50 Best Cafes in Berkeley

“Both hands up for this wonderful coffee place I happened to stumble upon, right outside the skirts of Downtown Berkeley. They're located right on the intersection of MLK and University, right behind the Indian restaurant.

This coffee place is honestly a little bit small, so please proceed with caution at all costs. But it really makes you feel cozy at home. They do have upstairs seating, but rather really limited. It will be full at times, and at times, not at all. It depends on the time that you go.

They have a wide assortment of sweet and savory pastries available as well. I got their ham & cheese scone, as well as their speciality drink, their banana cream iced coffee. I love how balanced their iced coffee is with the banana cream, which surprisingly, is made with ACTUAL banana puree made from actual bananas.

The barista who made my drink was very nice and very chill, and served it rather quick. That's what's up!

If you're looking for a locally-owned coffee shop right here in Berkeley, look no further than Bench Coffee! Trust me, it will be a trip worth it :)“

“wonderful owners. good concept.“

“I do love the breakfast here. The polenta with greens is my standard order. The green shakshuka really is greener than you were expecting. If you come as a party you can sample the various different kinds of hummus. Haven't been disappointed by anything on the menu.“

“​This was my second time dining here, and it completely solidified this restaurant as one of my absolute favorites. I would easily eat here every single week if I lived closer!
​During this visit, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the owner. She is incredibly smart, passionate, and empathetic, and it truly shows in every aspect of the restaurant. I love the way she pours her love for her hometown into the menu and remains unapologetically authentic to her roots.
​That dedication translates perfectly into the food—every dish feels personal, deeply flavorful, and genuinely authentic. It is rare to find a place that hits the perfect balance of amazing hospitality and outstanding, uncompromising regional flavors.
​If you haven't been yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. It is a true gem!“

“massive sandwich with a big pile of salad on the side!!! the heat came out warm & tangy with a good kick to it but not so spicy that it was uncomfortable to eat. portions were big enough that i could have shared my meal with another person.
i also got a cup of famously stretchy booza, which seems to be very hard to find in the bay area. they have a couple of flavours but i went with mastic which had subtle floral taste. you can add toppings like petals, pistachios, & kadayif- i got everything but the kadayif was stale unfortunately.
the guy who took my order was also a little unfriendly & it almost felt like i was inconveniencing him for ordering. anyways this is a cool place for either a sweet treat or a meal. definitely will be back to try some of their drinks & the knafeh…“

“Had a wonderful experience at EL TINY CAFE. The café had a cozy, welcoming vibe, and the coffee and food were fresh and flavorful. The staff was friendly and attentive, making the visit even more enjoyable. Highly recommend for a relaxed and charming coffee stop!“

“Cafe Parisien in Berkeley (Shattuck) is sensational. The pastries are amazing, so fresh and gorgeous; the service is spectacular, the price of these delicious pastries and sandwiches is phenomenal. It's my new favorite cafe! (I think the chocolate croissant is my current favorite, but the almond croissant runs a pretty close second!)“

“Most of the bagel sandwiches come open faced and you can mix & match two different halves, which I love. My favorites are the Bartavalle, Brusco, and Gold Standard. The fennel orange latte with homemade syrup is tasty and well balanced.
They make good use of the small space and have several spaces to sit, including some outdoor seating.
Lots of street parking around.“

“As fate would have it, we discovered this gem of a find after our usual Persian Restaurant suddenly relocated.

This cafe is much more than a cafe. It’s a full service restaurant with bar and a Middle Eastern market next door.

Based on our experience with Persian food in Paris, New York and Singapore, we rate the quality high and owner’s hospitality very high!

Most dishes were 5/5. The shank could have been less cooked, but it was still delicious!

Our Oakland relatives will go back again soon!

Say hi to “Amir!“

“Mey Café is truly one of Berkeley's hidden gems! The date latte is unlike anything I've had before, rich, perfectly balanced, and absolutely delicious. Their pastries are all fantastic, but my personal favorites are the blueberry scone and the tiramisu. Everything is made fresh by the wonderful owner, Sanaz, and you can really taste the care and quality in every bite.
The atmosphere is warm, vibrant, and incredibly welcoming. They even have a cozy little corner filled with cute toys and books to keep kids happily entertained while parents enjoy their coffee. Such a thoughtful touch. Wednesday story time is absolutely adorable.
Friendly people, amazing food, and a space that truly feels like a community. I can't recommend Mey Café enough!“

“Best coffee and croissant I’ve ever had. The opening barista Ben is also super nice and personable. Eventually it would be awesome if this place upgraded to a larger venue with in-door seating but, for the space they have, they make the absolute most of it.

