Elmwood Cafe

Have to say the turkey pesto sandwich was pretty good and very healthy. Unlike other pesto sauce are very oily.
The latte was ok though, too much milk and didn’t taste any coffee. Plus I saw heart on other coffee that showed on the Unilocal,but mine had nothing, jist foam. Coffee tastes better with the art.

My experience may be an anomaly at this establishment because I have only heard good things about this place which is why I came here to eat. However to my disappointment I received poor serviced from the employees. It took them 40 minutes to bring me my Quiche and when they finally brought it to me it was cold and mediocre, I would not recommend this café, find another there are blind to be higher quality cafes in this area.

Got the infamous poached egged sandwich and lemon waffle.
This café is known to donate half of their earnings to a charity.
It does seem that way because their menu items are about 2x it’s worth.
The portion sizes here are quite small.
The sandwich was alright as well as a waffle.
If you are looking for a hearty breakfast, you may want to try somewhere else.

This corner café on College avenue is a convenient place to have a casual brunch/​lunch. I was attracted to the variety of sandwiches on the menu, so I tried the curried chicken salad sandwich, mushroom egg breakfast sandwich, and smoked salmon sandwich. The curried chicken sandwich was hearty and the chicken itself pleasantly sweet. The smoked salmon sandwich was open faced with red onions and cucumbers. The pickled red onions tasted horrible in the sandwich and tasted significantly better without them. The mushroom and egg in the breakfast sandwich/​panini melted together to make a rich and satisfying concoction.
Although the food is decent, there seems to be a fly infestation here and the inside feels a little dirty. I’ve come here a few times throughout the last couple years and there have been flies swarming around the entrance during my every visit. I wouldn’t come here for a date because the ambience isn’t anything too special and the seats aren’t comfortable. It’s rather a place to go on a lazy morning or afternoon if you’re around the area and craving breakfast foods/​artisanal sandwiches.

Coffee and food = fantastic. We ordered the veggie frittata, cinnamon currant toast, coconut granola, and blueberry muffin. Everything tasted great — you can tell it’s all handmade with quality ingredients, and super fresh.
The frittata had all sorts of great veggies– zucchini, peas, and onions, all perfectly cooked and well seasoned. My husband loved the granola w/​yogurt, and our son devoured 2 pieces of the currant toast on the way to SFO.
We would definitely be back. Service was okay– if not a little absentminded, as one of our items were forgotten until I gave a reminder.

First of all I have the worst luck because I’ve missed the poached egg sandwich twice in three. They stop serving it 11 am on weekdays and 1 pm on weekends so remember that.
The buttermilk biscuit was amazing. I love that Elmwood makes its own baked goods. Just beware that a lot of things will be sold out if you arrive later. The cinnamon currant toast was already gone so I tried the normal toast. It was good but I probably wouldn’t get it again because it was kind of plain.
On another day I got the curried chicken salad sandwich. Absolutely amazing! Took a bite of my dad’s roast turkey and rosemary pesto sandwich and felt the same way. Very fresh ingredients!
Drinks: I’m a huge fan of the hot cocoa and lychee tea. For those that don’t know an Arnold Palmer is ice tea with lemonade. It’s also pretty good but I feel like I could make it myself. It was kind of a bummer that there is so much ice put in any of the iced drinks though…
Elmwood is hugely popular as demonstrated by the long lines. I wouldn’t call it my favorite brunch place but definitely worth checking out.

One of my favorite spots in the Berkeley area!
My favorite dish here is the poached egg sandwich. The eggs are beautifully made with the yolk not too runny but not solid either, and the flavor for the sauce in the sandwich is amazing. I’d also highly recommend the buttermilk waffles. I’m a huge sucker for good waffles, and the waffles here are quite possibly the best waffles I’ve ever had in my entire life. The cinnamon currant toast is also really quite good, and one of the cheaper things on the menu.
The breakfast sandwiches are also pretty good. The spinach one is the one I prefer. Not as good as the poached egg sandwich, but still has a lot of really good flavor. Not as much of a fan of the mushroom breakfast sandwich but it’s still a decent dish.
They also have lychee iced tea which has just the right amount of sweetness and lychee flavor while still keeping the natural taste of tea.
Staff are always friendly and the ambiance is great as well :)

In the Bay Area for work and was taken here by my best friend — had the poached egg sandwich (amazing) and ordered a cortado (which isn’t on their menu, but the baristas know their stuff). I thoroughly enjoyed the sandwich, and the house made tomato jam lends a great savory-​sweet flavor to the delicate meal. It’s got a lovely arrangement of different textures from the bread, bacon, jam, and egg, and it’s really great food.
The cortado was well-​made — no complaints here! If I’m ever in the Berkeley area again, I’ll be back!

