somehow rich without being overbearing, even with the chocolate whipped cream topping.
We came back for a quick lunch today and shared a very good chicken, brie, and apple sandwich. The bread was great, which is the foundation of any good sandwich. Many of the other sandwich options were intriguing -- as well as the freshly-made chicken pot pies -- and so I'm sure I'll be back soon.
Oh, and the very smart bf swears by the homemade pop tarts. So to review: Yum.
I went here for the first time today. The service was great and the mango mousse cake was delicious! Nice little cafe, very clean.
3.5 stars
This is a cute little place with very very limited seating. It's better to grab your lunch and walk a block up to Union Square. I come here on occassion for lunch when I want to a change from my employee cafeteria.
The sandwiches are a bit overpriced but they are yummy. I typically get the turkey and tomatoes grilled sandwich with parmesan-artichokes spread on a rustic italian roll. The artichokes are what make this sandwich so tasty.
I haven't tried their desserts/pastries yet but one day I'm sure I will. They all look very decadent.
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I miss working near the Tenderloin. It was like burritos, curry, crack, burritos, mu shu pork, burgers and fries, pizza, burritos, crack, crack, spicy rice noodles, prostitutes, chicken tikki masala, prostitutes, crack, burritos, pizza, gang violence, etc.
Granted, now that I work in the FiDi I don't worry about whether lunch will actually be my LAST meal, but at least in the TL I knew that if I were to die during lunch that I'd have died with a yummy meal in my belly. The FiDi is all soups and salads and sandwiches and shit. I mean, I'll throwdown some soup but I want a little variety. I hate paying for things that I could cook (well, that's a lie, I wouldn't know how to begin to make a sandwich).
Cafe Madeleine has some seriously good tomato soup though. Definitely get that. And the turkey, tomato and artichoke sandwich is pretty hot too.
Madeleine needs to get back in the kitchen and start cookin' me up some indian food because mama's hungry and not looking for a lot of backtalk...
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The other day, I picked up a slice of quiche lorraine and had to restrain myself from inhaling it after taking the first bite. It was sooo good...and not just because it had bacon in it. Piping hot with a flaky, yummy crust, the quiche was a piece of egg-y cheesy perfection. It also came complete with a small green salad, so I wasn't left feeling like I needed a little something more for lunch.
That being said, I did end up getting a chocolate tart for later. It was calling out to me from the case, and I occasionally (i.e. always) have trouble resisting temptation. Luckily, the tart turned out to be an excellent choice; the chocolate was rich and the blackberries were perfectly ripe. Much better than the cloyingly sweet triple chocolate thing I'd picked out the time before. My sugar high kept me happy for the rest of the afternoon too. Weee.
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This place has some really good sandwiches. It's pretty cool that they have their pre-made To Go sandwiches right at the counter for only $3.75. I also really like their Tuna sandwich, their bread is so fresh and soft. I'm not a big fan of their salads though, but this place is definitely good for a sandwich or some yummy dessert. You will find yourself drooling over all the yummy looking pastries and they are designed soo well.
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This is a rather cute cafe. I have gotten lunch here quite a bit. I love the grilled chicken with sliced apple sandwich. The brownies are yummy!
I guess Cafe Madeleine is meant to be French, what with the name, and the occasional chocolate croissant and such. We sometimes come here in the mornings for a cup of joe (how do you say Joe in French?) and occasionally some folks from work come here for lunch and I tag along.
I never felt strongly about this place one way or the other until last week when we came here for lunch, and I ordered a sandwich with soft cheese, pears, and candied walnuts on walnut bread. First of all, it was tasty. Second of all, it was enormous. Third of all, it was reasonably priced.
So, now I have another good go-to option for lunch for a hearty and healthy (?) sandwich, and that makes me happy.
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This place is close to work. We come here for lunch every so often. its about a ten minute walk from my salon so its not an everyday lunch spot.
Many times my co workers have gone here. Each time I never ordered anything. The food always looked really good. So the other week I finally went.... and was let down.
It took a long time to order. The staff was friendly but I felt like i was sitting in line forever. Also, one of the cashiers cut her finger, was bleeding, then wiped it on a towel she left on the food counter and went back to the register..... I wanted to turn around right at that point but didn't.
