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Nabolom Bakery
Categories: Food Bakeries Food Coffee & Tea Bakeries, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
2708 Russell St(between Cherry St & College Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94705
Neighborhoods: Elmwood, Claremont
(510) 845-2253
- Hours:
Mon 7 am - 2 pm
Tue-Fri 7 am - 6 pm
Sat-Sun 7:30 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
141 reviews for Nabolom Bakery
Review Highlights
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"Just picked up some wonderful baked goods." In 22 reviews -
"The cinnamon twists and chala bread here tastes great as..." In 13 reviews -
"This co-op bakery is basically the hidden gem of College..." In 13 reviews
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141 reviews in English
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Review from Philip L.
Concord, CA
4/13/2012
Grew up in the neighborhood, and I was lucky enough to have it close by. Love the chocolate croissants, bear claws, cheese danishes, cinnamon twists and tollhouse cookies. It's not health food but it's good food.
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Review from Lindsey F.
Berkeley, CA
4/27/2012
I love Nobolom!
I think it is a fabulous place to study, especially if you enjoy muffins/scones/danishes/delicious baked goods in the morning. Staff are super friendly, strong WiFi access, and tons of plugs.
I usually go for the orange walnut muffin, banana blackberry muffin, or lemon blueberry scone. Everything I've had is yummy, well-priced, and the perfect motivation to get work done. I also like to take my vegan/gluten-free friends here. Some of the best vegan baked goods I've had.
This is also a collective, something you can feel good about supporting! Staff are super friendly, strong WiFi access, and tons of plugs. -
Review from Jana S.
4/9/2012
2.8
There is something about nabolom's pastries that I consistently do not enjoy.. and I think it lies somewhere in the dough and the general 'lack of poof' factor for me. Plus, the consistency of their pastries' body is not something that I particularly enjoy.
Haven't come back in some time after purchasing a few pastries, to give them another try. No thanks. -
Review from Tammy T.
3/16/2012 4 photos
I used to think Nabolom was actually the little stand in the 7-11 parking lot, but I later realized that was a sign pointing to the much larger bakery called Nabolom! First things first, this is one of those Berkeley co-op type bakeries so don't expect blue ribbons and cuteness. Do expect, though, interesting and friendly employees.
The pastries though are pretty tasty--get the fresh ones (they're usually under some sort of clear plastic cover thing on top of the glass case)! My friend and I shared a basil and cheese roll ($2.75) which is a lot like a cinnamon roll but instead filled with savory goodness. It has a pesto flavor (I'm guessing the cheese was Parmesan) but it's not like they just spread pesto and rolled the dough. It even had whole basil leaves which I felt was a nice touch. We both liked it so much that we were discussing how we might make these ourselves (more important for me since I don't live in Berkeley anymore). My other friend got a blackberry cheese danish which wasn't as good. The cheese had a weird texture. Finally their chocolate chip cookie ($1.25) was darn tasty (although not as good as the home-made kind). Besides pastries, Nabolom makes breads and vegetarian/vegan sandwiches (which I really want to try next time I stop by).
Fun fact: Nabolom means jaguar in Mayan -
Review from Nava N.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2012
Came here for a quick breakfast with my boyfriend before we headed to the Oakland Zoo for a fun day of frolicking. The guy at the register was very jovial which made the experience very fun. We orders the morning bun and the vegan walnut-banana-chocolate chip muffin. Both were delicious and exactly what we were looking for for breakfast.
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Review from beverly r.
Vallejo, CA
4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
After ordering burritos from Gordos, we tried this bakery out for dessert. We got the sesame cookie, chocolate chip cookie, and peanut butter cookie. The 2 stars is for the pb cookie. It was good. The other 2, was not yummy. We took one bite each of the sesame cookie and was disappointed. I guess we were expecting something different. I should've asked for a sample. Owell, on to the next bakery.
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Review from Ross M.
Berkeley, CA
4/8/2012
Solid blueberry muffin. The chocolate croissant was over the top, good, but so much chocolate that it was sweet overload. Looking forward to trying more out since the place is ~block away.
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Review from Grace C.
