neither here nor there

Growing up in Davis, I learned to equate members of the Roma chain as dread-locked hippies serving you stale iced tea with cockroaches in the ice cubes.  Sadly, the Davis Cafe Roma shut down (rumored to be a victim of pesky food inspectors) and all of their workers had to go find jobs at the Davis Food Co-Op.

Despite this previous understanding of the Roma culture, I bravely tried the Elmwood Espresso Roma on recommondation of a good friend.  And while their tea isn’t the best, I truly like this cafe.  There is tons of space inside, including a separate back room (always nice) and some outdoor seating as well.  And while I don’t usually order actual lunch or non-pastry food items from coffee shops, I have enjoyed a good salad and pizza during especially long work sessions at Roma.  I especially love that the music is so unobtrusive that as I write this, I find myself questioning if they even play music there.  I also love the free wifi and the fact that you could spend 8 hours there and they probably wouldn’t raise an eyebrow.

Espresso Roma
College and Ashby, Berkeley (Elmwood)
Atmosphere: 4/5
Drinks: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Study-Factor: 5/5
Overall: 4/5

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This one did not at all live up to my expectations.  The Elmwood Cafe looks super cute with its yellow awnings and open windows.  Alas, it’s more of a breakfast place and only has a few overpriced beverage options.  Their only iced tea was a red tea that they had refrigerated and then asked if I wanted with ice.  Er, yes.  I don’t think they would be cool with anyone putting in hours of coffees-shopping here, but that’s understandable if they want to be a breakfast place first and coffee shop second.  I do think they need to get some other tea in there for those of us not lovin the red stuff. 

From our sidewalk seating we did get to witness a couple (probably not from the area) call the police about a bum who had passed out between on the corner with his head in the gutter.  They got a little jump when he was startled out of his nap.  We’re not in Davis anymore friends.

The Elmwood Cafe
College Blvd, Berkeley (Elmwood)
Atmosphere: 3/5
Drink: 2/5
Food: 4/5
Study-Factor: 1/5
Overall: 3/5

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And here we have the crappiest coffee shop thus far.  Dale and I drove the ritzy Piedmont area to visit this Glenview spot.  We were literally the only people who foolishly decided to spend their Saturday afternoon at Ultimate Grounds et al.  We did have some flies to keep us company.  And when the girl working the register (I’m not comfortable with using the word barista in this case) was understandably bored, she pumped up the radio to a blaring Mexican radio station.  Just what I love to hear when I’m trying to read or work… Or not.  The food looked okay but I didn’t get anything.  We didn’t want to hang around to actually get hungry.

Ultimate Grounds et al.
Park Blvd., Oakland (Glenview)
Atmosphere: 3/5
Drinks: 3/5
Food: 3/5
Study-Factor: 2/5
Overall: 2/5

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Oh Peets,
How I love thee.

Let me start by admitting that I once was employed by Starbucks.  I had a great time working there and drank enough coffee to develop a full body physical rejection of coffee.  See previous post: Do I smell like coffee?  So despite my time spent as a siren in a green apron, I am a traitor and pledge full allegiance to Peets.  Their iced coffee and their tea are far superior to those at the ‘Bucks.

The pasteries at Peets are about 10,000 times more appetizing than the hard tack Starbucks has downgraded to in the past few years.  A Mad Cookie (available at most Peets in the area) is probably one of the top 5 ways to my heart.  Other favorites are the Pumpkin Ginger Muffin, the Blackberry-Raspberry Scone and the crossiants.

In colder months, I am a regular Jasmine Green Tea consumer, while in the summer I live it up with more variety.  Peets’ Summerhouse Iced tea lacks the shaken watery quality available at Startbucks and I have yet to enjoy a better black iced tea.  I’m also a big fan of the Hibiscus Lime Cooler (iced tea with some juice or something) despite the fact that it is caffinee-free.  I have even branched out and given my aching heart some occasional stabbing pains after enjoying an iced vanilla soy latte.  So good.  And with the touch of foam on top? Perfection.  Insiders know that there is an Iced Drink card in the summer which rewards me with several free iced beverages of choice each summer.

Summerhouse = Summer Love

I frequent two different Peets in my expanded neighborhood.  We can always find a table at the Peets at 51st and Telegraph (Temscal).  My husband, Enrique (see “Coffee Shop #4″  if this confuses you), and I have put in some serious time at this Peets and the only downside is that like all Peets, you walk away with the smell of ground coffee trapped in your clothes, underwear and pores.  Nothing but a shower and intensive load of laundry will free you from this tell tale marker.

Another favorite in the area is the Peets on Claremont (right next to the Claremont hotel) and is on one of those vauge streets that might be in Berkeley or might be in Oakland.  I’m not really sure.  There is almost no inside seating, and you usually have to wait in line behind a few high rollers in their tennis whites, but what makes it is the beautiful and somewhat secluded outdoor patio.  The patio is set back from the road and has a garden-like quality to it.