I popped in for lunch today. After I arrived I realized that the restaurant recently made waves. The staff was cordial. Not overwhelming friendly, but not chilly either
Docking a star because I had multiple gnats bothering me through lunch. I wasn’t seated near garbage so I thought it was weird. Also, I had to bus the prior dishes from my own table. Not major issues.
I tried the buttermilk biscuit, which was epic. The curried chicken salad sandwich was flavorful enough but it wasn’t out of the park.
The ambiance feels very European and since I won’t be going there anytime soon, I will probably be back to try other things.

Service, food, and feel … it is a definite must-​go for breakfast. Everything you would expect at a quality breakfast café. Start with 2 piece of sliced lemon with a tea spoon of their special honey. Great for mornings. Follow by poached eggs that made just perfect, served over backed bread. For a more hearty breakfast, add the breakfast sandwich… I get the mushroom and egg, but feel injustice if I don’t also try the spinach egg so end up with both. Finish up this big breakfast is a Quiche (ham), with a large latte. Yum yum !!! Now I’m ready for my Sunday ! Let’s go!

I could eat their pastries for days! I highly recommend the strawberry muffin which melts in your mouth from moistness and is perfectly sweetened by the Californian berries. Or (and) the apple coffee cake muffin, rather messy but God the flavor: cinnamon, roasted apples, crushed almonds and brown sugar. Elmwood Café offers a great ambience with lots of natural lighting but with its a small setting you should be prepared to stand in line. Also, you should note that they use all in-​season products, so menu options will change throughout the year.

My wife was getting her hair cut down the street, so I was walking the area for a little exercise. The chalkboard menu caught my eye — Pastrami sandwich $ 12.50. Lemonade lg. $ 4. and a tip. A $ 20 lunch plus $ 5 parking. A treat for me.
Lemonade is a rip off. Such a small serving and clarified as their large size. SORRY, but that’s my honest feeling„ I was given the lemonade while I waited for the sandwich sooo, this ate at me a bit. After finishing the lemonade, I refilled the glass with water.
My sandwich arrived and I guess I was so irritated by the lemonade purchase, I had to think in my mind that I got the appetizer sized panini. It was small, but the flavor was extraordinary. Delicious in fact.
5 stars flavor. 2 stars on serving size.
If you’re rich and just want to tend a craving. This is the place for you.

I pass by this place at least every week, and it’s always packed! After finally giving this place a try 3 years into college, I thought, why haven’t I been here sooner!?!
I ordered the FRITTATA for $ 4 (because they ran out of the quiche I wanted) and it was really tasty — beyond my expectations! I got that feeling of knowing what exactly went into making the dish when I could taste all the ingredients. Every ingredient tasted so distinct and earthy that I really wanted to replicate the dish at home myself to eat it over and over again. I’m actually glad I ordered this instead of the quiche now…
I also ordered the CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE for $ 2 and asked them to warm it up, since my friend highly recommended their warm cookies. I was served my dish earlier than my friends got theirs, so I decided to wait for theirs to come, but by that time, I think the cookie and frittata cooled. I didn’t think the cookie was to die for, as my friend and many other people would say. I definitely had better cookies at other bakeries, although this one had a decent mix of chocolate and sea salt.
And I also learned that the long line out the door was mainly for ordering food, not waiting for a table (thank god, otherwise that would’ve been worse). The place is usually pretty packed but it’s definitely not impossible to get seats. When I came in a group of 3, we had one person find and wait at a table while we ordered our food. I am probably going to come here more often for friendly chats over food — and hopefully bumping my rating to a 5-​star once I try more food ;)

Come here on a weekday for brunch since the line on weekends is ridiculous. We didn’t have ti wait in line at all! This place is a cute café in Elmwood, but the only problem is the place attracts quite a bit of flies which was quite disturbing. My friend and I were so distracted that we had to keep killing flies while trying to eat.
I got the poached organic egg, which was served on 2 pieces of toast (very crunchy). My friend got the poached egg sandwich, which looked pretty hard to eat, but she said it tasted pretty good. I guess you can say they do quite a good job with their poached egg here!
My favorite part of this café, however, is the hot chocolate. I’m drooling writing this review thinking about how amazing their hot chocolate is. If only they were closer to my apartment, I would go there so often to purchase a cup of hot chocolate.

