Oakland's most-recognized pastry is the mochi muffin: glutinous rice flour, brown sugar and pandan, with a chewy bite. Bake Sum runs the city's version.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
The mochi muffin originated at Third Culture Bakery in Berkeley in 2016, an Asian American take on the cupcake. Bake Sum opened in Oakland's Lake Merritt in 2021 and built its own version into a daily-sellout staple, alongside Spam musubi croissants and ube cookies. The pastry style is now a Bay Area Asian American canon.
Tip from the editors. The texture should be chewy and dense, not cakey. If your mochiko is fresh, the muffins will hold their bounce for two days at room temperature.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Bake Sum on Grand Avenue is the East Bay's most-loved Asian American pastry counter. Brunch-grade pastries from 8 a.m. with coffee to match.
Order: Spam musubi croissant and a black sesame latte.
Tip: Pastries sell out by noon on weekends; arrive early Saturday or Sunday.
Timeless Coffee on Piedmont Avenue runs a vegan bakery counter beside the in-house roaster. Pastries, cakes and chocolate, all plant-based, daily.
Worth the queue: Vegan chocolate chip cookie
Sweet Bar Bakery on Broadway in Uptown Oakland runs a daily savory and sweet bakery brunch. Bacon-gorgonzola scones, gluten-free options, vegan fauxnuts.
Order: Bacon-gorgonzola scone and a flat white.
Tip: Coffee and panini through lunchtime; the bakery does cupcakes and event cakes through the afternoon.
More cities are in research. Want bake sum mochi muffin covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.