While there are many restaurants on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, we keep returning to Sana's Cafe where we've had consistently delicious breakfasts and lunches. read more

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Discovered a new Mediterranean Cafe that carries variety of drinks, sweets and savories. Located at the corner of 48th St and Telegraph Ave in Downtown Oakland; Sana'a Cafe has a cozy vibe where one can hang out and chill. The interior makes one feel that you are in a high end cafe with its beautiful decor. Some many items to choose from, the person taking my order was very helpful in explaining the different kinds of drinks and pastries. Ordered the Ginger Honey Jobani as a hot drink, Biscoff Milkcake, Honeycomb, and a Beef Fatayer. There were several kinds of milkcakes which would have the texture like a tres leches cake. The Honeycomb had pockets of cream cheese and was drizzles with honey. The Meat Fatayer is like an empanada. The food and drink were very tasty. Highly recommend to stop by Sanaa Cafe and experience it. Their website shows more cafe openings in the future! read more

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Boy, this Yemeni coffee chain is popping up everywhere, isn't it? I noticed the trend mostly in SoMa where at least three similar Middle Eastern spots have opened in the past few months, and frankly I love the infusion of new blood in the typically typical Starbucks/Peet's/Philz landscape. Jamie W and I decided to stop by this location as we were strolling in Temescal. It was bustling on a Saturday afternoon. Amid the evocative Middle Eastern design cutouts on the wall, there were laptoppers galore with power cords going in every direction. Even though most everyone comes here for the coffee, we decided to skip it surprisingly and have lunch. Jamie ordered the $12.95 Chicken Salad Sandwich, which was a bit bland and lacked texture, even though the brioche bun was a nice touch (Photo 9). I had marginally better luck with the $12.95 Veggie Avocado Wrap with Pesto because the thin lavash tightly wrapped the avocado filling with lettuce and diced tomato (Photo 8). We decided to indulge by sharing a $7.99 slice of the Ube Cheesecake because the coconut shavings on top made it look enticing (Photo 10). Definitely the tastiest thing we had. Coffee will be sipped on our next visit. FOOD - 3 stars...the cheesecake stole the show AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...crowded, a bit challenging to maneuver SERVICE - 3 stars...food service was definitely secondary TOTAL - 3 stars...probably stick with the Yemeni coffee RELATED - Exploring Oakland's Temescal? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/D96Z6uqD79 read more

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Came to Sana'a Café on a Wednesday morning to catch up with friends--and as self-proclaimed caffeine fiends, good coffee was non-negotiable. Parking: Easy street parking all around. Mostly metered, with some free residential spots nearby. The area feels safe, walkable, and relaxed--great for a mid-week coffee meet-up. Vibe & Interior: Truly the standout here. The space is stunning and warm, with intricate carved wood details and a cozy, transportive feel that makes it seem like you've stepped into another country. It's no surprise this spot often pops up on Instagram/TikTok for its beautiful interior alone. Seating is flexible, and while many people were on laptops, I didn't notice any outlets--something to keep in mind. Good For: Catching up with friends, reading, journaling, or even sketching/painting. Less ideal if you need to work and rely on plugging in devices. What We Ordered: * Maple Latte - very sweet and comforting. I'd probably order it iced next time to balance out the sweetness a bit more. Service: On the slower side, but the barista was kind and apologetic. The latte art was a thoughtful touch and appreciated. Restrooms: Two clean, unisex bathrooms. Overall: Sana'a Café shines most in ambiance and atmosphere, with solid coffee and a calm, inviting space. Worth a visit for the experience--especially if you love beautifully designed cafés and strong coffee without the rush. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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The space is like a giant lounge. Very inviting with comfortable furniture and nice decor. They play relaxing music and the vibe is relaxed. Lots of folks with laptops lingering over coffee. There is good people watching if that's your thing. Food and drink wise, they have a good selection of both hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages. I actually had a strawberry mojito, which was delicious. The coffee smelled divine. Definitely a must try next time. They also had a smattering of sweets and pastries. I opted to try the Ferrero Roche cheesecake. It was creamy and delicious and not too sweet. I have an eye on a croissant drizzled with chocolate and pistachio cream for next time. Small quibble, the register is the opposite end of where you think it will be. Just keep walking. Overall, it was a relaxing end to an already good day. Recommended. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Strawberry mojito - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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Just came in for a quick chai fix. The staff was super friendly, plenty of seating options and great ambiance. The chai is unsweetened, but I was able to easily add some sweetener. I will definitely come back! read more