Visited Elmwood Café today while strolling through Berkeley. I was drawn in by the bakery counter filled with goodies. Tried the Chocolate Financier Cake and Rhubarb Crumble. Everything was reasonably priced.
The financier cake was petite and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It had a rich chocolate taste and was dense– best part, it wasn’t too sweet.
The Rhubarb Crumble was my favorite. It was served warm– rhubarb was soft and tart and the crumble was sweet and buttery. It was topped with a dollop of rich whipped cream, which completed the crumble perfectly. Definitely will order it again!
Next time I would want to try their hot chocolate, saw a tub of rich chocolate ganache on the coffee counter!

I used to love this place so much. I had friends who used to work here and I meet up with my friends here often. I even came here to have my birthday breakfast with a friend. But the past few times I’ve returned have been exceedingly complicated.
The server today, late afternoon, had such a rude tone and I definitely sensed discrimination in the way she treated us. Not sure if it’s the way my boyfriend was dressed or if it was the color of my skin but after recently hearing about the comedian who was told to «scram», I am confident that my partner and I are not just reading into this. There were 4 other white folks before us and her demeanor was extremely sweet – all smiles, «please/​thank yous», and all with such acute attention.
When it came time for us, we simply asked her for a medium cup of coffee (we usually order a small). And rudely she said,“We only have one size. A 12 oz.” My partner responded politely saying, «You used to have a small size.» She said, «Well, we do but it’s the same price.»
Honestly, I don’t see how that was relevant, when we never asked for the price nor any other size.
Of course it wasn’t what she said but how she said it and how she said everything to us. We felt super unwelcome. The entire time she had an attitude which we did NOTHING to deserve.
She made it complicated, taking forever, adding unnecessary remarks/​attitude, just for a cup a coffee. Not pleasant. There was a huge line behind us but it seemed to have disappeared, leaving only one other customer behind us.
I’m very disappointed in the treatment we received. The most hurtful part of it all was how it affected my loved one, and to hear the disappointment in his voice afterwards, was enough for me to leave this review. All I know is, we will not be returning here for a while.
Now, tell me if we were a different skin tone, different age, and dressed differently, would your server treat us with more respect?
Elmwood Café, what happened to your stellar service and your inclusive atmosphere?

I dont think a bad thing has ever been made here. This is my go to spot. Great coffee and if black isnt your thing you must get the mocha. Amazing.

This café has a very special place in my heart! I love that they don’t have wifi here so we are all forced to actually talk to each other — imagine! This is the last of the truly great café’s in the Bay! A very warm atmosphere, perfectly steamed latte’s, and lots of healthful and indulgent food options! Oh, and the Barista’s are some of the friendliest around!!!

Came in around 1130 to have lunch with my boss and her daughter and the place was full all except two tables, now I know why. Ordered Chicken spicy sandwich and OMG AWESOME! ! If ever I am in the area I will definitely stop and eat.

I love this café! Their lychee tea is incredible, and you can even see it brewing in the sunny windows.
You really can’t go wrong with their menu, but I will note that I enjoy them more for breakfast than lunch or dinner. They make a poached egg sandwich until 11am, and it is superb, one of the best I’ve had in a long time. They also have an array of pastries, which are also super yummy.
Only downside is that you have to wait in a generally 15 minute line at the counter, find seating, and then clean up your table afterwards. They do have a super cute outdoor area, and if you can find a table there your pup is welcome to join you. It’s in the shade though, and I think it’s always a bit chilly. No wifi, and street parking. Though there is a public lot behind the resturant that’s a little hidden offering free parking on Sunday’s.

