Starbux break got you down? THIS WILL CHEER YOU UP. Anthony's Cookies has coffee, Espresso, fresh baked yums and all subsequent combinations thereof. Bay Area owned! If you make it for opening at 11am, you might happen upon Anthony himself, while he's making mixes and doing all the many things around the shop a local business owner does to make their spot a success.
On my first trip in to Anthony's Cookies, I picked up an epic order for work: three dozen cookies in all flavors, carefully arranged in three stamped boxes. That epic order allowed plenty of time to get philosophical with Ray, at the counter, about his favorite cookie flavors. After all, Ray, why bother with any of this, when nothing could be better than good ol' chocolate chip, right? Welp. I now know, Ray's favorite, Toffee Chip, and I have savoured its crispity crunch and chewy middle. Nothing else like it.
This is just a cookie, but it is so much more. It is a cookie and one of those adorable carton mini milks. Only $3.50, so you don't have to worry. Anyone in their right mind will have more than one cookie, but there is something satisfying about spending less than you would have for one fakey sugary coffee to go - and instead you get to go forth with a pep in your step that you, my dear, are so special, this little scrumptious lump was fresh baked. No plastic wrap or date stamp needed. This just happened.
Though I opted for the classic with my the clover milk, Anthony's sparkling espresso machine beckons, and I can see they grind the beans fresh. Even if you are on some kind of terrible diet and can't eat cookies, it's still totally worth a quick pop in. You get a glimpse of production from the counter, (a la Charlie and the chocolate factory). The Berkeley location, on San Pablo at Parker Street, across from Bank of America, is where the magic happens, supplying the other Anthony's cookies location in SF.
Buy East Bay scheduled an interview with Anthony for a couple weeks from now, to get the inside scoop on history, philosophy, town business and plans for the future, but *you* know, it's just an excuse for this reporter to go eat more cookies.