Super cute cafe just next to Trader Joe's. I got a beef empanada and it was very juicy and tasty. Beware not to eat while driving bc it's juicy and can get messy. Definitely want to come back and try some of their other empanadas and enjoy the cafe. read more

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Loved this spot! The coffee was delicious, and the homemade empanadas were fresh and full of flavor. Perfect for a quick bite or coffee break--highly recommend. read more

This is my second time coming bright and early in the morning. Great selection but the service could be improved. The girl pouring my coffee was rude and just looked like she did not want to be there or truly help customers. read more

I had a nice quick breakfast with my wife. For the size of the restaurant, there is a decent amount of seating, but it doesn't feel crowded. There is music in the background, but it is quiet enough to have a conversation. It wasn't very busy when we arrived. The empanadas were made that morning and being kept in a warmer so we were served immediately. We also ordered a couple cappuccinos, which didn't take too long. We got the bacon and egg, ham and cheese, sweet potato, and mushroom empanadas. The ham and cheese and mushroom were our favorites. The filling to crust ratio was perfect. The bacon and egg was good, but felt like it was missing something. The sweet potato was our least favorite. The cheese in the empanada overwhelmed the flavor of the sweet potato. Looking forward to coming back and trying the other empanadas! read more

Pampas Cafe - Ham and cheese, sweet potato, mushroom, and bacon and egg empanadas - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Pricey for the size. Tasty, but could be less salty. Inside is very comfy and the art display a nice

So much good in one place. I used to occasionally go to their old location years ago. Usually ended up getting frozen empanadas to bake at home. It's a great way to handle dinner for the family in a pinch. Always delicious. The new location is much larger and is a total game changer for me. The space available now allows for a deeper sense of community. Communal tables, a stage with piano and intimate couch for conversations with old and new friends. It's a very inviting space. What got me hooked into becoming a regular is the guy playing piano on Friday mornings. Extremely evocative playing spanning many decades of music and as many styles. Live music, great coffee and a vegan empanada to start the weekend early. It can't get much better. read more

I visited Pampas Cafe next to Trader Joe's and ordered an Iced Chai Tea Latte and 4 empanadas. They do have non-dairy options for their drinks, so I was able to get Oatmilk. It was my first visit, so I got a breakfast (eggs inside), chicken, beef, and ham/cheese empanada. They all tasted great. The empanada dough was well baked. The kitchen is right behind the registers, so I was able to see close ups of the empanadas being made, which was fun! There is plenty of options for coffees, teas, and empanadas. They also have a wide range of seating. There is a free library by the door "take a book, leave a book". I grabbed a stamp card on my way out so if after I purchase 18 empanadas, I get 1 for free! I can't wait for my next visit. read more

Pampas Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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After doing some shopping at TJs I didn't realized Pampas was just right there. I haven't gotten my coffee yet at my normal spot so decided to give Pampas a try. Definitely a fan of their coffee. I ordered a cinnamon almond latte and OMG it was so good. I played it safe and orded a medium but I definitely will go big next time. Nice and creamy but strong espresso. It was not too sweet either. They also have tons of empanadas but I didn't try it since I was feeling under the weather. I definitely will be back if I'm in the area. Parking can be tough since it's always busy at trader Joe's. Vibe was chill inside and the employees were super friendly and nice. read more

Pampas Cafe - Cinnamon almond latte OMG - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Tucked away in the corner next to Trader Joe's is this quaint cafe that serves empanadas, coffee, tea, and beer! There's free wifi with a few tables for hanging out and studying. So far I've tried: - Mushroom -- Great mushroom flavor (my fave so far) - Beef -- Tasty! Reminded me of a Filipino dish - Chorizo -- Not the chorizo I was expecting. This had more of an Italian sausage flavor w/ fennel that I'm not a big fan of - Ham & cheese -- Classic pairing! - Chicken -- A little dry Overall, everything was tasty and full of flavor. Only complaint is that everything was a tad too salty for me, but maybe it was an off day. I'm a sauce person and was dying for some but they ran out of chimichurri and didn't have any hot sauce or other condiments. read more

Pampas Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

i like this place a lot. the food is really great. parking is brutal since it's nested with trader joe's, but other than that it's a super enjoyable cozy space, with a great community vibe. read more

