Yi Soon Bakery

Bright store, with great food. Everything’s really reasonably priced and they have both small slices and large cakes you can buy. Woman working behind the counter was very nice as well. Street parking and easy access on the T.

Was in search of a good bakery for august mooncakes and saw some helpful photos from Yi Soon so I booked it over there this weekend to check it out. If that’s what you’re also looking for. make sure it’s actually august moon festival season. Not all bakeries carry them year round and Yi Soon definitely does not. I was slightly disappointed, but plan to come back again next year to check it out.
And because I was already in a pastry shop (who can ever leave one empty handed), I ended up getting one of their taro claw buns and the red bean mochi bun. The bread of both was slightly dry but not too bad because it wasn’t dense. The taro bun could have used a little more taro and same for the red bean mochi bun. Otherwise, the flavors of those fillings were on point. Not too sweet. Flavorful. And pretty.
I keep teetering between the 3 and 4. but ultimately, because there are some other options in Chinatown, I decided to stay with the 3.
Oh — and they’re cash only (or at least I didn’t buy enough for them to accept credit if they do).

They have great selections of cakes, buns and soft bread here. red beans and taro are my favor. I strongly recommended their taro cake. is light and fluffy with yummy taro. It’s good if you don’t want anything too sweet that American bakeries are know for.

Not bad, I saw a lot of buns and bread typical of Chinese bakery but I haven’t try them yet. The ones I tried are cakes.
The first time I was there i went for their version of Tiramisu, and it was actually very good. It was fresh and everything was on point, sweetness level and amount of cream is just nice (compare to those «cakes» you will find in supermarkets… yuck).
But for the second and third time, the cakes I got were sort of dry and stale. It seems that they have been sitting in the fridge for too long. The dryness did not just apply to the cake itself but also the cream and filling.
During my second visit, I also tried out the cheese egg tart. It is good except the inclusion of dried coconut. I am not a fan of that.
I don’t think I will go back for cakes anymore, despite its super convenient location.

I’ve tried many Asian bakeries so this is why I am giving this a 3-​star rating. I know it’s quite hard to get some Asian buns in Allston (the food, guys), so I’m happy Yi Soon is around. There is the typical selection, but they don’t have my go-to’s that I can find in Chinatown and Quincy. About the actual pastries, ehhhhhhhh. It doesn’t taste as other bakeries, but it doesn’t taste bad. I really like how tidy and presentable this place is though. The owners and staff do a really good job maintaining Yi Soon throughout the day. Yi Soon definitely has a leg up on the pastries in 88 Market, the only nearby joint selling the same types of bread.

This place is great. All their pastries are freshly made everyday. Their green tea red bean cakes are amazing. Everything is good. All my friends and coworkers love it here. The cashier is very nice. I recommend this place.

Cash only.
Good selection but not as great as China town. Pretty standard fare– solid red bean bun, but the price is right.
Definitely worth a visit, always a nice snack to pick up. Most cakes are individually wrapped.

Wasn’t sure what to expect from this bakery especially with some of the reviews about the cake. Hence I didn’t try the cake, but did try the buns and bread.
1. Red bean bread — delicious — could do with more red bean, but very light, red bean as it should taste
2. Red bean bun — authentic, again could do with more red bean, but I really like how their red bean is finely mashed and not too sweet, but definitely all red bean
3. Taro bun — impressed by the soft bread and light taro filling. The taro wasn’t dyed purple (aka I think they genuinely mashed taro up and used it rather than make it look purple to make it look like taro)
4. Red bean mochi bun — I like the red bean one better, but this was an interesting twist. Not for everyone, but worth trying and quite delicious too
Plus is that the buns are really cheap. You could get a red bean bun at paris baguette no doubt, but you would pay twice the price for a bun of similar quality.
Would definitely visit again to try the other pastries

ROTTEN CAKE!!! Came in for a slice of cake and walked out with the most rancid smelling piece of spoiled pastry I’ve ever come by. I’m baffled that anyone could possibly sell such a blatantly disgusting piece of food. There was no way they didn’t notice the awful smell or soggy limping texture of what appears to have been a month old piece of cake. I almost barfed when I opened the box. It was honestly traumatizing, but I guess I can be glad that I won’t be craving any kind of cake anytime soon.

