WHAT AN EXCITING POTATO we came here for breakfast and my boyfriend shared his potatoes with me and oh my God I hate that it has taken me 25 years to have such an excellent potato in my mouth!!!! One of my favorite breakfast spots in the world. My other favorite is in Paris yall. I also had delicious indulgent french toast and chai latte. Equally exciting. I'm so glad we found a beautiful spot that is CLEARLY following the guidelines with good customer service. Will definitely be coming back read more

Love this place and go here often for dinner, and am getting to know their breakfast menu. Everything for dinner that I've tried is delicious, especially appetizers and their pastas. Our favorite thing to order is the burrata plate with seasonal pairings, although we are sad they no longer serve it with grilled leeks (arugula now instead). Some tips for dinner: - try their soups! Delicious, always. - they can make garlic bread if you ask, or a toasted, buttered baguette as a side -try all their desserts! Some tips for breakfast: -Get here EARLY. 9am or before if you hate lines -Waffle is made with pancake batter.. get the French toast unless you don't mind a thick, heavy, spongey waffle. -Try all their pastries! read more

Some very fine cooking happens at Cafe Borrone. Offering both indoor and outdoor seating and free underground parking, they serve an outstanding lasagna and other pasta dishes. Their Breakfast Sandwich is perhaps the best and most creative I've had. The Lasagna Bolognese features very finely ground beef and many layers of a melty, mellow gouda-like cheese which is much more flavorful than the frequently seen mozzarella/riccota combination. The Chicken Salad Sandwich on toasted La Brea Pecan Raisin bread is wonderful. Soups are good, too. Everything I've ever had here is freshly made, top quality, properly cooked, from freshly brewed iced tea to fresh salad greens, fresh salad dressing, everything. Apportionment can vary. Some of the paninis can be a bit modest in size, but many other items are generously portioned. Prices have always been on the high side, and nowadays they are even higher. Lasagna is in the $20 to $25 range for an approx. 2" x 4" slice. A slice of quiche is $14. The Chicken Salad sandwich is $18. In previous years, service was slow despite a fully staffed front of house and kitchen. Much to their credit, I've visited twice recently and was served my food in 10 minutes and was so pleased. I recommend placing your order at least 10 - 15 minutes before noon to avoid the line at lunch time. Glad to know that the restaurant survived the struggles of Covid and is fully open to the public once again, serving 3 meals daily. read more

See all

amazing! I highly recommend this cafe.

Cafe Borrone remains my go-to spot in Menlo Park for all things breakfast and pastry. I absolutely adore their frosted mocha and their coffee cakes. Plus, their lunchtime sausage sandwiches are so so good! read more

Came here for breakfast this morning and at a time that is generally busy and yet, there was TONS of seating available both inside and out! Line to order was a little long but went by quickly! You pick up your own drink order at the bar but they bring the food to you. Ordered a half order of the French toast (2 triangle pieces) and that was enough for me. Also got a chai, which wasn't really warm when I got it but they were very accommodating when I asked to reheat. Def worth the visit and will be back again! read more

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

See all

This place never disappointed me. The cafe Mocha/ Mexican mocha is the best coffee I've had. Not too hot, not too sweet. Just perfect. Love their cups. Being a vegetarian tried their veggie Melt which is tasty and even tried vegetarian wrap. Good enough. The food comes quickly despite huge crowd. Also tables are easy to find!! read more

Seriously? No Vegan Entrees? No Vegan Soup? Welcome to the 2000s I've been Vegan for over 25 years. In the early days I didn't expect much from restaurants. Back then we talked about "Global Warming" and almost no one realized that by non eating animals, we could put a huge dent in it. Fast forward to 2020 - Since 2000, restaurants have added at least one Vegan entree on the menu. There are 2 very popular Vegan burgers - Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger. Borrone has neither. There are thousands of recipes where one can make a vegan black bean or minestrone soup. Sadly, Cafe Borrone can't find any of these and used chicken stock for minestrone soup and put in "pasta balls" made of dairy in the black bean soup. I talked to the front cashier. She said she's passed these suggestions on to no reaction. The reason I didn't give 1 star is that they had a very healthy salad. Come on Cafe Borrone - really? Charging $1 for using a glass for water - otherwise you get a earth ruining plastic cup? read more

