Little Gem Belgian Waffles

Ever since this place opened, I’d walk by and get a whiff of the amazing smell and make a mental note to stop in and try it. I finally got a chance to and I definitely think Little Gem lives up to the hype!
I tried 4 of their waffles with Nathan — Churroffle, Nutella, Garlic Cheese, and Maple/​bacon. Garlic Cheese was my personal fav because I love savory. Churroffle was also great, my favorite of the two sweeter options.
It’s a cute little shop on Telegraph Avenue, so not too much seating available. I’d grab one to go. It was about a 5 – 10 min wait for 4 waffles, so not bad! Definitely worth the visit if you have a sweet tooth!

I have to agree with it’s 5 star rating. I was sad I never made it into the Unilocal event but one day when craving a waffle we made the trek to Little Gem. It’s smallish waffles that are more of a pick me up snack. It’s still a soft opening so they have some kinks to work out. Its hand made, and fresh, but it does take quite a while. It’s slightly expensive, but its made without preservatives and of course fresh. Next time ill have it with ice cream.

This is definitely something that the Berkeley people need!
I stopped by here with my friend to try it out, and for the most part I was not disappointed. I tried their Tcho chocolate waffle with vanilla bean ice cream on top and it tasted really good. It was warm and fluffy, and the ice cream was still creamy (unlike some other places that freeze the ice cream). Even with all the chocolate on the waffle, it still wasn’t as sweet as I would have thought, which is definitely a plus for me!
The only concern I had was with the wait time between placing my order and getting my waffle. They wait for you to order first before creating your waffle, which I totally understand but it does have a negative impact on productivity and efficiency. If they could do something like take orders of people in line and start the waffles while people are still waiting to pay I think I’d like that process a bit more.
I’m going to try this place again for sure though! I must try all the waffles!

I’ve been wanting to try Little Gem ever since I found it on Unilocal,and today was finally THE DAY. As soon as we walked in the place smelled amazing, fresh waffles?! Yes please! I got the churroffle with three twins cookies and cream. I got so excited when I found out the ice cream was three twins because I’m a HUGE fan! Adding a scoop of ice cream is a lil pricey at $ 2, but totally worth it! The ice cream perfectly compliments the not too sweet waffle. We also tried the TCHO chocolate waffle with vanilla ice cream which was equally tasty! We will definitely be coming again!

This is the dessert spot Berkeley needed! I do miss Sweet Leaf-​their salads were enormous and delicious. But this is the best tenant in that spot ever since!
I’m not generally a fan of waffles, but their Belgian waffles are the perfect savory balance to whatever sweet topping you get. I went full throttle on mine: Nutella, vanilla ice cream, and sprinkles. And even as someone who doesn’t like desserts that are that sweet, the waffle was the perfect balancing element. I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in Berkeley!

This place is overpriced.
But I keep coming back…

Oh my gosh let me tell you something — I’ve never been that big of a waffle fan until I tried their Belgian waffles.
They. Are. DELICIOUS. Hands down the best waffles I’ve ever tasted. They aren’t the plain waffles you expect to get at IHOP or the ones you make for breakfast at your home. I’m talking about Belgian waffles — they almost have a croissant-​like look to them. I’m salivating just thinking about them again haha!
I tried the waffle with cream and the TCHO milk chocolate waffle. The chocolate waffle was so rich and the chocolate flavor came through very well — definitely satisfied my chocolate craving. The waffle with cream was perfectly balanced — the thickness of the waffle was lightened with the cream.
You can add ice cream and toppings on top of your waffle for a little extra, and there are even savory waffles for those who prefer those over sweets. Sometimes the wait can be long, but just hold on — the warm waffles you get at the end are so worth it. Also, they started a stamp card program (not a physical card, but through the check out machine they have at the store) so for people who love their waffles and go often (like me), it’s wonderful!
I have a feeling that there’s no way to go wrong with any of the choices at this wonderful establishment. I hope they stay here for a long time so I can continue trying their waffles!

I love waffles and this new dessert place just hits the spot when I have a craving. No, it’s not the best waffles I’ve ever had but it is one of the best ones I’ve had in the Bay Area. It’s chewy, it’s crispy, it’s sweet and it’s done just right. It’s extremely reasonable pricing and relatively quickly served. I wish there was a little more table space but given that there are not many dessert places around Berkeley, this definitely serves as a quick and delicious spot for dessert around the area.

Super delish! We loved the waffles, so warm and mouthwatering. The owner of the place is so accomodating…
What more can I say but to stop by the lilttle area of berkley and try it out! Definitely coming back!