Had to dock a couple points for atmosphere since the shop is five feet from a busy roadway (but if you arrive early enough then there’s usually no cars driving by). Please save a croissant for me. <3“

“Best coffee by far in this part of 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“

“My friend took me here for a pre-birthday brunch today! I ate the savoury porridge bowl which was DELICIOUS! Service was great, food was even better and I'll be returning again and again! Well done Evergreen - also you support local artsits which is AWESOME :)“

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

“I live their expert roasts!“

“$8 per person gives you access to over 800 boardgames! You aren't able to leave and come back, but luckily they have food and drinks (including beer) if you get a hankering for something! The staff was friendly and the pizza was good. My husband's beer ended up getting a bug in it and they so kindly replaced it! We will be coming back.
P.S. free parking on the street after 6pm“

“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.“

“Had a delicious mocha here this morning😋😋😋“

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

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

“This is my go to spot in Berkeley. The staff are really friendly, the place clean and always a good vibe and the coffee is consistently good! As an Aussie we are pretty big coffee snobs and I haven't been disappointed here. Grab their Iced Vanilla Latte while you're here!“

“The chicken and waffles here are impossibly delicious. Seriously the best I’ve had. There’s so much depth and nuance in the flavor, the waffle is delicate and sophisticated, and the fried chicken has a great batter, juiciness, and crunch“

“came here for lunch after a local friend kept telling me i had to try it. the burrito was solid, really good flavors and decent portions for the price. i liked that they had plenty of vegetarian options too which is always a win. the only thing is the seating area is pretty cramped and it was hard to find a spot during the rush. also my order took a little longer than i expected but it was worth the wait honestly. id come back if im in the area and craving something quick.“

“This place is always consistent when it comes to food and service. The people that work here are friendly and it really feels like a cozy neighborhood coffee shop/diner. Great place to get work done or come have breakfast with your family. Thank you!!“

“One of the best matchas I've had in Berkeley; properly stored and whisked right in front of you to the perfect temperature unlike a lot of other places where I've seen them exposed to air/light or they burn the matcha horribly. Highly recommended“

“Estubo delicioso el almuerzo 💯 recomendado 👌😋😋😋“

“Outdoor patio Salad Lunch Breakfast Brunch“

“They had fresh bagels and a customer service attitude in comparison to Bagley Street Cafe on Telegraph in Berkeley down the street from campus. I live on Telegraph and I will go to Lox Stock & Bagel which is several blocks farther away for a fresh bagel and a smile.“

“Whoa! Who knew this cool little cafe made food like that???

My buddy & I shared a Brisket sandwich- juicy, savory & delicious - French Toast (buttery croissant dough!!) & the most insanely good home made yogurt w granola (also home/house made). A perfect 2 person brunch. Don’t hesitate…!“

“The hojicha is amazing here! I usually don’t like hojicha but thought I would get out of my comfort zone and i enjoyed it very much here. The hoji-ko was what I got wanted to buy the powder back but $27 per 30g can was way too much for me“

“Super good & justice oriented but closed permanently“

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

“Best salad.
Even non fans would love.
Practically famous.
Place supposedly burned down. Glad it's back.

Agua frescas.

Don't recommend front counter case items. Trust they're not good as appear.
Seem generous portion too but expensive and not o taste ok either.
All filler. No flavor.“

“Nice corner cafe serving a wide variety of empanadas, sandwiches, and a few other baked goods. They offer a long menu of beverage options, including coffee, tea, smoothies, chocolate drinks, etc. I tried the mushroom empanada and harvest greens smoothie, which were good, but nothing special.

This cafe has a casual ambience with a low key vibe. There's a mishmash of tables & decor.

