Espresso Roma Cafe

Despite the mediocre reviews, I rather enjoyed this place. The ambiance is good and there's plenty of seating. I did find the coffee and food to be low quality, but it's also cheaper than competing craft coffee shops, so I think there's a value statement to be made here. If you're looking for 'ok' coffee at a more reasonable price, this is a good bet.

The location and ambience is pretty nice. The staff are also friendly enough, but I've been there a couple times now and the food really isn't amazing. I ordered a cold brew and they gave me a warm americano with ice in it. It tasted like water. I also asked them about the quality of their wifi outside. They assured me it was fine, but both my friend and I could barely use it because it was so slow.

I wish there were more stars to rate this place!! I have been coming for years here, the whole staff is a gem ✨kind, hardworking people and excellent cooks and baristas. The outdoor seating is lovely, surrounded by sage plants and covered by trees. This place should honestly raise their prices, although I love a spot where I can get a breakfast burrito and a coffee cup under $10, I would rather the staff having a bump in wages and pay $12! Still affordable for the area! Shoutout to Ms Sandra and Jesús who make delicious and fresh food, Mr Alvaro and Ernesto at the bar 👏🏾👏🏾 this place is beautiful and always clean, and what makes it fantastic, is their staff 🌻

My favorite East Bay cafes for working during lockdown - #2, Roma on Hopkins I’m almost reluctant to share this recommendation for fear that it’ll become too crowded. But for now, at least, it’s no problem to find a seat either in the sun or in the shade. It’s one of my favorite places to work during lockdown because you can sit underneath the vines and the dappled sunlight and listen to the birds sing as you work. Most people don’t notice the café’s previous incarnation, but if you look at the structure you can figure out that it used to be a gas station! It’s such a pretty place to sit, and it’s situated in such a pretty neighborhood, that to be honest, the quality of its coffee beans is not so important. I’m pretty happy with their Americanos, bagels, and apple turnovers – they’ll tide me over while I work and wait for a quiet time to pop across to Monterey Market to buy my veggies for the week. As far as I know, today is the main barista’s last day – I think her name is Yoly. She has always been kind and fun to talk to – we’ll miss you Yoly and good luck with your new café at the Richmond marina (which I think will be called Yoly’s café)! Lockdown Stats: • Seating: tons of seating in a beautiful setting. Both shade and sun are available. • Bathroom: technically closed during lockdown, but you may be allowed in if you smile and ask nicely! • Hours: It closes at 2:30 pm but you can hang out there for as long as you like afterwards. • Weather: the location is sunny and sheltered and the trees and vines provide shade, if needed. • Budget: Prices are fairly reasonable, depending on what you get ;) I’m also giving the Roma 3/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on this: • Longstanding community gathering spot with a welcoming vibe. • Almost all of their food is made on site or baked in advance by Espresso Roma Corp (based in Emeryville). • Waste minimization is just OK – could do better during lockdown – I’m avoiding their sandwiches as they come in a big plastic clamshell container. • Transparency is a main weakness – Espresso Roma Corp. doesn’t provide any information on sourcing of coffee and ingredients. • Just to emphasize that last point, Sandy Boyd (owner of Espresso Roma Corp.) has opened many restaurants and cafes in the East Bay over the years – including the Roma cafes, The Station burger joint near the Claremont hotel, and Nichi Ramen on Bancroft at Telegraph. As a prominent Berkeley business owner (and Cal graduate) it would be nice if he provided more information on Roma Espresso Corp’s social responsibility. Interested in writing green star reviews? If so, please check out the Green Stars Project.

The chicken bagel is a work of art, the breakfast burritos are amazing, the coffee is excellent, amazing venue, versatile seating, excellent service with nice employees.

Our favorite Cafe in Berkeley. (Same company as a Cafe Milano.) We love the outdoor seating. Plenty of seats for everyone. Food and drinks are very good. We love everything panini here. Espresso is always nice and fresh. Great price too!

I got a latte, it tasted awful and was made with no care. After I could not drink it, I asked to have a tea replacing the full cup latte but I was told I need to pay for the tea. I see no interest in providing value and service in this place.

The quality of the coffee and chai latte was very disappointing. The chai latte was made with a powder mix that was overly sweet, making it taste more like a sugary beverage than a proper chai. The coffee lacked depth and freshness as well. On top of that, the customer service was unfriendly and seemed quite cranky, which added to the unpleasant experience. However, the outdoor seating area was quite beautiful and provided a peaceful atmosphere, which was the only redeeming aspect of the visit.