Sanaa Cafe - ADENI CHAI - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

within 5 minutes of this experience at Sana'a Cafe I knew they would rank with 5 stars! Elegance and caffeine, what else is left? Well I can tell you. It's their version of a Pistachio Latte with real pistachio ! Flavorful and a game stopper! This cafe is one of many and if I am not mistaken, it's all one owner which keeps things consistent and stable. Laid out with decoratively fashioned furniture and beautiful smiling faces. This is a cultural lesson on how coffee etiquette should be practiced read more

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Cute cafe to work or catch up with friends in Temescal! My friend and I stopped by Wednesday afternoon for a catch up sesh. It wasn't too busy when we came around 2 pm and we were able to easily snag a seat in the back couch area. I don't drink coffee, so I appreciated they had plenty of fruity drink options. I got the kiwi watermelon refresher for $6.19 and it really lived up to its name. I also noticed they were selling their own Dubai chocolate, so I got a bar for $8.99 and split it with my friend. The chocolate was really good and had plenty of kataifi to give it the crunch. They also offer a number of savory foods like sandwiches and paninis as well as Middle Eastern snacks like fatayer, but I wasn't hungry so I didn't get any. read more

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Not bad, but a little pricey for a town that's trying to recover. However, the place is charming inside; they did a great job with the old Starbucks location. I will definitely keep them on my radar. BB read more

Sanaa Cafe - Pistachio milk cake - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

4 1/2 stars. I really don't frequent cafes but after having a ramen dinner down the street it was nice to chat it up here with friends afterwards. This was a modern establishment. I was impressed. I opted for a large Adeni chai. Sitting at a long high top table was pleasurable as there was plenty of elbow room. The staff was quite friendly. This is my first time at a Yemeni cafe. Worth visiting. read more

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I would first off like to start off by saying that the staff were exceptional. they were so helpful in helping me with deciding on what drink I wanted. Suggested great recommendations. they had told me this is not the first sana'a cafe -- there are 10 other locations around the bay. this cafe, in particular, is great for work or even to sit down and sip some coffee. it is spacious -- with great amount of sunlight. when you go at golden hour -- its perfection. although the cafe is great, my chai wasn't so much. it lacked in flavor and wasn't iced the way I would prefer it to be. but I'd still definitely give this place a try again -- maybe a coffee this time around, haha. read more

Sanaa Cafe - ADENI CHAI - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

This space is so beautiful and calming. I had a great work date here recently & only left so others could sit. The coffee is great & the Ube cheesecake was amazing! The people were also warm & welcoming. If you're looking for a new coffee shop & want to support Yemenis, this is the place! read more

Great place to come for coffee, chai or some cake/dessert. Open very late as well. Parking in the area during the day isn't too bad as you can usually find a meter nearby or street parking in the local neighborhood if you dont mind a short walk to avoid paying. The Yemeni Chai is very good here and I usually get that or an espresso. Space is large, good window countertop seating and a bunch of fancy nice cushioned seats to sit on as well. read more

This place is so cute!! The service was good and their acai bowl was amazing. They also have plenty of outlets! I'll definitely be back. read more

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Stopped by on a Saturday at 10 AM and the very first impression we had wasn't great. We were ready to order pretty quickly (just wanted coffee and cake) and the barista (who seemed to be the only one working) informed us that he'd be with us to take our order shortly. We ended up waiting at least 5 minutes until another employee showed up to help us while the barista was still busy. It just wasn't very fun to start the experience by standing at the register for so long. As for the food, we enjoyed the Biscoff milkcake--it was lightly sweet with a good milky flavor and the Biscoff flavor was pretty subtle. Our pistachio lattes were good too, there was a toasty pistachio flavor and wasn't too sweet. The milkcake with coffee pairing was nice--the sweet and slightly bitter combination worked out really well. The interior was clean and nicely decorated, we enjoyed having our coffees and cake for a bit there before taking the rest of our coffee to-go. Overall, the food was nice but the service could be better. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Biscoff milkcake - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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I got an espresso and an almond milk cortado. The espresso has good texture and flavor and was quite unique. Low acidity, not bitter, slightly fruity. The Cortado was well balanced and the texture in the almond milk foam was just right. The almond milk flavor consonant the espresso well but if I go again, I might try it with oat milk since espresso has such good flavor. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Espresso and Almond Milk Cortado - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

