Berkeley Coffeeshops

North Side

Brewed Awakenings *** 1807 Euclid Ave (at LeRoy), Berkeley. A homely establishment, whose regulars generally come from the North Side of Cal: computer scientists, electrical engineers, as well as members of the nearby theological union. The regular coffee is excellent, and the americanos and lattes are quite satisfying. The cold drinks stand offers fresh squeezed orange juice and energizing smoothies. The croissants and other breakfast pastries are good, but Awakenings does not serve lunch. The couch in the back is an excellent place to take a twenty minute nap on a busy day. The walls are lined with photographs by independent artists from the Bay Area.
Nefeli Caffe *** 1854 Euclid Ave (at Hearst), Berkeley. Small, charming, very European in appearance and style. The food is excellent, if a little expensive. Items on the menu include a reasonable selection of tasty Greek-style appetizers, specials, and succulent sandwiches served with a side of pasta, lentil or green salad. The Alpino sandwich includes a thin slice of prosciutto, mozzarella cheese and fresh vegetables on a crunchy baguette. This joint is generally preferred by Greeks, Italians, Israelis and other old-world types, who delight in the taste of the best espresso on this side of the Atlantic.
Free Speech Movement Café *** University of California Campus, Berkeley. Located next to the Moffett Library, this is a popular hangout for undergraduates who stop by for a drink or a quick snack between classes. The coffeeshop is dedicated to the memory of Mario Savio, leader of the 1960s Free Speech Movement. The indoor section offers comfortable sitting, with several low tables which are typically piled with heaps of paper belonging to some unfortunate group of students rushing to finish their homework. The terrace provides a nice view of the campus. Outdoors, the bolted chairs are somewhat awkward and there is not much protection from the elements, but the atmosphere is cool and relaxing. The coffee is quite good.
Yali's **½ 1920 Oxford St, Berkeley. A neighborhood shop with good coffee, a nice couchy seating area, decent soup and snacks.

Caffe Strada

South Side

Cafe Milano ***½ 2522 Bancroft Way (at Telegraph), Berkeley. The creative decor of this south side favorite is uniquely Berkeley in style. The storefront overlooks Sproul Plaza, the hub of the university's activities, and the staging ground for student protests over the years. The sunroof on the top floor brings in a refreshing breath of fresh air on a warm summer day. The chairs in this establishment may well have been looted from the nearby humanities lecture halls, and no two of them are alike. The clientele is a healthy mixture of social science majors, business school types and local bums. The coffee is excellent and very cheap, but the best item on the menu is the veggie avocado sandwich, which comes on a foccaccia with sprouts, tomatoes, onions, avocado and an appetizing side of fresh greens topped with vinaigrette. Good bagels and passable croissants for breakfast.
Caffe Strada **** 2300 College Ave (at Bancroft), Berkeley . I discovered this place on Christmas day in 2001, when it was the only open coffeeshop in town. The sitting at Strada is open-air, and this creates a lively atmosphere on sunny days. Strada is more popular with chatty couples and groups than with studious individuals hooked on their laptops, though this has changed since the introduction of free wireless (yes!) in 2005. It is a good place to overhear interesting conversations, often carried out in unintelligible languages. The espresso and cappuccino in Strada are quite good, but be warned: the servings are quite large, resulting in the occasional caffeine jolt. Among desserts, their chocolate-banana Bundt cake is nice. The outdoor seating provides a good spectacle, especially on sunny days. Some of the tables feature a peculiar design, road maps of faraway places, such as the Amazon or Transylvania, which are entertaining to look at if you come here by yourself. Or you can enjoy the company of fellow artists, musicians, scientists and pretty girls from the campus across the street.
International House Café **½ 2299 Piedmont Ext (at Bancroft), Berkeley. This coffeeshop boasts a superb view of the bay, with a glimpse of the Marin Headlands in the background. The best time to come here is around sunset on a clear day. Watch the colors of the sky shift from clear blue to purple, then fade into black as the sun sets on the other side. The coffee is reasonably good and relatively cheap, and the sandwiches are decent. Beers on draught are also available. On Friday evenings, the place turns into a eurotrash hangout, and it is best to avoid it.
Caffe Intermezzo **½ 2442 Telegraph Ave (at Haste), Berkeley. Intermezzo is best known for its gargantuan fresh salads on a base of lettuce, topped with tomatoes, carrots, avocados, beans, eggs, sprouts, cheeses, cold cuts and what not. The salads are quite good, though not spectacular, but even the half-size portions are impossible to finish. The best item on the menu is among the less popular ones: the soup of the day, which is served in a large bowl with a thick slice of homemade honey wheat bread. The soups vary in style but not in quality. Varieties that are hard to find elsewhere include the Hungarian black bean soup, which contains sizeable chunks of kielbasa, and a light, watery vegetable soup with potatoes, carrots, parsnips and a hint of tomato. On weekends, the line at Intermezzo is exceedingly long and the place is crowded with tourists. The best time to stop by is late afternoon, when you can get a spot next to the front window and watch the crowds on Telegraph walk by as you munch on your food.
The Musical Offering ** 2430 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. Sip your coffee while you browse their neat collection of classical music CDs.