10/23/2011
$5 minimum for credit card purchases
I'm a fan. The baked goods are tasty, with some vegan, wheat-free, and gluten-free options. Most of the baked goods are sweet, but there are a few savory options (pizza, croissants, breads).
- Oat House cookie: 5 stars
- Blueberry scone: 4 stars
- Apple Pecan scone: 4 stars, cinnamon-y
- Double Chocolate cookie (vegan): 4 stars, a little hard but good flavor
- Walnut brownie: 3 stars, a little dry
- Sunflower Sesame cookie (wheat-free): 3 stars... not very sweet, tastes "healthy"... I guess this is a cookie for folks on a health kick
There are several indoor tables, a couch indoors, and a few outdoor tables as well. However, it feels a little dirty - if that doesn't bother you, it's not a bad place to chat with friends or camp out and study - but you may need earplugs if you have some chatty Cathys nearby. The bathroom is decently clean. -
Review from Nora S.
10/17/2011
This is exactly the sort of place you expect to find in Berkeley. We walked here on a Saturday afternoon and a bunch of people were sitting around listening to some musicians play.
They have a lot of baked goods. We walked away with challah bread, which can be hard to find and a vegan, gluten-free brownie the size of my daughter's head.
My husband was a bit disappointed with his latte (it seemed decent to me). He also thought the challah bread was not the best. Again, to me it seemed fine. Pretty tasty, actually! The brownie was very good. Not quite the amazing quality of some vegan chocolate desserts we've had in the past, but then this thing was gluten-free in addition to being vegan.
I would come back if I lived in the area. -
Review from Kate Marie G.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 10/4/2011
Apparently I already wrote a review about this place and forgot. Ah well. Nothing has changed much. This little ramshackle cafe reminds me of a small-town hippie cafe, with its mismatched furniture and random murals. It's charming if you aren't expecting a slick Starbucks-esque place. They have gluten-free pastries! Usually more than one at a time! Macaroons, Josephine cookies (chocolate walnut cookies), etc. They also don't sweeten the chai so you can make it as sweet or non-sweet as you like.
Coffee is ok. Nothing amazing.
They have wifi and outlets, although it's a small place and you might not get an outlet. When its busy, I don't really feel comfortable parking my laptop and hanging out, because it is so small and I don't want to hog the tables. I
Service is sometimes pretty distracted, but the staff is knowledgeable and seems focused on their work.Listed in: Favorite Coffee Joints, Gluten-free Berkeley/Oakland
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/17/2011
This reminds me of a funky coffee shop in a small college town--not fancy but worn and comfortable,… Read more »
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Review from Scooter K.
Oakland, CA
2/1/2012
They have the best chocolate croissants ever! The bear paws are usually good too, but the last 2 times I got some that were dry. It depends on who's doing the baking. They get 4 stars because of the dry bear paws. Cookies and brownies are good too. Next time I think I will try the pizza for lunch. Damn, now I'm getting hungry!
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Review from Jacob W.
Berkeley, CA
8/15/2011 34 Check-ins Here
Wow this place is hard to rate.
I've been eating nabolom's goodies since they opened, and let's just say the quality is all...over...the...lot. They make great challah, and the worst chocolate croissant i've ever tasted. They're the ONLY place around that makes cold-pressed coffee (five stars right there), and they make crummy cookies. But good morning buns. But bad... and so it goes.
Service varies accordingly. (It's a co-op, so everyone's an owner and no one, as far as I can tell, is in charge.) Bring your own coffee cup, and the price of your coffee can swing by as much as 75 cents (up or down, as each worker supplies his/her own definition of "small/medium/large," as well as an individualized mug-discount).
But I love this weird place, hippy-dippyness and all, and I'll keep patronizing it because it isn't run by an "ownership group" with a "concept."
AND did I mention they make cold-pressed coffee? -
Review from Amy H.
8/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
TIP: Stick to their sweet pastries--muffins, cinnamon twists, cookies, the like, versus the cheese rolls and breads. The savory pastries are much denser and not as finger-licking good as their sweet pastries. Unless that's what you're looking for!
TIP #2: They have more at the cafe than the menu they post online. Prepare for some major indecision.
