I've been seeing more and more Penelope's locations popping up around the Bay Area, and honestly, AS THEY SHOUL! We tried the Turkey Bacon Panini which is pressed in a waffle maker - a fun and unique twist that immediately caught our attention. The panini came with pesto, and wow, it was delicious. We also shared the Berry French Toast, which was loaded with fresh berries. Every bite had the perfect balance of sweetness and fruit, making it hard to put down. The savory panini and sweet French toast made for the perfect combo. I ordered the Greek Iced Coffee and it did not disappoint. I'm a sucker for a good iced coffee, and this one was smooth, flavorful, and refreshing. My husband got the Penelope's Samosa and really enjoyed it - especially since he has a sweet tooth. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. During our visit, there was a nice mix of students studying, families enjoying breakfast, and friends catching up over coffee, which gave the cafe a lively yet cozy vibe. We'll definitely be back! read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've ordered plenty of times from the foster city location - however, I had no clue that they had one near me. I ordered the chorizo burrito (eggs, potatoes, avocado, chorizo and I added spinach). It was so good. The chorizo had a hint of spice but also the egg and potatoes were so soft. The burrito was really good (good size for a breakfast burrito). It also came with a sauce on the side, and quite honestly, I don't think it needed anything extra - but it was nice to had in case you wanted to kick your taste buds. Not sure if it was ranch sixes w chipotle or some other sauce. But it was good! My husband ordered an egg sandwich and it's not pictured because he inhaled it. He loved the bread that came in. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The environment at Penelope's Coffee and Tea is sleek, modern, peaceful, and elegant. It's clean, quiet, and enjoyable. The staff here work quickly and efficiently and tend to be very polite. You can order at the counter and watch as they carefully but speedily make your order. The latte art comes out perfect every time, and the food comes perfectly plated, looking very good. The coffee here is very balanced, and the sweetened espresso drinks have me obsessed. The mochas and sweetened lattes come in many varieties, and they are killer--not too sweet and not too bitter; they have the right amount of caffeine to wake you and the right amount of milk to be rich and filling. The coffee menu alone has me coming back. But when I'm really wanting a nice breakfast, I also come to Penelope's. I'm a real fan of their waffles, which you can watch them make on the waffle irons behind the counter. I like the plain one and the one stuffed with waffle bits. They have just the right amount of crunch and buttery flavor. It's a place that I come alone for quiet time and my go-to place to grab a coffee with a friend. I come here for the coffee, the food, and the great service. Overall, this cafe is a great place to work, study, or hang out. On top of that, the food and beverages are great, and the service is good. It's already pretty affordable, but they also have a UC Berkeley student discount. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Bacon stuffed waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This wasn't my first time at a Penelope's because I've been to the original location in Foster City nearly a decade ago (review: https://yelp.to/5qpP2626dO). My previous three-star review was quite a distant memory, but the Downtown Berkeley location has given me a new opportunity to try them. It's part of my strolling area now, and they've appeared to have improved marginally. Jamie W and I come here periodically after working out at the local gym. Yes, believe it or not, I break a sweat, so we need to wet our whistles before taking the bus. Coming here is convenient because they're usually quick, although sometimes they wait too long to bus their tables. Our orders have run the gamut. On the richer side, we've ordered the $6.95 Iced White Mochas (Photo 8). Decent brew and adding insult to injury, we even bought the prepackaged $1.50 Madeleines. On the conservative side, I've ordered the $4.20 Iced Peach Ginger Tea, while Jamie got the $5.80 Iced Latte (Photo 5). They inexplicably added a $0.25 disposable cup charge, but what the hell. Still, they were refreshing enough post-workout. Finding a table is usually not an issue. Oh wait, there's our bus. COFFEE / TEA - 3 stars...decent enough for our tastes AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...spacious, sometimes messy SERVICE - 3 stars...a bit disheveled TOTAL - 3 stars...Penelope survives RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places l've patronized and reviewed: https://yelp.to/L8KS2Kx15O read more

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Like most restaurants and businesses in this area, parking is a little more difficult to find. There is time and paid parking in the area. This cafe is located on a corner and pretty easy to find. Spacious and plenty of tables inside. They have a womlette that I was not able to try during this visit but I definitely want to go back and try it next time. I tried their club sandwich and Caprese pesto panini with a dipping sauce. You can also add a salad or chip to the sandwiches. Overall great place for snacks and coffee. I love the lattes here especially the specialty ones like the cookie monster. Their iced matcha latte is also good with no added sugar. I recommend checking out this place if you're in the area! read more