Downtown and North Berkeley

Au Coquelet Café *** 2000 University Ave (at Milvia), Berkeley. This cafe specializes in French-style dessert pies, croissants, danishes and other pastries. The coffeeshop is situated in the spacious front room of the establishment, while the back room is a restaurant offering simple meals in a more private setting. In the mornings, Au Coquelet is a cool, relaxed place, where finding a table is rarely a problem, the coffee line is short and service is very friendly. This is the best time to have a slice of the succulent cranberry torte, or some other fresh pastry from the local bakery. The shop stays open until 1am, a rarity in Berkeley, which makes it a popular destination for late night snacks. On weekend nights, the place is invaded by impatient after-movie crowds, and service can be slow and somewhat snappy. From the restaurant menu, the soup of the day is usually satisfying, and the hot sandwiches are quite good and available late into the night, if a little expensive for coffeeshop fare.
Royal Ground Coffee **½ 2409 Shattuck Ave (at Channing), Berkeley. A nicely decorated coffeeshop on Shattuck. The large windows provide for a nice, sunny interior. The coffee is good, bitter sometimes (I like it that way), though a bit expensive by East Bay standards. The quiche is forgettable, but the sweets are decent.
Berkeley Espresso ** 1900 Shattuck Ave (at Hearst), Berkeley. Pleasant, bright seating area, attractive for reading and studying, but also for hanging out with your friends. Good selection of teas. Update 2/2008: I was served the worst espresso I have had in my life. I want to think it was an exception.
Fertile Grounds **½ 1796 Shattuck Ave (at Delaware), Berkeley. A quieter, more private alternative to Berkeley Espresso, Fertile Grounds serves Illy's coffee, the standard pastries and cookies and a small selection of sandwiches. Nice looking and pleasantly decorated, with a friendly staff. A comfortable place to study, if one does not wish to be interrupted.
Village Grounds **½ 1797A Shattuck Ave, Berkeley. A new addition to the North Berkeley scene, Village Grounds attracts a busy crowd, which seems to prefer it quiet in there. The space is quite big, and the espresso drinks are very good and served in nice cups. 10/2006
Blue Bottle Coffee Co ***½ At the Saturday and Tuesday Farmers' Markets, Berkeley. Quite simply the best coffee there is. These aficionados won't roast the beans more than 48 hours ahead of serving your perfect cup. Drip coffee or espresso, you can't go wrong. Unfortunately, as all good things in life, Blue Bottle coffee is available only twice a week; so next time you visit the farmers' market, do look for this rare treat.
Espresso Roma **½ 1549 Hopkins St, Berkeley. Nice outdoor garden, across the street from Monterey Market in North Berkeley. Offers a variety of snacks and sandwiches, but best for a cup of coffee after filling up on pizza at nearby Gioia's.

Elmwood and Rockridge

Espresso Roma *** 2960 College Ave (at Ashby), Berkeley. The espresso drinks are mediocre, but the rest of the fare at Roma is very good, especially the snacks: bagels for breakfast, soup and hot sandwiches for lunch and dinner. The shop has a small quiet room for studying and typing away your youth, and a bigger room more appropriate for chatting and daydreaming. The bar is a good place for a quick bite, though the outdoor tables are the best for Elmwood people watching. Roma also serves beer and wine.
The Beanery **½ 2925 College Ave, Berkeley. Unusually quiet in there, but the coffee is not bad, and the back patio provides very pleasant seating. Even there silence is king, and dense thick books appear to be favored over good company.
A Cuppa Tea **½ 3202 College Ave (at Alcatraz), Berkeley. Good coffee, spiffy decor. A nice place to read the paper on a saturday morning after you've had your croissant at nextdoor La Farine.
Cole Coffee (formerly Royal Coffee) *** 6255 College Ave (at 63rd), Oakland. Offers a variety of light roast, dark roast and decaf quality coffees from around the globe. You cannot just order a cup of coffee, but have to choose from a dozen varieties off a menu. The indoor seating is nice but cramped. The outdoor tables provide great Rockridge yuppy watching, though those often fill up with the yuppies themselves, especially on weekends, with customers spilling over across the street. Slightly pricier than the average coffeeshop, but well worth it for the quality and selection of coffee.
Semifreddi's Bakery and Cafe **½ 3084 Claremont Ave (at Woolsey), Berkeley. The best morning buns in Berkeley, and a variety of fresh sandwiches for lunch. The lack of seating space seems to indicate a preference for eat-and-go type customers, but one seems always welcome to browse the newspaper and chat with the baristas for a few minutes.
Hudson Bay Caffe **½ 5401 College Ave (at Hudson), Oakland. Lots of daylight, and coffee served in nice homey mugs. Choice of seating includes tables, Poang chairs from Ikea, and a couch. Pleasant for reading, working, and Rockridge crowd watching.

West Berkeley

Caffe Trieste *** 2500 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley San Francisco's celebrated coffeeshop recently opened a location in Berkeley. The drinks are good and the decorations are nice, but the real story are the live musical events that take place at Trieste on weekends. Well worth a visit.
Cafe Cacao **½ 914 Heinz Ave, Berkeley This long-awaited addition to the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory is well worth a visit. The cafe is a rather fancy lunch place in this industrial part of town, but if you just came for the chocolate don't be discouraged, the desserts are fantastic. The service is known to be somewhat snappy, so good luck if you show up at closing time.

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