Friendly neighborhood coffee shop with Semifreddi's pastries and Boogie Woogie Bagel Boy bagels that features fresh coffee and specializes in bagel sandwiches. read more

Kind staff, fun atmosphere, several outlet options for charging. I'm a weird adult who loves drinking hot chocolate a lot more than coffee, and theirs was excellent. I'm sure their coffee is great too though :) read more

I had the spicy pulled pork, which melted in my mouth. My buddy had the club, which he really enjoyed.

Great local El Cerrito business that serves great coffee and coffee drinks. The small cup of coffee is PRETTY small, but the quality of the brew is amazing. You may see a line when you stop by in the morning but you'll barely feel the wait with the wonderfully nice people working there. read more

Nestled cozily in the beautiful hills of El Cerrito is the hidden gem of Well Grounded Tea and Coffee bar. Don't let the size of this fine establishment deceive you. What it lacks in size it more than makes up in the friendly service and attention given to each cup of brew. For those who this may affect their decision, ample parking is available in the surrounding residential area. read more

Some things I love about Well Grounded: The Bagels! They are my favorite, even better than home which is NJ...I especially go crazy for the grilled turkey pesto (on a bagel instead of focaccia). They are a sweet little family owned business in my sweet little neighborhood. My kid feels at home there and no one rolls their eyes when she climbs on the handrail of the stairs waiting for her cream cheese and avocado on poppy. I can order a human sized (actual small) cup of coffee in the afternoon which does not keep me awake until 3 am. The folks who work there are always friendly and have a nice little rhythm, considering how close the quarters are, that impresses me. And if you feel like it, while you're waiting for your food you can pop in next door to the gift shop (Jenny K) and visit the kitten or dog (or buy a gift!). read more

Been here a few times now since I moved into the neighborhood. Friendly staff and the coffee is pretty good. Met the owner the other day and he seemed like a cool guy. Highly recommed if you are in the area. read more

Not only they have great food and no wait time, They provide exceptionally excellent customer service. I'd forgotten my mac book charger. They priority mailed it to me, if couple of hours!! Of course, I paid for shipping, but I do not know if any other place will do that. It must have taken owner at least 30 minutes to drop it off at post office right away! read more

In search of good sandwiches in the east bay because I'm not from here, I ended up at Well Grounded an hour ago. While ordering, I was asked several times to explain what I wanted when I was ordering a turkey sandwich with the works - but had to specify that my vision of "everything" didn't include bananas. After charging me extra for things like lettuce, etc. my bill was $25.00 for two sandwiches. Then I was told that they were out of baguettes after they didn't carry sourdough or salami. I then waited 25 minutes (during witch time the cashier shooed out of the store) to receive the smallest sandwiches I've ever had. I had half mind to go get my money back but.. That's bad form. Don't go here! lol. And they don't deserve the star I had to give them to post this. read more

I'm sorry to say but I have never experienced either a 5 star sandwich or 5 star service in the times I've been here. The sandwiches are okay, but way overpriced and you get nickel and dimed for adding anything extra - just as an example, it's 95c to add tomato. When you're already starting at 8 dollars for the sandwich, that's ridiculous. In terms of service, both times I went I got barely a hello or goodbye, and just didn't feel valued as a customer. read more

Walking the dogs in the summer heat, wifey and I stopped by for a quick chat with Jen and Kevin, and a couple iced coffees. A local neighborhood business run by super friendly people, serving super tasty drinks and snacks. What more could you want? They even brought out water for the pups! read more

I really love Well Grounded's coffee and breakfast bagels, I just wish the customer service was better. Almost every time I have gone in, they begin helping you but then stop midway through to help the customer behind you.. Just because I order a bagel, does not mean I should have to wait while you prepare coffee for three customers behind me. I was in last week with a group of first-timers and one of their bagel orders was wrong. We went up to the counter and she reluctantly offered to make another, but did it after the five people that were in line. I would give this place five stars if they improved their customer service. read more

Coffee is good, but if you're looking for a place to study...forget this one. There's no room to sit, way too cramped.

