36 Best Cafes in Berkeley

“As a huge fans of acai bowl or any smoothie bowls, I really recommend this place. Among smoothie bowl places that i’ve been visited in Bay Area, this place has one of the most aesthetically pleasing bowls. The price is a bit higher compare to other smoothie bowl places, but it is worth it since they offer great variety of topping. The taste and the texture are okay. For me, I have anothe smoothie bowl place that I like more than this place in term of the taste, however, aesthetically-wise this palm-acai cafe is the winner“

“The real thing whatever they serve you. And delicious.“

“What a gem! In the courtyard of the Anthropology Museum, you’ll find this charming oasis. Everything from the furniture, landscape, menu, and soundtrack are all thoughtfully procured. Afternoon tea consisted of 3 refreshing flavors of tea and 3 sweet dishes. The chia seed porridge was a generous portion with a delicious flavor profile as well as texture. The toasted hazelnuts added a tasty crunch. Blackberries and gooseberries were a nice palate cleanser, and the chia seed flour brownie bites were addictive! The black walnuts and coarse East Bay salt were a perfect combination! I’m thankful they don’t sell these individually otherwise I would be eating them daily. In bulk.Not only was the meal unique and delicious, we also learned some Ohlone history and words as well as heard some lovely songs and spoken word that were pre-recorded. It’s such a nice experience and so much more than just food and drinks!“

“Very cute cafe with pastries and a hot/cold drink menu. I really enjoyed the genoise and London fog, great on a cold rainy day. The Christmas tree was up and twinkly lights about really made it a perfect cozy cafe to hide in.

Wheelchair accessibility: On the first level, very accessible with wide berth around the counter.“

“The olive bread was amazing, as well as the croissants and other pastries. The service was off the charts, truly exceptional! Highly recommended.“

“I love being able to get a snack before going in to shop. The cafe employees are so friendly, and the pop ups they started doing post pandemic is fun and brings an exciting variety of cuisines. The only fly in the ointment is that they recently started playing annoying pop music over their PA system, making it feel like Im at a Walmart instead of the best grocery store in the world. Please stop playing the corporate chain store music.“

“I stopped in for the first time last week… People working there are super nice. Latte was really good, I don’t know what beans they were using but it was delicious. I had a breakfast sandwich on ciabatta that was HUGE. I saved half for my lunch later!

Dog friendly!“

“We had the best brunch experience ever today! The lemon ricotta pancakes along with the cheesy potatoes were delish! We sat outside on their darling little patio and listened to live music, it was so lovely. But the best part of all was the outstanding service from Maxine, her suggestions were on point and her beautiful energy was exactly what our morning needed! Will definitely be back!“

“Wowzer! What a nice place. Everything is homemade. I wanted to sit outside and the staff person carried a table out to the sidewalk. I ordered an Americano and a blueberry scone. Scones are a great indicator of an excellent baker, and this one was excellent. It was light, moist and full of fresh blueberries; so good in fact that I ordered a meat pie to go so I could have it for lunch. It too was exceptional.“

“wonderful owners. good concept.“

“I saw someome make a TikTok about this place and immediately knew I had to add that to my list. I headed out to Berkeley on a Friday morning to try it out and I bought a friend who isnt a big fan of Thai and or Asian food. I was thankful to experience this style of northern Thai cuisine I believe the order Tanzie referred to it as. The hospitality and service was above average. I enjoyed all of my food and so did my friend. The pork jowl was agreed to be are favorite out of the all the dishes we tried. Very juicy , flavorful and just all around deliscious topped off with that crispy fried garlic. The brown rice over that soft scrambled "lava egg" was to die for paired with the savory tomato based minced pork that I ordered extra spicy of course. The star of the show that me and my friend both agreed on had to be the "prik nam pla" which I would describe as a sweet and spicy vinegar or fish sauce based dipping sauce accompanied by a nice punch of spice from the thai chili peppers. I dont have any complaints whatsoever and I will definitely be back.“

“There were three in my party. We ducked in here to take a break from the cold rain. We ordered a chai, a golden/turmeric chai, and a caffé latté, all with oat milk. It’s our first try of oat milk. We all liked it a lot. The foam on my golden chai was lovely. I’d reorder it anytime. I tried my mate’s latté with oat milk, I can recommend it. The pastries we ordered were all worth the consumption. I’m so glad there was one pretzel cheese bun left. It was delicious even though it wasn’t warm. I highly recommend them. We also ordered a quiche, a chocolate croissant, and an almond pastry. They were all superb. The almond pastry which was super light and flaky tasted like baklava more so than an almond filling. I liked the vibe here. So often I want to grab my order and split, not here. I felt fine taking refuge from the outside environs. The staff were sweet regardless of their spoken English being nearly impossible to understand. It was cool assuming they were part of the refugee program. It felt good being a patron there and the inspired conversation it led to. I am sure my party was surprised I was already knowledgeable about the topic on current refugees. That made our café and conversation time only that much more enjoyable.“

“A must place to eat and visit. Berkeley's best kept secret“

“I went there after Gameday at Cal. (Go Bears! ?) I got a BAT sandwich which was super good, the bacon was in-between crispy and chewy and the bread was semi crispy! I also got peach lemonade which exceeded my expectations! It tasted exactly like peaches, it didn't taste artificial at all! The service was very quick only taking about 5 minutes. The atmosphere felt cozy (except for paramedics being in front of the store front) !“

“Been coming here around once a month for about two years. Usually breakfast.