First time going into Penelope's, not sure if it were because it was Friday but I had a little over an hour wait for Brunch! But totally worth the wait because it was soooo good AND then it was free!!! Fruit was a little sour but that's alright because food was excellent!! Can't wait to go back again. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - My food - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Sometimes the magic of a rainy, cool Saturday? A buy 1 get 1 free chicken & waffle brunch delivered! And not just any chicken & waffle dish - inside a huge waffle, there's chicken apple sausage, eggs, tator tots,, and cheddar cheese. The waffle is topped with green onions. There's the option of sour cream on the side. Perfectly blended flavors. (Might only drizzle some maple syrup on top next time.) The service includes whipping up your delicious brunch at the right time for your food to arrive still warm. Each entree comes in a sustainable compostable tray. Compostable silverware is an option included in a delivery order. A kids size hot chocolate was the go to dessert. I do believe I've found my new fav East Bay brunch. read more

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The one good thing I can say about this cafe is that their ingredients are high quality and service is very kind. I noticed that when ordering and when a guy came in just to get a cup of water for him and his dog and no one minded. Service isn't the fastest though, and the food wasn't outstanding. I got the free range avocado toast, which was well salted only on the parts with thin avocado (just a bit more salt would be nice). And the sourdough toast was the size of a sandwich slice + not sour at all. It was also cold while being a little burnt on the bottom - I would have preferred it freshly toasted. Ambiance isn't there, not very family friendly with uncensored pop music playing and they allow dogs in the establishment. But it's a good spot to do work with all of their seating and not many people inside. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Free Range Avocado Toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Such a cute place. Amazing coffee drinks. Try the Samoa latte! The food was fresh and delicious. Great service!!!

Brief Summary: - When ordering the hot brewed coffee, we were given 2 options to choose from: medium or dark roast - Multiple chairs and tables to sit in side - Close to the BART station, along Shattuck Ave - Coffee was not sour - Paninis had a great crisp texture on the outside We visited the cafe when we needed to take time to sit down and let time pass. We saw this cafe as were walking out of BART and the soft teal colors caught our eyes. Hungry as well, we decided to in and have an early lunch here. The interior is spacious with tables, chairs, couches, and stools along the walls to sit down. We sat at a counter top area, that was stationed near the kitchen. The staff came by and took our order, and they made sure we got the order right by repeating it. We got two coffee orders, one a latte and the other is simply brewed. We also ordered the panini with ham and cheese. I had a fresh and new surprise to the coffee ordering experience when the staff asked me additional questions to the brewed coffee. Apparently there were more than one type of brewed coffee they offered. At the time of my visit, I think it was light or medium-dark, so I requested the medium-dark. This was a delicious sip, not at all sour, and all round bodied. Very easy to drink. The latte was nice as well. My relative tried it, and she thought it was milky and creamy, but I thought this was just right. I also loved the panini sandwich. It was cooked in a waffle machine, so the surface had the waffle indentations. Cheese melted in a nice stretchy way. The sandwich's surface had a crispy crunch texture on each bite. I really enjoyed the cafe experience, so I hope to visit here some time soon and have another cup of coffee read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Penelope's Coffee & Tea opened where Peet's was. Decor's changed, infrastructure similar. 5+associates on floor. All courteous, smiling, loving their jobs, efficiently dispensing food, drinks. Tables in front & seats alongside wall for laptopping. Offerings: drinks: coffee & tea, greek coffee. Food: womelettes, omelettes, waffles, desserts, paninis, french toast, sides, breakfast burritos.. Order at counter which wasn't busy. Covfefe came 10ish minutes cuz it was dripped brew to order. Sips: Hot Greek Covfefe (L. 4 oz.) 4.75 -smooth not robust. Bold medium roast beans. Fab covfefe. *only issue was lip of coffee cup had deformity leading to unexpected leakage. Not a problem. read more

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Why do they use waffles for sandwiches? I want a savory sandwich and the waffles bring a tad of sweetness. Otherwise the Caprice was alright. Would like to see slices of tomato's instead of diced and more pesto for flavor. read more

