a (not-too) sweet sandwich - the strawberry and black sesame cream at milk cloud bakery
if you're looking for a sandwich to make you feel like a kid again, this is it.
we recently perched outside the peaceful eighth street kitchens in berkeley, tucking away at this dreamy, fun treat of a japanese-inspired fruit sando, trying hard to catch the lightly-sweet whipped cream dabbed on our cheeks, nose and chin.
owner-baker and san francisco-native liz khuu's pandemic-born bakery milk cloud went from a rising popup to a pretty, clean-lined, literal berkeley brick-and-mortar counter shop in july. the welcoming vibe is sweetly captured in khuu's soft opening announcement.
this week khuu celebrates three years of business and almost two months for the charming new shop.
scenes at milk cloud in berkeley. photos berkeley eats.
we tried to visit a few times over the summer, but lines were long and all was often plumb sold out before close. now, khuu and her blue-aproned bakery team seem poised and ready on thursdays and saturdays (current opening hours) for the heavier rhythms of eager walk-in customers.
on offer are whole loaves of khuu's shokupan, including flavored shokupan (chocolate, kaya swirl); slices and whole basque cheesecakes, sweet shokupan buns, tarts and cookies all in whimsical, seasonal flavors; and a rotating, seasonal line-up of fresh, japanese-inspired sandwiches.
left: we spotted a little milk cloud outside milk cloud, hoping politely for a dropped morsel of shokupan. right: japanese coffee popup chen & coffee was sharing counter space at the bakery during our visit (this weekend find them at sirene). photos berkeley eats.
khuu's honey-kissed small-batch shokupan is such a lovely, fluffy canvas, with a creamy softness and give that is both elegant and easy. she also notably uses milk and cream from a2 dairy, which is why some of us can indulge a little more readily in her milk bread and whipped cream sandos.
as for savory sandwiches, this week's menu includes ajitsuke tamago sandos with kewpie mayo and yuzu pepper, and sous-vide kakuni sandos with shiso, ginger, garlic, japanese cucumber and yuzu kosho mayo, and we might return for one of each.
milk cloud bakery is at 2701 eighth street in berkeley. (look for the entrance on carleton street, between morell's bread and cafe bolita.) current opening hours are thursdays and saturdays, watch instagram for changes.
september 15, 2026 (more good sandwiches in and around berkeley, tips welcome)