Today I was in Berkeley, so I decided to stop by the original Peets.  This location has a back room that is like a miny Peets museum.  Framed pictures and the original bean containers are on display.  I’ve been to the original Starbucks in Seattle as well and it is a tiny little space.  This spot is a bit bigger and despite the space dedicated to memorablia, there is still inside seating.

Original Peets Museum

If only these were still the prices...

The original Peets is located in a beautiful neighborhood on Vine Street in Berkeley.  After getting my $2 Freddo Friday, I strolled around the Gourmet Ghetto (home of Chez Pannise, the Cheese Board and more) and then up to a quiet little neighborhood park where I enjoyed my summer beverage and reading.  The Berkeley Rose Garden is also in walking distance and paired with a Summerhouse Iced Tea, makes for a perfect Sunday afternoon.

Nearby park

Berkeley Rose Garden

Peets Coffee and Tea
Various locations
Atmosphere (average): 4/5
Drinks: 5/5
Food: 5/5*
Study-Factor (average): 4/5
Overall: 5/5

*A Mad Cookie alone earns 5/5

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I’ve driven and jogged by this spot many times and it was great to finally enjoy it.  There is endless seating inside, outside in the shade, outside in the sun, outside in half-sun, half-shade.  Some of the outside spots even have plug access!  Whoo hoo.  The people working there were nice and laid back and the guy even asked me if I wanted some tequila.  The veracity of this offer was questionable, but appreciated nonetheless.   I got an iced tea in a real glass (always a bonus) and I’m pretty sure its origins can’t be traced back to a box of Mighty Leaf.

Across the street from U.C. Berkeley, I was amid a sea of college students and grad students and the buzz of conversations was a nice substitute for music.  I even overhead a grad student talking about a paper she wants to write on the idea that there is often a negative stigma associated with people overcoming addiction.  Shocking!  Other groundbreaking studies include the following: People are wary of drug dealers and obesity is a growing trend in the U.S. But enough about grad students…

Those looking for quieter spots to study can sit inside or some of the quieter patio spots (we are talking HUGE patio with several distinct sections.)  And while it took me a while to connect, there is free wi-fi without time limits.

Caffe Strada
College and Bancroft, Berkeley
Atmosphere: 5/5
Drinks: 4/5
Food: –*
Study Factor: 5/5
Overall: 5/5**

*I didn’t eat anything so I can’t judge.  It looked alright but not specatcular.

**Hm, I was hesitant to give the full 5/5 considering I have yet to do so.  I just get really very excited about patio seating and this may have swayed my overall opinion.

Iced Tea and Teacher Work

Strada Patio (from Yelp.com)

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Did they put this on their Christmas cards?

This photograph hangs on the side of Peets Coffee on Vine Street in Berkeley.  Apparently it is suposed to entice passersby to enlist the photographer for some family portraits.  I’m wondering who sees this oddly intimate image and is sold.

I detest this picture.  Here are the problems I have with it:

1. The look on the mother’s face is oddly erotic. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I don’t see a mother’s love.  I see a face that belongs on a check-out line romance novel.

2. The boy has to be at least 8 or 9 years old…and he’s naked.  Fourth grade is a little too old for nudity in my professional opinion (as a mandated CPS reporter.)

3.  Do I really need a third reason?  I think  numbers one and two were creepy enough.

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I’ve been to the Beanery to pick up an iced tea while in the Elmwood hood, but this was my first experience doing any hard time there.

The Beanery does lose major points for having the same vast selection of Numi teas that can be found at your local grocery store, and I noticed they even make you get your own tea bag and steep it if your order a hot tea. It’s not that I’m too good for this task, but come on now, you’re a coffee and tea shop! Do your job.

At least the iced tea was better and I appreciated that the dude asked before plopping a lemon wedge in there.

What I was really impressed with was the layout. There is a front room with a few tables, a small hallway with the bathrooms, a back sun room with tables and then a back patio. The patio could be cuter, but then I’m more of an overgrown, Secret Garden type when it comes to outdoor seating. (Check out Peets at Claremont for this.)

Despite the slowish wifi, I found this to be the most study friendly stop thus far on my summer tour. The music was classical, and the back room allowed for the more focused to sit farther away from street and espresso machine noise.

The Beanery
College Avenue, Berkeley (Elmwood)
Atmosphere: 5/5
Drinks: 3/5*
Food: 4/5**
Study Factor: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

*I’ve decided that any cafe that sells Numi or Mighty Leaf tea has a 1% chance of earning anything higher than a 3/5 on my “Drinks” scale.

**I didn’t eat anything, so this is based on looks and selection.  They have some good looking sweets.

Cool coffee bean tables

If ever find yourself in the borderlands and are unsure if you are in Berkeley or Oakland, there are little hints if you look around.

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So this one is a little bit of a cheat because I’ve been to Hudson Bay a bazillion times. It’s also known as Enrique’s* office because he spent most of his unempolyment doing job applications and nerdy web stuff here.

The music is good but not distracting, the tea isn’t Peets, but then again it’s significantly better than MightyLeaf. The pastries are good (same bakery as Peets) and they offer some tasty salads and sandwiches.

