While the first visit had decent food and friendly service, despite overcrowding and a hard to secure table, our return visit had decidedly unfriendly service. So, while the food is good ( not amazing but it WAS a nice destination) it is unfortunately no longer worth having on my list. read more

This is a great little spot on San Pablo, next to acme bread! IYKYK. Its been a favorite for a while. Price $$ I have been eating here for a long time and really love their salads and sweet/ savory toasts. The star toast ( which I haven't seen in the menu in a while) is their Fig ricotta pistachio toast 10/10, it's such a treat I am waiting for it to come back!! Their Avocado sandwich ( vegan version of the salami) is also extremely flavorful and delicious 10/10. Its also huge so you will not be hungry as its packed with really healthy ingredients $15 approx, totally worth it! Their Gem salad and the Persian breakfast ( only weekends) are other winners, must try! 10/10 Tip- Get their delicious eggs on the side, so good! I tried all these dishes when they were running the small service window next to the wine shop. Now they moved to a new location, just 50 feet from the older one and the space is more of a cafe with pastries, drinks and food. The interior is beautiful with some seats inside and some outside. The glass doors give an inside outside feel which is lovely! I visited on a Tuesday afternoon and was told they only serve a partial lunch menu Mon-Tue so I could not get my fav food :( bummer. Note: On other week days they serve everything! Their partial menu only had 3 sandwich options and I tried the roasted red pepper sandwich. I have to say for $15 it felt too pricy for what it was. We also got the frittata at $10 and had the same observation, little pricy. I look forward to trying their full lunch menu again but what I got this time was not my favorite :-/ The staff is very friendly and kind, the space is lovely and I do recommend trying it, just ask ahead whats being severed that day! read more

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Was looking up good places to eat in Berkeley and found Bartavalle. I'd never heard of it, so I gave it a try. I had the toscano sandwich from the specials menu (I believe). It was an amazing mix of salami, pecorino, shaved fennel and aioli on a bread roll from Acme Bread Co around the corner. Huge fan of the aioli. Served with house made chips that also tasted wonderful. If it's not on the regular menu, it should be. A little pricey by the way. There aren't a ton of tables inside or outside, but we got a one. I was such a fan that I got the same sandwich to-go a few days later! read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Toscano sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Food and drinks are fantastic. The porridge was great although a bit unconventional with quinoa and brown rice. Service is straight forward, you order, then you pickup. Music selection is fantastic, Frank ocean, Aaliyah, and some SZA was heard this morning. Great spot and fantastic ambiance. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Sweet porridge - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

It's hard to believe this cozy little hole in the wall - a hidden gem - of a cafe is possibly closing. The quality of their food is always high - it's about uncomplicated foods using high quality fresh ingredients resulting in delicious menu offerings. I have never been there for dinner so I cannot rate their evening operation when the place becomes Bar Sardine. We have been here quite a few times in the past and each time we have been happy to come back for more. Whenever we visit, the place had been busy as it is today - especially busy with long line out the door, maybe 25 minutes of waiting so being here is intentional. We have been here x2 in the last 2 weeks hearing of the possible closure, to demonstrate support. What they do is simple- using farm fresh ingredients, seasoned just right. We hope their doors stay open and remain a going concern so we can go back again for their quality coffee, sandwiches and salads. read more

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This has quickly become one of my favorite cafes in Berkeley! It's one of those hidden gems that, once you stumble upon it, nothing else is really comparable. I really love how the staff is engaging and friendly, which lends itself to the community-centered approach. The food and beverages are high quality, fresh, and you can tell so much passion and attention to detail is put onto each plate and into every cup. And did I also mention the record player pumping out eclectic and semi-obscure music? It's a vibe. Please don't close your doors, y'all are too amazing at what you do! read more