Quiet Saturday morning--I'm the first of three people in the cafe. It's my first time there, and I wanted it to be special, so I took my time to choose and let the two other patrons go before me. They're clearly regulars from around the neighborhood. The man wants four or five chocolate croissants, so the worker pulls open the door to the class case and fishes them out with tongs. The woman wants a cinnamon twist and a coffee. The cinnamon twist had to be as long as my arm.
"Can I have something fresh out of the oven?" I inquire. Everything you see is fresh out of the oven, the guy behind the counter tells me. Little does he know that I like my pastries and cookies HOT and literally RIGHT out of the oven, but I'm sure they can't serve that to me due to safety concerns. So I spend some more time mulling over my options--cookies the size of my face, danishes puffy and full of fillings, that really long cinnamon twist...
I settle on the mutligrain cheese roll and a vegan (and either gluten free or wheat free) bran muffin with pecans and blackberries, sweetened with banana. Just. Whoa. The roll was dense and slightly sweet, which complemented the melted cheese on the inside. I would have liked a bit more cheese (it was all melted to it kind of just coated the hollow insides) and for it to be warmer. The muffin, though, was perfection. Not overly sweet, very warm, very fresh, crunchy pecans, soft crumb, gooey blackberries.. oh dear. I am drooling.
I can't wait to go back and try more. I wish they were open past 6pm! -
Review from Jen R.
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
saturdays starting at 11am or so and going until 1pm there is a band here. wash tub bass, ukelele, guitar, drums. real fun vibe going on.
tasty treats and some gluten-free ones that didn't taste like consolation prizes. -
Review from Amanda B.
Sacramento, CA
1/15/2012
stopped in here today for a double americano and a chocolate croissant. both were very good. the staff is friendly and helpful, and witnessed them help several customers decide which pastry to get, where to find a good place for soup and sandwiches, etc. the decor could use a little work. they have a comfy slightly worn looking couch and a few tables inside, then two rickety tables outside. more comfortable seating would be a plus. however, i could see myself becoming a regular here.
note: if you bring your own coffee cup in, you get 10 cents off the cost of your drink. -
Review from Drew P.
4/3/2011
WOW! Never thought I would see so many whole grains in so many yummy pastries.
I do not know anywhere else that I can find two or more flavors of bran muffins. This place is like a candy store to me, I have to stay away or else I would look like the Michelin Man.
Very nice service, and EXCELLENT Baked goods.
Only thing I could ask for is to open a location closer to Hayward or sell your products at Peets! -
Review from Jamie B.
6/2/2011
I have been coming here since I was old enough to remember. If I was well behaved when being dragged along to run errands with my mom as a kid I would be rewarded by a cinnamon twist from Nabolom's. This is still my favorite bakery. Sure, you could argue it could be for nostalgic reasons, but it's actually really really good, so it can't all be attributed to nostalgia.
Every time I come home to the bay area, I HAVE to go here to get a cinnamon twist. They are the best! Their breads and other pastries are pretty good as well. My only complaint is that since the cinnamon twists are quite popular, if I let my trip to Nabolom's slip too far into the afternoon, there's a chance they might be out. I'll never forget the day when I walked in seeing three cinnamon twists left, thinking I had made it just in time, only to find out that the person in front of me ordered all three of them. It was absolutely heartbreaking, but the moral of the story is, if you really want a cinnamon twist, don't go one hour before they close. -
Review from Stefanie L.
San Francisco, CA
6/19/2011
Oat house cookies. Fresh pizza. Challah bread with poppyseeds. Pumpkin walnut muffins. I'm trying to think of something I don't like from this bakery, but I'm drawing a major blank. Score a thousand points for Nabolom.
This co-op bakery is basically the hidden gem of College Ave. As much as I love the more designer-y, scene-y eateries on this street, I wind up at Nabolom because I can get a meal for under $5 and a quiet spot to read for a bit. That is, of course, unless an adorable hippy-dippy band is serenading sit-down patrons. Man, I love Berkeley. -
Review from Emmeline S.
Berkeley, CA
12/12/2010
I'm wondering what it would be like to write a concise review... so here goes-
Nabolom Bakery is so excellent. The pastries are flaky, buttery, fresh, sweet, savory, vegan (insert adj. here) and delicious; stepping in for a bite is uncannily similar to being in a punkish post-apocalyptic Paris. Perhaps the offerings are not as aesthetically pleasing as La Farine, or as refined as Crixa Cakes, but still... YUM. (Esp. for the comparative price.) And you don't have to feel like a pretentious asshole for stepping in.
