Espresso Roma Cafe — Restaurant in Berkeley

My favorite East Bay cafes for working during lockdown - #2, Roma on Hopkins I’m almost reluctant to share this recommendation for fear that it’ll become too crowded. But for now, at least, it’s no problem to find a seat either in the sun or in the shade. It’s one of my favorite places to work during lockdown because you can sit underneath the vines and the dappled sunlight and listen to the birds sing as you work. Most people don’t notice the café’s previous incarnation, but if you look at the structure you can figure out that it used to be a gas station! It’s such a pretty place to sit, and it’s situated in such a pretty neighborhood, that to be honest, the quality of its coffee beans is not so important. I’m pretty happy with their Americanos, bagels, and apple turnovers – they’ll tide me over while I work and wait for a quiet time to pop across to Monterey Market to buy my veggies for the week. As far as I know, today is the main barista’s last day – I think her name is Yoly. She has always been kind and fun to talk to – we’ll miss you Yoly and good luck with your new café at the Richmond marina (which I think will be called Yoly’s café)!

Lockdown Stats: • Seating: tons of seating in a beautiful setting. Both shade and sun are available. • Bathroom: technically closed during lockdown, but you may be allowed in if you smile and ask nicely! • Hours: It closes at 2:30 pm but you can hang out there for as long as you like afterwards. • Weather: the location is sunny and sheltered and the trees and vines provide shade, if needed. • Budget: Prices are fairly reasonable, depending on what you get ;)

I’m also giving the Roma 3/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on this: • Longstanding community gathering spot with a welcoming vibe. • Almost all of their food is made on site or baked in advance by Espresso Roma Corp (based in Emeryville). • Waste minimization is just OK – could do better during lockdown – I’m avoiding their sandwiches as they come in a big plastic clamshell container. • Transparency is a main weakness – Espresso Roma Corp. doesn’t provide any information on sourcing of coffee and ingredients. • Just to emphasize that last point, Sandy Boyd (owner of Espresso Roma Corp.) has opened many restaurants and cafes in the East Bay over the years – including the Roma cafes, The Station burger joint near the Claremont hotel, and Nichi Ramen on Bancroft at Telegraph. As a prominent Berkeley business owner (and Cal graduate) it would be nice if he provided more information on Roma Espresso Corp’s social responsibility.

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I came here one Monday morning for 'long time no see' (post-vaccinated) reunion. I got a latte, an au lait, and a croissant. The croissant was okay, and the large drinks are tall with topping foam. The latte was stronger on the coffee side, and the au lait was stronger on the milk side. The line at the counter was a little slow, but I'm a patient person. One of my companions ordered the Greek salad, and they liked the feta balance with the olives the shop used, and they thought their coffee was fine. I liked the spacious outdoor seating, and my companion describes the cafe as having a 'San Francisco Cafe from back in the day' kind of vibe - they also recommended their omelets. It was nice just to sit and talk at one of their tables, even when I had to get my...

What happened to this place? I used to come here growing up and was always amazing. Now visiting as an adult, I feel bad for the community. I came to order a juice, but they didn't have the ingredients. So I ordered a panini instead. three orders after me, they now all of a sudden have juice. I'm offered to order one, but I'm now waiting for a panini. A ham and cheese sandwhich comes out. Not the panini I ordered. This was supposed to be a quick juice and now I'm just frustrated. Wait 20 minutes and my panini doesn't come out. Turns out they were not remaking it. 5 minutes later they hand me two pieces of cold bread with some ham and cheese on top. Definitely not a panini. The manager tells me this how they serve it. Abysmal. Really...