latkes, round challah, brisket and sides seen from above
A Rosh Hashanah dinner spread from Mollie Stone's (Courtesy Mollie Stone's)

UPDATED: Where to buy round challah, honey cake and more for Rosh Hashanah 

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With Rosh Hashanah starting at sundown Wednesday, Oct. 2, you might be in the market for honey cake and round challah. Or maybe you’re looking to pick up a complete holiday meal, or some prepared dishes to finish off your own masterpiece. We’ve put together a list of local grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants carrying these essential items to make your New Year a bit sweeter. Don’t forget to plan for Yom Kippur break-fast meal, too (after nightfall on Oct. 12).

This is not an exhaustive list, but a mere sampling of what is offered this year. Let us know if we’ve missed any ([email protected]), and we’ll add them! 

Markets

Draeger’s Market has locations in San Mateo, Menlo Park, Los Altos and Danville, with Rosh Hashanah items available for preorder and pickup at all locations. In addition to challah and Manischewitz products, they are offering ready-made dishes like 40 garlic clove roasted chicken, matzah ball soup, braised brisket, Tuscan marinated grilled salmon, plank salmon, butternut squash lasagna, fruit tart and two types of chocolate cake. Order online for pickup at any location.

Mollie Stone’s has locations in the North Bay, San Francisco and the Peninsula, with an especially large kosher section in the Palo Alto store. Mollie Stone’s has customizable Rosh Hashanah meals at multiple locations with your choice of entrée (brisket, rotisserie chicken or grilled salmon), salad (spring mix with roasted beets and feta or kale with almonds and dates), potatoes (either herb-roasted fingerling or mashed), vegetables (rainbow carrots, garlic butter green beans or steamed broccoli with Parmesan) plus latkes, deviled eggs and round challah. All above items are available a la carte, as are fresh fruit tart, apple honey tart, rustic apple pie and round challah with raisins. Mollie Stone’s also has a selection of kosher wines. Buy a meal or order a la carte by going to molliestones.com/catering to order online or call Mary at (415) 301-1147.

Piedmont Grocery in Oakland has brisket and matzah ball soup from the deli as well as challah and other breads, pastries and sweet treats from Grand Bakery. They also carry a wide array of everyday kosher items and honey varieties. 4038 Piedmont Ave., Oakland.

Whole Foods Market locations have ready-to-serve Rosh Hashanah meals and other holiday foods, including honey-lemon salmon, red wine–braised brisket, cider-glazed chicken, honey apple walnut salad, pickled beet salad, Israeli cucumber salad, latkes, a lox and bagel platter, hot and cold smoked salmon, lentil soup, lemon herb asparagus, cranberry couscous, honey roasted carrots, kasha varnishkes, apple babka and honey cake. Order at least 48 hours in advance.

San Francisco

Arizmendi Bakery is a worker-owned cooperative that bakes round challah in plain and raisin-almond flavors, as well as honey cake tea bread. Order online for Oct. 2-3 pickup at the Inner Sunset location, 1331 Ninth Ave.

Canela Bistro and Wine Bar is offering a four course new year dinner for dine-in and take-out. The menu includes seared Spanish artichoke flower with piquillo peppers and chickpeas, mixed mushroom and leek soup with sofrito, challah croutons and labneh, sweet and sour cabbage with ground chicken or Impossible Meat, caramelized apple tart with walnuts and honey caramel plus optional add-ons of slow cooked lamb pinchos (skewers) and wine pairings. Dine-in available Oct. 2-4. Pickup and delivery available Oct. 1-4. 2272 Market St.

Che Fico has an at-home Rosh Hashanah feast for four that includes a main dish of your choice (tomato braised brisket, roasted chicken or whole roasted cauliflower) and insalata verde with honey lemon dressing, chicories and herbs, garlic and rosemary roasted potatoes, sesame challah and choice of red wine or a non-alcoholic beverage. All items plus apple cake can be ordered a la carte. Available for pickup and local delivery in San Francisco and Menlo Park Oct. 2. 838 Divisadero St., S.F.; 1300 El Camino Real Suite A, Menlo Park.