Best of all, Hudson Bay is located in my favorite Rockridge hot spot. Standing in front of Hudson Bay, I could spit on my favorite bookstore, yoga studio, and the aforementioned Bittersweet as well as the super awesome Rockridge Home.

Hudson Bay Coffee Company
College Avenue, Oakland (Rockridge)
Atmosphere: 4/5
Drinks: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Study Factor: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

*My husband (previously named Dale) is a giant cyber nerd. Yesterday he informed me that real bloggers don’t use the real names of anyone in their writing. I asked if this was for security reasons and he didn’t seem to think so. Apparently, he prefers blogs written more anonymously. I don’t feel like saying “my husband,” or “that guy I live with” so for now we shall call him Enrique.

Picture from Yelp

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I finally made it down to Sacks.  I’ve run past this spot dozens of time, but this was my first time actually entering the building.  It might not have been the best choice for a Saturday, because traffic on College down there on the Oakland/Berkeley border gets crazy on the weekends. 

Nonetheless, the atmosphere was pretty cool.  A really large spot with TONS of tables and OUTLETS!  And consequently, it is teeming with Cal Students, even in the middle of July.  Dale (my weekend coffee shop partner) commented that he felt old.  I was fine with the student crowd, but my work laptop piece of junk I had with me was probably the only not Mac in the room.  I suppose I could have stood up on the bench between a few of the coffee sacks and announced, “I really am a Mac user, but my husband stole mine.  This is just a work computer!  I would never actually pay for a PC.”

Dale enjoyed an egg and cheese bagel while had a chocolate chip cookie.  I consider myself to be somewhat of a chocolate chip cookie connoisseur and I wasn’t impressed.  It looked good in the jar, but was a bit stale.  The iced tea was what I expected–sub par.  Apparently Sacks is one of those all too frequent coffee shops that think using Numi or Mighty Leaf is sufficient.  I wouldn’t even buy a box of Mighty Leaf (or Numi for that matter) at Safeway.  Meh.  Oh well, the art, tables, and free internet made it a worthwhile stop.

Sacks
College Avenue, Berkeley
Atmosphere: 4/5*
Drinks: 2/5
Food: 3/5
Study Factor: 5/5
Overall: 3/5

*The atmosphere lost one point because the music was a bit manic.  Coldplay, followed by Al Green, followed by indie band, followed by some horrible disco slow song.  Er wha?  It was distracting.

Might Leaf Tea (eye roll)

 

Sacks Art Just a little farther down College

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As a workaholic teacher, there are few summer days during which I do not work. I don’t so much mind the work I do over the summer, especially when it takes place in a nice, air conditioned coffee shop. While I am a former Starbucks barista, put in my time as a slave at privately owned Davis coffee shop, and have converted to become a loyal Peets regular a few years ago, I thought it might be time to get around. My goal is to go to a different coffee shop each day so that I can find some gems in my hood.
Today I packed my messenger bag with my brick of a work laptop, some Doug Lamov reading and a few other necessities such as a novel about people living in the slums of India (your average summer reading.) I had planned to walk about 30 minutes down College to Sacks Coffee in Berkeley, but as my hunk of junk computer weighed down my bag and gouged a groove in my shoulder, I wimped out and decided to hit up the much closer Bittersweet Cafe.

Bittersweet was wonderful. Nothing bittersweet about it except the chocolate, and perhaps the calorie intake. My usual is a black iced tea, but I thought that as a Bittersweet virgin, I should try one of their specialties. Upon the friendly barista’s advice, I ordered a chocolate thai iced tea. I must admit this did not sound particularly appetizing to me, but indeed it was other-worldly. I savored it over the next few hours as I sat at a heavy country-styled wooden table and read about improving the pacing of my lessons.

Had I not had delicious leftovers to enjoy for lunch courtesy of my wonderful house guest Amanda (check out her blog: Yumology) , I would have ordered a bowl of tortilla soup. Bittersweet also offers some of the most amazing looking pastries I’ve seen outside of an actual restaurant. I didn’t indulge, but another day.

When my foodie houseguest returned from her Science teacher training that brought her to the Bay, I raved about my café experience and she insisted we stop by. So after hauling our butts up the Claremont Canyon trail, we stopped by Bittersweet and Amanda enjoyed my new iced beverage of choice. As we walked down the sidewalk, she giggled with happiness. Yes, that is how good this drink is. It will make you giddy. “You take a sip of it and there is a burst of floral Jasmine tea flavor with a lingering chocolate taste, finished off with a sweet and delightful touch of condensed milk,” she described. We both decided it was one of those foods you had to consume slowly and “think about.” The night before we had to “think about” each bite of Ginger Crème Brule ice cream from Ici.

Well enough said. You’re convinced. Here’s my overall review:

Bittersweet: The Chocolate Café
College Avenue, Oakland (Rockridge)
Atmosphere: 4/5
Drinks: 5/5
Food: 5/5
Study Factor: 3/5*
Overall: 4/5

*I did get a few hours of work done at Bittersweet but seating is limited and there are no outlets to be had. It’s a better place for a coffee date or some reading. I felt self conscious about breaking out piles of work on my shared table.

Think Worthy Iced Tea

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