A wonderful coffee shop with a nice ambience inside. Friendly and spacious cafe. Try the Yemeni coffee read more

I've stopped into Sana'a Cafe a couple times a month over the past year and have developed a generally positive impression. I've tried a variety of their coffee drinks along with one of the honey pastries. At their best, there's a lovely balance between sweetness, spice and coffee flavor. At their worst, the sugar and spice can overpower everything else and leave the drink feeling a bit one-dimensional. The standout for me is the Sana'a latte with slightly less sugar. That adjustment seems to unlock what they're aiming for: a really pleasant balance of spice, milk, sweetness and rich coffee flavor without tipping into dessert territory. Rich, complex and not overly bitter. The interior is polished and contemporary with chrome fixtures and bold graphic touches throughout. The overall vibe reminds me of a modern hotel lobby in a good way: comfortable, clean and easy to settle into for a while. Service has always been friendly and quick, though a touch distant. Would I call it a must-visit coffee destination? Probably not. But if you're in the area, it's definitely worth giving a shot. Especially if you're curious about spiced coffee drinks and willing to ask for a little less sugar. read more

A welcoming atmosphere with good seating and open late, I will be back for the ambiance and late night work sessions. I got this pistachio pastry, but was not the most impressed. It wasn't as crispy as I would like, and it was very cold. The flavor was good though, slightly nutty and sweet. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

I met a friend here for coffee. I had an iced, decaf latte with almond milk-no sugar. It was refreshing. There were a lot of people in the coffee shop, if a couple had not preparing to leave we were going to take a drink to go and walk around the neighborhood to catch up. Someone left, so we sat down and enjoyed the coffee shop vibes. They have a pastry selection that looked amazing! I'd like to try one next time I'm in the area. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

This cafe has a beautiful ambiance. I've taken friends and family here for coffee/ tea dates. They're always impressed with how small and nicely decorated it is. The presentation of the way they serve the coffee and tea when you have it there for two or more people is so nice... think tea party vibes, lol. The pastry items are good, but can be pricey when you buy a bunch at a time. The customer service is hit or miss, but for the most part okay. I would definitely recommend this establishment to others, especially those looking for strong coffee. read more

Sana'a Cafe - ALMOND DANISH - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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I was looking for a coffee shop that was relatively close to my hotel and this place came up. I'm so glad that it did. This is such a cute spot and the customer service was top tier. I ordered the pistachio cheesecake and an iced cinnamon dolce latte. The cheesecake was so creamy and delicious. My coffee was made to perfection. I will definitely be returning if I'm ever in the area again. Highly recommend! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Service was okay -- it took a little while for the employees to take my order, but overall the experience was still pleasant. I ordered a latte and it was delicious. The coffee beans tasted really good and the drink was well made. The café also has plenty of seating, which is nice if you want to stay and hang out. I came on a Sunday and it looked like there was a chess club meeting there, which was really fun to see. It gave the place a nice community vibe. read more

Sana'a Cafe - LATTE - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

In town for a conference and needed some fuel before getting started for the day. Sana'a was a definite find! I ordered the chicken mukshan and a hibiscus tea with I believe he said dragon fruit sweetener? The tea was very good and will probably be the start to my next few mornings. The mukshan was the perfect bite of spices throughout. Very good! I didn't catch his name but the young man working was really nice and had such a welcoming smile! read more

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I've visited Sana'a Café twice on Saturdays, and it was a hit both times! They offer a great variety of drinks and pastries. The pistachio latte seems to be a crowd favorite. It personally wasn't for me, but I really enjoyed their Spanish latte! Their fatayers are also delicious. I've tried both the meat and the spinach & feta, which were both fantastic. I also appreciate how accessible they are in Oakland, being open seven days a week and staying open until midnight. Service has been okay with it fairly average during both of my visits. Drinks come out fast though! On my most recent visit, the music was a bit loud, and I accidentally misheard my order (I said the drink wasn't mine to the barista when it actually was). When I realized my mistake, I apologized while grabbing my drink. The barista then rolled their eyes at me, which was a little disheartening. Still, their tasty food and generous hours will keep me coming back despite that small hiccup. read more

Sana'a Cafe - pastries - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Place has a unique vibe I really liked it. I do believe the place is small all tables were taken. Staff friendly & super helpful too. They do have pastry and cake slices, I did not try them, but they looked yummy. Downside for me is the parking very limited on the street. read more

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Wow. So many great things. . Fatayer are top tier. Great exterior and filling. Big flavors. Honeycomb is like a really good bagel, texture isn't quite bagel like but still Pistachio milk cake, like a less sweet tres leches. Dubai Cheese cake. Incredible filling, the cheese is so light and not overwhelming in the sweet department. Ok/Good. Adeni Chai. Baklava. Musakhan read more

