People's Cafe: A Respite in Downtown Berkeley, California

People's Café, located at 2015 Shattuck Avenue in the center of Downtown Berkeley is a perfect location for a break to study, catch up with friends, or read a book. The location could not be more perfect with easy access to the University of California campus, downtown businesses and multiple bus lines as well as being a block from BART. Across from Shattuck Square, People's Café has no match for people watching. Passersby and clientele include office workers, university students, and the typical Berkeley color. People's Café provides a front row seat for the infamous Code Pink protests of the Marine Officer Recruitment office across the street.

The clientele of People's Café is as varied as Berkeley itself is. Customers include commuters stopping in for a cup of coffee to go, local high school and college students, and all sorts of passers-by. They are attracted by the beautiful interior, decorated with a lot of hardwood, shelves full of books to peruse during your visit, and wall paintings and a fresco brighten the room. Seating is plentiful and comfortable. Plenty of outlets are provided to power your laptop computer. Seating near the front has views of the street, while the back room is much quieter for those times when you need to hunker down and study.

People's Café provides much more than coffee, although a lot of effort goes into making quality drinks. A full range of coffee is available, from drip coffee with free refills, to any espresso drink you can imagine, including a regular mocha and "Mexican Mocha" spiced with cinnamon. Non-caffeinated options abound, from a very satisfying hot chocolate to more than a dozen loose leaf teas available by the cup or by the pot.

Also on offer are hot and cold chai tea lattes. If you are settling down for an extended stay, the food options will keep you well fueled at reasonable prices. Breakfast options include bagels and bagel sandwiches (with eggs, hummos, cream cheese and lox options) as well as hearty omelettes served with home fries. Lunch options include a variety of fresh-made sandwiches served with a side salad as well as large salads guaranteed to satisfy your hunger. A specialty is Mediterranean food. Choose from a Greek salad with Feta cheese and olives, a falafel plate, or the Mediterranean plate including pita, hummos, falafel, and dolma.

For a quick stop or extended stay, People's Café in Berkeley is sure to satisfy.