Good place for a coffee or fresh orange juice and some light food. It is a great location to meet people or just do people watching. It's got a diverse set of customers, working professionals, startup folks, Stanford University and Menlo College students. It can be hard to get a table at lunch times and on the weekends. They do bring the food out and give you a number to put on the table. Staff is hard working and friendly. Good place to hangout. The tables outside do have some umbrella to protect you from the Sun. read more

Went around noon on Saturday. There was a line out the door and many tables were filled, but the line moved relatively quickly, and we were able to find a table to eat at. Note that breakfast hours are 7am-12pm on Saturdays (vs 7am-4pm Sundays). Originally wanted to get their B.B. Wrap, but I missed the breakfast window and had to pick something off the traditional menu instead. Ended up trying their chimichurri chicken panini, and that was solid. read more

Excellent food for breakfast and lunch. You order in line and your food is delivered to your table. Soups, salads and sandwiches are excellent. The banana muffin is amazing and then you can pop into Keplers and get a few books. Also, Little Sky Bakery is opening next door. read more

Best spot for breakfast/brunch in Menlo Park. We have been coming here for over 10 years. The portion sizes are perfect, not overwhelmingly huge portions. Love their pancakes, French toast, vegetarian wraps and sandwiches They have a nice selection of toasts from the local bakery. I love their Cappuccino San Francisco and chocolate mousse as well. Great outdoor and indoor seating. read more

We loved this place. The food is so simple but delicious. The pancakes were soft snd moist. The waffle was dense and crisp. The fruit was very fresh too and tasted amazing. The mimosa was a little bitter compared to the swagger versions I have had in the past but it was still delicious. Definitely a place you should stop by! Don't go too late though it draws a crowd! read more

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This is a nice cafe. It's quite large and there's a lot of seating outside! It's great when the weather is nice! They had some really nice breakfast foods here. I had the waffle and it was really delicious. Firm and had a nice flavor as well. I thought all waffles generally tasted the same but I thought this one seemed to stand out. I also tried their frosted mocha. It was tasty but a bit on the sweet side. I probably wouldn't get this again unless I was craving extra sugar. read more

I loved the atmosphere here and enjoyed sitting outside in December. People were very helpful when you asked questions. Choose your own seat. Order at the counter. Bathrooms behind an unmarked door. I got the breakfast wrap and added avocado and spinach. It was huge and delicious. My friends got coffee and said it was good. The blueberries on my friend's oatmeal were plump. Orange grapefruit juice was freshly squeezed and amazing. I'd order that again. The bathroom was messy. read more

Cafe Borrone - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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This has one of the most delicious pancakes I have ever had. It was fluffy, full of flavor and huge! I would highly recommend this place. read more

Cafe Borrone - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Was planning to come here for a Saturday late brunch but found out they don't have their breakfast menu after 12pm on Saturdays. My family and I got out of the house kind of late and were sad that we couldn't get their famous waffles and French toast. We ended up getting some late brunch in Palo Alto and then came over here to grab some coffee. My dad got a brownie, which I didn't like, but he definitely did. I ordered a hot chocolate and I was a huge fan! It wasn't super sweet and have this chocolatey center (see image). My brother got a blended drink and liked his as well. I think it was a vanilla hazelnut blended drink and it was really good. I will definitely have more to write next time when I try their food! Cafe Borrone, I'll be back to conquer your waffles and French toast!! read more

Cafe Borrone - Hot chocolate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

The food was really good and the main thing that shines here. Everything we got tasted fresh and hit the spot. Banana pancakes didn't have actual banana slices in it which was weird to me but they were super soft and fluffy. Eggs were moist and well seasoned, potatoes were a little too sweet for my liking but my husband loved them. The lox was fresh tasting and the blueberry biscuit was really well done. My only complaint is that this place was a little pricy for not having much table service at all. We watched an employee come out with all of our food, loop around the whole patio as we tried to flag him down, only to walk straight back into the kitchen. It took about 5 min for the next person to attempt bringing our food and we made extra sure he saw us. Besides food drop off and ordering, that's the limited interaction you get, but I understand the push for limiting customer interactions. read more

