California Bakery

I visited California Bakery for a good hamburger and I must admit I was disappointed. It was only fair at best and overpriced. CB is great for cakes and deserts, but the food is overpriced.

Well, i read the reviews before going there and thought to give it a chance. The staff were kind and serviceminded but they had too much to do so they did their best but we had to wait a long time for everything. The priced were awful expensive based on the taste of the Food. The chicken in the sandwich was dry and the rest quite boring. The pancake with egg and bacon was better but not more than 3 stars. All in all I would say a dissapointment but the atmosphere is quite nice so I end up giving this place 2 stars instead of 1!

Go somewhere else. Mediocre American eatery– level food at Milan-​level prices, half of the items on menu not available, very slow service, everyone smokes despite multiple non-​smoking signs. Very disappointing!

Really loved the flavors and the bread, only, I wish I got to take home the bread that was left over on the table! I was especially concerned since I was able to take home the meal that I had there. Maybe it’s an Italian thing.
The décor is also great too and their pastries are just as delicious as they look.

4 star compared to most of the food you get in Milan, but just average if you’re going to compare it to the majority of healthy-​café-​style food you’d get in America. They’re big on bread and light on meat. Would much rather see smaller portions and the right proportion of bread to meat to veggies. A minor complaint.
Oh, outside the pigeons get right up in your food. Waiters coming by to shoo them away briskly only led to trying to prevent feathers from falling into your food. Sit inside if you think Pigeons are just flying rats that should be exterminated.

To the Americans:
Come here if you need your American fix of sandwiches, bagels, fresh salads, and cakes. It’s definitely overpriced and I wouldn’t frequent this place if I were in the States but for Italy it’s GOOD. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with bagel buns — a bit dry. The cappuccino was great as it came with a bite size cheesecake! YUM! I’ve also had the poppy seed cake here too which was perfectly moist and delicious.

Un menù da gustare tutto. Una vasta scelta di sandwich, panini e bagel difficili da provare altrove, se non siete negli Stati Uniti.
L’atmosfera é davvero cordiale. Calda e raffinata ma al tempo stesso molto alla mano. Ci si sta bene, a proprio agio. Come si vorrebbe stare entrando in un posto del genere.
Adatto in ogni momento della giornata. Dal brunch, al pranzo (anche di lavoro) alla cena e al dopo cena.
E per finire, lo staff. Giovane, sempre sorridente e disponibile.
Un posto davvero da provare una, dieci, cento volte.
Raccomandatissimo.

Dieses Kaffee ist wirklich einen Besuch wert. Hier wird ein tolles Frühstück geboten, das man ja sonst in Italien etwas vermisst, wenn man gerne ausgiebig und lange frühstückt. Hier erhält man von Croissants, über Bagels aller Art, bis hin zu Granola und frischen Früchten wirklich mehr als nur Brioche und Espresso :-) Wie überall wo es schmeckt ist es nicht so leicht einen Platz zu bekommen. Wer jedenfalls schon mal in Kalifornien ein real Breakfast genossen hat, fühlt sich hier wie zuhause.

Overpriced, mediocre American food in Milan.
I ordered the eggs benedict. Do NOT order the eggs benedict. A lot of their food is just okay, but this is by far the most plain and most disappointing eggs benedict I’ve ever had in my life. I was sorely disappointed from the first moment I laid eyes on it; literally just a plain toasted bagel with a poached egg perched on top… and nothing else. Not what I was envisioning when I was thinking of Sunday morning brunch.
There are only two reasons I would come back, one of which is their desserts and baked goods. Just look at their glass displays, and everything looks divine. And from what I’ve had, it tastes as delicious as it looks. The chocolate cake was superb!
Second reason is atmosphere. Their décor is adorable, and it’s a great place to grab a coffee and catch up with a friend.
You’re in Italy… what are you doing eating American food?

For the American living abroad, California Bakery offers several beloved items that are difficult to find elsewhere (pancakes, pies, hamburgers, cupcakes, etc.). However, the prices are RIDICULOUSLY high for the products they serve, which lessens the appeal of everything.