Nabolom is also remarkably, contradictorily surprising, considering the dimly-lit and dusty-sticky room, the crazily-painted jungle bathroom (an experience in itself) and the friendly cashier's gauge plugs (which I could fit my hand through.) I wish I took a picture, they were ridiculously huge.
Bottom Line: One tiny step below Cheeseboard, one huuuge step above every other Berkeley cafe/bakery. -
Review from John Z.
Dublin, CA
11/20/2010
Why does it seem like the name Nabolom is an anagram or some play on letters. Nabolom pretty much represents everything I like about Berkeley. The hip vibe, unpretentiousness of the customers and employees/owners, great food, and distinctive and "different" coffee.
The pastries are unfreakingbelievable. Whether its the cinammon twist, snickerdoodle, or whatever grabs your fancy, Nabolom has got the sweet for you. The coffee...oh boy. I'm a huge iced coffee fan and Nabolom has the best iced coffee I've ever enjoyed - even better than Peet's. They have a cold brew/diffussion method that minimizes the acidity while bringing out the mad flavor.
The prices are great, neighborhood is fab, and the service is solid. They even have local bands play music in the corner sometimes. -
Review from Tasha P.
Providence, RI
11/18/2011
Nab is the best. The staff is pretty adorable. I like the band that comes in on Saturdays, and the have gluten free options! Also, they're collectively owned so they're less pretentious than other bakeries. If you're gluten intolerant, get the Josephines or the chocolate mousse cake!
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Review from Lauren T.
San Francisco, CA
3/1/2011
I adore this quaint little bakery. Rustic breads and fresh pastries line the shelves, enticing me to try each one, but I resist the temptation.
Thus far I've sampled the cinnamon twist. It definitely lived up to my expectations.
I'll find a way to come by again and just order one thing to satisfy my sweet tooth. -
Review from Kate F.
Berkeley, CA
5/9/2011
I wish I could give 3.5 stars. I come every week as my clothes are busy flopping around in the dryers at the laundromat across the street.
The pastries are good, the bread very nice and the coffee is solid. While it is my favorite, the sharp cheddar croissant ($2.75) is pretty heavy, unlike traditional croissants. The cheese in the middle, though delicious, weighs down the laminated dough so you don't get that beautiful airy texture that is the mark of a perfect croissant. Their pan au chocolat to my taste is also a little heavy on the filling.
Don't get me wrong. That won't stop me from coming back. It's a MUCH better option than the other bakeries in town, and really, who wants to haul yourself down to the Mission on the weekend, only to stand in a line that's wrapped around a building for a croissant from Tartine?
Not I. Nabolom is too good an option to tempt me to stray. -
Review from Emma M.
Oakland, CA
1/29/2011
The cheese danishes at Nabolom are the best I've had anywhere!
I grew up in the neighborhood, and I've been enjoying them all my life... and even before my life, my mom used to come to Nabolom and get the same cheese danishes before I was even born.
I don't think their recipes have changed in 25+ years, which is a good thing because everything is flawless as is!
I'm so sad that they don't make the raspberry cheese danishes anymore (those were always my #1 favorite), but the blackberry cheese danishes are delicious as well, and now my top choice at Nabolom. The slight tartness of the blackberries perfectly compliments the sweet crumbly cheese and the buttery, dense, flakey pastry.
For something less sweet, I also love the egg bread cheese rolls and the multigrain cheese rolls (the multigrain reminds of the bread my grandma used to bake) and the slightly sharp herb-seasoned cheese they use for both is delicious. The best thing is biting into them when they're still warm, and getting a mouthful of that perfect gooey melted cheese. Mmm...
Or, for some other sweet and decadent options I also love the cinnamon twists (especially when they're fresh out of the oven, that's the best). The chocolate croissants are also amazing, though I haven't had one in a long time since I usually can't resist the blackberry cheese danishes when I'm there.
I love Nabolom, and while it's partly due to nostalgic reasons (this was a favorite spot to go with my mom throughout my entire childhood, for weekend brunches or even sometimes to stop for breakfast on the way to school in the mornings) I also love Nabolom because the pastries are just plain delicious! Even though neither of us lives in the neighborhood anymore, I still stop by sometimes to pick up pastries before going to her house for brunch to this day, and it's always a treat.
Nabolom is a lifelong favorite of mine for sure. -
Review from Aaron P.
Oakland, CA
11/13/2011
Yay for collective business. Great pastries and people. The art on the wall is fantastic and changes monthly. There are plenty of conventional white flour buttery pastries as well as gluten-free whole grain vegan products. I'm no vegan and butter is great, but I'm not into the super sweet pastries. I recommend the scones, muffins, and challah.
It's a very "berkeley" vibe where the people serving you care about the business and its quality since they own it. There's a band that plays on Saturday mornings which is a bit tight in terms of space and a lot tight in terms of sound.
This place should expand to offer more lunchy things (more sandwiches with meat offerings (pesto chicken would be my recommendation) and salads). More savory breads would be good too. -
Review from Ed U.
12/2/2009 4 photos
Hey dude, do you remember when George Carlin did Al Sleet, the hippy-dippy weatherman who does "the hippy-dippy weather, man"? You do? Groovy. He would say stuff like "Tonight's forecast: Dark. Continued dark throughout most of the evening, with some widely-scattered light towards morning." That's funny, man. Well, if Al ever put down his roach and opened up a bakery, it would be Nabolom because man, it's hippy-dippy in there, and I feel like I'm from Squaresville.
Nabolom has been at its location on Russell Street for as long as I remember, and I used to get their fresh morning buns before catching the 51 back to the Berkeley campus. I didn't have dreadlocks with a rainbow knit cap back then. I think I may have still been using Brylcreem and Stri-Dex and wearing plaid with short sleeves. But Nabolom is an equal opportunity bakery. They serve anybody. Just ask the 400-pound woman in front of me in line. She was wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and a pair of Birkenstocks. She must be a regular.
After waiting for her to get her order of a dozen cinnamon buns, I decided to get a couple of their monster cookies, a $2.25 Tollhouse and a $2.50 Snickerdoodle (see photo). Soft, chewy. Gone before I could even get a hippy-dippy seat with the other dippy hippies. I don't think the spartan, darkish decor has changed in thirty years, but who am I to judge? The baked goods are still top-shelf, and there is nary a bad vibe in the place. Nabolom's forecast: Open. Continued openness throughout most of the day, with some widely-scattered closure when the sun sets, man.
BAKED GOODS - 4 stars...Nabolom still has it together, man
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...dark but relaxing if you can find a seat
SERVICE - 3.5 stars...a nice guy runs the counter...peace, man
TOTAL - 4 stars...I am swayed by the good vibes of the placeListed in: Fatty McFatterson, Your Sweet…
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Review from Tsada K.
Oakland, CA
9/11/2007
I'm a lot like a cherry danish from the Nabolom Bakery.
I'm fresh and luscious on my own, but fill me with cheese and I become your best friend. -
Review from Eric B.
1/26/2009
Gayle and I stopped by Nabolom on the way back from the movie last week. I was looking for a breakfast pastry and I usually try to make a point of stopping here when I'm in the neighbourhood. Nabolom is around the corner and is sometimes hard to spot. The advertisement on the Kiosk at the corner helps.
Sometimes the worker co-ops do throw off an attitude (have it our way). But not this time. The guy at the counter was friendly and although a little dark, the space throws off a nice relaxing vibe. Their prices are reasonable and I do wish they had a little bit more of a selection (vegan or otherwise). However, my breakfast pastry was quite tasty and come to think of it, I have always enjoyed almost anything that I have ordered here. I will however, have to take Stephanie W.'s Morning Bun Challenge! -
Review from Marcel T.
San Jose, CA
7/26/2010
Nabolom Bakery - Berkeley
99% of bakeries do not have vegan options, so I was thorough interested when I heard that Nabolom does. Although their selection is not too striking, the quality of their vegan products is. They have several giant vegan cookies ranging from pure chocolate to snickerdoodles. They also had an amazing chocolate silk pie, and well as some very tasty sticky buns.