Penelope's serves up stellar espresso drinks--their lavender honey latte is floral without being perfumey. The matcha croissant is a must-try, though seating is tight during peak hours. Service is warm but can slow when busy. Pro Tip: Grab a bag of their house-blended loose-leaf tea to go. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Saw a bunch of ads for this place so while I was on campus, decided to try it out. They are new and still working out kinks so be patient, but the staff is super friendly. Cashier did his best to recommend the popular drinks. Getting my actual drink took longer than expected, but it's because the barista accidentally made my drink hot instead of ice, so I got both. Because I got both, I could compare Penelope's Samoas. Although I ordered and usually prefer iced drinks, the hot one resembled more of the actual cookie with the chocolate tones in the drink rather than the iced. The iced drinks had a stronger coconut flavor and not as much chocolate flavor. It could've been because of the temperature or how they were made. There are lots of specialty drinks to pick from which is what I look for and the balance of the actual drink was great for the hot, but just good for the iced. The hot drink reminded me of an actual warm cookie so more on the sweeter side. Inside there's plenty of seating (30+) including both tables and stool chairs. Even though it's located in Berkeley, the pricing is super reasonable and doesn't break the bank. It's street parking, typical for downtown Berkeley. Overall, I think this place is a great addition for coffee at a reasonable price with a plethora of options to pick from so go check them out! read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Penelope's Samoas - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Our go-to coffeehouse was closed, so this was the closest place available. When we arrived, we ended up waiting at the counter for about 7 minutes without being served. We were acknowledged by the staff. One barista was making drinks, but the other one was at the sink rinsing off some utensils for over 4 minutes. I guess washing dishes is more important than serving your customers. We didn't even wait. Do better for the next customers, but that won't be us. read more

it has been awhile since i came here, but everything was just alright. nothing blew me away but decent choice for a quick study sesh its a great spot and the seating options were pretty good. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Prices online must be really old - everything is a dollar or two more expensive in reality. I should've checked the menu board in the store, but I also thought that the prices on their own website would be accurate. Disappointed. At least the Lillian Latte is delicious. The burritos are pretty meh - could really use some kind of sauce. read more

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The good: The facility was clean and well lit. Food was nice, freshly prepared and tasty (try the womelette). Coffee was fresh hot and good. Staff were nice enough. Conveniently located and open on Sunday. The bad: With a 15% tip up front, a staff member brought the food to our table, then directed us to get utensils and napkins from the stand across the room. Really? Was the message "don't bother tipping next time"? That's what I took away from the experience. Cappuccino was good, but literally 75% foam. Why offer 3 sizes if it's based on 1 shot of espresso? Summary: I'd come back. It was ok. It just could have been at least a star better with a TINY amount of thought and effort. Recognition of basic hospitality (training issue) would help immensely. Hope management reads this as intended, a constructive critique. read more

I rarely write bad reviews, but since the manager is "in a meeting," I'll write this review instead. I would have thought that they have been open long enough to have their act together, but no such luck. First, the food here is pitiful. Between a friend and I, we have ordered 5 entrees and haven't liked any of them. I once ordered avocado toast, and the smear of avocado was so thin that you could see the bread through it. Today I ordered a nutella waffle. It's a big waffle, but there's not enough nutella to offset the dryness of the waffle. It's like eating cotton. I always give the staff the benefit of a doubt that they are working hard due to understaffing, but the dirty dishes on the table next to me have been there since I got here 2-1/2 hours ago. And I would appreciate someone telling me why THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON when the temp outside is cold. But apparently, the manager who's "in a meeting" is the only one who can adjust it. I miss Peet's. read more

Love the couches. This is my daily go to spot for studying. The coffee is great and they have an awesome egg and cheese sandwich. Very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. read more

DoorDash delivery order- My sweet waffle was the weirdest thing I've experienced in a while. I ordered the Strawberry Nelly Waffle with added bacon. I thought the bacon would come on top or the side, but NO they chopped up the bacon and put it in the waffle. If you're gonna do that, please make that clear in the description. All of the waffles show the toppings on TOP. And not only that, but they didn't give me the strawberries... 1/5 The Hash Browns Side was pretty tasty. 4/5 The Popeye's Womelette was good but dry, and the side sauce was just sir cream. 4/5 The Gummy Bear Tea has almost no flavor or sweetness. The Honey Bee tea latte was also so bland-- can't taste sweetness or fig. I would not order their drinks. 1/5 This place has a great concept, but they need to figure out execution and make sure their DoorDash orders are complete. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Strawberry Nelly Waffle with added bacon inside the waffle. No strawberries included... - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Got a breakfast sandwich that was gross egg was scrambled beyond almost crumbled the cheese was plasticity. I saw the reviews and assumed it was different but sandwich was not good. Place was nice and clean but I would not recommend this place if you are looking for a good breakfast spot. read more