La jeunesse dorée de Milan se retrouve dans ce lieu très mignon pour déguster de superbes gâteaux américains. Les prix font mal mais les gâteaux sont à tomber par terre.
Dommage qu’il n’y ait quasiment que Californian bakery qui réussit le pari de réunir bonne nourriture et cadre agréable. A Milan, la plupart des lieux servent de la bonne nourriture mais le cadre et l’ambiance sont décevants.
L’ardoise élevée attire une clientèle assez prétentieuse, attendez vous à ce qu’on vous regarde de la tête aux pieds!

Great relaxed place that can be visited during every hour of the day.
They have a pretty good brunch at Sunday mornings and even there is none the sandwiches in the menu are quite delicious and it will still be a great kick-​off for the day. In the afternoon just go there to drink some coffee or a hot tea (which they have various different types) and eat a chocalate cake maybe. For the night they have various fast-​food stuff such as hamburgers, onion rings, fried patatos etc My favourite one in milan is the one at Viale Piave close to Porta Venezia. Staff is very, I mean very friendly and they make you feel like you are at home.

Pros:
Their brunch menu is delicious — their combinations of tastes and flavors is unreal.
Bagel sandwiches on the go are amazing. AH-​MAY-​ZING.
The tight small space gives the café a unique diner/​café feel that makes you feel like you belong to a special club. A club of delicious and swanky food loving people.
Their pancakes on the fly are a great snack (4 euros for 2). They’ll heat ‘em up for you or wrap ‘em up to go. You even can get some delicious homemade flavored syrup and sauces if you want. Everything else behind the glass looks delicious.
On a nice day, the outside seating is perfect for people watching since it’s located near a small square.
They take reservations.
They offer a picnic in the park brunch option.
DELICIOUS.
Cons:
On Sunday, you’ll more than likely find a line. So make a reservation.
While the tight space is cozy, on the other hand it can become awkward when you keep knocking elbows with the couple sitting next to you. But hey, new friends in the making?!
They only offer drip coffee (with the brunch menu!), which should be completely illegal in the country of Italy — especially since it’s extremely watered down coffee, unless the idea is to get that ‘American’ feel by offering dirty sock water, then it works. But as a Californian, I’m a little insulted if that’s what people think about our coffee. The delicious brunch meal is just ruined by bad coffee, so if I were you just skip the coffee and grab an espresso later or pay the extra for the espresso.
The price is a little on the high side, but it’s understandable considering the amount of food and the ambience. But if you’re looking for brunch on the cheap, you’re better off heading to That’s Bakery or just grabbing some pancakes to go.
Otherwise, this place is pretty amazing. The service is friendly, fast and energetic. Great place for a lunch/​brunch date or outing with a group of good friends.

Great atmosphere and friendly staff.
The burger is THE BEST I have eaten in Italy so far and the Onion Rings are awesome.
For the true indulgence try the Orgasmus Cake with all kinds of chocolate, but don’t try to tackle the piece by yourself, you will never be able to finish it.
However, the prices are even for Milan quite high, the Burger with Onion Rings runs you 16 Euros.

Große Auswahl an verschiedenen leckeren Sachen wie z.b. Bagels und vielen Desserts.
Das «Restaurant» ist sehr nett und speziell eingerichtet und es kommt auch vor, dass man sogar draußen anstehen muss.
Das Essen war sehr lecker und die Bagels reichlich belegt.
Ist auf jeden Fall einen Besuch wert, aber auch hier sind die Preise wie fast überall in Mailand nicht günstig.

Wer eine Alternative zu italienischem Essen sucht, ist hier genau richtig. Unglaublich leckere Bagels, reichlich belegt. Auch als Menu mit Pommes und Salat. Und als Nachtisch ein Stück frisch gebackenen Kuchen, die in der Theke ausgestellt sind. Wer sich zu viel bestellt hat, die Bedienung packt die Reste auf Wunsch zum mitnehmen ein. Im Sommer stehen Tische draussen und am Wochenende läßt es sich hier schön brunchen. Das besondere Angebot: Brunch für zwei inklusive Picknickdecke, mit der man sich auf dem Rasen vor dem Lokal niederlassen kann. Einiges Manko: leider sehr teuer. Aber das trifft auf viele Lokale in Mailand zu.