Still really love this place. It is worth competing with Trader Joe's for parking. All the empanadas are good. I particularly love the chorizo, mushroom, and fugazetta. The chorizo is mild, but flavorful. It isn't too greasy either. The sherry in the mushrooms strikes the perfect balance. And, the fugazetta just might make an onion lover out of you. You, yum, yum! I wish I could make it here more often, but once or month or so will have to do. Highly recommended. read more

Hot empanadas on a rainy afternoon after some grocery shopping! What a way to start off a relaxing weekend. Tucked beside Trader Joe's is the coveted Pampas Cafe, serving up Argentinian specialties, coffee, and a selection of beers on tap. Of their different empanadas, I ordered the chorizo and breakfast. It was around 1pm Saturday that they were already sold out of a few, including the chicken and beef. The chorizo was so flavorful and seasoned. Although, it was a bit on the salty side and very similar to Italian sausage than chorizo. The breakfast empanada was generously filled with scrambled eggs and would've been even better with some Cholula. The baked empanada dough itself was incredibly buttery and thick with a flakey outer crust. These hot pockets make it impossible to wait to eat them. The vibe inside the cafe is very cozy and has plenty of tables. They also have artwork displayed in the cafe that's for sale. read more

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This is my go to spot for great coffee. My usual is their mocha or their cinnamon latte. So good! Their empanadas are the best I've had. I've tried most and all are so good but my favorite is the beef empanada. Staff is always so friendly and welcoming. I also enjoy the fresh flowers they have in each table and art on the walls. read more

Pampas Cafe - Cinnamon latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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I got three different flavors. The filling was good, but the empanada crust was not my favorite. I like my empanadas more golden and easy to bite in to. The crust on these were kinda hard and didn't have flavor. Staff was very nice, and looks like a chill spot to sit and eat. read more

Pampas Cafe - Beef Empanadas, Chicken Empanadas - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Lovely place to hang out, enjoy empanadas and the beautiful paintings on the wall. Comfy vibe invite you to stay a while.

Pampas!! New location is spacious. The empanadas are flavorful and the coffee too. I ordered 6 and brought them home. My family enjoyed their snack. The ladies behind the counter are super friendly and helpful. Go get your empanadas! read more

Tried this place out today after holding off for the past several years. I would not consider myself an empanada afficionado. Taste-wise, it was OK. That said, today's experience left me scratching my head re: the raving reviews. In comparison to El Porteno & Cafe Buenos Aires (both in SF), Pampas is/was lackluster at best. Firstly, Pampas' dough is... well... doughy vs the lighter version of the other 2 mentioned. Secondly, their incredibly HARD fold on top makes for an unpleasant dining experience. Thirdly, NONE of Pampas empanadas gave you a clue as to what the filling is; we had to cut in half to figure out! Guess I held off trying out as something told me I was not missing anyting at all. read more

Finally got to try this place after seeing it soo many times during my TJ visit. Was excited to see them open on a Friday morning. When I got there there were a few people in line which gave me time to look at the menu. They have many different options - vegetarian included. Decided to go w beef and ham and cheese. When I ordered they were out of beef so had to switch it to chorizo. The chorizo is good (4.5/5) I wish it was crispier. The ham and cheese is also good (4/5), a bit salty, im thinking the cheese. The shell of the empanada is the best. Flaky and delicious. I also ordered a dark chocolate alfajores They have a huge selection of beverage menu also - from coffee, tea and even beer. Didn't get a beverage but will next time The space inside is huge and clean! I can see myself coming back here again to hang out and eat vs getting to-go. The service is also quick and friendly. Don't sleep on this place, come and visit them! read more

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The beef and chorizo empanadas were delicious not sure for 5.35 each though hubby got 7 and the alfajores were just ok no powder sugar on them. read more

Empanada and coffee at 8am, because you need both to fulfill your morning! Next to your trader joe's, is a place that smells good, because sometimes you smell coffee, and sometimes you smell empanada? Yes, they even have a breakfast version with bacon eggs and yum! You walk into about 40 sitting spots, and a raised area with a couch, an armchair and a piano. A real piano where they even have lessons. Come here and be happy, but parking sucks when it is close to 4pm between church and school parents coming in fast. read more