Ambiance pretty chill, lighting little dim, ok 89's music at a decent level. Not much seating. Few barstools and 3 chairs. Seems more of a grab and go place. Service was quick and efficient. Was with a group. Fiery bear sandwich was a 4/5. Southwest bear was a 4/5. Both with Dutch crunch bread. Decent amount of meat, maybe 3-4 oz.. Bread was nice, not too hard or soft or chewy. Overall enjoyed it and would stop back again. See photos of menu. BTW right across from UC Berkeley student union.

The good thing about this place is that the prices are reasonable and there a tons of options to choose from. There's also lots of room to sit and it's in a decent location. The food is mediocre and the pastries were a bit doughy. Otherwise, if you're looking for a budget friendly spot that is just okay, then you'll enjoy this place. It's also a good spot to sit and catch up with folks you haven't seen in awhile. We ordered omelets and sandwiches and they were nothing special. They also don't customize them so whatever is on the menu is what you're getting. Like I said, it's nothing special and no frills.

Rude staff, Latino guy strong accent but don't want to speak Spanish to his Latino costumers always mess up our orders seems on purpose. Bad service.

Nice spot to sit outside with a coffee, and the food is very yummy. I love the warm sandwiches on focaccia, and the salad that comes with them.

We weren't sure it was a restaurant because it didn't readily show up in the map, or have a sign out front, but we're glad we stepped inside to check it out. It has breakfast, coffee/tea and bakery items, but also great choices for lunch. We started with a perfectly prepared latte and what might be the best pastry item I've ever had. For lunch we ordered a panini and a tuna melt. Both served with a mixed greens salad with vinaigrette. The sandwiches were both served open faced on focaccia and they were delicious! We enjoyed the beautiful day and sat outside in the garden seating to enjoy our meal. We both loved our lunches and would definitely come back during our next visit to Berkeley !! 5 stars for Espresso Roma Cafe!

I love this place. The ambiance, the food, the coffee, the space, all great! One problem however. The beautiful bushes on the Hopkins side of the the property are in full bloom and are attracting hordes of bees, making it hazardous to walk on the pavement. I was forced to walk in the verge to get to my car. It is uneven and was afraid of falling as I am quite elderly. I reccomend that the bushes be trimmed back to eliminate that hazard.

New owners and suddenly the best coffee in Berkeley. Foam to die for. Great outside area. Quick service! Never disappoints.

Coffee is good, the pastries are ok, the food soso, but the patron/barista is the most grumpy unfriendly guy you could imagine. I have come here a few times and the experience has been the same each time. So bad indeed that I decided today to write a review and not to come back.

Good coffee and food! Good location, friendly service! Love the relaxed, airy patio and flowers and shuns.

Very friendly people work here! Food is great! This is one of the few places where you can just sit and chill anytime and not being rushed to finish with your meal/drink. The prices are are great and I sometimes wonder if they even break it even at the end of month. Leave them a good tip.

To all the negative reviews about this place, we come here every week and the customers here are so deeply entitled and unpleasant, that whatever unhappiness you feel about the staff is completely due to you and no one else. We've had nothing but positive experiences here. I feel bad that the staff has to serve you. Great customer service, food and ambiance! We love sitting outside avoiding all of you :) thank you to the staff!

This leafy stretch of Hopkins in North Berkeley almost demands a coffee hangout as chill as the neighborhood. In that respect, it delivers the goods with an expansive terrace dominated by huge shady trees. The cafe is right across the street from Monterey Market and those cute shops that characterize the upscale folksy charm it attempts to exude. I'm guessing this cafe made similar attempts earlier on, but waiting in line on a lazy Saturday made me realize service may have moved downward in their list of priorities. I ordered a $4.25 Large Cafe au Lait which was relatively uneventful (photo: http://bit.ly/2vp7d6D). It was when I expressed interest in the various baskets of baked goods where things went astray. The server couldn't really speak to the selection and looked exasperated that I showed interest. I decided to end her frustration by pointing at the $2.95 Cranberry Scone (photo: http://bit.ly/2WfRUIs). After I precariously took both items to a vacant table, I found the au Lait was fine, but the scone was already on the stale side for a mid-morning purchase. COFFEE/SCONE - 3 stars...typical cafe fare, nothing exceptional AMBIANCE - 4 stars...leafy, casual neighborhood vibe SERVICE - 2.5 stars...not so casual TOTAL - 3 stars...chill pills may be needed here RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