Stopped by for breakfast before studying -- they open super early, even on Sunday, which is awesome! You don't get a lot of that from the other cafes around campus. I went around 7am and there were a handful of other parties there, maybe 5 or 6. There was only one girl working, both taking orders and preparing them -- she was super sweet and friendly, confirming my order multiple times. I ordered an Iced Lillian Latte and a Linguica Sausage Burrito. The latte kind of reminds me of Yakult, for some reason. It was good, definitely on the sweeter side. The breakfast burrito was fine, but the sauce it came with was really good. The space was large and clean, and they have free wifi. Overall, nothing to write home about but a quick, convenient, and decent spot if you're in the area read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Iced Lillian Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Honored to be the second review on this page! Dropped by on a whim with three fellow bears and immediately, we were enticed by the sheer number of interesting items on the menu. I ended up choosing the Lillian Latte, and my friends opted for the Matcha Chai Latte and Three Little Bears. The Lillian Latte is an aromatic blend of espresso, French vanilla, and lavender. The flavors balance each other out so that the coffee still maintains its kick, but the bitterness isn't overwhelming. The Matcha Chai Latte is a bold drink made with real Chai, and is rich and creamy to the taste. I liked that it wasn't too sweet even with unadjusted sweetness, though I admit I couldn't taste much of the matcha because the Chai STOLE its thunder. Lastly, the 3 Little Bears was a lovely raspberry and mango treat that personally reminded me of the strawberry milk I loved when I was young All three drinks were really well done, and we were all impressed! To wrap up this review, I will include a few notes for students. The café is massive and has sufficient space for many students, able to accommodate parties upwards of 4 (though there are more tables for smaller groups). The WiFi works fine, the service (both food and phone service) is quick, and the place is always well-lit either with natural sunlight or artificial lighting. There is also a food menu if students want a quick snack, which includes mostly brunch items like Honey Berry Toast, Greek Yogurt, and Avocado Toast. Everything is reasonably priced in my opinion, especially for the quality you get. Already looking forward to my next visit! read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Lillian Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Stopped by to try this place. I was a little disappointed. I did takeout. Ordered a Belgium waffle, breakfast burrito and avocado toast. The waffle tasted good, but didn't travel well. I had to put it in the toaster to get it warm and crispy again. Burrito was ok, felt like it was reheated already, so part of the burrito was drier than the rest. I expected salsa but got a different sauce that was more tahini like. Avocado toast was ok. Nothing bad to say, just ok. Service was great. They were really fast. read more

One word: bland I got a breakfast burrito and a womelette. Both lacked any flavor and I had to drench them in ketchup to make it have any sort of taste. Nice people though. Just wish they would add some seasoning or something to their food. read more

Coffee was bitter and watery, pastry was stale and didn't taste very good, and prices are too high. Wouldn't come here again especially because there are other great coffee shops in the area. One good thing about this place was that it's open later than many other coffee shops. read more

Penelope's Coffee shop opened soon after the Pete's location closed down. As a downtown berk resident and coffee lover, I'm pleased to say that the shop was very spacious and clean not to mention that unique coffee options that the business offers. I tried their Penelope's Samoas coffee and turkey panini, it is safe to say that I will be a regular here! Not to mention that it is a woman-owned gem! read more

food is not good. for these prices you expect a lot more quality burritos and waffles. waffles that you can get in a hotel with cheap syrup. burritos dry with the worst quality ingredients. for a $16 waffle absolutely not. for a $15 burrito i guess. read more

Very friendly service. Extensive menu of coffee, tea and light eats. Bright and inviting atmosphere with plenty of tables and chairs to sit and relax read more

Please read as 3.49. When I read Grace T's review of Penelope I was very interested. The omelette sounded really good and I liked that they had tea in addition to coffee. I suggested it to Nina for lunch today and we drove together, since parking can be difficult in downtown Berkeley. I picked her up and we found a parking spot on Kittredge, a short walk from the restaurant. We walked into the restaurant, which is spacious and very clean. We went up to the counter, unsure whether they had table service. They don't. The sweet young man behind the counter took our orders. Every staff member I interacted w/ was friendly and helpful, w/o exception, including the woman I spoke w/ by phone yesterday to verify that omelettes would be available for lunch. I ordered the meat lover's womlette Grace had raved about. As I'm writing this I realize the 'w' in front implies a waffle component, which I didn't process until this moment. I also ordered Earl Grey tea w/ oat milk and stevia. The man asked how many stevias I wanted, which I appreciated. I said one, but later requested another. I also had a choice of bread for my toast and chose sourdough. Nina ordered an avocado toast and a waffle as well as a decaf coffee pour over to drink, as they didn't have chai available, which was her first interest.. We took a table by the window looking out on Kittredge. Soon our beverages were brought to us. A little while afterwards a waffle was brought to the table, which confused us because it wasn't what Nina had orrdered. When the man came to deliver Nina's avocado toast and waffle we asked him about my omelette and he pointed to the waffle and said that was it. I had a memory of seeing a photo of an actual omelette in Grace's review, but clearly that memory was inaccurate. I ate it and it was OK. I was disappointed and wouldn't order it again. The sourdough toast was OK too. Maybe wheat toast would have been more interesting. Nina was unhappy that her waffle came out cold. She liked her avocado toast and coffee. She said if she came back she would order a panini. I'm not sure I would return. There are so many great restaurants, both new and old, to explore. read more

