Cafe Ohlone — Restaurant in Berkeley

We were thrilled to see that Cafe Ohlone was open for tawwa-sii/(evening tea) the evening we were driving in from the South Bay to see a band at the freight & salvage. We were a large party (8 of us) and we got stuck on traffic, so we showed up a little late. Luckily 1 of us was there when they were starting and was told we could all still come in even though we were 15-minutes late. We are so glad they did! Everyone in our group so appreciated the experience and all that we learned.

The experience is a special treat that goes far beyond food: for the tawwa-saii, consider it an immersive story-telling time full of history, different perspectives, some local botanical and culinary background, a quick traditional game and of course, tasty food! In our group, we had a variety of experience: from a docent and teacher, who enlightens local youth on the history of indigenous people and plants in the South Bay on a daily basis, to a British national with little experience of local indigenous people and history. It was a first for all of us and we all walked away impressed.

There are a number of ways you can approach a monolithic task like "sharing indigenous foods," and Vincent Medina presented us with a current, fully-contextualized realization of traditional ingredients formulated to please the modern palette: hazelnut-milk chia pudding is sweetened with agave syrup and benefits from the aromatic addition of vanilla. It's unlikely that the local people would have eaten such a thing pre-contact, but given the opportunity to thrive uninterrupted into today's global society, you can bet that they would! So it's no wonder that their elders insist that they keep the hazelnut-flour brownies. They are everyone's favorite!

If you can take advantage of this unique opportunity, run, don't walk. We can't wait to try their...

Tucked behind University Press Books is a transformative place that allows you to turn back time. The lovingly gathered and carefully prepared foods are nothing like any foods typically eaten today. Instead, these foods are the mainstay foods that allowed the Ohlone people to live in peace and in harmony with their environment for thousands of years. The two indigenous men who have created this incredible space and menu come from an unbroken line of people who have lived in the East Bay for thousands of years. The foods they are offering take a tremendous amount of time and labor, but they are not offering them in a simple format. The foods are rich and complex and take freshness to an entirely new level. Be prepared to sit outside, dress warmly. Be prepared to learn. There will be abundant information given about each course. Be prepared to ask questions. They want to start conversations that feed your soul as well as your body. Be prepared for adventure. This is an incredible opportunity to explore foods you may not otherwise taste. This is fine dining at...

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...