My favorite East Bay cafes for working during lockdown - #2, Roma on Hopkins I'm almost reluctant to share this recommendation for fear that it'll become too crowded. But for now, at least, it's no problem to find a seat either in the sun or in the shade. It's one of my favorite places to work during lockdown because you can sit underneath the vines and the dappled sunlight and listen to the birds sing as you work. Most people don't notice the café's previous incarnation, but if you look at the structure you can figure out that it used to be a gas station! It's such a pretty place to sit, and it's situated in such a pretty neighborhood, that to be honest, the quality of its coffee beans is not so important. I'm pretty happy with their Americanos, bagels, and apple turnovers - they'll tide me over while I work and wait for a quiet time to pop across to Monterey Market to buy my veggies for the week. As far as I know, today is the main barista's last day - I think her name is Yoly. She has always been kind and fun to talk to - we'll miss you Yoly and good luck with your new café at the Richmond marina (which I think will be called Yoly's café)! Lockdown Stats: · Seating: tons of seating in a beautiful setting. Both shade and sun are available. · Bathroom: technically closed during lockdown, but you may be allowed in if you smile and ask nicely! · Hours: It closes at 2:30 pm but you can hang out there for as long as you like afterwards. · Weather: the location is sunny and sheltered and the trees and vines provide shade, if needed. · Budget: Prices are fairly reasonable, depending on what you get ;) I'm also giving the Roma 3/5 "green stars" for social and environmental impact, based on this: · Longstanding community gathering spot with a welcoming vibe. · Almost all of their food is made on site or baked in advance by Espresso Roma Corp (based in Emeryville). · Waste minimization is just OK - could do better during lockdown - I'm avoiding their sandwiches as they come in a big plastic clamshell container. · Transparency is a main weakness - Espresso Roma Corp. doesn't provide any information on sourcing of coffee and ingredients. · Just to emphasize that last point, Sandy Boyd (owner of Espresso Roma Corp.) has opened many restaurants and cafes in the East Bay over the years - including the Roma cafes, The Station burger joint near the Claremont hotel, and Nichi Ramen on Bancroft at Telegraph. As a prominent Berkeley business owner (and Cal graduate) it would be nice if he provided more information on Roma Espresso Corp's social responsibility. Interested in writing green star reviews? If so, please check out the Green Stars Project.

Great neighborhood location. Just wish the coffee was better!! I've had good food here before. And I always try and give the coffee another chance but it's just okay. Great outdoor patio however which I've enjoyed studying at! This place has so much potential!!!

That one unhappy and unpleasant guy is still working at this place. We were going to meet another family here last weekend. The other family refused. I asked why and they said they had encountered this really unpleasant barista. I told them about my experience and they described that same thing. I think he should quit and become a parking enforcement person. And the food here continues to be stale.

A met a coworker here for a meeting. What a cute store! Not really busy, but busy enough. I only had a drip coffee and my colleague had Earl Grey. I did see the food menu and it looked yummy. Note to self to return!

We live in the neighborhood and always see this cafe packed on the weekends. I finally stopped by for coffee with a friend today. I got an iced tea, which was perfectly fine. But the reason I'm giving this place two stars-- and the reason I probably won't be back-- is that I bought an egg and cheese burrito and there was eggshell in it. I got a crunchy bit of eggshell when I started eating, figured it was a fluke, then got another bigger one towards the end. It was unpleasant and the burrito was unremarkable even minus the eggshell bits. I probably won't go here again. It's a shame, because it's a cute spot and a convenient location within walking distance of our house.

Love cafe roma. I'm a regular, the staff are super nice and the prices are super reasonable.

I love a day old pastry. They're a buck and the dry factor works well for dunking. I also love a great big patio with tons of shade! Different types even. I also love a quick kind staff. Sadly dogs aren't allowed on the patio. . . On bad dog can ruin it for the rest.

Coffee tasted like tap water, kitchen area was so messy, gross and disorganized looking, I was hungry but didn't order food because of the general appearance. The 4 star reviews are baffling. There are so many good coffee places in Berkeley this place is really doing their amazing location a disservice.

