50 Best Cafes in Berkeley

“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.“

“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 :)“

“Dinner was absolutely exceptional! 100/10!!!! Would recommend for anyone interested in extraordinary food and a lovely atmosphere. The food was creative and different and the best tasting dishes I have had in ages! A great deal of heart os obviously put into every aspect of the place, from the decore, to the dishes. Cannot recommend highly enough!“

“Crazy cozy & laid back cafe right on Shattuck just north of University Ave. Very solid lunch & brunch style menu & well priced. Turkey Crunch croissant sandwich w/ pesto was phenomenal. Chai latte to go was one of the best I’ve had in the Bay. & they have a Gelato bar? What?? 5 stars.“

“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!“

“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.“

“Palm is pure joy in a bowl. My husband and I surprise each other with Palm delivery on the weekends from time to time. Eating Palm in your bed on a Saturday morning is truly living.

Ps - I'm leaving this review while eating Palm!! And my husband is laughing (at me)“

“Wow not only did these bagels look amazing they were also hella delicious. Got half peaches and cream on a regular bagel and half of the “summer girl” on an everything bagel. The bagels were perfectly chewy and the flavors of the bagels were both amazing, do think I liked the savory one better (smth about the grated tomato and the burrata)!

Would 100% come back to try other flavors! Also there is a couple of seating both indoors and outdoors“

“So beautiful. So delicious. All the pastries look like works of art. I personally love the Horseshoe and Jalousie pastry. It’s not too sweet, wonderfully flaky, and very flavorful. The coffee is authentically strong which I really enjoy. The staff is welcoming and friendly. I truly enjoyed visiting and can’t wait to come back!!“

“Not many vegetarian options, but the one you have is the best ever🤩“

“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!“

“I live their expert roasts!“

“Best coffee by far in this part of Berkeley“

“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“

“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!“

“Do not come here. We want this place all to ourselves. 💗

But seriously: the ppl -- shout out to Parth (sp?) and another really nice guy -- are amazing, the food is fantastic, and did I mention that the ppl here are so nice?“

“Nice place to come for breakfast with a cozy,relaxed feel. Staff is great, the food is good, and delicious breakfast drink options if you want alittle boost. My mom loves the silver dollar pancakes. Worth trying..Just wish there was more parking around.“

“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.“

“This place is awesome! We hosted a group party of 12, and Rory was amazing. He helped us learn some of the games and was so enthusiastic about them. He was super attentive, and honestly, all of the staff were incredibly friendly and genuinely excited to have us there playing board games. We had such a great time and would definitely come back!“

“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!!!!!“

“I’ve tried a lot of coffee shops around the East Bay, and this is probably my favorite so far. I especially love their latte. It has a really nice aroma and a rich, fresh taste that I don’t really know how to describe, but it’s so good.

I also love the outdoor seating. It’s such a nice place to sit outside with a coffee and spend a lazy afternoon.“

“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!“

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

“Super good & justice oriented but closed permanently“

“Not a good experience. The young Korean girl was not in a good mood. I greeted her in Korean. She did not respond. Then I greeted her in English. Still did not respond. She wasn't in a good mood. I don't think people like this should be in customer service or on the front lines. I'm sorry for saying this but I probably won't come back here again. I met the owner recently and he was an awesome guy but he wasn't working. He's probably going around driving his Tesla. Just kidding. Not kidding Gregory. Sorry Mr. Kim, that was my experience“

“overall i think it was a decent place to go get matcha; parking is limited so it would be hard to park if you go alone.

love how they allow you to choose matcha powder for your matcha drink 🍵

i ordered banana pudding matcha (6.5/10) with matcha tiramisu (8/10) would come back another time to try their crepes! 😬“

“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!!“

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

“Food was good. Wasn't bad but it wasn't change your life great. I had the breakfast burrito it was nice sized. I would say the all the food needed seasoning, the red salsa way too much chili powder, green salsa was really good. It gave nice flavor to the burrito. Lemon blueberry ginger drink was very refreshing, nice flavor to it. Price was a bit steep for toast and a burrito, but it's California so what do you expect lolol. I would suggest it as a place to get you a nice breakfast that will fill you up.“

“Outdoor patio Salad Lunch Breakfast Brunch“

“Closest to NY bagels we got in CT!“

“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“

“Honestly, this place is a hidden gem 🔥 The food and coffee are seriously amazing, and the staff is super friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere is cozy and relaxing, perfect for hanging out with friends, having a date, or just enjoying some quiet time. The prices are great too! If you haven’t been here yet, you’re definitely missing out. Highly recommend checking it out!“

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

“We came here for the first time. Staff was hustling and quite friendly. Food was delicious and beautiful. And, decor and vibe are inviting. We came home with leftovers. I know it ain’t easy running a restaurant these days, so good work and thanks.“

“Fun to study here after class. They make their coffees strong and on the bitter side. I would order the galaxy latte, and their sandwiches are good, but their bagels are absolutely delicious and more worth the price. The best thing here are the berry smoothies; they taste like ice cream and are a real pick me up!“

“Intimate cafe with excellent food (salads, sandwiches). Their fried chicken sandwich is a favorite. Perfect place to grab lunch or a quick dinner before a concert at the Jazzschool or the Freight. Walk-up window also makes grabbing a morning cup of coffee quick and convenient.“

“I came for lunch on a Thursday and enjoyed a tea and Levantine Sandwich. The chicken had great flavor, the green tahini was delicious and the cabbage added a nice crunch. I could tell it was freshly made and hadn't been sitting. Skylar working the register and the espresso machine was very busy with a line out the door as her counter part was on break but she kept composed and friendly! I also picked up a bag of beans and look forward to grinding them soon!“

“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.“

“Jr was so friendly, fun and funny. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting at the counter watching all the staff buzzing around getting beverages, passing out dishes of delicious hot tasty food. I had the pancake, 2 egg and apple sausage combo with orange juice. Got me ready for my Stained glass class across the street at 10 am. I had the fresh fruit soufflé a few days before“

“A nice on campus cafe for you to either grab something between classes, or just to stay and study or hangout with friends ?

*but I think their almond milk is vanilla flavored (?) so be aware of that if you don’t like vanilla note

# Almond Latte“

“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“

“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.“

“Visiting our son in the area and he took us to this favorite spot for breakfast. Order and pay at the counter and find a table. Seating available outside if it's full inside. Fast service. Avocado toast was excellent...added an egg on top for more $. Cardamom bundt cake was moist and yummy. Sausage egg & biscuit sandwich was really good and moist. Most biscuits fall apart. Pay Parking available behind the shop. We went on a Monday around 9:30 - plenty of parking and not a long line. Apparently Sundays can be quite hectic.“

“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“

“This place is the best when I said extra boba they gave me have a glass of boba and they I've a lot of content I would go to this shop of you are a boba lover even if it is a thousand miles I would say to buy boba here 5 ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!“