It's a great hangout near the bookstore. Great coffees, pastries, salads, sandwiches and quiche ! This place is never quiet it seems especially on the weekends. Even with Stacks across the street cafe Barrone is always booming with a line all the way to the street on weekends ! I love just sitting with a coffee and reading in this cafe read more

New management + employee turnover = unwelcome change in attitude and quality. I have been coming here for 20 years for a reason: happy and helpful attitude and attention to the customer. Today that changed and it is not a fluke. The barista was poorly trained, it happens, no harm done as long as they listen to the customer standing right in front of them. Which did NOT happen. I got no apology either. Not an attempt to correct the oversight. In fact, my coffee drink was handed over incomplete (it is supposed to have sliced almonds on top, at least that is how it has been made here for the last 20 years), and when I pointed that out, the response was an angry "Really?!" An apparently senior (or more experienced) employee happened to stop by and ask if there was a problem. I pointed out that the drink was not being made right, and instead of at least a superficial "sorry, sir" was told "that's how we trained them". My favorite cafe is starting to rot. Very sad. Going to switch away. read more

There's a huge outdoor patio for dining for nice days. You order at the counter and then you choose your seat and they will bring you your order. I came here for brunch and got the breakfast sandwich and the seasonal apple waffle. I started with the breakfast sandwich and it was amazing. The bread was super soft and buttery, the bacon was perfectly crisp and the egg was pretty much perfect. There was also carmelized onions and mayo and that was enough flavor to fill the sandwich. This is a must order if you visit. As for the apple waffle, I was a little disappointed. The waffle was not soft and seemed kind of overcook and the apples were a little rubbery. The pecans were really good, but that just a topping. I also tried the chocolate cake as it was our friend's birthday and it was little dry. Overall, it was a hit or miss, but I could go for that sandwich again. read more

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

See all

A lot of outdoor sitting with colorful umbrellas. The veggie melt is very tasty. Fresh orange juice is good too! read more

Cafe Borrone - The Best Veggie Melt - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

The vanilla bean butter French toast is unreal. I'm not a breakfast person but that was one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time

We ordered: 1. Affagato with Strauss vanilla ice cream and home made whip cream - It taste superb but they should cut down on the whip cream. I will definitely order it again but without whip cream. 2. Tiramisu - it's good but prefer the Affagato. This review is just for these 2 items. The service is ok. read more

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

See all

Great place to meet up and enjoy food, friends and sunshine. Great location and parking.

Cafe Bad Choice is what it is. Location is king. Right next to a book store. It is on the sunny side of the street. The outdoor seating is ideal for sitting around while your assets grow. Otherwise the soft wet tortilla and the bland ingredients (had the vegan wrap today) would not vouchsafe for the $40 meal for two. The fresh juice was good. Thus 1 star. The floor is filthy and I bussed my table and wiped it down because at Cafe Honeybadger - they just don't care. The person who took our order was reluctant but I didn't know why until now. It wasn't laziness. She was sorry we were two more suckers in our cool vests and sunglasses. read more

Got a Caesar with grilled chicken. The grilled chicken was rubbery and the Caesar was bathing f in a creamy sauce. Credit to the whole anchovies which are great and the croutons but the food need more attention. The patio is very nice and service is okay... read more

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

Brunch with my BFF brought us to Cafe Borrone, great service, great food and I loved the patio seating. My Swiss Chard Omelette was delish. BFF had a veggie panini which was an open faced, cheesy, veggie goodness! The have a vast menu from hearty salads, pastas, sandwiches to gourmet desserts. I'd totally come back. read more