Greens, the vegetarian restaurant in Fort Mason, has plant-based holiday items available for pickup Oct. 2. The a la carte menu includes matzah ball soup, wild mushroom and potato knishes, braised cabbage and giant beans, round challah, Russian honey cake with apple butter and a box of vegan cookies that includes almond thumbprints with apple butter, sesame rugelach and brown sugar shortbread with pomegranate and dark chocolate drizzle. Order by Sept. 25. Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd., Building A.

Noe Valley Bakery has round challah in four flavors: plain, sesame seed, poppy seed or raisins and almonds, honey cake made with orange blossom honey, Earl Grey tea and whiskey, apple streusel cake, apricot or raspberry hamantaschen, chocolate-cherry or raisin-pecan rugelach and almond macaroons and either plain or chocolate dipped coconut macaroons. All are available for pickup or delivery, Sept. 19-Oct. 13 at both locations, 4073 24th St. and 28 West Portal Ave. 

One Market Restaurant is offering a full Rosh Hashanah meal available for dine-in, pickup and delivery. The menu includes matzah ball soup, smoked brisket, fresh corn “polenta,” pomegranate-glazed carrots and honey apple cake with the option to add on latkes and applesauce. Preorder or reserve your table for Oct. 2-11. 1 Market St.

Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen holiday foods include round raisin challah, honey cake, sweet raisin noodle kugel, carrot tsimmes, roasted brisket, stone fruit–glazed chicken, schmaltz-roasted potatoes, a smoked fish platter, bagels and schmear, latkes, babka and matzah ball soup. Order by 9 a.m. two days prior to pickup Oct. 2-3 and Oct 11-12. Multiple locations.

East Bay

Afikomen Judaica and Bookshop carries kosher round challah from Boichik Bagels (plain, or slivovitz-soaked raisin and saffron), certified kosher honey from Marshall’s Farms and halvah plus other holiday items including shofars, tableware, holiday greetings cards, calendars, books, stickers, a lulav and etrog set, and Yahrzeit candles. 3042 Claremont Ave., Berkeley.

As Kneaded Bakery is a woman-owned-and-operated wholesale artisan bread bakery that offers round challah in three flavors — plain, raisin and poppy seed — plus cinnamon apple walnut babka and jars of honey from Sweet Serendipity. Pickup from the San Leandro shop Oct. 2 and Oct. 11. Also available at some local retailers, including the Market at Edgewood in Palo Alto, Monterey Market in Berkeley and Bianchini’s Market in San Carlos and Portola Valley. 585 Victoria Court, San Leandro. 

Grand Bakery has been a Bay Area Jewish staple for years, and though it is under new management, Grand’s holiday goods are still available at a number of grocery stores including Oakland Kosher, Draeger’s Market, Mollie Stone’s, Diablo Foods, Lunardi’s, Andronico’s, Berkeley Bowl, Piedmont Grocery and select Safeway stores.

Gluten-free bakery Mariposa Baking Co. offers apple galettes, apple cider doughnuts, plain and raisin challah, coconut pecan macaroons and honey cake bundts for delivery or pickup at 5427 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, or inside the San Francisco Ferry Building.

Market Hall offers plain or raisin round challah, chopped liver, pineapple or vegetable noodle kugel, tsimmes, matzah ball soup, baba ghanoush, smoked salmon spread, apricot and pistachio pilaf, broccolini with lemon, crispy shallot and herb couscous, harissa and maple roasted carrots, chicken marbella, grilled salmon with preserved lemon, honey-saffron chicken, honey poached apple dumplings, spiced honey cake, brown butter almond torte, rugelach and more. The menu is available Sept. 30-Oct. 4 and Oct. 10-12, order by noon two days before pickup. 5655 College Ave., Oakland.