Being born and raised in the south, there aren’t many places where you can get authentic Taiwanese pastries. This place reminds me of the bakeries in Taiwan. Prices are great and everything is freshly baked. The only thing I wouldn’t get here is the egg tart. They don’t have the same flaky crispy crust like they have in Taiwan. Another downside to this place is that it is cash only. Overall not a bad place to go if you want to pick up some authentic Taiwanese pastries.

I didn’t discover this place until after I moved out of Allston, and it is a good thing, because their buns are so well priced and yummy! I always get the scallion and switch it up with various sweet rolls.
Cash only, but you shouldn’t be putting $ 1 on your card anyway.

Ah, Yi Soon, you gave me so many good memories during my two years stay in Boston. This was absolutely my favorite bakery in Allston and it was always a joy to come here to pick out my favorites buns.
Buns I loved:
1. Shredded pork and scallion rolls: These were huge buns (sold for $ 2.xx each). The bread was very soft and the combination of scallions, creamy sauce, and shredded pork tasted very savory!
2. Mochi red bean buns: delicious! A commonly seen Asian bun that is soft, filled with red beans and mochi. The spiral design on the top of the crust was really cool too, hehe.
3. Custard pastry: omg, so good! It’s a must try for sure; crispy choux pastries filled with creamy light custard. I could pop these babies in my mouth all day… but sadly, they don’t last very long before they turn sour.
Overall, this is a nice and clean bakery with a good variety of breads and buns. Their prices are fair and the ladies behind the counter are so friendly.

The service and the taro puff here were both MEH, what a letdown.

Great cakes. Light, airy, amazingly tasty yet inexpensive. Except 2 cakes had eggshells in them. Hmm.
Takes cash only which is a hassle but have some banks and ATMs in walking distance.
The service is horrible. What they lack in communication skills they make up in attitude.

The only thing you really need to know about this bakery is that their mochi an pan sells out super fast and you should get your booty there NOW if you want a piece of it.
If you don’t know which bun I’m talking about, it’s the round one with the flaky swirl design baked into the top. Almost every time I’ve been here, that particular one is wiped clean off the shelves. Yet each time, I still scurry over to the counter, full of hope, to ask (in vain) if they have any more in the back. Of course the answer is always a resounding no.
Sadly the heart wants what it can’t have so my longest record craving is probably for those exact soft buns filled with pillowy mochi and sweet red bean paste. The ingredients all combined result in a flavor and texture bomb – chewy, gooey, creamy all at the same time. They’re the perfect breakfast or mid-​afternoon snack!
To whoever’s hoarding all those mochi an pan, I actually can’t blame you though… because I’d do the same.

This place rocks. Their baked goods are to die for and are dirt cheap (no more than $ 2 a piece).
Pro tips:
— This place is cash only, so come prepared
— Avoid anything in the refrigerator
— Stock up on anything with pork floss, mochi, and coconut

Yi Soon makes some of the best Asian-​style baked goods that you can get in the Boston area. I’m a big fan of their red bean (azuki) breads, including one that even has mochi baked right into it. It’s also a great place to get birthday cakes. Every time I’ve bought one for a birthday party, it’s been a hit! It may be pricier than a Costco cake, but it’s well worth it.

I should give this place another chance. The first time I went there I made the mistake of getting a piece of cake. I know. What the hell is wrong with me? What happened in my life that made me the type of person who would get a piece of cake at a chinese bakery? I think it’s probably that my mom and dad never let me get a puppy.
Anyway, the cake was gross. Next time, red bean bun all the way.

The stereotypical Chinese bakery — no frills hearty pastries, decent bread, yucky cakes. (Seriously, who goes to Chinese bakeries to buy stuff out of the fridge?) As long as you remember those guidelines, your experiences in most Chinese bakeries should be memorable.
Yi Soon is no exception.
If you ignore the fridge, everything else sitting on the shelves shouldn’t disappoint you. My personal favourite is the taro and butter bun (the clam shaped one). The boyfriend always gravitates towards the pork floss & scallion bun. We got a loaf of white bread here once, and it was ok. Not great, but not bad either.
Also… every weekend they sell zhang (zong to Mandarin speakers). COME ONNN.

Yum, so glad Yi Soon is around so I don’t need to truck it to Chinatown when I want Chinese baked goods. In particular, they were a lifesaver when I realized I needed some mooncakes the day of the Mid Autumn Festival. They had two different sizes of many varieties, both with and without the egg yolk (see photo of the ones I got).
Grab and tray and pair of tongs, then make your selections and bring them to the cashier. Clean, good prices, and pretty good selection. No seating.