My two favorites are the egg wrap (essentially a breakfast burrito) and the mushroom and goat cheese omelette. The wrap comes with aioli, chutney, and pico de gallo on the side and really up levels the taste. The tortilla is fresh with that perfect chewiness.

Have and will continue to return!“

“All the people here: Paul, Dave, Mace, Elena, Matt, Joe, Misty, Rosey and Emily are great.

Dietary restrictions: They are willing to make the Southwest Chicken salad the way I like it. I only wish that they could get their decaf machine working☹️“

“I got the matcha green eye drink with oat milk and sugar free vanilla syrup. I honestly loved it because it wasn’t too sweet and the only sweetener in the matcha was the sugar free vanilla syrup which was perfect for me. It also has two shots of expresso which taste so refreshing. Overall it was a nice and relaxing place, and my drink was great.“

“Loved the chai and sweet potatoe hash brown. Next time I’ll try the bean samosa!“

“Just an absolutely awesome restaurant with amazing, high quality food and actually gives you enough portion size.Kinda cliche but Abe’s Cafe has literally brightened my time at Berkeley lol especially these past semesters where it has gotten pretty tough and miserable. Thank you Abe’s Cafe for always making my day better every time I go!“

“Tasty less fattening food. Good coffee - delish food“

“I live their expert roasts!“

“Best coffee by far in this part of Berkeley“

“Living at the International House, UC Berkeley, profoundly affected me, changing my life in amazing ways, connecting me with brilliant and open-minded people from around the world who valued diversity, inclusion, friendship, and who celebrated cultural differences and made people feel welcome. It helped make me more of a leader in life, and I saw, firsthand, how several friends also became stronger leaders in their communities and in the world, in general, both during and after their time at I-House. I-House is a warm place where real friendships blossom. And from friendship and connection can sometime come love. It was heartwarming, although not entirely surprising, to see some residents find their future spouses at I-House. Some found a future husband or wife while taking part in the amazing activities, groups, and events, that took place at I-House, both formally by the Program Office and informally from the small events and groups that residents themselves created for friends and people who wanted to share their time together in a place that many of us felt was a once-in-a-lifetime experience we were lucky to be a part of. Thank you, International House, UC Berkeley, for enriching my life. To anyone who wonders if I -House is right for them, while I cannot necessarily say if it is right for each individual, I am glad to share my experience and how living in I-House has positively affected my life to this day.“

“Your Ocho Libre Decaf coffee is the BEST i have EVER had. So delicious, well rounded and flavorful! Thank you!“

“Had a great hot chocolate and veggie sandwich. Food was fresh and tasty. The back patio seating has sunny and shaded seating and offered a little oasis to chat with my friend. The staff were very helpful. Unfortunately, they were out of kombucha, so I will have to come back soon to try it!“

“it's a great place, especially if you're looking for a place to work and eat/drink“

“I was happy to find that they have giant croissants for breakfast sandwiches. My sausage, egg, and cheese croissant was very good. Other people in my group got bagels they liked. If you like sprouts, they were generous with those.There's no atmosphere to speak of. But they were helpful, friendly, had free Wi-Fi, and good coffee. And there was a steady stream of people picking up orders. So they seem popular with the locals“

“Outdoor patio Salad Lunch Breakfast Brunch“

“I have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant. They start serving breakfast with good burritos at 8 AM and have affordable and large portions for lunch serving sandwiches, salads, and soups (or a combination, which I recommend) for less than $16 (usually $14).

It is partnered with the bar Raleigh's so there is plenty of outdoor patio dining space.

Recommend coming before 11:30 on weekdays just to beat the lunch crowd as the line outside can get quite long.“

“The interior design is terrific with the velvet rope curtain, the huge orange arch and the colorful mural. The food is also very good and they serve the best lattes

Parking: A huge red parking structure is a 5 minute walk away and on the same block

Wheelchair accessibility: Completely wheelchair accessible...not steps. everything is flat.“

“This is your corner bagel shop and cafe.The decor is spare and the chairs are slightly worn and comfortable to sit in. Surrounded by windows, it’s a good place to sit and watch people and traffic. Not too loud with good background white noise- it’s great to work, and seating is flexible for medium sized groups.Coffee is decent. Bagel sandwiches are good. Prices are average for Berkeley. Also pastries and stuff.The friendly owner is ALWAYS there and if you come in a few times he’ll probably remember your order. The clientele is an eclectic mix of Cal students, construction workers from nearby projects, locals, and an “eclectic” Berkeley crowd. Also occasional families with young kids.Basically, Royal Grounds is the kind of unpretentious place you can drop into, come-as-you-are, for a coffee, bagel, and chill for awhile. A kind of stoic non-judgemental sanctuary to refuel, recharge, and go about your day.Your regular corner stop bagel shop ?

Kid-friendliness: Wide open space. Good background noise. Friendly service.

Wheelchair accessibility: Very roomy. Concrete floors and tables you can roll right up to.“

“Warm staff and cozy space for a fresh morning ?
First time having apple cider as hot drink and it taste amazing

Their tuna poke tasted really good but it’s relatively pricey with the small portions (almost $19)

# Hot apple cider ?
# Ahi Tuna Poke“

“Most delicious cup of coffee on campus!“

“I came from NYC needing a perfect place to have a coffee and stare at the streets. Kind owner and they had epic amounts of the New Yorker. It made my heart smile :) Thank you for making me feel at home with a wonderful espresso and time with my husband.“

“Deliciously fresh salads! Lovely atmosphere and again really fantastic & yummy food experience“

“Amazing waffle & flavour and lovely atmosphere. Would definitely recommend you check them out!!!!!“