a good sandwich - the classic buttermilk fried chicken at bakesale betty
it had been years since we'd had a treat from temescal's bakesale betty – so long that we asked at the counter about the cheerful ironing boards formerly used as sidewalk tables. (sadly, the ironing boards were a covid casualty; orders from the friendly, fast-moving outdoor counter table these days are to-go only.)
we also wondered, given betty's expansion across the bay and the proliferation of competitor chicken sandwiches over the past few years, if this particular fried chicken sandwich at a 20-year-old original cult counter would still be as worth a stop as it was in the mid 2000's.
the answer? bakesale betty's small feast of a chicken sandwich remains a detour-worthy east bay classic, and we wish we had ordered two.
wise customers tack on additional homestyle baked goods such as pie, strawberry shortcake or chocolate chip cookies to their sandwich order. photo credit leo dp/berkeley eats.
for those who might not be familiar, a generous, double-buttermilked, double-battered and beautifully fried chicken cutlet (a recipe australian-born alison barakat (aka 'betty') honed long ago while cooking at chez panisse) tops a fresh heap of zesty, crunchy jalapeno, cabbage and parsley slaw, dressed with good olive oil and vinegar. the pile teeters between a soft white roll, and the whole thing is deliciously messy, tangy and satisfying.
pro tips: ask for a knife. and maybe a fork. also you are welcome to request your sandwich without jalapenos, but we don't recommend it. and don't forget to explore the rest of the baked goods on the menu.
bakesale betty is at 5098 telegraph avenue in oakland.
september 29, 2025