I've come here a couple times and always liked what I got, but was never blown away. However, today the little spread I brought home from Bartavelle truly blew me away. I got 2 tiny pastries, a cappuccino, and the salami toscana sandwich. Really good cappuccino, and the sweets are delicious - an almond buckwheat financier and a little chocolate medallion cookie topped with flaky salt (forget the name) which was also incredibly good. The sandwich was by far the star of the show and I can not believe how good it was! I was definitely a little skeptical considering it's $17, but I can now safely say that price is completely fair with the level of quality in both composition and ingredients. Do note that this is not a sandwich for meat lovers, there is very little salami, but salad lovers will adore it. It's literally a light, crispy salad on the best bread (acme's pizza bianca) During this visit I also took more notice of the inside and it is so cozy and cute - service is really nice too. I live dangerously close by and it will be hard to not want to come here all the time now. The loveliest little cafe, could not recommend more! read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Salami Toscana sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is my favorite cafe of all time. Sadly, it recently closed (at least its iteration that served its beloved Persian breakfast and tomato tartine, along with its evening wine bar, Bar Sardine), but it is still open as a coffee shop serving pastries. Everyone I know in Berkeley is rooting for them to be able to reopen! read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Doorway - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Quality quick bites and breakfast. They get a lot of overflow from the massive acme bakery lines but can stand alone on it's own. You'll often see a small line outside the ordering and pickup windows and there is a nice sitting-height concrete retention wall people sit on to eat. I paid $3 for a sesame hardboiled egg and would easily do it again. The egg is higher quality than grocery store eggs and cooked to absolute perfection. It has almost a poached texture and is nicely seasoned depending on the style you get. It was the light breakfast I was looking for and the pickled sides added just that extra bit to make it feel more complete. The flat white was great as well, a giant cortado if you need a bit more caffeine. Milky foam was perfectly poured over with espresso making the distinct floral pattern. Would definitely repeat. It is on San Pablo street so parking right in front can be a bit challenged, If the Berkeley adult school has its gates open it's not too far and has a huge free parking lot. read more

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This is my belated tomato tartine appreciation post. I only learned about tomato toast relatively recently (maybe just about pre-pandemic) and it's been one of my favorite things to eat since. Over the summer I heard so many people raving about this toast, and I honestly thought it was all hype until I tried it. They use probably some of the most delicious and tomatoey tasting tomatoes I've ever had. The rest of the toast is pretty simple with some mayo and salt, which really lets the tomatoes shine. Once it's back on the menu during the summer, do yourself and your tummy a big favor and try this!! I probably wouldn't get the egg again, tbh! It was good, but still feel kind weird paying $3 for a boiled egg with harissa. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Tomato Tartine with Harissa Egg - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Most of the food including pastries and coffee I've had here are good! There have been a few misses but overall the ingredients and the intention are all good. I come back to this place regularly but don't go out of my way for it or crave it read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Persian salad - good ingredients but not a cohesive dish - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Plenty of street parking available nearby depending on the time of day. We went pretty early on in the morning so we got prime parking basically right in front of Bartavelle. Review only for coffee, at some point may be back to try some of the pastries and other dishes. Definitely one of the more pricey lattes in the area. $5 for an 8oz. Think there are other reviews that talk about it but the coffee is bitter. Generally I'm okay with bitter drinks but it was the main flavor on the first sip. I tried mixing the drink a bit more which helped slightly but still had a bitter after taste. It also tasted slightly watered down. I would compare the taste to drip coffee + milk instead of espresso. Don't think I would come back for my normal latte but if I'm in the area would try some of the food options. read more

Bit pricey for to-go orders, but quality food and beverages. Bartavelle moved locations from the small space tucked between Acme Bread and Kermit Lynch, to a streetside order window facing San Pablo. Ordered an apricot ginger scone, single origin drip coffee, prosciutto toast, porridge with ghee and sea salt, and a pickle plate. The poridge had a great texture, but the ghee was too rich for my liking. The prosciutto toast came on a hearty slice of acme's fresh baked bread and paired well with the pickle plate. The ginger apricot scone was a wonderful surprise! Subtle flavors and a delicate crumb structure. Would return for their coffee and pastries, but probably wouldn't repeat the meals for the price point. read more

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I used to go here every December when Wine.com had their wharehouse in Berkeley! The porridge remains a lasting memory! Of course, the cappuccinos rock! read more

Food, service and ambiance are all great, very consistent service as well. Been to both the take out place and the sit down cafe. Most of their menu items with bread are bread-heavy, it is a personal choice of course ..we wish it was a bit more balanced. Deviled eggs are must try with any of their assorted flavors. Coffee is fine. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I waited before posting this, because I don't want the servers to figure out who posted this.... I was at Bartavelle recently and I complained that there was a human hair in the item I ordered. The response I got from two of the people who were behind the counter was pretty shocking. They were rude, disparaging and refused to replace the item or refund my $. They insinuated that I was lying and no replacement or refund could be made due to their "policy." I am really confused and upset about the situation, and I have never been one to claim I am being treated in a certain way because of the color of my skin, but in this case I think my skin color was the reason the staff was so nasty. I hope the owner takes a good hard look at their business practice and makes changes. Ya'll want to be in the right side of history? Don't discriminate against anyone! read more

This review is for the dinner service, which is lovely, full of charm, and has a serious appreciation for food as art. Each dish was incredibly flavorful, curated, and came with fresh ingredients. Overall, the dishes had quality ingredients that were thoughtfully put together, and well worth the value. The vibe and ambiance was fit for both a playful date and an evening with friends. The person behind the counter was also very kind and took his time to suggest wine pairings and dishes. So grateful for this place -- it definitely is a spot for good dining in Berkeley. read more

