I love this spot soooo much and I miss it since I've left Berkeley. They have so many incredible vegan dishes and even a vegan shawarma which I'm obsessed with. The owners and staff are so kind and it's a wonderful place to study in too! Please support this local business at this time especially
Yinja L.
I've been looking into incorporating more plant based items into my diet! I've always heard of People's Cafe but I had no idea that it was all Plant Based! They have a solid menu with tons of yummy items to choose from! My bf and I opted for the breakfast burrito, acai bowl, and a blueberry donut! The acai bowl is so refreshing and super filling! The breakfast burrito is delicious as well. I would recommend sharing it and adding on another item to have more variety! I was super surprised at how delicious the blueberry donut was! I never had the best experiences with vegan pastry items so I was super happy this was so delicious! I will definitely be back here again!
Rohmer E.
I like this place and the menu - simple and mostly vegan save for a couple of egg dishes. They have breakfast items, many of which use the vegan "just egg" product. I am surprised to see how many folks are using these sorts of faux vegan products in their menu. They also have salads and "sandwiches" many of which are actually wraps. Flavors lean Mediterranean.I got the Zaatar Chicken salad (vegan). It was a gluten free vegan chicken with quinoa, spices, and dressed spinach. Despite lacking in appearance due to it being plopped in a to go box, the taste was delicious. I am a huge zaatar fan, and while the zaatar flavor was not strong, overall it was flavorful. I look forward to trying some of the other menu items when I am back in the area. Especially the vegan shawarma. Definitely a healthier change from all the vegan fried food that is in vogue. Try them out and support local vegan spaces that are healthy!
Ed U.
** The following review reflects my experience prior to the shelter-in-place order currently in effect. ** In our pre-pandemic days of innocence which seems so long ago now, the scene here consisted of armies of students on their laptops alternating with yoga enthusiasts carrying their rolled-up mats. The scene was classic Berkeley, so is the proletarian name, and there was rarely an empty seat during the school year. That's why I came in here very early on Saturday, so I could enjoy the relative calm over a $2.35 Drip Coffee and a Strawberry Vegan Donut (photo: Although the service was a bit on the curt side, it was the laid back experience I was seeking, that is, until a yoga class let out. COFFEE - 3 stars...yep, it was coffee AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...still a bit of disarray without the crowds SERVICE - 3 stars...transactional TOTAL - 3 stars...coffee for the masses? I guess... RELATED - Looking for coffee in the East Bay? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed:
adrian b.
This place seemed really mismanaged when I went (sometime last year). Here's a list of observations I made in chronological order, trivial annoyances at first but slowly escalating, like a frog in a pot of water being brought to boil: 1. They were out of chicken, so I got a soyrizo breakfast burrito 2. They had exactly one cook at first 3. There was no line, but I eventually noticed that nearly everyone in the place who was there before me had no food and had a number on their table 4. Someone who showed up after me got their cooked food before me 5. A second cook showed up and started to screw around with the music. Billy Joel was too upbeat and he wanted to listen to something kewl like Nirvana. Granted, both are fine choices, it's just funny to see someone screwing around with the music selection like that's more pressing than serving the dozen customers who've been waiting 30 minutes. I can't imagine this happening with an actual manager around. 6. The smoke alarm went off as the cooks started a modest fire The one redeeming quality was whoever was working the register and bringing people food. He was friendly and also clearly apologetic about the wait as if he actually cared. I'm not asking for much here. I just wanted a breakfast burrito without waiting for 45 minutes. I'd forgive all of the goofy stuff I observed if my burrito were ready in 15 minutes.
Carla B.
Wonderful food! We've tried the ramen, some baked goods, and chai. I'm not much of a kombucha person, but the samples I had were good. The person next to me last time was eating an açaí bowl that looked tasty. I'll try it next time. Great ambiance for working a few hours or after a class at Yoga for the People. My new favorite spot in Berkeley.
Linda Oliver
I found this cafe on the way. home from work. I had an awesome cup of coffee. I enjoyed the cafe. Very cool. X
Ari Chivukula
My partner and I come here all the time for the good vegan eats! They have more options than any cafe in town and the friendliest staff. Except the one guy who told us we couldn’t bring in outside food and who stared at us angrily as we ate outside, before coming in.
KaRa Isis Shields
The service is great and The food is amazingly GOOD! The cashier Patria is so accommodating and helpful and knowledgeable about the products.
Alex M.
Great coffee, friendly people, don't sleep on their breakfast sandwiches. Also, last reasonably priced place left in downtown Berkeley
Friendly staff , good pastries, plenty of vegan options , prices are reasonable for Berkeley but not what I would call affordable . Their vegan breakfast burrito is extremely filling, they have a really good falafel salad and they have vegan donuts . They are pretty clean although their restroom isn't the most inviting I've seen . I would recommend this place for a quick bite or a casual coffee date for sure .
Salih S.
Great place, employees are amazing. Love the food, and would definitely recommend to others for throughout the week!
Elizabeth O.
badria we love our dirty chai thank you so much! please stop and try! berkeley favorite.
Devin H.
Service wasn't great. The man at the counter barely spoke to us when he took our order. He gave us a number, but did not bring out food out even though he brought others their food. Paid $8 for avocado toast with no flavor, and the lattes were subpar. I definitely would recommend going to another place for breakfast.
Renee K.