The food and service was amazing! I have to start out with that. That alone is definitely 5 star worthy. You can’t really go wrong with anything on the menu! It’s absolutely delicious! Plus it’s vegetarian friendly, so you can always find an option whether you’re a vegetarian or a meat lover.
The reason why I dock off 2 stars is because there are so many FLIES! They leave the door open so that the line goes from the inside to outside, but it was just so gross seeing all the flies going around when it’s a restaurant! Also I feel like it wasn’t the cleanest place. There was an area where the floor was sticky. For those reasons, I dock off 2 stars.
I might come here again because the food is good, but most likely take it to-​go. I would be hesitant though since the environment is not the cleanest.

One of my favorite cafes of all time! During the weekend it can get pretty packed during brunch time, but usually the lines don’t take too long. There’s also cute outdoor seating in addition to a few seats in the inside.
Some of my favorites are the cinnamon currant toast, their granolas (with which you can get yogurt, fresh fruit, or milk), and their sandwiches. The cinnamon currant toast comes in 2 loaf slices with cream cheese on top and a jam that changes according to the sesaon’s fruit. One occasion when I went, the jam was ginger nectarine jam. The toast was perfectly toasted, lightly crispy on the edges, but still soft and fluffy in the middle. I usually don’t care for jam that much but their special jam was definitely worth spreading on top of my toast for! Also I’m a die hard fan of granola and I loved their house made granola! You can literally taste how fresh it is. The granola is just the right amount of sweet, cripsy, and filled with aromatic oat goodness. The other granola also seasonally changes and I’ve tried the ginger pecan pumpkin seed granola which just oozed flavors of fall.
As for sandwiches, I actually really like their plain ol’ grilled cheese. It has havarti & gruyère and comes on Acme sourdough. You can also have other add ins such as avocado for extra. Something about that nicely crisp grilled sourdough with oozey harvati & gruyère is just perfectly satisfying.
With everything from quiches, fritattas, waffles, toast, oatmeal, fresh pastries, sandwiches, coffees, juices, and more, I always have a hard time choosing. I guess it just means I need to keep coming more and more! Not that I’m complaining at all :)

Came here for to meet with some friends for lunch. The service here was quick and the whole staff was especially nice. We had some dogs with us so we sat outside, but the downfall to this place was that they do not have much space compared to other restaurants. The chairs and tables that are outside are really squished together so it felt a little too packed. I feel like everyone was squished together in an elevator and it felt too close for my liking.
The hot chocolate though there is to die for. It came out not too hot to drink but warm and there was some cocoa powder in the hot chocolate which made it even more delicious! I also had the apple fennel salad which was also on top of its game. Delicious. The apple was cut thin enough that you don’t feel like you’re overwhelmed with the apple taste in your mouth. There was Gouda cheese and sometimes places put way to much cheese in the salad but over here it was the perfect amount where the balance was great.
I would recommend this place even though the price can be a little high depending on what you order, but the food will be great here. My two other friends managed to order food too and we paid all together. With three dishes and three drinks we managed to pay a total of $ 20. So highly recommend.
The only thing I would say is that even though they deliver your food to your table I wish they included utensils because I had some animals with me and I couldn’t leave them when there was food on the table. Oh well.

I’ve always heard good reviews regarding Elmwood Café, and I live pretty close, but every time I pass by, the line is always out the door, deterring me from this establishment. Upon missing the bus to go to brunch at Bette’s Oceanview Diner, my friend and I decided to walk here and check it out. Surprisingly, there were only a few people outside of the door on a Saturday morning.
The café is super cute; the table placards are laminated so they write your name on it when you order. There’s outdoor and indoor seating, and since it was a nice day out, we decided to sit outside. When it was my turn to order, the cashier told me that they were out of the quiche that my friend and I wanted, but since my friend already sat down to save a spot, I called her to ask what she wanted to order instead. The cashier was patient with me and put my order on hold while taking the next person in line. I appreciated that the cashier did not give me an attitude after I consulted with my friend on what to order. My friend and I shared the quiche, a muffin, and the poached egg sandwich.
EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING. I am definitely coming back here for breakfast again!!! I love poached eggs and could not resist not ordering it, and upon biting into the sandwich, the yolk flowed out and coated the other ingredients of the sandwich. Other ingredients included tomato, arugula, and bacon. You could tell that the ingredients were really fresh and not prepared ahead of time. I love mayo with my sandwich, and the herbed mayo was perfect. I’m not a huge fan of Best Foods Mayo because it’s thick, unflavorful and just tastes fake, but the mayo in this sandwich was light and complemented all the ingredients really well, especially the yolk; it added flavor but did not steal the spotlight from the yolk.
I don’t eat quiches very often, but boy, am I glad I tried the quiches here. The quiches here are godly. I’ve definitely learned not to judge a quiche by its appearance. It wasn’t as colorful and pretty as the poached egg sandwich, but it sure was delicious. I have never tasted such a good quiche before; it was super creamy and melted in your mouth instantly. The different toppings in the quiche gave it a unique flavorful but wasn’t overwhelming. The cinnamon muffin we ordered was also delicious and I was taken away by the streusel on the top was lightly crisp and crunchy, contrasting the soft muffin beneath it.