The workers are very welcoming, knowledgeable and social. And if you let them, they will talk your ear off about their vegan experiences. -
Review from Stephanie W.
Arlington, VA
8/23/2008
Don't tell anyone else but...
I like the Morning Buns at Nabolom better than the ones at Cheeseboard
*gasp* I can't believe I just uttered such sacrilege. I can't believe I would pit one co-operative bakery against another. I can believe I would prefer someplace that's not within a mile of my house.
But it's true. Both places have their merrits, but the Morning Buns at Nabolom are much better. Cheeseboard has my loyalty for certain things (their pizza, cheese rolls, pecan rolls, various scones, berkeley buns, etc) but Nabolom is amazing for their danishes, their morning buns/cinnamon twists and their cookies.
I didn't get what a bunch of people have said about the cleanliness of the establishment. I didn't notice anything of questionable hygiene. The workers are nice, the portions are huge, and everything is butter and sugar soaked goodness (except their large selection of vegan pastries). The Morning bun is rich and about twice the size of one at cheeseboard for the same price. It's a great deal.
The outdoor seating is great in a quite neighborhood and the inside offers a great place to read the paper and listen to music while having breakfast. Even this morning, they had a band playing some smooth music for a Saturday morning (late breakfast mind you... at like 11:30 or so).
I come here only occasionally, but it's well worth it every time... just don't tell Cheeseboard I occasionally divide my loyalties.Listed in: Satiate Your Sweet Tooth, Artery Clogging Goodness
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Review from Holly F.
Oakland, CA
4/14/2007
Kind of useless.
This is a very "insider," community spot, and if you aren't a regular you might get ignored. I've only had a chocolate chip cookie here (not good), and a decaf coffee (pretty bad). They don't have those cardboard things to put on your cup so that you don't burn your hand (what are those called?), & their cups are thin, so I had to awkwardly hold my cup from the bottom when I took it to-go. Also, stuff runs out--coffee, cream, etc.--and doesn't get refilled very quickly.
I'm not even sure why I'm giving it 2 stars. I think it's b/c they have live music a lot of the time, & it's probably a fun place if you're a regular. Also, some of the baked goods (other than the chocolate chip cookies) look pretty delish. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did.Listed in: Hell in a Jar.
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Review from Rose H.
Berkeley, CA
5/11/2007
The people are sweet and helpful. I have never had a rude worker here, unlike pretty much every other cafe I've been to. They're super environmentally friendly-- they serve their coffee in real mugs, give you a plate rather than a paper bag, and have recycling AND foodwaste. There are adorable old people playing bluegrass on the weekends. They have poetry readings. The place has a great vibe to it.
Plus, of course, their food (what I've had, at least) is amazing. I would kill puppies for the vegan sticky bun, especially when it's warm. Admittedly the coffee's not outstanding, but the food is so good and so natural it doesn't even matter. I would live here if they'd let me and I could afford a sticky bun every day.Listed in: East Bay
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Review from Hampton S.
Kauai, HI
3/28/2011
A true gem that deserves a visit by every Cal undergrad. It's just so quintessential Berkeley that some percentage will certainly turn up their nose at the funky weekend jazz ensemble, disheveled trays of unlabeled goodies, or the zero budget yard sale decor. Do not fear, rather take heed naive young men and women for these rough edges are but bookmarks for what really matters. Extraordinary people in an extraordinary place doing extraordinary things. Recognize a labor of love and reward yourself with the most amazing dark chocolate brownie, just don't expect it to imitate anything you've ever tried before.
PS: I will be supremely disappointed if on the next visit to my alma mater I find this rustic establishment uprooted by another cup cake boutique or diet yogurt franchise. You certainly don't need to be vegan to support the best and forget the rest. -
Review from Yan G.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2009
Hey, I get it. I graduated from UC Berkeley many years ago, and I understand the meaning of the phrase "A typical Berkeley place." I think it means "weird for the sake of weird," but with a few vegan options. It also helps if at least one employee has an excessive amount of tattoos and piercings in inopportune places, making one question his or her hygiene. Am I close?
If that's the case, Nabolom is indeed the hippiest place on earth.