This space is under new management and is now Sanaa Cafe which is a Yemeni Cafe open until 10pm! I love Yemeni coffee so I'm glad to have to place in the neighborhood and the late hours are definitely a plus. It is spacious and a great place to go to get some work done. They also have a pretty expansive menu. I got the orange spiced mocha which has a delicious flavor, though was a bit sweeter than I would prefer. I noticed the barista had to twist off the pump to pour the syrup so maybe he accidentally poured too much? I'm not sure. I've also popped in twice now and the staff is not particularly friendly or welcoming, though they weren't rude or anything. There seems to only ever be two people working at a time, so maybe not the place to come if you're in a rush. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Menu - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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Khaliat Nahl, AKA Honeycomb bread, is served warm and drizzled with honey. Each of the balled shapes are filled with some sort of incredible cream cheese. It's soft, not too sweet, and the blend of soft, warm bread and creaminess yet firmness of the cheese is a delightful balance. I highly recommend it! The chocolate baklava is the best I've ever had. We get this every time and we always savor every wonderful bite. The cafe has a very sweet energy/vibe. The mango peach refresher was a nice addition. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Khaliat Nahl, aka "Honeycomb bread" - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

I been here a few times, and every time is better than the last one. Great place to chill, do homework, get a coffee, and some food. Quality is amazing. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

I absolutely love this cafe. Spacious, clean, classy, so many delicious deserts, wifi, couches and many small tables for working privately. The coffee is delicious and the staff is so helpful and chill. Good job!! read more

My friend and I saw this cafe while walking around the neighborhood after lunch and decided to get a drink. It's like a fancy Peet's Coffee, but modern. I got the Rose Lemonade and my friend got a latte back in Spring. The latte was creamy and had the right bitterness. The Rose Lemonade had a rose essence, but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. It's is very aesthetic inside which is great for studying and chatting. The service was fast, but the outside needs a bit cleaning. I would come back only for the drinks and have a chance to sit inside when it's less crowded. read more

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Coffee, meh. Atmosphere, chill. Not having enough accessible power outlets prohibits working from here. The only outlets are on the window bar, which is essentially unavailable due to the arrangement of other furniture. read more

Eating my words as this location has seriously changed their model and ditched the wild menu prices upon first opening. The prices are now in line with what you'd expect locally and reasonable, and the space itself is really a serious upgrade over the previous one. Excellent service as well by the staff, and an equally strong late-night cafe as other amazing local spots like Delah in Uptown, Milyar in South Berkeley, and Belmo off University. The power outlet access and comfy chairs are seriously top-notch too, the best I've seen at any cafe in this area. read more

Great cafe to work at for a few hours with WiFi and outlets. I have tried a few different beverages and they are quite unique compared to other cafes (Yemeni chai, etc). read more

I needed to do a little work before meeting with a friend for dinner at Burma Superstar across the street. Thankfully, Sanaa is so spacious and welcoming. So many tables for co-working! There aren't a ton of plugs but I wasn't there very long. I got a warming ginger tea and a surprisingly light yet rich Dubai chocolate milk cake. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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The best drinks I have ever tasted. Love love love Yemen coffee, but this places flavors truly burst in my mouth and it was such a pleasant surprise! I would trust any drink from here would do the same, as I ended up getting 5 drinks from here over the course of 2 days.. Also great study spot, and very comfortable chairs, wifi, outlets!! I loved the place, the barista was also very sweet - he recognized me from the day before (probably because I ordered so much) and asked if I wanted the same sweetness as last time. Amazing service! read more

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The coffee it's great that special flavor on the saana latte, Yemeni latte and the honey comb bread with cream cheese inside and honey over its delicious, i have been on the two locations on Oakland and i had a good experience, it's so clean and nice seats where you feel comfortable to stay to enjoy your drinks. read more

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Food - Good. We ordered the Turkish coffee, superfruit smootie, waffle and avocado toast with egg on top, but they gave us bacon instead of egg. Waffle & coffee will be something I'll return to. The avocado toast was mediocre, the smoothie was a bit too thick. Service - good service, the owner brought us our food. The drinks were called to pick up at the windows. Ambiance- nice place. Spacious and feels comfortable. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Waffle & superfruit smoothie - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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Staff were awesome! Super friendly! They only had 2 staff tonight.. but both of them worked hard helping eqch other as cashier, barista and housekeeping. Wow!!! They deserve a bonus!!! Great food! Ordered the chicken salad, yummm!! Pistachio mocha coffee delish!! Love the music! Ambience was spectacular very clean and comfy.. I will definitely recommend to my friends!!! Only a few minor thoughts which can be fixed by the mgt for a perfect experience... Cellular signal was low and i noticed that the bathroom was shared by both guys/girls... so cant help being a mess.. maybe that should be changed to men only and women only bathrooms..so can make them cleaner and smell better.. needs more staff ?maybe wc can also take care of the restrooms and not overburden or overwork the staff. Overall, i am super happy with trying something different and had a great experience! read more