It’s good. It can feel a lil bit expensive. I like getting the soup there. I also like that there’s no wi-​fi so it’s a good place to get work done if you can w/​o internet. One neat thing is that the mirror in the bathroom is placed at such an angle that you can very graphically watch yourself urinate!
Not a lot of seating tho– it’s def more of a leisure brunch place so if you go on a sunday at 2 pm expect to have to stand behind millions of neighborhood folks tryna get their eggs benedict on. It’s all just too god damn bourgeoisie 4 me.
tbh not a bad place, it’s just not my vibe.

Love their hot chocolate and homemade whipped cream in a cozy mug. Perfect for a cold winter day.
Their rotating selection of soups and breakfast items are also solid.
Note that there’s no wifi but it’s a great place to read a book!

I can’t say no to cute cafes with coffee and baked goods. That being said, I do think it’s overpriced for the amount of food you get. I think you’re partially paying for the hipster cred points.
Tip #1: Good for small groups (3 people or smaller), and you might need to wait a bit for a table.
Tip #2: Street parking is hard to get on the main street. I usually need to go off the main street by a few blocks, where parking is also free for two hours!
Overall: Good for any time of the day!

A line out the door seems to be the permanent décor at Elmwood Café during weekend brunch hour. I decided to investigate.
Order at the front, seat yourself, and clean up your dishes when you’re done. Elmwood Café has no frills in terms of service (though the staff is friendly) as they save all the frills for their food. The food was VERY yum and freshly prepared. They switch up the menu often too so I can’t tell what’s fresher, the food or the menu. ha ha ha…
Anyway, I’ll be back soon because there were about 4 items on the menu that lost the «eenie meenie miney mo» battle and it just wouldn’t be fair not to try them all.

Love this place for a quick bite. My favorite thing is the lemon currant scone, which comes with butter, jam, and lemon curd. A little of each condiment on the crunchy-​on-​the-​outside, fluffy-​on-​the-​inside wonder that is this scone, and it is heaven for breakfast or an afternoon snack. I know because I had it on both these occasions in the span of 24 hours. For less than $ 3, it’s quite the deal, and the scone heats up perfectly in the oven on a low broil the next day. Tastes so fresh!

Come here on a weekday for brunch since the line on weekends is ridiculous. The hot chocolate was AMAZING. Food was great as well. Only problem is the place attracts quite a bit of flies which was quite disturbing.

A pretty standard café with your salads, sandwiches, & coffee. I like the layout of the place — homey and quaint. I got the curry chicken salad for dinner. It was surprisingly a huge portion. I opted for the salad instead of the sandwich version, and I really enjoyed it. The chicken was marinated well, and there was a ton of it over the salad!
It was pretty quiet when I came on a Friday night, but I bet it gets pretty crowded on weekend mornings — especially Sundays!

(+) This place is so Berkeley, and I mean that in a positive way (I love Berkeley). I can’t believe I lived down the street on College Ave. for 3 years and never ate here until a recent trip back to the bay.
(+) Buttermilk biscuit. With a side of butter of course and really good jam. All their pastries are probably delicious too.
(+) Crowd is chill, staff is friendly. They ran out of coffee mugs so they were serving coffee in bowls (never seen that before).
(+) My breakfast sandwich was just okay, but I like the menu and would like to try other options next time.
(-) Long line in the morning, on a Friday. It is popular for a reason. Finding seating could be a challenge. Some of the indoor tables are really crammed in close to each other. There are some outdoor tables at least.
P. S. I was reminded of human kindness here as a complete stranger, another customer, helped us bus our table. She saw us struggle to leave with the toddler, stroller, dirty plates, utensils etc. so she stepped up. She mentioned she has 3 kids so she understood and sympathized with our little situation… it was very thoughtful and much appreciated!