If you're on a walk and it's on your way, I suppose it's worth the time. It's definitely a coffee dispensary and not a cafe, certainly not a destination. read more

My favorite neighboorhood joint! The coffee is wonderful and uniquely brewed. The bagel sandwichs rock! They are made with real bagels, no sara lee or costco crap! Real chewy thick bagels. read more

We came to Well Grounded because of all the rave reviews but we left wondering why people raved about it at all. The two sandwiches we ordered - Fresca Bocadillo and Jamon Bocadillo - were so small, I mean, very small it felt like a snack, not a lunch at all; so small and lack of fillings that after this $21 dollar "snack", we were so hungry that we had to go for another $10 lunch! Inside the Fresca Bocadillo, there were only a slice of mozaralla cheese, a few spinach leaves (actually I counted it and there were 7 spinach leaves), three slices of a small tomato, and a drizzle of olive oil, and that was more than 8 dollars. My husband's Jamon Bocadillo had one tiny slice of jamon (ham) that if he didn't see it, he wouldn't have known it. It was so small that my husband said he couldn't taste it. Again, the Jamon Bocadillo was almost 9 dollars. Also, their Bocadillo is made of French baguette rather than the authentic Cuban pan de a gua. We both thought a Bocadillo sandwich would be something more exotic and that was why we ordered them. So we were disappointed to find that we were just having baguette sandwiches that were tiny and not even tasty. So we felt that we were sitting on Stockton Ave and paying Champs Elysees prices. We absolutely would not come back. The only good but still over-priced thing here is the coffee. read more

Yes, I agree! Great coffee. Check it out.

Great coffee and such a cute little shop. I'm a little relieved to see that there are good reviews for the customer service, however the Asian girl working the front was incredibly rude to my friend and I. Way to make your customers feel uncomfortable. read more

Very nice staff, quick and easy to order. Clean and orderly place. The bagels are amazing and delicious. The best I've had so far.

This coffee shop is just what the neighborhood needed! The coffee is great, not over roasted like Starbucks or Peets - that crap is only good when you're still hungover and your taste buds aren't working yet. (Then again, its not even good then because it would make me hurl, but enough about them.) This coffee is good tasting. I also love the little sandwiches, which won't break the bank, and make sure you get a taste of Larrupin Sauce imported from Humbolt. Yummmmm! read more

The service wasn't great and the food was quite over priced, plus the store seems to be completely run by high school students

I'm happy there's a good cafe within walking distance from home. I've had a vegetarian sandwich that was quite tasty, with cucumber, tomatoes, and cream cheese on a french little baguette. Service is friendly. Place is small with outdoor seating, and there's a cute little gift shop next door. read more

Jen and family have set up a pleasant small cafe in el cerrito. They serve the most delicious concoctions that are simple in creation yet made to allow each ingredient to spark taste bud excitement. Not one ingredient is placed in each item that doesn't send the taste buds firing. The traditional with manchengo bocadillo and the humbolt bagel are 2 of my faves. The ingredients are molded perfectly together. The crunch of the bread and moisture on the inside from the tomatoe rub on the bocadillo is deliciously put together. You can even order one and eat it hours later and taste the melting of ingredients. I typically frequent well grounded with my boyfriend and we normally order one bocadillo and one bagel. We share the halves. Add a newly discovered Russian soda (new for us really) and pelligrino and we're set for lunch. Friendly staff, delicious eats and a nutritious (mixed greens, NOT lettuce) side salad make me a regular. Of course there is the organic aspect of this cafe which is an added plus. Don't expect a giant fully loaded sandwich made for gluttony. They are conscious about flavor and health here. The joy of simplicity. read more

Well Grounded - Bagels Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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It's a little pricing for the food but when you can walk 50 feet from your door to get it then it's definitely worth it! I only gave 4 stars for the food because I don't drink coffee so I can't rate it sorry read more

AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE: the Caucasian looking gentleman working on July 8, 2018 at approximately 3pm. My boyfriend was ordering a bagel and the employee literally asked if he had to make the bagel. He expressed how he didn't really want to make the bagel and if it was necessary for my boyfriend to have it. The employee was working alone from what was visible and seemed as if he did not want to do his job since closing was in an hour. Why would you tell a customer that you don't want to make what they ordered off the menu (basic egg, bacon, and cheese bagel, nothing fancy)? Why would you ask if it was necessary? What kind of customer service was this? read more

I happened in on this sweet little place and was very pleasantly surprised. (Mostly because I didn't know it was there, despite living close by for the past year!) I had a delicious iced Mocha and a scumptious toasted bagel with fixings. It was totally affordable and the service was down-home and friendly. Highly recommended! read more

Gotta love locally owned coffee shops. Service is always quick and friendly. Bagels are delicious . Parking is easy.