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

Food: 4 Decor: 4 Service: 5 I came here for a quick brunch on Thursday around 9am. 1. Oatmeal with strawberries and bananas, 7 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Tuq1Ht5QoISVViAlAnyrZg?userid=2fN8mN7uUjOw-QqtcgYqXQ Pretty good. Oatmeal was cooked perfectly, and the fruit was fresh. It also came with a small shot of milk, which I didn't drink since I wasn't sure what it was. 2. Blueberry muffin, 4 Okay. I'd recommend sticking to the ala carte menu unless you're in a rush. Service was great. Cashier expedited my order since I was running late for a meeting. Only qualm was that it was rather pricey. Free parking in the underground garage on Santa Cruz Ave. read more

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

Cafe Borrone offers bountiful outdoor space to enjoy your sandwich, quiche, salad, breakfast, or any other delightful dish you order. Being in Menlo Park, the weather is normally delightful and offers a wonderful space to relax, chat with friends, do some work, or just spend some time in self meditation. They have a very tempting selection of pastries and baked goodies too (scones, sticky buns, cakes, cookies, etc). I tried their Italian Torta (daily special) the other day and loved the texture and rich flavors this dish provided. I haven't had a bad meal yet. Be wary, the prices are a little on the steep side (will cost you about 15-22 dollars for a lunch item and a beverage) but they are delicious. read more

Cafe Borrone - The daily special - Italian Torta. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Late post: Had brunch with a friend after my sudden loss consciousness and hit my head the night before. Told her the food and drinks here a go and she wanted to try. The line wasn't as long as. It also, but looking for a seat was like an owl hunting for a mouse at night. Gawking, surround, flanking the tables. My eagle eyes spotted a table and whoosh! I got it! Haha...unfortunately they ran it of French toast, how does a brunch place do that to me!!???! I was quite disappointed, but I tried their special of the day apple waffles. Not bad, but I think it was about too heavy for my stomach hence throwing up all night after blacking out. Nonetheless, my friend loved every part of it and the Mexican hot chocolate. I believe it's my third time here, so give it a try if you're in the area or even if you're not in the area. Only thing is that there's no real view, but if you brought a friend...that should be enough. ;). Cheers! read more

Cafe Borrone - Apple waffle special with toasted pecans and a side of bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

One of my favorite places to get brunch in Menlo Park! It never disappoints. I recommend trying the french toast with strawberries - it's light and the edges are crispy! The vanilla bean butter gives it a sweet touch. The waffle is thick and goes perfectly with berries! If you're going around lunch/dinner, try the ravioli! Filled with spinach and cheese, it's creamy, rich, and tasty. The Legendary Frosty Mocha is a icy, sweet must-try on your first visit! However, if you're going for something less frappachino-like, I recommend an iced mocha! Outdoor seating is also nice during the summer time! read more

See all

Good enough that I'd like to go back and try something else on the menu. Veggie melt and hot pastrami met expectations, but weren't over the top. The mid day baguette made things a little tough, but it seems like they use quality ingredients... Pastrami is always a gamble on the west coast ;) Ample seating between indoor and out... read more

Cafe Borrone - Veggie melt and hot pastrami. 3.75/5 and 3/5 stars respectively... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Great spot for a coffee, lunch, or a cookie. I usually sit outside by the fountain. It can get a little noisy, but if you're there with a companion and talking, it's fine. Indoors is comfy, too, albeit sometimes crowded and bustling. Everything tasted wonderful. Their cookies are delicious! Actually, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Like most places in Silicon Valley, it's pricey. My Sweet Husband and I usually split a main dish because of the generous portion size and the cost. To me, Cafe Borrone is worth the splurge because 1) the flavors and presentation are consistently excellent, 2) dining outdoors under umbrellas next to a fountain is fun, and 3) service is consistently very good. The clientele are usually respectful, too, which I appreciate, and there are no TVs blaring. Definitely a good place! read more

We just stopped by the market place for frosted mocha and tri tip sandwich. Frosted mocha is amazing! Basically blended mocha deliciousness! Tri tip sandwich is fresh and filling. Tables outside for ordering. They suggest ordering online because they don't give out menus. Great idea! So check out the menu on their website. This place has always been a favorite and we still drive from the East Bay for it!!! Waited maybe 5 min for both items :) read more

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

Although it is pricey, Borrone can take all my money (jk). I'm nostalgic for their chicken chimichuce panini, frosted mocha, and smoothie. I have been eating here for years with family, always enjoying the food. Their desserts are delicious as well, and the scenery is beautiful. It is rustic yet modern, and is right next to Kepler's books. It's a cute date spot! Taking yourself on a date here is also great. Also, there's usually dogs sitting outside near the fountain read more

Really good French toast kind of mediocre other foods. But amazing ambiance and service. I also love the coffee

Very disappointed .... Many times they just run out of items on the menu ... you would think after all the years they could do much better planning ... this has occurred many times over the years. While food is tasty you never know if they are going to have available. Separately, will share the worst coffee and latte's around (we always skip and sometimes just bring our own). Further, it 2022 and Apple Pay and other systems exist that move lines along of which they have mostly because of the highly inefficient ordering/payment mechanism. Lastly, maybe due to low unemployment you can general get "lip service" from the kids they trust to manage to their business. read more

Food is not bad. Wife loves the waffle. But they nickel & dime you for EVERYTHING!! Asked for extra syrup and it was $2.00! Oh wait.... $2.18 w the tax!! Just leaves a bad taste in your mouth. read more

Cafe Borrone - $2 for the extra 2oz of syrup!! You gotta be kidding me! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

First off, the french toast here is absolutely divine and completely unrivaled in my book. Even if you're not one to gravitate towards french toast (typical toasts are too sweet for my taste) I still recommend you try this toast at least once if you visit. It's not to sweet, just right, and the berries and syrup really turn it into the most amazing medley of flavors. I visit Cafe Borrone exclusively for the french toast when I'm able to wake up early enough. It has the perfect amount of fluffiness, is just the right amount of firm on the outside, and moist in the inside without being mushy/super creamy, etc. The texture is just marvelous, the different array of berries and ingredients mingle in your mouth! What's great here is they do half portions for when you're not as hungry, but also regular portions (which are big enough to share in my experience) if you want to indulge yourself. The hours for brunch are the best, but I find my slow self having a bit of difficulty getting out the door on time! I am not too crazy about the regular non-breakfast meals here, which I think are a little overpriced for what they are. I've had the cheese board/plate, which was delicious but a little small for how expensive it was! As well as that, I've also had a spinach omelette from the lunch menu and it was A-ok, but too pricey for my taste. The ambience is really relaxed but also slightly lively during brunch hours. I always have a great time eating here, enjoying the weather, and people-watching. There's plenty of seating, whether outside or inside! The staff here are friendly, most of them being in high school I believe. There's a little area for drinks that's nice too! Next door there is a book-store if you'd like to peruse or hang out with your friends. Sometimes parking in the garage may take a little while, but I've never not been able to secure a parking spot here. Overall, I love Cafe Borrone. I will return for the rest of my days just for the French Toast. It is god-send. Try it yourself! read more

# 3 and a side of wheat toast with a side of pepperoncini is pretty good service - wait in line to order and then find a table. there seems to be more tables outside than inside, but it worked out for us. read more

Cafe Borrone - #3 with wheat toast and pepperoncini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

They just changed the soup from minestrone to black bean vegetable! The best!! read more

Cute cafe near downtown Menlo Park. Park in the parking structure in the back. We came on a Sat alittle before 11am and the line was just outside the door. A lot of people were already enjoying the beautiful day. Plenty of outdoor seating and limited seating indoors. They had 2 registers open so the line moved fairly fast. Ordered the mushroom scramble which was light and fluffy, loaded with different types of mushrooms and finished with creme fresh. If your lactose, skip this or let them know not to add the dairy. The pastrami sandwich someone else ordered looked appetizing but skip the chicken panini. They drench it with tomato sauce which overpowers the sandwich and makes it pretty messy. The minestrone soup was very fresh and a cup was pretty filling. Ordered the morning bun which was decent. Not the best I have had. On the harder side but not overly sweet which was nice. 3 dishes, 1 morning bun $48. Definitely on the pricey side but would return. read more

Always fresh and delicious food! Have eaten here for years and always loved their mochas, lasagna, bagels, cinnamon rolls, and tri tip sandwiches. read more

Beautiful brunch place, parking is easy in the garage behind this cafe/market. Food was amazing and portions were good. Nice area for outdoor seating as well. read more

Cafe Borrone - Salmon bagel on left, banana pancakes on right with a couple of mimosas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Menlo Park, California

My first AND last visit here. Wait staff are robotzombies with zero personality. Food dropped off at table when it was ready but they all go off the grid after that. I get it, no table svc but for the price of a lousy chicken san you'd think somebody would pop over to see if you need anything. Admittedly, Chimi chicken panini was very good, but not enough for $16.00 price tag. Wife's Turkey Works san was fine but again, $13 for a sandwich filled with deli meat ain't gettin it for me. Better a $9.00 price tag. No sides, no snacks, nothing to enhance the order. Plenty of room inside of their occupancy but you're still made to feel claustrophobic because how close tables and chairs are pressed up against each other. Adding to my frustration was how diff it was to navigate throughout the cafe with my wife in a wheel chair; fuggedaboudit! Highly disappointed; 1 dull star! read more

Always good food. Very happy servers at the counter. Nice clean tables outside. Always a pleasure for breakfast, coffee, lunch...

I used to come here for breakfast every other weekend when I was back in college (4 years ago) and my favorite was the Belgium waffle with berries and salmon carpaccio. Came here for breakfast again this past weekend and I just have to say I was disappointed in the waffle. It had a strong doughy taste to it as if the waffle was undercooked, just wasn't as satisfying as I remembered... Was also disappointed to not find the salmon carpaccio anymore, maybe because it wasn't one of the specials for that day. On the pro side, the Café Borrone was as good as remembered, love the cinnamon and almond combo on top of the whipped cream. I would recommend the scrambled eggs and the chicken apple sausage. We got scrambled eggs #6; the eggs have a smoky flavor to it which brightened up the dish and the sausage wasn't salty at all. Oh, and they were definitely not cheap on their mimosa! read more

See all

Ordered breakfast wrap, came with globs of sour cream not mentioned in description. May I suggest a new name for the menu item, Gorilla Loin Sauce Wrap? It would be more fitting AND ingredient informative... read more

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

2.5 stars A bustling cafe along El Camino Real in Menlo Park, Cafe Borrone always seems busy and churns out so many plates of sandwiches, salads, pastries, and even main dishes. I came on a Friday evening for dinner, and after waiting in line, ordered the tri-tip sandwich, a simple sandwich of sliced beef with sauteed onions on a soft baguette--not bad, but could've used a bit more flavor. But the dish I found really impressive was the crab cakes, which were made from actual fresh crab. So crispy on the outside and tender and flavorful on the inside, they went so well with the slightly tart remoulade (kind of like tartar sauce). Unfortunately, the portion was incredibly tiny (it was more like an appetizer), so I went back in line to order the shrimp salad, which came with simple butter lettuce, sliced radishes, and avocado--definitely nothing special and definitely skippable at $18! Though the quality of food was decent for most of the dishes, the prices were outrageously high for the portion sizes. I'd probably be more interested in coming back for lunch or breakfast, but I didn't find their dinner service a good value at all. read more

See all