I AM SO HOOKED ON THIS PLACE OMG WHY.
I tried it out on Thursday after school out of curiosity — I’ve seen it passing by. Interior is a cute, bright and cozy place. Limited seating, GOOD for a date if you are able to nab a place.
I got the Nutella, bacon and maple waffle and about the try the speculoo’s cookie butter. Seriously this place is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSOSOSOOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOOSOSOSOOSOSOS­OSOOSOSOSOAOSOOSOSOO GOOD. It’s one of those desserts that taste good even when it’s gotten cold. I actually cried when I realized I finished.
And so, here I am the next day for another waffle, writing as I wait for my waffles… Yeah I got more than one again.
VERY fairly priced — ~$ 3.50 per waffle. Also, they have a variety of ice creams you can choose a la mode.
I love this place, please LGBW never leave me ;_​_​_​_​;

#WCW also known as Woman Crush Wednesday? NOPE. More like… WAFFLES Crush Wednesday (and everyday).
Little Gem Belgian Waffles is definitely a GEM. THE HYPE IS REAL. Their waffles are AMAZING. They were fresh, warm, and fluffy. Words can’t describe how amazing they are. You HAVE to try them yourself.
A cute tiny shop offering sweet and savory belgian waffles. There are some stools to sit and only one table so seating is minimal. The owners are a sweet couple and they learned how to make an authentic Belgian waffle based with proper yeast. They traveled to Belgium to perfect their craft.
I’ve tried the Nutella, Churroffles, Strawberry Marmalade, and Signature Waffle. Which one is my favorite? ALL OF THEM. You can also add a scoop of 3 twins ice cream on top of your waffle! I look forward to trying more of their flavors.
This place is SO SO GOOD. I will drive all the way to Berkeley just to get these waffles!

The cravings are real for this place! They have sweet ones and savory so you’ll definitely find something you’ll like here.
This place is small, it can get cramp in there with numerous people eye fondling the waffles they have on display. Minimal seating inside so plan to stand !
Little Gems is run by a super sweet couple (fiancée’s) and if you’re lucky enough, you’ll see their mother in the back helping out. I always wave to her, she’s super sweet too. Now Little Gems waffles are a different ballpark compared to our usual fluffy, sort of dense, waffles. These liege waffles contain a «secret» ingredient: Belgian pearl sugar WHICH you can physically see for display here at Little Gems. The Belgian pearl sugar gives these waffles that melt-​in-​your-​mouth feeling and a subtle caramel vanilla-​y taste but it doesn’t over power the toppings flavors.
I came here for a Unilocal event a couple weeks ago where we got to taste all 8 flavors:
Signature Waffle
Spectacular Speculoos *
TCHO Organic Milk Chocolate
Crème de Gem
Strawberry Marmalade
Nutella *
Churroffles *
Bacon
Garlic Cheese *
*highly recommended
$ 3 for their signature /​$ 3.50 for the rest
Feel daring? Add a scoop of any of the 3 twins ice cream on top of your waffle!
Flavors for ice cream:
Strawberry
Cookies and Cream
Land of Milk and Honey
Dutch Chocolate
Caramel Toffee Crunch
Vanilla Bean
$ 2.50 for a scoop /​$ 3.50 for 2 scoops /​/​$ 1.99 as a waffle topping
They have coffee and tea, but definitely try their LG Mojitea (fresh squeezed lime, fresh mint and green tea) when it’s available. It’s a refreshing drink, will definitely be great during the summertime!
I’m glad to see this place blossom and I hope it stays forever, I’m addicted !

Out of this world waffles. The first time I came I just tried a basic sweet waffle and was in heaven with the flavors and texture. This time we tried a savory one (garlic & cheese) and the churoffles (a churro waffle!) The churoffles one was our favorite. The garlic and cheese was good but a little too garlicky for me. Perfect for garlic lovers out there.
The waffle chef is an artist and you get to watch him in action. It’s run by a sweet couple. I was told that the chef worked on the perfect waffle recipe for a year before it was just right! They also have a buy 10, get one free. I would highly recommend this place!

On a cold, rainy day these waffles are heaven. When you bite into them, you’ll feel the crisp outside, don’t let that fool you! The inside is so soft, and warm. It’s almost fluffy. As someone who’s tried to make waffles at home, I have no idea what wizardry Little Gem uses to pull this texture off! Toppings aside, this is the best waffle I’ve ever had. But let’s bring those toppings back into the picture because they make the waffles that much better. I had the churroffle (their best seller), which (dare I say) I enjoyed more than actual churros. My friend skipped the waffles altogether and tried their cookies & cream ice cream, which was pretty good too. The only thing that could have made their menu better is offering waffle ice cream sandwiches. Regardless, at $ 3.50 a waffle, this has got to be the best dessert place around Telegraph.
Also, like their FB/​IG for 10% off!