I love the coffee here and the fact that I'm supporting a local business. Definitely come check it out but don't be in a rush, sometimes service can be s-l-o-w; the only drawback. They have local pastries and bagels too..yum! read more

Small little place with easy parking. I like the coffee and I REALLY like the cheese and tomato sandwich with olive oil......

This local joint is everything you want in your local cafe. Friendly, local owners who know something about good coffee and tasty finger food. I always order the Humboldt Turkey sandwich with either their perfectly spiced locally-made chai or else a good, strong cup of coffee. We recently took gluten out of our diets and were delighted to find gluten-free options at Well Grounded as well. If you live in El Cerrito or Kensington, this place is a find! read more

If you want a good cup of coffee - this is the place!! Friendly atmosphere and always fast! - Davis in Berkeley. Well worth the drive, thanx!! read more

I give 5 stars based on the friendly neighborhood service. Always feel at home here, definitely a go to.

Got introduced to this by my sister, who lives near here and whom we stayed with when we moved back to California. Now, even though we live closer to two Starbuck's. my wife insists I drive over here to get her coffee and bagel sandwich. The owners are great, the staff is great, and - even though you wouldn't think so - there's almost always easy and conveneint parking. Some of the customers are pretty interesting, too. I should admit, I'm not a coffee drinker, so i can't get into the discussions about the finer points of "how coffee ought to taste", but the tea is great. read more

This is a place for a great cup of dark, rich coffee and delicious sandwich. Small tables outside on the sidewalk, very much like in Europe. The staff is very nice and very helpful. As a bonus, Well Grounded is attached via an open interior door to Jenny K gift shop (husband and wife team for both places). Great place for a snack/lunch and some gift shopping. Jenny is extremely helpful, especially for us clueless husbands who have no idea what to buy their wifes for that special occasion. Doesn't get any better than this. read more

It's a Small little cafe shop, but it's places like this that are always worth trying! Delicious sandwiches, (turkey pesto panini) is a must! Aside from there sandwiches, they offer a fine selection of organic coffees to choose From. The staff clearly puts in effort in the things they make, but also works quickly. Very nice little place! read more

Well Grounded is my go-to place for bagels and lox in the morning. The bagels are always fresh, the coffee is delicious and the staff is inviting. The cafe is quaint and cozy, reminding me of small cafes in Berkeley. The staff uses a sauce called larrupin sauce on both the bagels and their salads; love it; this is the only restaurant where I have seen this sauce; for that reason alone I do enjoy going there. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, or one can do a take out order. read more

I give them 5 stars because they provide exactly what I need when driving by at 6:30 AM: decent coffee, $1 day old scones, and nice attitude. Amazing, sometimes busy at 6:30 AM with 3 or 4 people in line. They have a couple of tables outside, but that's it. I have not tried their sandwhiches yet. read more

The caputo bagel is absolutely delicious I get it every time I visit. I am a regular here at the well grounded cafe and the atmosphere is laid back and overall pleasant. The Larrupin sauce they sell is a delicious honey mustard like sauce which I highly recommend. Their Italian sodas are refreshing on hot days and their coffee is also pretty good. Perfect place for getting your El Cerrito Knick knacks and souvenirs. Always friendly staff and customers. read more

The place rocks, plain and simple. Good flavorful coffee and friendly folks. If you live in El Cerrito/Berkeley/Richmond and haven't been........Go! read more

Once you have had a fresh brewed coffee here you will have a hard time drinking coffee anywhere else. The bagels are fresh and delicious, but even better as a breakfast sandwich. All the grilled panini sandwiches also make for a great breakfast or lunch. At times it may be a bit busy inside and seem frustrating, but patience is a virtue for something so great. read more