My second trip to the Berkeley location. Staff is great and so are the breakfast sandwiches. I was able to get a seat which can be iffy at many coffee places. If you want to catch a bite before getting on the downtown Berkeley Bart, Penelope's is a good pick. read more

Greek coffee in the logo--but not in the cup. I stopped by Penelope's today, curious to try their Greek coffee. It's on the menu, and the café itself is a well-branded, cheerful space--bright, well-lit, with punchy turquoise tones and even a briki (traditional Greek coffee pot) featured in the logo. So I had high hopes. Unfortunately, the service and the coffee didn't live up to the promise. When I ordered, the man at the counter seemed hesitant, asking if I'd ever had Greek coffee before and warning that it was "very strong." The tone felt oddly discouraging, like I might want to rethink my order. Even after I said I was familiar with it, he insisted it could only be served in the child-size cup--even though the menu listed both small and large. I paid for a small and got a mini. Worse, the preparation was completely off. Instead of brewing the coffee slowly in a briki, it was made by pouring boiling water over the grounds in a cup--like tea or instant coffee. What I received was a floating sludge of grinds that took a full five minutes to settle. It wasn't rich or aromatic--just gritty and wrong. Adding to the discomfort, I had to ask three times--politely--for access to the restroom, while standing just a few feet from a staff member who ignored me completely. Not during a rush. Just... ignored. It's a visually appealing café with a clear sense of brand--but when the product and hospitality don't follow through, that only makes the gap more glaring. If you're going to use a briki in the logo, please honor the tradition behind it. read more

Spacious, clean cafe is a wonderful addition to Downtown Berkeley--taking over the old Peet's spot, bye CHAIN hello SMALL BUSINESS! Staff are warm, friendly, and helpful offering input on the vast amount of offerings! Everything is well thought out: lots of seating, food offerings for different budgets, water fill station, condiments & napkins available self-serve! I wish they were open later as I would study late here and it would be nice to have reusable "for-here" cups/mugs. read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Iced Lilian Latte w soy milk! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I tried the Cinnamon Dolce specialty coffee, and it was the perfect balance of cinnamon and French vanilla. We also had the Brazilian Amber pour-over, which was smooth and delicious. You absolutely have to try the womelette--I got mine Popeye style, and it was fantastic! read more

Penelope's Coffee and Tea - Indoor - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm a longtime fan of Penelope's in the city, so discovering this location closer to home was an absolute delight! First off, their coffee is phenomenal! Rich, flavorful, and far superior to Starbucks or Peet's. The atmosphere is equally impressive, offering the perfect setting to meet friends for coffee or settle in to study and work. As for the food, it never disappoints. I'm obsessed with their avo toast and Greek yogurt, and when I'm in the mood for something heartier, their omelette waffle (yes, you read that right) always hits the spot. Highly recommend! I met the owner of this spot during soft opening and he is a gem! The staff was extremely friendly and the store was spotless. I love Penelope's and equally love supporting a small business rather than big chains. Today I tried the matcha latte for the first time, WOW! I am hooked!!! read more

The coffee is amazing. Food is fresh. Love the womlette!! The lavender latte is my favorite. Beyond the coffee, the space itself is warm and inviting, with plenty of natural light and a great vibe, making it ideal for both work and leisure. It's clear that this coffee shop will become a community favorite. Highly recommend! I'll definitely be coming back for my daily caffeine fix. read more

Absolutely love Penelope's coffee! My favorite go to is the Lillian Latte with a yummy breakfast burrito. Great new location with an amazing vibe. read more

So excited to have Penelope's close by! The grand opening was slammed, yet the staff was calm, proficient in all drinks and food and everything was served with a smile! Excellent service! They are ON IT from day one! Theo, the owner stopped by all the tables introducing himself and spent time getting to know his new clients! Love that personal touch! Stop by, have a Fredo cappuccino (tastes like you're in a cafe in Greece) and a womlette! read more

As a first timer for Penelope's I have to say this grand opening was amazing! The owner was so kind and welcoming to everyone waiting in the line for their orders and overall such a great vibe. Loved the music in the background and their coffee and food was spot on. Definitely will be going back to support this business for the years to come! read more