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came here on a rainy day and there was still a lot of seating :)! Clean bathrooms, clean space, nice staff, nice music... very calm atmosphere! Ordered the yemeni latte half sweetened with a honeycomb bread! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Honeycomb bread - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Beautiful place to chill and they open late. Tried couple of their desserts and their drinks but it wasn't for me. Maybe their ice drinks are better. I would come back again and try different stuff. read more

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*******A Minority Owned Business Alert*****************+******** My good friend and I tried Sana'a Cafe. This place was busy with constant foot traffic. Some people were able to find a table some left with the goods. We were fortunate to get a table and catch up. Since having Yemeni Coffee in Dearborn, MI; I have been on a quest to find it in The Bay. I kinda found but not quite, what I have found is said to be it, but not it. I will keep looking. However, if you're looking for coffee that will give you a shake when you're fading. This is your place. Don't sleep on the dessert, it all looked tasty. read more

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I saw this online and I thought, hidden gem! I showed up, opened the door and immediately thought, 'why haven't I heard of this place'? Lol. I've been out of the loop. This place was buzzing with activity. In fact there were only a couple seats available. I went on a Tuesday morning around 11am. The inside is beautiful! The place is decked out in Yemeni decor. Lots of golden accents. Couches in the back, tables and window bar seats in the front. The place is small so I wouldn't suggest a large meet up. Unless you can figure out their down time. We were there for some hours and the door was revolving. This place is popular! This is an ideal location to catch up on work, being that they have charging ports throughout the cafe. Other than coffee and teas, they serve both sweet and savory pastries. read more

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Cool chic vibes! Middle Eastern flare coffee shop with middle east music playing. It's cute coffee date spot and a great spot to chill with your laptop. They also open late wich is rare for a coffee shop. There are yummy pastries from cake to baklava and bread. We had the rose milk cake and it was simple and not overwhelmingly sweet. It reminds me of tres leche cake but with a hint of rose. Light and refreshing. Ill be back to try theirs signature drink. Dirty Chai! read more

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I love this place, my absolute watering hole before my shifts in the neighborhood. I'll tell you, it's kinda dangerous to have a coffee place this good practically next door to you. Not a bad problem to have. I haven't tried their desserts (which look fire) but I'm a deep connoisseur of their yemeni latte, hot or iced is just divine. If I'm feeling extra, I'll get the pistachio latte (again hot or iced, good either way) their adeni chai latte is wonderful as well. They also do a dupe pink drink like Starbucks here (because ew Starbucks) and it's so much better and very good when you're not feeling caffeine so much. Support this business! They're awesome. read more

Sana'a Cafe - New watering hole - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Great chai, great honeycomb bread, fantastic place to hang out with friends late at night. I was in oakland for a trip and came here two nights in a row. Staff are super friendly and ambiance is nice. Definitely recommend! read more

Sana'a Cafe - adeni chai - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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I came here to support fellow middle easterners and really wanted to like the place. I was disappointed in the rose latte which didn't taste like rose and didn't have good flavor in general. Many of the fatayers had more bread than meat, so they could have used for filling. Also, if you get any of them, DO have them warm it up, don't they're not good cold/dry. The Dubai milk cake was okay, but was hoping for a stronger pistachio paste flavor. The decor is nice and similar to many of the Yemeni/middle eastern coffee shops popping up in the bay. Service was fine. read more

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I've wanted to try this place for quite some time so when I had the opportunity to schedule a work meeting in an Oakland coffee shop, I picked this one. It was surprisingly busy when I went around 1 pm. Folks were working, eating alone, gathering as friends, you name it. It was lovely to see such an eclectic group of people; felt like a community gathering more than a coffee shop. The coffee and pastries are expensive; I got an iced latte and two pastries for 20 bucks. However they were delicious. There is free WiFi so I will definitely be back! read more