That’s a sweet spot to grab coffee on your way to work, or have fresh squeezed orange juice in the afternoon. All the food I’ve got here was very good, the staff is always super nice and welcoming.
BONUS: nice outdoor tables, free water dispenser, and a great playlist! I like to go their at 5pm after work and chill with a friend or by myself, enjoying a nice cup of tea or a coffee.
Luuv it!

This place was beautiful and bright! Such a great way to start your morning!
So impressed and completely satisfied with our breakfast.
It’s a cute tiny corner café and the wait is worth it.
Great coffee.

7÷25÷15: Came here for breakfast. Has potential but our experience today wasn’t great (cashier sucked) and the drinks sucked. Food was okay.
First off the place was pretty busy but I don’t think that’s an excuse for the cashier to be unpleasant. Very impatient and also after giving us a waiting number card for the table didn’t tell us we were supposed to wait for the drinks before sitting. Thus we sat there waiting for drinks that didn’t come. She had a pissy look on her face the whole time we ordered. Just a bad start.
1. Latte: Waaaaaaaaay too much milk to espresso. Almost no espresso taste… It’s all milk. Also there was a half formed foam design. Not sure if it was on purpose but if so it was the most sloppy foam design I have ever seen. ²⁄₁₀
2. Iced Lychee Tea $ 2.5: Like the latte the tea is super watered down. No tea taste and the lychee flavor is extremely light. Maybe just a hint. Pretty bad. ²⁄₁₀
3. Cornmeal Waffle $ 9.5: Now we’re talking! The peaches were really sweet and tasty. And the waffle… Very unique. Certainly has a rustic taste but not too much and was buttery and flavorful. Very well toasted on the outside with a warm and moist center. Totally perfect. Now I will just say I still prefer the taste of a standard waffle but I do love their execution. My personal bias aside, ⁹⁄₁₀
4. Breakfast Sandwich (with mushrooms) $ 6.75: It’s a panini. Was okay. My gf wasn’t impressed with the sourdough bread but personally I thought it was toasted fine. Good amount of melting cheese. The boiled eggs were kinda plain – maybe they can season them for more flavor. But as is I think standard scrambled eggs would have worked better. Was alright. ⁵⁄₁₀
So, the drinks here are awful. Which is not excusable for a café really. Food was okay. And try to look away from the cashier.
If it weren’t for the waffle I probably would have given a lower score.
³⁄₅
#breakfast #waffle

I had heard tall tales about the Cinnamon Currant Toast from my friend and had been looking forward to trying it for what seems like eternity. The first time I’d come to Elmwood Café, they had run out of the toast and I ended up leaving, heartbroken. This time around, I came early and determined.
The food was well worth the wait. My friend and I shared the Smoked Salmon Sandwich, Spiced Chicken Salad, and the Cinnamon Currant Toast. Each of the three was fresh and super delicious.
The Smoked Salmon Sandwich comes with lox, cucumbers, pickled red onions, cream cheese, and lemon pepper served open-​faced on toasted bread. The dish is bright, beautiful, and tastes just as fresh as it looks. The Spiced Chicken Salad is a colorful salad containing chicken breast, roasted red/​yellow bell peppers, added avocado, and a creamy cilantro aioli; it is super filling while remaining light and all the flavors and textures are delightful.
On to the main event: The Cinnamon Currant Toast was the reason why I went to Elmwood Café and it did not disappoint. A thick slice of cinnamon raisin toast is spread with whipped house-​made cream cheese and rhubarb jam and this simple dish is unassumingly delicious. The cream cheese is light, fluffy, and wonderfully creamy (think whipped marshmallows) and the sweet flavors of rhubarb and cinnamon pair perfectly with the mild cheese. I would eat this every weekend if I could– A+.
The café itself is cozy and so sweet– large windows flood the space with natural light and beautifully aged wood/​classic interior details give the space a homey, lived-​in feeling. I loved both the food and atmosphere and will for sure be returning ASAP.