The Toscana sandwich is divine. The hard boiled eggs are perfect. Food is always consistent and service is good. read more

So much rush at 9:30AM on a Sunday. The vibes are really nice and the coffee was delicious. Wish they had more baked good like croissants. read more

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Cutest little cafe in Berkeley with reasonable prices and lovely staff. If I lived in the Bay Area I'd come in all the time. Can't wait to be back! read more

Alrighty let me break it down. To start, I've been coming here for years and years, probably since my first year in high school (I'm almost 24 now). When this spot opened up next to the Acme Bread back in the day, it became one of my mom's go-to coffee stops before work with her coworker. Then, it became a tradition for us to indulge in their signature avocado toast and delectable olive oil eggs every so often on a Saturday morning. It became sort of our mother-daughter outing. WOW there really is a heaven on earth when you take your first bite of that avocado toast. The avocados are locally sourced, fresh, creamy and just the perfect amount of ripe, the pan au levain (sourced from next-door Acme) is thick, and buttery. The avo toast is seasoned with marash peppers, which adds just the perfect amount of kick. We even ordered marash peppers later on to try to replicate the toast ourselves! What's also great (though not if you're hankering for some of their toast) is that Bartavelle pulls the avocado toast from the menu if avocados are out of season or if there's a shortage. But have no fear, the ricotta toast is no less phenomenal as an alternative. The presentation of the food is everything as well, the toasts are served on a rustic and picturesque slab of wood and the meal is garnished with a few pickled vegetables. The coffees and teas are delicious. The drip coffee is strong! My mom has tried the porridge and tomato toast (on one of the occasions that avocados were out of season or out of stock) and enjoyed these dishes as well. The ambiance is lovely, with an outdoor patio outside with an awning. Forewarning that seating is very limited as the place gets swarmed during peak hours. If you intended on staying a while, be prepared to stand around until a seat opens up. There's also limited standing dining if you want to share the outdoor bar. I could go on and on but this place is a hidden gem of Berkeley and a must if you are in the mood for some avocado toast! A true local's favorite! read more

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I came here for the Tomato Tartine and was not disappointed! It's some of the best damn toast I've ever had. The rich and sweetness from the early girl tomatoes compliments the levain and aioli so well. Also grabbed some chocolate cake with toasted coconut and brown buttercream. The Saturday wait wasn't pleasant as it was cold and on a busy street but when visiting Acme I've seen the line way shorter on several occasions. YMMV either way it's worth it as the food is delicious and done well. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Tomato tartine - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I used to tease my gf for buying stuff at Bartavelle like avocado toast, boiled eggs, toast w/ butter etc. So one day I tried to make it at home, but it just wasn't the same! Truth is Bartavelle has simple menu items but the ingredients are fresh and a lot of TLC goes into making the items. Yeah it's just Avocado Toast but what makes it amazing is the avocados come from a local farm. If it's not the season or there's a shortage, they'll just pull it from the menu. Yeah it's just buttered toast, but the bread comes from Acme next door. Love the porridge, and the coffee too. I can certainly say this place has turn me from a naysayer to a believer! read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Pre-made ham sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Fresh eggs and tasty avocado toasts. Simple yet delicious plates for brunch and you can even pick up some bread at ACME on your way out. Seating is a bit hard to find and prices are pretty high, but its expected for the establishment. Its seasonal right now, but I also highly recommend the Panna cotta! read more

Creative. Delicious. Fresh. Wish I lived in Berkeley but when I visit I must make a stop here! The baked goods are yummy. The atmosphere is charming! read more

My very favorite dish here is the Persian breakfast (only available on weekends)! Lots of herbs, labneh, feta, pickles, and zaatar spice. So fresh and delicious. They use very simple but highly quality farm fresh ingredients. I love the tomato tartine as well. The sesame date cookie is perfect while waiting with my cappuccino for the rest of my order. No seating and on a busy street so a little hard to hear your order. Still, I'm here every other week. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Tomato tartine - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

My go to place for coffee and morning pastries. The space is beautifully inviting and the food is top notch from simple pastries to lunch type dishes. We have also done happy hour wine a few times and just enjoyed the time so much. I heard the rumor they may be closing but we would be happy to do help any way we can to keep this place in Berkeley. We just don't have a place like this anymore. read more

My favorite breakfast place at Berkeley. There could be a long line for ordering and for tables, but it's totally worth it. Enjoyed the Persian breakfast the most. It was a combination of multiple elements, sweets and spices, but blended super well together. A must try. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm shocked at the less than 5 star reviews because this place is the Gem of Berkeley. I probably say that at least 5 times a week lol. The people that work here are so sweet and the service is amazing. I'm sure they have to deal with some real entitled and unpleasant folks, but I've never experienced or witnessed any unprofessional behavior. Quite the contrary! Beyond that, you won't find better coffee or food in the east bay. They run out of stuff because it's amazing. The line is out the door because it's worth the wait! I love you Barty. Save a porridge for me :) read more