Sana'a Cafe - SANAA LATTE iced - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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It's finally review time! Sana'a Cafe (a newer Yemeni Coffee Chain taking California by storm) took the place where a former Starbucks Coffee Chain used to reside. It has been opened for a bit over a year, but I discovered it after a contractor offered me two pastries that he purchased from Sana'a Cafe during lunch and he realized that he couldn't finish them all. He informed me that it was a Yemeni Coffee shop off Broadway around 8th Street and that I needed to check it out. Well, since then, I have visited it 3-4 times within a span of 6 months. During that time, I think I have finally found my espresso drink - the Iced Spanish Latte. Unfortunately, over the span of those 6 times, the drink has been inconsistent with the flavor, milk, and intensity of the drink varying significantly depending on who makes the drink. My most recent visit - 8/11, I noticed that after tax, I paid $7.38; which meant that it was another $1 more expensive than the last time I visited. Not only that, but the drink also lacked the espresso I was expecting (photo included that showed the color being a light beige). Pretty much, it meant that this latte wasn't prepared correctly, as if you googled a latte, it would be a beautiful caramel color (with that leaf foam). My friend also purchased their milk cakes. Unfortunately, and this may just be a cultural/palette thing, but he didn't enjoy the texture of the cake and found the taste to be a bit underwhelming. Their cakes, depending on what you get, vary from $8-$14, which is quite expensive for a slice. In terms of service, it's always been hit or miss. They have never been outwardly warm and friendly, but they do serve you when you are in line. The lady (who I have not seen in a while) used to be very helpful in offering suggestions when customers were trying to decide what to get. Unfortunately, I have not had that experience with any of the male staff. They have been distant and seemed to feel bothered. With so much inconsistency with their drinks, mediocrity and lack of value with their food items, and not much hospitality, I would not recommend Sana'a Cafe. There are countless other coffee shops within a 3 block radius of this location. Blue Bottle (which actually originated in Oakland) and Bicycle Coffee (which also originated in Oakland) would be my top contenders). read more

Sana'a Cafe - Iced Spanish Latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

The service was excellent! Beautiful cafe with lots of seating. Unfortunately the Sanaa latte I ordered tasted burnt, the cardamom was very bitter. Usually if the spices aren't cooked through the flavor can taste "raw" and off putting. Nonetheless, I will be back to give them another try, as the service was great. It was late night and I forgot to ask for decaf, but the staff asked me and I thanked him for being so observant! They also are welcoming to dogs (I couldn't find a place to tie him outside as I was ordering to-go) and offered my pup a treat. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Want something a little different for your caffeine fix in Oakland? Then look no further than this place. I came here at 7am before work meeting and had the chai tea and honey waffle bread which was filled with cream cheese. The staff was super friendly and the ambience made me feel like I was on vacation. Highly recommend! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Honeycomb bread and chai tea - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Cozy spot with great Arabic music and delicious tea, coffee, and small bites. I ordered Sana'ani coffee and it was so so good! The prices are very reasonable for the quality as well. The staff were patient and friendly. I enjoyed my stay here and would absolutely recommend for anyone looking to enjoy a coffee break. The inside is really beautifully decorated and elegantly set up. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Sana'ani Coffee - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Didn't really enjoy my experience here. I got the iced Mofawar and it wasn't good at all to me. I drank maybe 3 sips of it and threw it away. They have a strawberry tres leche cake that was pretty good though. My other complaint is that the wifi was very slow and eventually just went out. I sat around waiting for it to come back online and it never did so I had to go somewhere else. read more

Sana'a Cafe - iced mofawar & strawberry tres leches - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Their pistachio latte is so yum! You can taste that they use real pistachios to make their syrup. The pistachio nicely balances out the coffee, nothing overpowered each other. However, it was a bit on the sweeter side. Definitely recommend lowering the sugar level. Plenty of street parking. Great coffee and friendly service. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Iced Pistachio Latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

After having come here multiple times, it's time to review them. This is a nice place and well maintained. Most all of the sweets & food items are good, but some are a miss. They are on the pricey side and I'd never noticed until the other day. I've always gotten the chicken muskhan and one other item...the Chicken muskhan is about the size of 2 taquitos and close to $7, along with a regular drink is $6.95 and relatively small. The Mushkan has been a bit charred on the ends the last few times I've gotten it and it's pretty dry. I had a chocolate chip cookie here that had a meat flavor to it somehow (I had another try it & they said the same without my telling them it tastes like meat). I generally come here because my coworker loves the honey bread and I usually grab something because it's a good 10 minute walk from the job. Overall it's a good place to try, but it's pricey for the quality of items I've had so far. read more

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Great atmosphere to hang out and get some work done. Will become one of my go to spots read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Great, quiet cafe for studying. Tables are clean and spacious. The workers are super nice and gave me an extra slice of honeycomb since the original slice was on the smaller side. Would definitely recommend trying their Adeni Chai and the honeycomb pastry! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Honeycomb, Adeni Chai - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

Solid pistachio latte. My friend from Kazakhstan tried adeni chai for the first time and loved it! I liked the artsy interior. My other friend has a baby and there is enough room to bring in your stroller, so this is a family-friendly spot. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Pistachio Latte (bottom), adeni Chai (left), bee bites (right) - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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This one might just be personal preference. I thought I'd be into Yemeni coffee, but it didn't hit the same for me. The coffee itself wasn't my thing, though I can see why others might enjoy it. The ambiance, however, was great. Cozy cafe vibes with lots of people working and hanging out. They also had a good selection of authentic pastries, though I didn't see many people ordering them. This might just be a me problem. Service: Friendly and relaxed Food/Drinks: Yemeni coffee wasn't for me, pastries looked authentic but didn't try them Ambiance: Cozy, calm, and very work-friendly 6/10 Great space to work or hang out, even if the coffee wasn't my taste read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