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My cousin wanted something light to eat, so I found this cafe on Yelp. I had no idea that it was right next to Trader Joe's! We got three empanadas to share. The breakfast empanada was jam packed with eggs, so it was good as a starter. I feel like it could use some more bacon or maybe some hot sauce with it. The beef empanada was sooo good and flavorful. The apple empanada tasted healthy haha. I love that the cafe is dog friendly, so I got to bring Alfie. One of the staff members adored him and gave him a treat too! I loved the beef empanada so much that I tried to order another one for my husband but they said it would take 13 minutes. I didn't want to make my cousin wait, so I'll just have to go back next time! read more

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Sadly, my experience here today changed my perspective about this shop. I've been a loyal customer since they started at the small corner in the Blvd. The empanadas and the coffee are the perfect combination, the ambience is great, but when a owner treats its patrons in condescending manner, it takes away all the good things they may have to offer. I went today with my mother-in-law who only speaks Chinese and Spanish. The owner is from Argentina and obviously speaks "SPANISH" (he was talking in Spanish to his employees), but when my mother-in-law asked for an empty cup, he pretended not to understand Spanish and replied back in English, so my mom had to step in. Sorry bro I can't no longer support a racist business. Not coming back to this place. Update: The level of aggression from the owner's response says it all. I'll leave it to the judgement of fellow Yelpies. read more

Pampas Cafe - Business response translation. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Lovely decor with very homey feel Service - super friendly great way to enjoy the empanadas with the relaxed atmosphere Gladded I stopped by watching a pop up shop turned into a success - got the right ingredients - love supporting the community The empanadas was fresh, lightly crispy and loaded with stuffing- sauce was great too. read more

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10/10 always recommend. Whenever I'm in this area best believe I'm coming for the empanadas! & I'm very happy they expanded to a bigger location. The empanadas still taste amazing and fresh! But get this, they sell them in a dozen FROZEN! So you can take them home and bake them. Which I'm def doing the next time around! Very happy to see and hear this business growing cause they know what they are doing! No dry or flakey textures and each filling is very flavorful! read more

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First visit even though we have lived in Castro Valley for several years. Very spacious and comfortable drink/dining area. Love their spring specials which feature the iced sparkling americano, blackberry matcha latte, and blackberry sweet tea. The latter was delicious. Will definitely be back for coffee meetups! Service was also friendly. read more

Visited for the first time last week and I was impressed. The cafe has some bar seating and has an open layout. They have a piano and nice decor throughout. I ordered a matcha latte which was the perfect sweetness. For empanadas I got sweet potato and chorizo. The sweet potato was so delicious with black beans and cheese, I would definitely order it again! The chorizo empanada was also very good, but tasted less like chorizo and more like Italian sausage. Either way, I would order again and try some other flavors. The downfall to this cafe is the parking situation is not the best. It shares a parking lot with Trader Joe's and it's very small with limited spaces. Also, the empanadas are pricey for their size, but I've never been to an empanada place that wasn't pricey. Overall, I think it's a good place for a light lunch or breakfast. read more

Pampas Cafe - Cafe front - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Today I made a rare trip to my local Trader Joe's and was surprised to see that Pampas Cafe has moved to a new location here. This is so great. The old location was much smaller and I found the parking really difficult. This new location is large and spacious. There's parking on the side of the building - recommended as the TJ lot can get a bit crazy. We're talking fresh made empanadas with a lot of filling choices, freshly baked alfajores, delicious coffee, espresso and tea plus a selection of beers on tap. As usual, the staff is super friendly. Great addition to the Castro Valley "scene." A+ from me for the music selection! read more

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The food was tasty and quick. My coffee was sorely needed and the empanadas were yummy. They sell out so keep that in mind.

Cute cafe that is worth checking out. I was craving empanadas, so I got the beef and the breakfast ones. They were okay, nothing spectacular. I feel like the portions are not big considering how much you're paying for each one. I felt like the chimichurri sauce was lacking something as well. Parking can be difficult since it is located next to Trader Joe's. read more

Tried the empanadas & latte! Humita -- 5/5 -- So yummy and creamy -- perfectly spicy & loved the corn and mozzarella cheese inside. Mushroom -- 4/5 -- Not as tasty as the Humita but still good. Tastes like cream of mushroom soup in an empanada. Latte w/ oat milk -- 3.5/5 -- a bit watery but solid latte. Loved the relaxed and community ambience. Even on a Friday morning it was a long line. I really appreciate the artwork by local artists and the free book library. read more

Pampas Cafe - Humita and Mushroom Empanadas - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Delicious food and coffee. My go to is the cinnamon latte and a breakfast empanada. I can't go to Trader Joe's next door and not stop here for a treat. read more

