Ambrosia Bakery

Introduction / Overview

Nestled in the heart of San Francisco’s Merced Manor/Lakeside neighborhood, Ambrosia Bakery is far more than just a place to grab a quick treat—it is a beloved local institution that has been keeping its ovens warm for the Bay Area community since 1988. Known for its dedication to creating cakes with a desirable “not-too-sweet sensibility,” Ambrosia Bakery offers a unique, high-quality baking experience that appeals perfectly to the California palate. As an Asian-owned patisserie and cake shop run by the Truong family, it brings a precise and artful approach to classic recipes, making it a true hidden gem for local users.

Ambrosia Bakery excels in a diverse range of baked goods, from everyday essentials like a morning croissant to show-stopping custom creations for major events. Its reputation is built on specific, highly-praised signature cakes, including the widely celebrated Princess Cake and the fruit-laden Fantasia Cake. Customers consistently rave about the quality, flavor, and presentation, noting that their cakes taste "amazing" and look like a "work of art." Furthermore, the bakery prides itself on providing preservative-free cakes, an important factor for health-conscious Californians planning a memorable and delicious celebration. Whether you are craving a decadent mousse cake, a savory pastry, or a specialty pie, Ambrosia Bakery stands ready as your friendly neighborhood go-to.

Location and Accessibility

Ambrosia Bakery is conveniently situated on a major San Francisco thoroughfare, making it highly accessible for both local residents and those passing through the southwestern part of the city.

Address: 2605 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA

Ocean Avenue is a vibrant corridor in the Lakeside neighborhood, offering good connectivity via the Muni Metro system (the M Line runs right nearby). This central location makes it a favored spot for customers across the area. For those arriving by vehicle, the bakery offers the convenience of Paid street parking nearby.

The physical space is described as "cozy and compact" with a simple, clean interior and a few tables for seating, providing a comfortable spot to enjoy a pastry and coffee. Accessibility is a priority, as evidenced by the wheelchair accessible entrance. In line with modern California commerce, the bakery accepts a variety of easy payment methods, including Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments, ensuring a smooth and speedy transaction, which is ideal for a quick visit.

Services Offered

Ambrosia Bakery offers a full suite of services centered around baked goods, beverages, and catering for special occasions.

• Custom Cake Orders: Specializing in customized cakes for all occasions (birthdays, baby showers, etc.), with over 15 different flavors and a variety of custom sizes and shapes available, including quarter, half, and full sheet cakes.
• Retail Pastry and Cake Sales: A vast selection of freshly made items are available daily, including French pastries, cookies, fruit tarts, pies, and signature cakes for immediate purchase.
• Takeout and In-store Pickup: Customers can easily purchase items to go, or utilize in-store pickup for orders placed online or by phone.
• Local Delivery: The bakery partners with various platforms to offer delivery service, bringing their cakes and desserts directly to homes and offices across the San Francisco area.
• Full-Service Coffee Bar: They offer a full-service coffee bar, providing the perfect pairing of hot drinks—such as cappuccinos and mochas—with their fresh-baked goods for a delicious Breakfast or midday treat.
• Savory and Deli Items: In addition to sweets, the bakery makes fresh deli sandwiches and other savory items in-house.
• Seasonal Offerings: The menu includes seasonal pies for holidays (like Pumpkin, Pecan, and Apple) and specialty Christmas items such as Yule Logs and the Santa Belt Princess Cake.

Features / Highlights

Ambrosia Bakery's reputation in the Bay Area is built on its unique menu items, high standards, and long-standing presence in the community.

• The Famous Princess Cake: A standout specialty, this cake features a white cake base, a layer of raspberry jam, and a layer of custard, all topped with whipped cream and covered with marzipan. It is frequently hailed by customers as the best Princess Cake in the Bay Area.
• Diverse Signature Cakes: Popular cakes include the creamy, fruit-layered Fantasia Cake, the unique, spiced Horchata Cake (white cake with cinnamon, rice powder, and mascarpone cream), the rich Ambrosia Chocolate Cake, and the beloved Strawberry Shortcake.
• Not-Too-Sweet Sensibility: The baking style, often praised by customers, focuses on rich flavor without excessive sweetness, which is a major draw for many California dessert lovers.
• Mouth-Watering and Preservative-Free: The commitment to making all cakes preservative-free ensures freshness and aligns with customer demand for more natural ingredients.
• Artisan Pastries and Tarts: Offers a wide array of French pastries, cookies, and delicious fruit tarts, which are highly-liked for their quality, freshness, and overall presentation.
• Local Legacy: The Truong family has been operating and serving the community since 1988, making it a deeply rooted and trusted local favorite.
• Friendly and High-Quality Service: Customer reviews consistently praise the "Incredible bakery" and the "very nice" staff, emphasizing that the positive experience matches the high quality of the food.

Contact Information

To place an order for a custom cake, inquire about the daily pastries, or arrange a pickup, please use the following contact details:

Address: 2605 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA

Phone: (415) 334-5305

Mobile Phone: +1 415-334-5305

What is Worth Choosing

For California residents in San Francisco and the surrounding areas, Ambrosia Bakery is unequivocally worth choosing for its exceptional balance of traditional baking quality, unique menu offerings, and genuine community spirit.

The most compelling reason to choose Ambrosia is its reputation for producing truly memorable celebratory cakes. Its Princess Cake is a regional favorite, with customers claiming "No where else has a princess cake as good as Ambrosia." The ability to create complex flavors like the Horchata Cake while maintaining the high quality of classics like the Strawberry Shortcake (often described as "perfectly moist and not too sweet") demonstrates the bakery's mastery. They offer 15 different flavors of cakes in various sizes, making them a reliable one-stop shop for any party, from a small gathering to a massive event serving 80 people.

Furthermore, by choosing Ambrosia, customers are supporting a cherished, long-standing local business that offers preservative-free options and takes pride in the artistry of its work. The combination of its excellent, consistently high-rated food, friendly service, and convenient location with offerings like deli sandwiches and a full coffee bar for breakfast, secures Ambrosia Bakery's position as an indispensable asset to the San Francisco community. For your next birthday, holiday, or simple morning indulgence, choosing Ambrosia guarantees a delicious, high-quality, and satisfying experience.

Ambrosia Bakery

2605 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA