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    D.G. Cafe

    4.9 (42 reviews)

    D.G. Cafe Photos

    D.G. CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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    Roast Beef!
    Nish N.

    I love popping by D.G. Cafe. Great sandwiches made with precision and love by Clive Nisse. I also just noticed that they have a "walk-by"counter so you can order something quick from the sidewalk, which is what I did for my roast beef sandwich today, since Pablo the dog was with me. They are starting to do a solid breakast, so this might be my new way to get my coffee and pastry as well. By the way, D.G. stands for Defy Gravity.

    Red Hill Roast Beef Sandwich - the horseradish cream cheese makes it.
    Todd A.

    Sandwiches taste better when someone else makes them for you, according to a 2013 study by Carnegie Mellon University. That's because when you make your own sandwich, you sort of already know how it's going to taste - your brain treats it as "known information" instead of a delightful and satisfying surprise. By the time you take your first bite, it's like taking your fifth bite. According to the study, "The sandwich that another person prepares is not "pre-consumed" in the same way." This is one of the reasons people love delicatessens. As I watched D.G. Cafe owner Clive Nisse make my roast beef sandwich, I thought I could imagine how it would taste. And honestly, I was a little skeptical that it would be any good. From where I was standing, it looked completely straightforward. Tomato. Shredded lettuce. Red onions. Roast beef. Cream cheese. "Bummer," I thought. I'll tell you more about how wrong I was a little later. But first Clive's story... which he told me as I watched him work. Clive grew up in England watching his mum cook with a certain inquisitiveness. He loved cooking enough to enroll in culinary school. Like Steve Franchetti of Bruno's in San Rafael, Clive has always been in the food business - specifically the bakery side. He was the GM of Starter Bakery for four years and had leadership roles at Rustic, City Baking Co., Il Fornaio, Noe Valley Baking Co., and Au Bon Pain. So, like Steve, he knows what he's doing. In his case, he especially knows what he's doing with bread Also like Steve, Clive has wanted to open a delicatessen for some time. And last year, as yet another new wave of COVID-19 washed over us, a food-service-ready spot opened up on San Anselmo Avenue in the heart of the town's retail district - about a mile from his house. He could have put $100K into getting the spot exactly how he wanted it, but that would have taken a year. So he jumped right into the space and revved up the business, hiring his two teenage daughters to help him out on occasion. Not great timing, as it turned out - as the pandemic has continued to rage and the delta variant is only just now starting to level off (thanks in part to the huge, vocal population of self-centered, fact-averse idiots who don't like to be told what to do). But when Clive started the business in October 2020, we were all very hopeful that the vaccine would sort out the virus and we'd be back to flying, picnicking, shopping, and congregating en masse by summertime 2021. Alas, like most places on San Anselmo Ave, it's still fairly slow at D.G. Cafe. In addition to offering customers the "create-your-own" option (something I don't want to do when I open my deli, but may have to due to its popularity), Clive has seven sandwich concepts on the menu. He came up with the recipes on his own and validated them through tastings before opening the shop. All of the sandwiches are named after local landmarks: Tamalpais Tuna, Creek Park Chicken Pesto, Red Hill Roast Beef, etc. What I had underestimated about the roast beef sandwich that I watched Clive make was the power of fresh, locally sourced ingredients and how well the horseradish cream cheese pairs with the very fresh, moist roast beef. Also, I hadn't noticed this before, but the bread that it came on was a super fresh, soft, poppy seed onion roll. The man knows his bread. He also knows the importance of apportionment. To add the exact right amount of every ingredient takes sandwiches to another level. The freshness of the ingredients can take it to another level again. There was exactly the right amount of horseradish in the cream cheese and exactly the right amount of cream cheese on the sandwich (a nice big glob of it). Once the thing was in my belly, I was completely full and satisfied. Son Luka (14) had the Creek Park Chicken Pesto sandwich and raved about it. It had a nice fat chunk of fresh swiss and exactly the right amount of pesto. This is unique because pesto very often overpowers dishes. When it comes to delicatessens, the importance of "vibe" cannot be overstated. Yelp reviewers rave about the friendliness of D.G.'s cafe. James from San Rafael says, "Clive is a gracious and attentive host." Someone named Theart writes, "The folks working here were super friendly and the environment was very clean." "The owner was very friendly and welcoming," says Kenyn from Redlands. Clive and I had a lovely chat and his daughter was sweet and welcoming, too. I also love the idea that he's teaching his girls about the business.

    Local Art for sale

    My fiancé and I were road tripping to wine country and stopped into D.G. cafe for a quick lunch. It was perfect! Tasty sandwiches: I had tuna which they make w avocado vs Mayo (#healthy!) and my man had roast beef- he loved!! They had options to choose from along with "master" sandwiches which is an option to make yourself. Sandwiches are big! We only had half and saved the other for a picnic. Parking, super easy! Lots of 3 hr spots. Owners were there running the place. Spoke with them & they are a wonderful family owned cafe! They support local artists too. Support local- check them out

    Imagination Garden Sandwich with cheddar and feta

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    5 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Clive N.

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    6 years ago

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    Clive N.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - D.G. Cafe

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    Came here as a quick stop and they were having a small event going on for vendors to come and I…read morejust smelled the delicious coffee from the door! Right when I came in I just knew it was good and I got to ordering Parking is pretty open and convenient so it was easy to walk right over. I ordered on the kiosk which makes it easier and gives me more time to look at items. I kept it simple and got a strawberry lemonade which was very good and also in cute packaging. The interior of this place felt like I was in Dubai or something because of the gold and how fancy this place looks lol overall I love it and the music playing.

    Beautiful cafe. I was looking for something sweet and intrigued by the milk cake. Pistachio and…read moreDubai chocolate were recommended but I'm not a practice fan and didn't want chocolate. I opted for the vibrant red rose. It tasted exactly like a flavorless sponge drenched in l milk. Not even a hint of rose. Incredible, the white icing was equally flavorless, although it looked beautiful, with a sprinkling of dried rose petals. The overall effect was like eating a piece of cake that had fallen in a puddle of milk - with dried leaves in the icing. I had three bites and then told them guy behind the counter that it had no flavor and all he could offer was "I'm sorry". For $8 and no offer to make it right, it was a really bad experience and I would never go there again.

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    Red Whale Coffee - Spring has sprung!

    Red Whale Coffee

    4.3(330 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    "Can I get something started for you?" Avoid that familiar…read morephrase from the corporate coffee giant and step into the whale. Wonderful single origin coffees available -pour over style as well as a variety of various espresso drinks, and tea. In the back is the master roaster machinery, and a nice lounge with pinball machines to hang out in and create conversation with other patrons. The staff is real knowledgeable and real personable and frequently make me laugh, and they know their product very well and will share information with the consumer. It's OK to ask a question and they won't yell at you if you want cream in your coffee. They do keep it behind the counter in the refrigerator, by request only. For some reason, coffee always taste better to me on site than at home. Maybe it's the temperature of the water, maybe it's just the ambience and the brief conversation? I don't know but I prefer to have my cup outside of the home. I'm a rather social being. The owner has a knack for hiring, competent, talented and friendly staff! Truly the BEST coffee anywhere, seriously...... maybe that's why they won so many awards?! Beans are available daily and frequently with half-price sale on your second bag. A great gift to send somebody in a different city, throw in a T-shirt or other swag while you're at it. I found that relatives and friends really dig stuff from the Bay Area. There are a variety of "at home barista"accoutrements available for sale to include the lovely Chemex glass coffee maker. Grinders, scales, etc. A coffee paraphernalia shop- "legal speed". Check out the pastry case with some local favorite bakeries representing. In closing, five stars throughout*****! Now get over there, I hope I got something started for you......

    This was my first visit to Red Whale Coffee, and I was really looking forward to it. I loved the…read moreatmosphere, especially the pinball machines, and I was excited to recommend this place to my friends. Unfortunately, my experience was disappointing. I ordered an iced mocha with oat milk during a busy time and waited about 20-30 minutes. While I was waiting, I noticed several customers who ordered after me received their drinks. I went up to the counter to ask about my order, and the cashier seemed confused. The barista remembered making my drink and believed someone may have accidentally taken it since there had been a drink sitting on the pickup counter for a while. The barista told me he would remake my drink and even offered the drink to another customer instead of discarding it. However, he continued making other orders before remaking mine. Just as I was about to ask for a refund, I finally received my coffee. I understand that mistakes happen, especially during busy periods, but better communication and order tracking would have made a big difference. Unfortunately, my first experience left a bad impression. As much as I liked the atmosphere, I won't be returning, and I can't recommend this coffee shop based on the service I received.

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    D.G. Cafe - cafes - Updated September 2026

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