Pampas Cafe - Cinnamon latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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This review is for their newer location next to Trader Joes. I just left there literally like 10 min ago. I ordered 4 empanadas - beef, chorizo, humita and vegan potato. First of all, they were ALL burned. I paid $20 for 4 of them with a tip (service was friendly enough) to receive food that was too burned for me. I tried to salvage the filling but some of it was so burned it stuck to the bottom of the empanada. On top of all that, I didnt enjoy the filling of any of them except the beef one. For me, they all lacked flavor except the overpowering taste of the burned shell. Based on this experience I wouldn't return. I also don't understand how the team member could package those items and give them to me while seeing they were burned. Where is the quality control. At $5 an item, I expected to enjoy a good empanada. Very disappointed. I understand everyone has off days. I guess today was just one of those days. read more

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Delicious empanadas and really good coffee. The cafe is very cozy. We'll definitely come back here again.

Really long line and matcha was not good quality it was so watered down. Waste of $9 :(

Love the place, culture and vibe to the little shop, would totally recommend. I ordered the espresso and it was great overall but, the espresso tasted a little sour and was cooler than expected but everything else about the experience was really enjoyable. read more

WOW!!! I'm so glad that I found this little gem and I'm glad that I was able to visit them in their original location on the last day before they moved (I had no idea until after the fact). This place was cute, quaint and had a vintage feel to it and that's what stood out to me. The owner was very friendly, as I was browsing the menu on the wall he handed me the paper menu which listed all of the empanadas along with the ingredients. This was very helpful! I figured I would order a few to get some variety so I ordered the Beef Empanada, Chicken Empanada and Spinach Empanada along with their chimichurri. I'm still kicking myself for not getting an Apple Empanada as well but I'll try that next time. The empanadas were fresh and piping hot. The chicken was hands down my favorite as it was packed with so much flavor and a little bit of spice and the shredded chicken was tender and cooked to perfection. The crust was crispy, flakey and buttery. The spinach was pretty good but the smoked mozzarella was a bit overpowering and I think I was expecting it to taste like spinach dip but in empanada form. The beef was very good as well, it had a lot of flavor and quite a few ingredients but they all complimented each other well. I really loved the chimichurri it was different than ones I've had at other places, it had a nice spice to it but also a little sweetness but it really brought out the flavor in all of the empanadas and took them to the next level. I will definitely be back once they open in their new location as I want to try more of the empanadas on the menu. I highly recommend coming here you will not be disappointed. read more

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New location is closer to my home. It's bigger and has more parking spot than the old location. The ambience is super cozy and cute. Love all the decoration and it's furniture. There is a ' living room' where there are piano and a couch. When we visited, service was friendly and efficient. We tried vegan & sweet potato empanadas which did not meet my expectation. I felt like those did not have much taste but their drip coffee tasted really good which surprised me. I might give it a try another day when going to Trader Joe's read more

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What can I say about Pampas Café the food is amazing. Granted they only sell a small selection of pastries and empanadas what they do have is absolutely delicious. They have several different types of empanadas from Ham n' Cheese (my favorite) to berry filled ones. They also have coffee which I am told is very good although I do not drink coffee. The location is easy to see however the parking is a little hard getting in and out of the location. I strongly suggest ordering your empanadas before you plan to pick them up. If you're planning on eating there keep in mind that seating is minimal. They also do you have a reward system for every 18 empanadas you purchase you receive one for free. However, I believe if you order a dozen at one time you will receive one for free. read more

This place is tucked next to the Trader Joe's on Redwood Road. I only ever go to TJ's in the later afternoon and evening so maybe that's why I've never seen this place open. They are open for breakfast and lunch hours there's plenty of accessible parking and a no-step entry into the establishment-- making it very easy for people who have strollers or need wheelchair access. They had several empanada options. I tried the beef, breakfast, and ham and cheese and empanadas. I liked the beef one the best followed by the breakfast empanada. The ham and cheese was my least favorite because it was a little too burnt on the crimped edge from the food warmer. It was also a tad too salty but it can be expected from items that have ham. To drink, I had an iced Matcha latte, which was well-made and distributed very quickly. All in all, I would come back if I'm in the area around that time. It makes a great pitstop on the way to one of the nearby swimming pools/lagoons. read more

Giant Americano! Good prices. Variety of empanadas. Love the piano player on Friday AM. Adds so much class to this place