Meema’s noodle kugel, couscous, zimmes and little gems salad from Market Hall Foods. (Courtesy)

Pomella’s holiday menu includes chopped chicken liver, round challah from As Kneaded Bakery, chicken fesenjan, leek and spinach bastilla (vegetarian Moroccan pie), spicy Moroccan-style salmon, honey cake with roasted apples and mascarpone cream. Order by Sept. 30. 3770 Piedmont Ave., Unit B, Oakland.

Saul’s Restaurant and Delicatessen offers extensive holiday menus, with plain or raisin round challah supplied by Acme Bread. Choices include housemade gefilte fish, vegan or chicken chopped liver spread, vegetable succotash, roasted chicken with figs and grapes, whole rockfish matbucha, braised brisket, Moroccan pumpkin and chickpea stew, Jerusalem kugel, honey cake, apple cake and chocolate or apricot-pecan babka. Order ahead for Oct. 1-4 pickup. 1475 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley.

North Bay

Bubbala’s is offering an extensive holiday menu, with items including brisket, pan-roasted chicken with shallots, chicken marbella, roasted stuffed eggplant, saffron rice with cherries and pistachios, roasted fennel with apples and delicata squash, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and beets with herb sauce, mashed potatoes with olive oil and chives, tsimmes, kale salad with dukkah-crusted goat cheese, bagels and lox, smoked fish platter, rugelach, brown butter honey apple galette, and plain or raisin round challah. Orders for Rosh Hashanah open now for pickup Oct. 1-3 and orders for Yom Kippur open Sept. 29 for pickup Oct. 11. 906 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo.

Grossman’s Noshery and Bar offers sweet-and-sour braised brisket, lamb shanks, chicken shawarma kebabs, a sabich board, a smoked and pickled fish board, smoked meats board, potato leek latkes, pomegranate molasses roasted carrots, chopped liver and onions, matzah ball soup and salad plus golden raisin and currant round challah, spiced honey cake with apple buttercream and honey caramel drizzle, chocolate-orange or brown sugar almond rugelach, chocolate or cinnamon babka and cookies. Pickup Oct. 2-4. 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa.

Marla Bakery has honey and golden raisin round challah available for preorder at its Santa Rosa location. Pickup Oct. 3 at 208 Davis St., Santa Rosa.

South Bay / Peninsula

Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels bakes parve plain, sesame, raisin, poppy seed, whole wheat, whole-wheat sesame, sprinkle or chocolate chip challah, plus honey cake available in loaves, rounds or muffins. Order at least 24 hours in advance for pickup Sept. 23-Oct. 2. 477 California Ave., Palo Alto. 

Little Sky Bakery has apple cake and wild yeasted olive oil challah (round) in plain, sprinkle and golden raisin flavors, available at two storefront locations in Menlo Park and Los Altos, 20 farmers markets and home delivery in Burlingame, Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, San Mateo and more. Preorder by Sept. 26 for pickup Oct. 2-4.

Bay Area

Boichik Bagels has round challah available for preorder. The 1 lb. loaves are certified kosher parve and come in either plain or slivovitz-soaked raisin flavors. Order online at least five days before pickup Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. Limited quantities available in store. At Boichik locations in Berkeley, Larkspur, Palo Alto, Santa Clara and San Francisco.

Olive, the Bay Area biweekly food delivery service, has made its upcoming Oct. 1 menu Rosh Hashanah-themed. Items include fig and allium roasted chicken, almond-crusted salmon, brisket, dried fruits lamb tagine, quinoa with smoked beets and lentils, tofu and eggplant fesenjan (thick Persian-style walnut and pomegranate sauce), silan and harissa carrots, butternut squash soup, chopped liver (vegetarian option available) and beet tahini. Order ahead for delivery Oct. 1, minimum $99 subtotal required.

Lea Loeb
(Photo/Aaron Levy-Wolins)
Lea Loeb

Lea Loeb is engagement reporter at J. She previously served as editorial assistant.