Cafe Borrone - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

If you like the busy morning-brunch-lunch cafes, this is the place for you. You can tell by the consistent long lines that the food must be worth it. My bestie and I came on a Saturday. Roughly about the 1045 am hour. The line was super long when we drove by looking for a parking spot. To our surprise, there is an underground garage. We found a spot immediately and walked up to the restaurant. We got in line, grabbed a menu to look over while we waited for it to move. They have someone taking orders out of line so when you get to the register, all you need to do is pay. I think that does move the line quicker. The issue is and can be - a table. Since you order food first, you'll have to hope a table opens up. For us, it wasn't a problem. We found at least 3 (2 inside and 1 outside). We opted to sit outside. I'm not a fan of the pick up for drinks. We ordered 2 coffee drinks and waited there. Since your drinks are placed by the barista/bar area and your order gets yelled out from there, you really can't sit outside and wait. There were a lot of folks hovering in the same area. Drinks were coming out and of course for some time were not claimed so they remained in the bar area. They literally sit there. I was extremely happy that our drinks were called within a short wait and I grabbed them and went outside. They give you a # to place at your table. Feels like we waited maybe an additional 10 min for our food after we got our drinks. No big deal. It was nice to get settled in. I enjoyed my half order of French toast. The bread was not too thick or thin. I don't use much maple syrup so with the strawberries on top, it was a perfect portion for me. I barely used the butter they gave me. I ordered a side of potatoes. Didn't add anything to it, and it was just right for me. I had the SF cappuccino. I'm a chocolate fan so the chocolate sprinkle on top was a nice touch. Side note- my bestie was able to order a side of eggs from the table. We didn't have to wait in line. The server was friendly and nice with the process. She was able to pay through the server too. Also, you can get pastries, (all on display inside the restaurant) treats, cakes, etc. Overall, I would come back. This place is very busy, so if you don't like crowds, kids moving around, loud conversations, don't come here. I actually like the busyness of it all. On a nice day, sit outside and enjoy your delicious food. read more

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Thought I had written a newer review but do not see it... My son has capped a few items for his weekly go-tos like chicken salad sandwich, tuna sandwich which both are on the smaller size that sometimes 2 orders will be more sufficient but then the total cost goes up too... He had turkey sandwich today which was more filling to him who had a track practice session a few hours later that he needed something more substantial & glad to find the savory turkey sandwich to be a good choice with the sweetness of cranberries, richness of cream cheese, and healthy spouts to be perfect combination. His all time favorite weekly dish is the pork meatball sandwich with melted cheese. It suits his strong taste bud well. @ $16 an order it definitely is on the high end side, lunch at the Covid era is much better than what the school cafeteria has to offer though pricy but satisfactory. He found out that if one orders in-person instead of to-go, the price is $1 more which is interesting. He also enjoys the 3 pieces of plain pancakes with maple syrup periodically. They taste good enough for him, who is a home cook, that he likes its simplicity without adding anything else. I, on the other hands, always like to pair them with berries. We often order the Mexican Hot Chocolate to go along with any meal. Most of the tables are outside with a few inside. Next door Market Bar handles to-go-orders & take-outs from its assorted sumptuous-/mouth-watering-looking dishes to desserts. Patrons can sit & eat at the outside tables too. What I was surprised by was being charged $1.50 for a couple of hot water! First time ever in any restaurants. The cashier ensured me that they always charged it of the 2 years she's been working there! My family has been patronizing the B Cafe for 20 years ever since it opened in the 90s & I don't remember having to pay for hot water! So bring your own hot water. It still has the best spacious outdoor seatings in the entire town of Menlo Park though by the busy El Camino Real. The furnitures remain the same all these years, causal, though the prices are medium to expensive as the rent must be high with other expenses of running a mom & pop restaurant which has been a reliable staple of MP. read more

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I love Cafe Borrone's Mexican Mocha. It's so good that I literally drive there just to get one or two! The place can get busy on weekends, but the line moves quickly. read more

We were visiting from out of town and came here for breakfast. Overall a nice little place! I got the breakfast wrap which I really liked! They gave me hot sauce packets to go with it which was a nice touch since I love hot sauce. It was definitely busy when we arrived but luckily we snagged a table after it was sanitized. No one told us that we had to pick up our drinks from the counter/table area so we were sitting for a while before we realized our drinks had been out. It would have been nice to know we had to bring our drinks over to the table ahead of time so coffee didn't get cold. read more

Cafe Borrone - Breakfast wrap - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Beautiful place to sit outside and have lunch! I highly recommend this restaurant and you will enjoy the food.