There's a large screen TV mounted on the wall that was playing a world cup soccer match fairly loudly, which most of the customers were watching. I'm not sure how often they have sports games playing, but when they do it's not a great spot for having a conversation or focusing on work or reading.“

“Love this place. The start of a great meal is good quality ingredients ❤️“

“OMG! I had the BEST sandwich of my life last night at Jazzcaffé! We came for a performance at The Freight and I needed something more than pizza and pretzels. I walked down Addison to this amazing cafe and ordered the Hen of the Woods mushroom sandwich on a toasted bagel. It was SO delicious in a greens marinade. I will go back to Berkeley this week JUST for another mushroom sandwich. Amazing chef and she is so thoughtful. Every person leaving the cafe raved about how delicious their food was. So if you are heading to Berkeley Rep, The Freight, or a Jazz performance - GO here for dinner before. Light fare fabulously delicious and highly nutritious.“

“This is such a cute cafe, perfect for a nice breakfast/brunch/lunch!! Both the indoor and outdoor seating options are really cute, with umbrellas outdoors that make the outdoor seating incredibly pleasant! We didn’t mind waiting for our food, as it was crowded, because it’s such a nice atmosphere. The food was very light, but filling, and was a very refreshing meal! Also the iced tea was really good. I got the breakfast sandwich with the works and it was very fresh and tasty! Would highly recommend“

“This is a nice no frills cafe serving some of the best tasting coffee in the area, the staff is always friendly and has the drinks ready within minutes. The Egg Coffee is my absolute favorite and I try to get it every time. At this point I think I’ve tried every specialty drink and matcha. Happy 4 year anniversary!“

“One of my favorite places in the neighborhood! Even though it’s like 20mins walk for me, I come back all the time. No other pastry shop is cuter than this, and their pastries, desserts and lunch meals are consistently outstanding.

My go-to items are biscuits (with butter and home-made jam!), and their fruity flavored spritzer, make it French! (Basically add cream in it)

Bonus point is this shop is right next to my favorite plant bookstore!“

“Mudraker's Cafe offers good food and coffee in a spacious, quiet environment. Owner Hazim offers friendly, personalized service and is always up for a chat with customers.

Hazim is so remarkably kind and attentive to customers that I must suspect his critics of un-cafe-like behavior that required his attention!

Drip coffee is well made and there is a full range of teas available. There are muffins and croissants and bagels for small meals. For more substantial meals, excellent salads and sandwiches are listed in the menu behind the counter.

Two outside tables get morning and afternoon sun on Telegraph Avenue. Inside seating includes a large back room where more serious students and remote workers tend to gather, as well as a German language class. The large couch in the front is comfortable seating for intimate couples and groups.

In an era dominated by cookie-cutter corporate coffee outlets, Mudraker's stands out for its originality and home-like atmosphere.“

“Amazing service from a place that actually cares about its workers and the food is delicious …got my coworkers hooked on their pastries and empanadas hehe …good veggie options … a very good assortment of teas… this place is a little hidden being back off the street, but it’s well worth the hunt and once you’ve found it you’ll be glad you did there’s a little private sitting area in front of the shop that’s surprisingly quiet for the area a perfect stop for lunch“

“Food was very good, good service too. Really good location and it reminds me of a 1940s diner. Pretty good menus and selection of food. \nBut unfortunately this is probably my last visit. Which is really too bad as I really like the place and would recommend it to everyone. But, as I was leaving I noticed a sign in the widow I hadn’t seen when entering. Stating that law enforcement was not allowed if they don’t have a warrant. Well I support law enforcement and if they aren’t allowed to dine here then I won’t be back either. Too bad, I really like this restaurant.“

“Vegetarian 🌱, vegan and gluten free“

“I have only had the coffee here and it's decent. The food prices are a little high for me, plus I don't eat out often. The cafe is a nice quiet, clean and spacious place to get work done. People do come in for the food, so it must be good. I would recommend this place if you are in the area and need a quick bite or drink.“

“#AmazingCoffee #RedBayCoffee 🥰🥤🧋☕🫖“

“I love their strawberry iced matcha and what i love the most is that they have LACTOSE FREE MILK OPTION!!
I also like their topping option of STAR MANGO JELLY so gooooood! Their Bahn-mi Sandwich is also really good as well!
I love coming here! I hope they can add on organic matcha option later.“

“Among all the Berkeley dining locations, this is easily one of the best places. Their menu has so much variety and hot beverages that you cannot find in many dining halls! It could be very crowded so make sure you leave enough time for the line. Otherwise, awesome choice and highly recommended!“

“This is a hidden gem family business! Sara and Roy are absolutely amazing. Friendly, kind, and always make sure I’ve got everything I need when I work and eat there.You MUST try to the BLT breakfast sandwich if you’re there for breakfast. And hot pastrami for lunch. Thank me later.And they are fast!“

“A little pricey, but high quality ingredients. The brown sugar boba is as soft and sweet as marshmallows, very good.“