85 Degrees Bakery is a well-known Taiwanese bakery that draws lines around the block every time a new location opens somewhere in the world. They have a huge selection of baked goods, cakes, milk breads, and more, all of which are fresh and perfectly fluffy. 85 degrees celsius is the perfect temperature at which to roast espresso, and their name is derived from this to reflect their mission to provide the best quality products at an affordable price.
The first location to open in California was in Irvine in 2008, and as luck would have it, I was attending UC Irvine at the time (guess that dates me, huh?). It became so popular practically overnight that the line could have given the wait for Space Mountain at Disneyland a run for its money. I waited for what felt like the entire day just to get the chance to hold a plastic tray and a set of tongs as we slowly (and I mean slowly) moved through the small shop grabbing whatever pastries we could as the staff attempted to weave through the waves of people to replenish all the goodies. I made my way out of the shop with 5 or so pastries and as soon as I took that first bite, I instantly understood what all the hype was about.
Fast forward to the present and 85 Degree Bakery has 5 locations in the Bay Area alone, and you can barely turn around in LA and Orange Counties without seeing one of their cafes. Don’t believe me? Check this map out:
And that takes us to my most recent trip to their location in Stonestown mall in San Francisco! I picked up a few of my favorites as well as two loaves of milk bread and here’s what they look like!
85 Degrees Bakery’s Matcha Choco Bun
The name of this heavenly pastry is pretty self explanatory, but its deliciousness knows no bounds. The Matcha Choco Bun has hints of matcha in the dough with a creamy chocolate and matcha filling.
Taro Swirl
This masterpiece from 85 Degrees Bakery is made of a slightly crispy Taiwanese sweet bread filled with their signature taro paste and topped with just a shake of powdered sugar.
Marble Taro
I saved the best for last. My absolute favorite pastry from 85 Degrees Bakery is the Marble Taro! It’s a sweet bread made with mixed grains and their signature taro filling. It has just the right combination of doughiness, fluffiness, and gooiness to make each bite to die for. Check out our Instagram Reel below to see it ripped open!
For more awesome Bay Area recommendations, check out our San Francisco Bay Area Tab HERE