My boyfriend came here and ordered a white chocolate mocha, I ended up drinking all his coffee. However when I went to the cafe by myself I ordered another white chocolate mocha and a little chicken pastry they had. The meat must've been out for a while because it was sour. Unfortunately I ate it once I was back at my office. I wouldn't go back for their food. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Chicken - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

Excellent Yemeni coffee house with all your favorites, both in beverages and foods. Great for a quick bite, and open later in the evening. Spacious area for plugging in your laptop or reading a book while you enjoy what you've just purchased. Formerly Big House Coffee, this is a great addition to the happenin' Temescal neighborhood. read more

Great local Yemeni tea spot. Love getting their adeni chai - it feels like such a sweet treat! All their pastries and cakes are delicious as well. read more

Love this place, Everyone is so friendly which makes you feel so welcome once you enter the door. They also have little desserts (pistachio Milkcake So yummy). read more

Sanaa Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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Rating for study/work experience only ｡°‧. Seating: It can get busy at times but I've never had to wait for a seat. They have couches, individual tables, a community table, and bar seating. I'll usually bounce around depending on what's available. Outlets: Limited outlets but I usually don't have trouble getting access to one. You might have to opt for bar seating to be able to charge. But it's not terrible, I sometimes stand and use the bar as a standing desk. Wifi: Free, fast, reliable Wifi. I've never had connection issues. Ambience: The staff are exceptional. Moody lighting. It can get loud in here at times considering all the foot traffic and occasional music. Easy for me to ignore with noise cancelling headphones but I wouldn't take a work call in here. Parking: Plenty of street parking near the cafe and surrounding neighborhood. Some metered and other spaces (further out into the neighborhood) are free. Might need to do a little walking but it's a pretty walk. read more

I loved Big House Beans & am genuinely sad that this place changed ownership, however am excited for Sanaa Cafe. I hope the new owners keep bringing the delicious local pastries, amazing specialty & seasonal coffee's, and delicious and inclusive food menu (especially for plant based folks) I have tried Sanaa Cafe other locations and do enjoy it. As a community member that frequented Big House Beans very often, I have endless great memories here & love the staff. I hope the warm and inviting ambiance will be maintained. Congrats to the new owners! read more

The drink is good but dont bother coming if you are working and want to work securely. If your server access is on the cloud or if you need authenticator. Whatever is on their wifi blocks all of it. So cannot even actually access work stuff. You want to use vpn. Forget it as well. read more

Everything always goes well here,only a couple times have they made me the wrong drink. They have gourmet chocolate,open late&they have great attitudes read more

The previous owners took care of shop. This place makes mediocre coffee and staff frequently mess up my order. Lastly, the place rarely looks clean anymore. Going forward, going to start patronizing other nearby coffee shops . read more

Came here on a holiday morning. It's beautifully decorated. I loved the seating. I ordered the acai bowl. The acai bowl was too sweet for my liking. I think it was the granola. Service was friendly. I would consider returning to try something else. read more

Sanaa Cafe - Inside decor - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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My new favorite coffee shop. I went back a few times to try out the food items on their menu and was not disappointed. The açaí bowl had the perfect consistency. It was cold enough that it didn't melt and had a sherbet texture but not too hard where it was all ice. It was a nice tangy flavor but not too sour. However I do wish that it came with more honey and granola. EVERYONE GO GET THE WAFFLE! Usually waffles make my tongue feel kinda scratchy and I don't want to keep eating it but not this one. This waffle was crispy on the outside but super soft on the inside. It actually comes with chocolate chip and peanut butter sauce but I felt like that was too many flavors so I took them out, and it was perfect. The syrup was not too solidified that it didn't come out but not too watery that it was just water and spilled everywhere. Even after adding a generous amount of the syrup to the waffle, it wasn't overtly soggy and was still delicious. It comes with bananas and strawberries which I wish were juicier but honestly not bad. Their whipped cream is super light and paired super well with the cinnamon sugar. I ordered my usual winter spice latte and it was amazing as usual. This time I also ordered an iced mocha and it was delicious and frothy. As a mocha lover I approve. This place never disappoints. Just wished it opened later so I could work there longer. read more

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