Café Borrone had me very excited, it has ample seating and the vibe of a classic big cafe. However, I was let down a bit by the food here. They have a wide variety and drinks were good, but I never found any food items that hit the mark. Nothing was "bad" but just "meh" for the most part. I'm happy to eat here because of the location or to read a book, but not going to come specifically for the food. read more

This place is a much stop. Everything is so delicious. I've had the opportunity to eat here several times and was never disappointed! The vibe of this place is upbeat. The service is good as well. read more

Cafe Borrone - What a vibe, inside is bright and vibrant, and busy. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

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I just had a brunch 15 min ago and I'm lucky that I'm not driving and was able to find a restroom while waking to my car. I'm having a terrible Diarrhea as I'm writing this. I had a chicken panini. read more

From the street you would not think this place is packed, especially at 11am Friday. MP Housewives. There were about 10 people in line and the tables were filled, but the busboys keep the tables cleared so customers were coming/going. We ordered: Salsa scramble Steel oats Side of strawberries Latte Diet Coke 2 biscotti's Turtle cheesecake Total $30 No bread or potatoes wither the scramble, just eggs. All fruit is purchased as a side. It was regular fresh food, portioned perfect. The lattes and tea is what makes this place special. If I was in the neighborhood I would not go here unless I was getting coffee or tea, because the food is average and expensive. read more

Delicious food huge space indoor and outdoor right above A big parking lot Their fresh grapefruit juice YUM read more

Best venue in the Bay Area for a cafe. They got greedy though... and perhaps sloppy. I had egg shells all over my omelet this past weekend and was told they processed a refund... alas..they never did. These are the same people that were bailed out of the pandemic by Mark Zuckerberg and many other locals. It's a shame they have gone downhill despite such support from the local community.They have such a good location, all they need to do is the bare minimum, but they want to go lower. Shame! read more

Since the boyfriend had this place bookmarked for awhile, we ventured over for breakfast. They have an underground parking lot, which is nice and convenient. This place is pretty spacious, but was quite crowded on a Saturday morning nonetheless. You order, pay, and then find yourself a seat here with your number. I ordered the #4 Egg Scramble with Salsa, Sour Cream, and Avocado ($8). Although the scramble was colorful and tasty, it was also overpriced for something so simple and petite. I could've easily made this myself at home. A small side would've been nice to pair with the egg scramble. I also tried some of the boyfriend's Strawberry Waffle, which was standard. The boyfriend thought it was too dense and would've preferred it more fluffy though. Simply put, this spot is overpriced for such simple breakfast foods that you can make at home. I guess my fault for being lazy on an early morning. read more

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During these outdoor seating pandemic times, the food was mediocre and the service also. The water fountain outside is large and nice, and that is where the tables are arranged for social distance dining. There's no help in finding a seat. Two people can take a couple tables that are pushed together meant for 6 and it's difficult to get help and permission to separate them. We paid $50 for breakfast for two. As we were eating the eggs and bland breakfast wrap, we realized it definitely wasn't worth it. The cappuccino i got was delicious but everything else and the overly difficult seat finding made the experience unpleasant. read more

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I tried this place after getting countless recommendations and to be frank i was disappointed. I had the breakfast sandwich, which was the most highly recommended item and it was nothing special. Firstly the bread was very thick and almost impossible to eat given how toasted it was. The first bite of the sandwhich led to the contents ending up on my plate. The ambiance is really nice given the location, but there is better food out there read more

The location is the best. Food and drinks are top notch. Whenever I am in town it is my spot for breakfast