Knew it because of its great playlist, loved it because of its cozy vibe. The best four grind hours I have spent in the city.
I love this spot soooo much and I miss it since I've left Berkeley. They have so many incredible vegan dishes and even a vegan shawarma which I'm obsessed with. The owners and staff are so kind and it's a wonderful place to study in too! Please support this local business at this time especially
I've been looking into incorporating more plant based items into my diet! I've always heard of People's Cafe but I had no idea that it was all Plant Based! They have a solid menu with tons of yummy items to choose from! My bf and I opted for the breakfast burrito, acai bowl, and a blueberry donut! The acai bowl is so refreshing and super filling! The breakfast burrito is delicious as well. I would recommend sharing it and adding on another item to have more variety! I was super surprised at how delicious the blueberry donut was! I never had the best experiences with vegan pastry items so I was super happy this was so delicious! I will definitely be back here again!
I like this place and the menu - simple and mostly vegan save for a couple of egg dishes. They have breakfast items, many of which use the vegan "just egg" product. I am surprised to see how many folks are using these sorts of faux vegan products in their menu. They also have salads and "sandwiches" many of which are actually wraps. Flavors lean Mediterranean.I got the Zaatar Chicken salad (vegan). It was a gluten free vegan chicken with quinoa, spices, and dressed spinach. Despite lacking in appearance due to it being plopped in a to go box, the taste was delicious. I am a huge zaatar fan, and while the zaatar flavor was not strong, overall it was flavorful. I look forward to trying some of the other menu items when I am back in the area. Especially the vegan shawarma. Definitely a healthier change from all the vegan fried food that is in vogue. Try them out and support local vegan spaces that are healthy!
** The following review reflects my experience prior to the shelter-in-place order currently in effect. ** In our pre-pandemic days of innocence which seems so long ago now, the scene here consisted of armies of students on their laptops alternating with yoga enthusiasts carrying their rolled-up mats. The scene was classic Berkeley, so is the proletarian name, and there was rarely an empty seat during the school year. That's why I came in here very early on Saturday, so I could enjoy the relative calm over a $2.35 Drip Coffee and a Strawberry Vegan Donut (photo: Although the service was a bit on the curt side, it was the laid back experience I was seeking, that is, until a yoga class let out. COFFEE - 3 stars...yep, it was coffee AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...still a bit of disarray without the crowds SERVICE - 3 stars...transactional TOTAL - 3 stars...coffee for the masses? I guess... RELATED - Looking for coffee in the East Bay? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed:
This place seemed really mismanaged when I went (sometime last year). Here's a list of observations I made in chronological order, trivial annoyances at first but slowly escalating, like a frog in a pot of water being brought to boil: 1. They were out of chicken, so I got a soyrizo breakfast burrito 2. They had exactly one cook at first 3. There was no line, but I eventually noticed that nearly everyone in the place who was there before me had no food and had a number on their table 4. Someone who showed up after me got their cooked food before me 5. A second cook showed up and started to screw around with the music. Billy Joel was too upbeat and he wanted to listen to something kewl like Nirvana. Granted, both are fine choices, it's just funny to see someone screwing around with the music selection like that's more pressing than serving the dozen customers who've been waiting 30 minutes. I can't imagine this happening with an actual manager around. 6. The smoke alarm went off as the cooks started a modest fire The one redeeming quality was whoever was working the register and bringing people food. He was friendly and also clearly apologetic about the wait as if he actually cared. I'm not asking for much here. I just wanted a breakfast burrito without waiting for 45 minutes. I'd forgive all of the goofy stuff I observed if my burrito were ready in 15 minutes.
Wonderful food! We've tried the ramen, some baked goods, and chai. I'm not much of a kombucha person, but the samples I had were good. The person next to me last time was eating an açaí bowl that looked tasty. I'll try it next time. Great ambiance for working a few hours or after a class at Yoga for the People. My new favorite spot in Berkeley.
I found this cafe on the way. home from work. I had an awesome cup of coffee. I enjoyed the cafe. Very cool. X
My partner and I come here all the time for the good vegan eats! They have more options than any cafe in town and the friendliest staff. Except the one guy who told us we couldn’t bring in outside food and who stared at us angrily as we ate outside, before coming in.
The service is great and The food is amazingly GOOD! The cashier Patria is so accommodating and helpful and knowledgeable about the products.
Great coffee, friendly people, don't sleep on their breakfast sandwiches. Also, last reasonably priced place left in downtown Berkeley
Restaurantji Recommends
Friendly staff , good pastries, plenty of vegan options , prices are reasonable for Berkeley but not what I would call affordable . Their vegan breakfast burrito is extremely filling, they have a really good falafel salad and they have vegan donuts . They are pretty clean although their restroom isn't the most inviting I've seen . I would recommend this place for a quick bite or a casual coffee date for sure .
Great place, employees are amazing. Love the food, and would definitely recommend to others for throughout the week!
badria we love our dirty chai thank you so much! please stop and try! berkeley favorite.
Service wasn't great. The man at the counter barely spoke to us when he took our order. He gave us a number, but did not bring out food out even though he brought others their food. Paid $8 for avocado toast with no flavor, and the lattes were subpar. I definitely would recommend going to another place for breakfast.
Knew it because of its great playlist, loved it because of its cozy vibe. The best four grind hours I have spent in the city.