I placed my order. I got the cobb salad and my friend got one of the pre-made sandwiches they had ready. The salad was not that great and had way to much blue cheese on it. my co workers sandwich was better but still not amazing.
Im holding out hope for this place though. I didn't indulge in some of those fantastic desserts i saw. So maybe next time i will have a better experience.
People thought this was:
This is Savory and Sweet's perfect balancing act! The cakes here are beautiful and decadent. The sandwiches are delightful and very affordable. (Sandwiches are around $6.75) The service is extremely efficient during the lunch rush, so don't be scared if the line is out the door.
p.s. How do you have 3 locations and no website?
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This cafe is one of the best, if not THE best, in the world. I know, it sounds like an exaggeration but I'm serious.
The coffee is good, strong and fresh. They have delicious FRESH-BAKED pastries that they bake on site. I'm talking about Apricot Turnovers from heaven, REAL rasberry pop-tarts, croissants, muffins, and more. Not to mention the gorgeous cakes (I especially like the barbie doll cakes - what fun)
I eat lunch here a lot too. They have some of the best lunch in the state of California - roast beef sandwiches that are fresh and delish, a huge and healthy Cobb salad, quiches, "express" sandwiches (pre-made and ready to go every morning) and more.
EVERYTHING here is fresh. The service is fast and friendly, and everyone who works here is cute and intelligent. The extra-tall red leather sofa is pretty awesome too.
There's some great cafe tables on the sidewalk where you can soak up the wonderful SOMA energy - artists, students, businesspeople, working folks - while you munch your treats and think about how lucky you are to be in this most amazing city.
AHHHEEEMMMM!!!!!
I now work unbelievably close to the Yelp offices, and I know they are curious about my current opinion of the website, and I know a certain community manager likes to expense really yummy things as he chats with community members about the myriad of "unofficial" events they plan.
I also know a few other people who now work unbelievably close to me and are just dying to take me for a congratulatory cookie and latte. You know who you are and you know Cafe Madeleine is a great choice for just that. You hopefully also know where to find me for said cookie and coffee since I have been super vocal and excited about my new job.
If you are a stranger reading this review and don't know where to find me or what the hell I am talking about, well, hopefully after this review you will find me here with one of my generous friends eating delicious sweets and drinking coffee......on them, of course!!
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I had been to the one on O'Farrell, and got super excited when I was told there was one just a mere blocks from my office. Last time I was here I was asked, no told that I would be splitting an oatmeal cookie. I wasn't hungry for a cookie, but I obliged, because I'm not one to say no to Nish when he is offering free cookies. (free to me) He put it on the table...and I have no idea what happened, but it was gone. Did I eat it? The crumbs on my chin would lead me to believe the answer was yes...but I must have been in some hypnotic state that I can only be put into by a perfect sweet confection. Dude...delish. We chatted outside during a beautiful afternoon at one of their outside little tables, so if they are open, take advantage.
A friend of mine used to come here for lunch, and we would split the Fresh Mozzarella with Tomato and Pesto Aioli grilled on a baguette, and a salad. It was a perfect lunch for two, and we would get the best of both worlds. I gotta go back. I gotta get that cookie again.
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This is my new morning place. The coffee is good, not quite Peet's, but I'm in it for the pain au chocolate, or as we must order in America, "chocolate croissant" . . . this place is more reliably delicious in that regard, and their namesake pastry, the madeleine, is 75c of sublime, should I consider switching to tea.
I was at first tempted to have a crush on the delicately beautiful lady behind the counter, but she has been shown up by the pastries. This place has a wide variety of pretty cakes, that are also delicious. Ligaya T brings these puppies in every time we have a birthday around here, and on my birthday it was a darkish mousse that had bits of toffee in the outer rim. Fantastique!
They have nice French-style sandwiches at lunch. I'm more of a stoutly Teutonic midwestern all-five-foodgroups-on-a-bun kinda guy, but if you're in the mood for a few delicious ingredients on a slice of bread, this place will hook you up.
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Solid standby in the neighborhood with lots of fancy options. Excellent salads (chicken, portabello, cheese, balsamic dressing is my fave, but I like them all) and tasty sandwich options. Good place for a quick lunch meeting- but it can get cramped.