A lot of the vegan items were removed from their latest menu. Place gets over crowded on weekends especially during brunch hours. Very limited options for vegan/vegetarian people. It used to be my favorite brunch spots, but it may be losing its charm for me now read more

Vibe seems really good when you walk in as well as the menu. But honestly it's below average. When you factor in the price, it's really not even worth the stop. The food is poorly constructed and very overpriced. Both our egg scrambles weren't fully cooked leaving them with the sort of gooey/wet steamed texture you get when that happens. It cost us $62 dollars for 2 egg scrambles and 3 coffees that like I said were sub par. I will say their pastries and baked goods did look good. We didn't order any of those. On top of it, my black coffee was filled with coffee grounds that kept getting stuck in my teeth. 10/10, don't recommend. read more

Cafe Borrone - Black coffee full of coffee grounds - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

The only reason for the 2 stars is the lovely outdoor seating. The food is below average. $20 for burnt French toast is not cool. We also got the scramble with potatoes and onions and side of sausage. Both looked unappetizing especially the sausage. The potatoes in the scramble looked like they were cooked yesterday. My husband got the frosted Mocha and it tasted like they dumped a gallon of sugar in it. We haven't been here in many years because our past experience was similarly underwhelming. We decided to give it another try since apparently there were enough people that chose to bail them out so they don't close post pandemic. I can't fathom why. Not a business that deserves it. read more

Cafe Borrone - Burnt French toast - looked worse in person than in the photo. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

I've never been a huge fan of going out for brunch, but this place was INCREDIBLE! Although it's very expensive, the taste absolutely exceeded my expectations for brunch food. I got the Belgian waffle topped with strawberries and requested whipped cream in sub of the whipped butter. It costs a bit extra to switch, but I was SO impressed with the waffle and how flavorful it was all on its own. It tasted like one giant liege waffle- absolutely scrumptious. The service was quick and kind as well. The only thing making it lose a star is the overprice for sides such as fruit ($7 for a small cup). Overall, I had a great experience and this is definitely going to be my new go-to brunch spot in the South Bay! read more

Cafe Borrone - Belgian waffle topped with fresh strawberries and a fresh fruit cup - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

pretty overpriced and meh food. Good spot for sitting and catching up to friends but I wasn't impressed. read more

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how have I never eaten here before!! I've shopped at Kepler's for my books for YEARS and always walked by this place thinking it smelled amazing. Maybe I was just a dumb teenager not wanting to try some place new. I seriously don't care to eat breakfast anywhere else while visiting my family in Los Altos after today. So delicious. My mom & I split the french toast full order & it was so filling in the best way. It came with 4 THICK triangles of delicious french toast. The vanilla bean butter was the best thing I've ever tasted. The strawberries were fresh and tasty & everything you want strawberries to be. The french toast was fluffy, crispy, and light. 10/10. We ordered a cookie & slice of carrot cake to go, and I can't wait to try them later! So happy with this experience!! read more

Cafe Borrone - French Toast with Strawberries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

A nice little joint full of people and delicious smells. Exiting the elevator after parking in the underground garage immediately gets a sense that this place is really good, there was a ton of people there. The portions were great and prices very reasonable. The cherry on top was picking at my girlfriend's daughter's pancakes after I ordered egg whites haha. To be fair she wasn't eating the them, and they were delicious. I will be back with friends! read more

4.5 stars bumped up for one top notch breakfast/brunch spot! My wife and I met up with our friend last week and I was most impressed with the quality of the food (especially at their prices) along with the sizable dog-friendly outdoor patio. Among the savory items, definitely try a scramble. I opted for the mushroom with creme fraiche and it was fantastic - earthy flavors, fluffy and slightly runny eggs and gooey cheesy goodness. Some of the best eggs I've had in a long time. Our shared French toast was just as memorable for its perfectly crisped exterior opening up to a delightfully soft interior. Among baked goods, the blueberry scone is worth trying - massive and loaded to the gills with those berries. To caffeinate, an endless mug of coffee runs just $3. Heartily dark and roasty, cut just right with a slug of cream. A great experience overall and would happily come back to try more dishes! read more