My new favorite place in Oakland! The people here are so friendly, and the food and coffee are top notch! Get one of their hand pies. You'll be back for more! read more

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Went on a Sunday afternoon. Quick trip in and out since I had my dog. Drink was ready quick. I saw the other iced pistachio latte drinks looked really green and vibrant on yelp so ordered it. Mine did not look it but maybe cuz I got less sweet so less pistachio color. Still good though! My dog kept trying to steal my drink haha I also notice there's not much space to wait if you ordered to go. Not much seating on a Sunday afternoon if you needed to stay and do work or just chat with someone. Weekdays are easier to find a seat. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Rose latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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Stumbled upon this incredible coffee shop when I was craving a pistachio latte and it certainly did not disappoint. It is such a spacious coffee shop that allows for all sorts of crowds from those trying to work, read, or catch up with friends and enjoy some of their pastries. The workers are very nice and restrooms are clean. read more

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I stopped by on a Wednesday evening and decided to buy a Yemeni latte and a Biscoff cheesecake, after one of the other customers in line ahead of recommended the cheesecake. I was considering the Sana'a latte as well, but that one has ginger so I decided to pick the Yemeni latte instead since it has cardamom and cinnamon, and I asked for it to be cold and with light sugar. The Yemeni latte was quite good, it is well spiced and flavorful, without being unpleasantly bitter from the coffee itself. The Biscoff cheesecake, however, was really the standout item for me. It was really good, I think they add cinnamon or something similar. The Biscoff added a nice amount of sweetness and crunchiness. Would highly recommend it if you enjoy cheesecake and cookie butter flavors. read more

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They have a nice selection of Middle Eastern pastries. The Adeni chai and pistachio latte are some of the more interesting choices, and they're pretty good. Be careful when you order the "Yemeni drinks" and read correctly! I mistakenly ordered 2 under there thinking they were lattes. Nope, they are thin like drip coffee with milk. read more

Ambiance - I remember when this location was a Starbucks so when I saw that Sanaa was coming to Oakland I couldn't wait to try because I had seen other locations around. While I've never been to Yemen, it's very beautiful and you're transported to another place once inside. There's traditional music playing over the sound system, beautiful decor throughout and tons of comfortable seating. Service The service was great despite the line building due to only one person working this morning. She was holding it down though- taking orders, making drinks, preparing food and doing it gracefully with a smile on her face. I got my drinks and food within mins of ordering. Food While I can't say much about the other treats, the baklava was good. It was a little sweeter than I normally like and the phyllo dough wasn't as flaky as other baklavas I've had before but still pretty good. My matcha layer with almond milk, sweetened with honey was perfect. Not too bitter and not too sweet and piping hot. Overall I'm excited to try Sanaa when in the area again. read more

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I absolutely love this place! When I saw that a Yemeni cafe opened up in the Old Oakland area, I was excited to pop in and see what they had to offer. The place was formerly a Starbucks that has since be transformed into a well lit, beautifully designed cafe workspace showcasing fine details of Yemeni culture. I was welcomed by staff upon entering and while I was eyeing the menu for drinks and the various pastries on display, I couldn't help but ask what the most popular were! (Obviously I wanted to try their BEST!) I ended up getting the pistachio latte and chocolate pistachio cheesecake, both noted by the staff to be the most popular orders! I loved the rich, creamy, and sweet taste of the latte. The drink didn't compromise the taste of coffee and instead complemented the coffee's strength with the nutty pistachio flavor. The cheesecake had an amazing soft texture and also impressed me with its creaminess and level of sweetness. Since trying Sanaa, I drop by whenever I get the chance while in the Old Oakland area! Definitely worth the price and such a lovely spot with friendly staff! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Oakland, California

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So first off I want to start off by saying I love this place. I come here fairly often and I love the smell inside as soon as you walk in you get this whiff of amazing! The staff is hecka friendly and the vibe in here is mad chill. I love that their coffee is premium. Not gonna lie it's a low key premium price too but sometimes Im like it's nice to treat ya self not cheat ya self! read more

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Been coming here for some time! Shoutout to the staff for always being welcoming! The ambiance here is great! whether you want to come study or relax with a quick tea! I almost always get the adeni chai! Never disappoints! Also the cakes are pretty good' I usually go for the biscoff but everyone and then i'll switch! If i ever want some breakfast options, the fatayer are also good! read more