Love this place! Quality: coffee, food & service. The avocado toast was not on the menu so I enjoyed the ricotta toast which was phenomenal with a side of their eggs which is always super tasty. Their parking lot is super tiny so I suggest parking on this neighboring streets. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've been curious to try the "new" Bartavelle - I used to visit it as a cafe then wine bar at its prior location, and since then - the pastries and food menu has expanded. I came with a friend and we tried the porridge, pickles, the hojicha loaf, the prosciutto toast, and the apricot ginger scone. Everything was great. The loaf was my favorite - super moist and fluffy, with the hojicha flavor prominent. The porridge was hearty, and the prosciutto was a nice balance of salt, umami, and oil flavors. read more

Bartavelle Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Interesting menu and now more comfortable since they've moved into a place where you can sit inside and out. The limited offerings tend to run out though so if you don't get there on the early side, your selection may not be available read more

Amazing food, great coffee, friendly staff. They have a little more seating at this new place.

I like the quality food and fresh ingredients. Wines are hit and miss. Stuff you can get at Solano cellars for 20-25$ a bottle. I've been many times but tonight they overcharged me and the wine pours were all really skimpy. That's annoying but I was shocked when I got the bill. 154$ for 2 appetizers, 2 cookies and 4 glasses of wine. 180$ after tip. read more

This is a must stop if you are in the Berkeley area. The menu changes almost daily with a few staple items. They use bread from Acme bread, that happens to be just around the corner. The ricotta toast was absolutely delicious, fresh and filling. They use the walnut au levain bread. I had to purchase a loaf and recreate this at home. The coffee is also delicious. Every single time I've been here I have been absolutely delighted. read more

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Nina and I met here for lunch today. I had looked for it several times when driving by but had not found it, so I parked on San Pablo by the lighting store and walked over, where I found it readily. I was surprised to see that there was a small parking lot in front, which is why I didn't see it. There are several tables inside and a couple outside. Tables are first come, first served and there was a line growing behind me as I waited for Nina. The very nice young man at the counter explained how it worked and encouraged me to take my time, but I felt guilty as the line grew longer behind me and let people go in front of me while I waited for Nina to arrive, which she did after finding parking around the corner. We both decided on a tomato tartine. Our host told us today was the first day Early Girl tomatoes had been on the menu. I ordered a black tea to drink w/ almond milk and stevia and Nina had water. I looked outside and saw that a table that had been occupied was now available, so I took it. Nina joined me w/ our number and soon a young woman brought my tea and accompaniments, the tea in a graceful glass pitcher. Not too long afterward our tartines were delivered and they were delicious, sliced tomatoes layered on Acme pain levain spread w/ aioli and sprinkled w/ salt and some tiny edible flowers. A slice of red bell pepper and a chunk of pickled carrot adorned the plate. The tartine was delicious. The tomatoes were ripe, though not as intense in their flavor as they will be in a week or two. The aioli was the perfect accompaniment and the salt sealed it. It was a lovely lunch. read more

This is a café that I have always meant to go to, but only had the opportunity to try now that I am working from home and can enjoy lunch spots in my neighborhood. The food seems simple, yet they have it down to perfection so that it is elevated beyond the basics. I had a perfect avocado toast, soft boiled egg, and salad that was dressed just-right. They also have rotating pastries made in-house, coffee, and natural wines. Currently there is no seating of any kind, and it's not the kind of sturdy food that travels well, so it's either for home nearby or on a stone retaining wall at a neighboring office building. San Pablo is not a lovely street on which to linger, but this café is doing its part to make a brighter corner. read more

The coffee is always amazing. I typically get an oat milk latte. The food is also pretty incredible. You can taste the quality and care put into everything! There's no place to sit except maybe nearby on the side of some wooden fencing so make note of that. Parking can be hard and the line might be long but I've never thought, "this isn't worth it." It's kinda the opposite! We're lucky to live a short walk away but since it's so expensive, we don't go as often as I thought we would. Definitely worth it, tho! read more

Wonderful coffee here, and the new location is fabulous! It's no mystery why this place is so popular.

I had a terrible experience there today. I was in line with my daughter next to a woman who had an issue with how close I was standing next to her. This woman was combative and angry. We had an exchange. But then the cashier offered her advice to me- in a very rude tone, like I was in the wrong. And when I reported her to the barista, she rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. Even my 13 year old commented how rude the staff was. These cool hipsters are not interested in delighting customers. They are distracted and annoyed. What a shame. It's an aesthetically beautiful shop, if only the employees cared about service. I will never go back. read more