Have been visiting Cafe Borrone for 15+ years and my partner has been visiting for over 20 years. Always brought tons of people from the Bay Area and visitors out of US who have never heard of Borrone before. Something has changed in the staff line up during COVID. The last two times I visited in March 2022 and December 2021, 2 super rude experiences. Enough to make me stop visiting and not bring guests along. In March on a Wednesday, I walked up with my guest to the counter. Asked for fresh squeezed grapefuit juice (as advertised), a slice of cake (cake was sitting on the counter) and a coffee. The lady at the counter repeated my order incorrectly (which is okay, so far no probs!) so I corrected her. She took my credit card and ran it then turned around to pour grapefuit juice and slammed it on the counter. The juice spilled on the counter and splashed on me. She did not apologize and instead laughed with her counter buddy. And then gave me a blank stare. I asked if I could get napkins - she picked up 20 and dropped them on the counter. I asked if I could get the cake slice, she put a slice on a plate and placed it on the counter. I asked if I could get 2 forks and my coffee. She handed me the forks (instead of adding them on the plate) and then jammed the coffee mug on the counter. Normally, as a customer you get a number and the coffee is given to you right there. You don't expect to ask for every single item and the silverware and get a huge helping of bad manners either. But this staff member decided they did not like me as a customer and decided to serve me attitude instead and not bring these items to my table. I paid $16 for shitty attitude so its my fault. In December on a Saturday, I had visited with another guest. I was asked to wait "on the other side of the bar" for coffee. I did. It was just coffee - not a latte or anything complicated, just coffee. Anyhow, I waited. After 8 minutes, the barista looked at me and said, "you need to move to the other side" - "if you want your coffee, move over!" I felt very angry at being ordered rudely about but decided to check myself and moved. Shame on me for not demanding if he lost his manners waking up that morning. Beware. Get some bad manners with your coffee at this place if you're not a customer profile that is welcome here post-COVID. Adios Cafe Borrone. read more

Place has gone downhill, But it's mostly the staff, who are maudlin Gen Zers who don't care to help, serve, answer questions. They just wander around like Eor, holding plates and looking around, lost, angry, and most likely satisfied that their awkwardness got them into Stanford. I weep for the social skills of the past and the fun cafe that has turned into mediocrity in elitists clothing. read more

This place is always a delight! Their house-made focaccia sandwiches are always really, really good! Their drinks are amazing too - I recommend trying anything with their housemade orgeat syrup, you will not be disappointed. They haven't had the focaccia fish sandwich in some time, but the barbecue chicken sandwich I tried last time was excellent. Ambiance is nice, people are always hanging out, working, reading, and the whole vibe is very chill. read more

Chicken breakfast sausage was barely cooked. Greasy bacon and home fries. Don't trust all the rave reviews as the food was mediocre for the price. read more

Cafe Borrone is a good spot for morning coffee and breakfast. Personally, it never became my go-to spot because you consistently have to wait on line before you can be served. It's a popular spot, and the long lines are accompanied by most (if not all) tables being occupied. That being said, Cafe Borrone has a pleasant energy to it and its not uncommon to see VCs and other tech-folks chatting and sipping coffee. If you are OK waiting in line (and potentially waiting for a table to open up), Cafe Borrone is worth checking out. If you want faster service with less people, I would consider other coffee and breakfast locations in Menlo Park. read more

Always delicious food, great service, nice atmosphere. Oh, and next to bookstore. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Just ok. Nothing special, nothing stand out to say, "I want to go back!" Food was average. Approx $20/pp/meal for a very standard plain nothing special, nothing standout meal I probably could I fixed at home. I had French toast, um, ok, filling and blend. Service was slow. The food came out slow, we sat at the table waiting for the crew to come and wipe the table for 10 min, bus your own table, no coffee refill, for that, $20/pp/meal is high. The ambiance was ok. Large cafeteria style, loud, not exactly a relaxing atmosphere, close to the next table, not dirty but empty tables not cleaned so hard to find a spot to sit. Will I go back? Probably not. read more