Little Gem is a new Belgian Waffle shop in Berkeley next to Moe’s Bookstore on Telegraph ave. This Mom and Pop shop offers very tasty waffles that include yeast as opposed to the usual batter waffle we are used to in most restaurants. The owners tried this style of waffle while traveling in Japan, and decided to learn how to make an authentic Belgian waffle. They traveled to Belgium and spent time learning how to make a proper yeast based waffle.
This restaurant has been a year and a half in the making, and all the hard work is showing. They offer 6 sweet waffle options and two savory ones for those people that don’t have a sweet tooth. We sampled them all, and my favorite is the «Sweet Gem» waffle that has a homemade cream cheese based whip cream and strawberry marmalade. The owners are so nice and open to suggestions to keep improving.
If youre near Cal campus, check them out to get that sweet tooth fix!

I went to visit this lttle gem on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley. Please don’t think of this as your breakfast waffle… Ok you have Cream which has cookies right? Well this place has a warm fresh Belgian waffle instead, you can can a plain one with cinnamon and other flavorings or get toppings like chocolate, or ice cream or straberry jam etc… I was quite impressed that the owners did their research, they did their homework and I was totally impressed that I walked away from a place that had a great dessert of which I never have experienced before. The place is not that big but has enough for you to consume your little gem and move on… I will be back when I am up that way again…

Came in around 4 PM on a Sunday and was able to find street parking within a block after circling around only once, that never happens in Berkeley around this area.
The place is right next to Pieology. It was empty when we got there, so we walked in & were immediately greeted by the 3 people working out front.
I decided to go with the crème de gem, which has a homemade cream cheese topping. I really liked the flavor & consistency of the waffle itself, but the cream cheese kind of left an aftertaste.
My son went with the nutella with a scoop of dutch chocolate ice cream for $ 1 extra, pretty good deal. He seemed to enjoy his as well.
At first glance, the waffle seemed quite small so I was thinking to myself… that’s not going to fill me up, but it was very filling to say the least.
While we were sitting there eating our waffles, quite a few people came in and placed an order so thank goodness we showed up before everyone.
After we finished eating, we decided to order a TCHO to take home to Owen so he could at least try it out.

This review is strictly based on a private Unilocal event and not reflective of the normal business.
Let’s get the complaints out of the way. One, no restrooms. Two, parking is always horrendous on telegraph. Service? Not sure because owners are on their best behavior for the event. Although the couple is very receptive to new ideas and great smiles.
Now the waffles. Solid. Reminds me of snowboarding in the winter time at Northstar Resort in Tahoe where a warm Belgium liege waffle is the best «meal» ever! Yes it is a meal. Although it looks small, it’s probably equivalent to 2 Krispy Kreme donuts. Expect to get full. A hot cup of French drip coffee will be a perfect pairing to this decadent desert, meal rather. Much like crepes, little gems had about 10 different toppings. Most popular is of course the classic Nutella and cinnamon sugar. All flavors are good however the most unique one is the spectacular speculoos. It’s a cream of the Belgium cookie in a crème form on the waffle. Very yummy. The savory flavors, bacon maple syrup and garlic cheese are also good.
Can this be a meal or is it desert? Truthfully, this a tad heavy as a desert but if you are up for having breakfast for lunch, knock your socks off! Mid day snack? Yum. Can’t resist. I suggested having a separate fruit bar as additional topping as hopefully owner will take it to heart. You know us Bay Area Foodies love good food but we want to be an hour glass too.
Over, great concept and we look forward to multiple locations popping up in the future. Good luck to Little Gems. Until next time Bön appetit and ciao!

If you’ve never tried a Belgian waffle before, then please do so. It’s undoubtedly a life-​changing experience.
Pros:
–I’ve eaten authentic Liege-​style waffles in Brussels, and I can honestly say that these are on par with the real deal. Crispy on the outside, fluffy and doughy on the inside. Very different from your run-​of-​the-​mill Eggo, which typically boasts a harder exterior and no fluffiness
–So many delicious flavors: Speculoos, TCHO, churro, crème, powdered sugar, and more… I’m definitely going back to try all of the flavors
–Quick service and served fresh off the grill. Usually takes about 2−5min
–Small but lots of seating room
–10% off your first order
–50% off for posting a picture of your waffle on Facebook or Instagram with their hashtag
Cons:
–None

Wow, these waffles are really good. It was fluffy but not soggy, crispy but not stale… actually words cannot describe how good they were! They also make it to order so its very fresh and warm when you get it! It’s fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Theyre also doing a 50% off promotion for their soft opening right now if you Instagram a picture of the waffles with #littlegemwaffles.
I recommend the nutella waffle!