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Every time there is a birthday in my office, someone thinks it's a fantastic idea to run across the street to Costco or up the street to Safeway for an economy sized birthday cake, complete with budget-flavoring. Well, that may be uber-convenient and fine in theory, but despite the fact that I smoke on occaision, my taste buds actually WORK so that crap doesn't fly with me.
So, when it was my turn to organize the cake for my boss, a little birdie told me about Cafe Madeleine and how amazing their cakes are. I found the perfect cake for the three ladies - a sponge cake with strawberry mousse filling and fresh strawberries on top. We ordered over the phone and picked it up the next day, and it was so pretty! The coolest part was, I think this is the first time I've ever seen everyone eat their entire piece of cake during our birthday soiree, so I had to give myself props for my selection.
Thank you, Cafe Madeleine, for letting me kiss ass in style.
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JEEZ. who stuck a stick up the cashier's ass (yea, im talking to you asian chick at the counter! today..1 p.m.!!!)?!
besides the unpleasant staff (aka asian girl) my proscuitto sandwhich was salty as hell but not too shabby, albeit overpriced (6.50 + tax for the dinky thing!)
since everyone raves about the desserts and coffee, i've come to think that perhaps sandwiches and salads (poor things looked quite limp) aren't Cafe Madeleine's forte.
the quiche, however, did look VERY appetizing (i believe only $5 w/small salad) and is a MUCH better deal..so i will be back for that. ;)
EDIT: upped it to 3.5 stars. got a nice cashier today (service with a smile!) and EXCELLENT tomatoe and goat cheese quiche with a small side salad. awesome deal!! i will be coming around more often.
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Their fresh mozzarella sammich is like really good sex: it happens occasionally, but it is absolutely spontaneous; there is just the right amount of it; it makes me feel really good; I am pretty happy about the choice I made; and after it is over I don't feel guilty for any reason. The only thing that is not like sex is that I don't really need protection - I just wash my hands before and after. I must note it gets a bit messy at times, which is absolutely wonderful.
UPDATE: I noticed I started getting something like morning sickness after each one I had in the last month... mmmm?
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Every time someone has a birthday in our office we get our cakes at Cafe Madeleine. The Capuccino Chocolate Cake is divine! The Raspberry Dark Chocolate Cake is also divine!! Everything here is divine!!!
They are delicately beautiful and they will icing across the top of any of the cakes a very pretty "Happy Birthday, (insert name here)!"
When I need a chocolate cake fix in the FiDi-which is surprisingly hard to find-I go to Cafe Madeleine and get a singe serve piece of their Triple Chocolate Cake. Instant happiness in a plastic box!
Their sandwiches are good and the coffee is great! A perfect place to grab lunch and dessert!
Three locations, Union Square has one, New Montgomery and one at California off of Bush. The staff is nice and always very attentive and accomodating. You must try any of these locations out..they are all pretty much wonderful little cafe's.
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It's been weeks since I found a new lunch spot, and I was getting so bored with my usual eats. On the way to my good, but mundane Greek salad, I decided to take a chance and walked into Cafe Madeleine instead. It was a good choice and I was instantly contemplating a number of salads, a veggie sammy, a side of beet salad, and tons of delectable pastries that look too pretty to eat. I settled on the marinated tofu salad, which was great. Lots of tofu slices, crunchy toppings, and homemade dressing. I am relieved to have another choice for my lunch outings.
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My favorite flaky pastries in the world!
I don't know why I find myself having breakfast in this area all the damn time, but I guess there are geographic regions of the city that are just magnetic to some people. SoMA seems to be my urban epicenter.
Now, that said, I continue: There is NOTHING in the world that compares to a morning that starts with a good cup of coffee [get somewhere else, coffee here is just ok], and a cherry turnover and chocolate dipped strawberries from Madeleine. It is absolutely fantastic! The area is so so [bums, business suits and dirty artsy kids] - I suggest taking the pastries back with you.
Practical notes: they take credit cards for $10+. One star off for being closed Saturday [maybe Sundays too, I'm not sure].
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I do enjoy the chicken cesar salad here. I always feel a bit rushed and I do agree that the cashier is never very friendly. I have been like 5 times now and she always is a bit snippy.
Oh well, I would not go out of my way to go here. I work on the same street, so I go and just kind of expect her to be that way now.
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Complimentary Madeleines
Neighborhood: Financial District
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Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Bakeries
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