I came here on a Saturday afternoon, which, of course, is not "prime time" for drinking coffee. The place was nearly empty, save for a woman reading quietly by the window and a guy sitting at the piano, typing away on his notebook. Yep, just your basic Saturday, ahem, crowd.
My friend and I had just had lunch elsewhere, and we just wanted some place to hang out for 30 minutes or so. I wasn't hungry, but G-d knows I never turn down a pastry (or two) with my name on it. Here at Nabolom, the pastry case in front of us was empty. Yep, a large display, and nary a pastry in sight. Eerie. The display to the right looked like the Ghost of Pastries Past, with a few stray pastries reminding you of the Era of Abundant Pastries.
Needless to say, I wasn't tempted. I had a cup of coffee, which was cold and flavorless. The gentleman at the counter give me "the look" when I didn't tip him for a glass of iced tea for my friend and a cup of self-serve coffee (no refills) for me. What exactly would I tip him for? What service was performed for my $3.25? I am usually a generous tipper, but in this case . . . I don't get it.
I hear this place has live music most of the time, and maybe that's why this place is so popular. However, if you're looking for a place to have a coffee and a pastry, I'd keep looking.Listed in: Coffee Is For Closers
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Review from Ryan K.
San Francisco, CA
9/18/2011
Tasty treats! Friendly staff! Yum. My Sunday morning go-to place for pastries and muffins.
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Review from Kenneth R.
Berkeley, CA
7/7/2009
My "very sticky" bun ($3.25) was a dry grenade-sized object that was probably made with day-old 85% post-consumer recycled whole wheat paper mache. If you follow my reviews, you know that I like to eat. I'm a charter member of the Clean Plate Club. Sadly, however, I wasn't able to finish my bun. It's going back to the earth, in the paper bag that enclosed it -- it's compostable waste at this point.
On the bright side, the macchiato that I ordered ($1.75) was a relatively pleasant experience. It was made from a large quantity of espresso (that tasted like Cole Coffee's stuff) and an even larger quantity of steamed milk. (Basically it was a large cappucino.) This mixture filled up what looked like an 8-oz cup. That cup had a large crack on the inside, and I hope that it soon returns to the earth as well.
You can read the Bay Times @nabalom. I learned that the gay community gives very low marks to Mr. Obama. I would have guessed that he'd be viewed as a B+, but he seems to be getting a C+ at this point.
Wouldn't it be great if Ritual opened up at this location?! I mean, I know that these people have been here forever and that they're a beloved neighborhood institution, but I think that it might be time to move on and let go. -
Review from Rworange C.
San Francisco, CA
12/11/2007
Excellent challah, one of the best in the East Bay.
The fruitcake available at Christmas is delicous too. The fruit is soaked in rum and schnapps for three months. The sweet, sticky, dense dark fruitcake has lots of raisins and nuts. -
Review from Jana T.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2007
I support this business because I believe in their business model. I like the fact that there is a successful worker owned and operated business right by where I'm staying in Berkeley.
I like their cheese croissants and regular croissants. They're some of the best I've had on this side of the Atlantic.
The staff is usually ok; not particularly friendly or not friendly.
Of course, you sense the 'but' coming: outside of their croissants, the pastries are really awful. The muffins are dry, the danishes are crisp, not fluffy, and the pizza is pretty gooey and awful.
The espresso drinks all taste like the beans were burnt in the roasting process. The coffee is so-so.
I'm not overly fond of the aging boomers who hang out there. It's a personal choice, but I go there in support of what I think is a good thing, and I don't have to go around congratulating myself on what a conscientious person I am. That's a fault of Berkeley in general, and, unfortunately, it seems to permeate this particular shop.
So, I would recommend going and getting a croissant and cup of coffee. I would not recommend hanging out for hours. -
Review from Ayelet B.
Danville, CA
1/24/2009
Guess it's a good thing that Nabloom is not around the corner from me since I would be buying their pastries all the time. I love their chala, especially the sesame seed one. And their apricot danish is amazing; it actually had fresh fruit and is delicious.
The service is ok but some times there is attitude. I have never sat here. Just picked up some wonderful baked goods. -
Review from Josh H.
Providence, RI
1/26/2012
Great place. Good pastries. Good prices. Mellow atmosphere and friendly counter-folk.