This cafe has an ideal location in Rockridge and really could be a happening place, but it has to have the worst customer service possible. Rude and not in the New York City kind of way, just plain rude. I really hope they can find a new manager and staff... and maybe chef.

quality grub and strong espresso drinks - chicken pesto with bread and watermelon juice are pretty solid moves if you make it here. standard customer sevice

I consistently come here to read on their outside seating. Like other reviewers have mentioned, the coffee is not great, but I find myself craving the chicken pozole ALL THE TIME. Savory, spicy, and unassuming, it's served with a slice of ciabatta bread. Excellent for a chilly day. Staff is always friendly. Please never stop making the chicken pozole!!!

Pretty good cappuccino, coffee flavor eas very simple and didn't have much depth. Great spot to meet people and hang out, wonderful service, but coffee is nothing special.

This place got nice outdoor and very communal arrangement. If you want to enjoy the Bay Area sunshine while visiting with a friend or doing your work outdoors, this place is for you.

Nice quiet independent coffee shop with ample seating. If you're looking for a quiet, somewhat removed place away from the university, this is a good choice. Reading, studying, having a convo with a friend, you can do it here either inside or out on the patio/garden. In addition to coffee and espresso, they have a good lunch menu, soup and salad type stuff. I've gotten some of their pasta salad lunch containers to go and it makes for a pretty filling lunch. There is only one restroom though and it isn't in spectacular condition :( But other than that, it's a great independent coffee/lunch cafe.

I always had a good vibe in this place. Excellent place to enjoy breakfast and lunch. And coffee at anytime . Ps: thank you for the hard work during the pandemic.

Good strong coffee. That's all you need to know. And if you like rustic ambience like I do, it's a great place to read and sit outside.

All systems fail. It's true what others have said about the management, new as of last year. The woman they hired to be the manager definitely is not suited for this level of professionalism. She is curt. But that would put it too mildly-- brutal and angry are more apt words to describe her mood imparted at a business. My chicken barley soup had a few cubes of chicken and less barley. I couldn't see the liquid for the amount of crunchy uncooked (not just firm) celery that was in it. And the broth was a strange yellow color, with no flavor at all. The small bowl of this mixture was served with the usual focaccia bread, which I ate all of due to hunger. I only saw one other person eating there and it was also outside. This was during prime lunchtime. At this rate, it's all systems fail.

A place you truly want to be on a sunny, warm afternoon such as this! Been here a handful of times through the years... Outdoor seating is ample, and the mix of trees and wooden benches makes one feel like he's participating in a treehouse party. Lots of food choices, from gourmet sandwiches to salads, to fruit cups (my choice!!!) to pastries, and coffee. Very quiet neighborhood, across the street from Monterey Market (handy if like to handle errands such as, er, grocery shopping)....lovely, 'unnoticed' kind of cafe. Coffee itself... well... I've had worse, and I've had much, much better. Warning: 1.there are NO OUTLETS at this cafe!!!!! Laptop users with no extended batteries: you have been forewarned! Lovely outside; inside area could be much, much cleaner and tidier (hint hint!) 2. CASH ONLY

What a cute little cafe in Berkeley. This cafe looks like it belongs closer to campus with the student vibe but it's a notch above your typical student hang out. They have a pretty good selection of foods - breakfast burritos, bagels, sandwiches and pastries - and have solid coffee. I also appreciate that the breakfast burritos are reasonably-priced (~$4) and reasonably-sized so as to prevent a gut-bomb. Their wide selection of breakfast foods are served well past 11 a.m. (not sure how long), and their bacon bagel sandwich was tasty. The large outdoor seating area is great for the many sunny afternoons in the east bay. I also think it would be a convenient spot for coffee pre-Monterey Market shopping!

Got an iced coffee with almond milk. The coffee tastes like its been burnt and has a strange flavor to it. I don't think I will be coming back here for the coffee but it seems like a cute cafe so maybe the food is good

I really like eating here on a lazy, sunny weekend for a light breakfast/lunch. I recommend: *Ham and cheese sandwich (cheese crusted/melted on top of a toasty/crunchy panini with a side of fresh salad) *Garlic, mushroom, parmesan, mozarella panini (light and flavorful with side of fresh salad) *Arugula pasta (fresh tasting tossed with salad .. crumbled mozarella and small bits of prosciutto pizazz it up) *Hot Chocolate (yummms) I'm sure everything on the menu is great. Service is always fast and friendly. Only one bathroom tho... sometimes, there's a line.. it can get quite busy here. Ready for more lazy weekends please!

Had a breakfast lunch at this place today the sandwich special was excellent the meat was sliced very thin and fried very tasty and the salad had just the right amount of dressing on it the service was good nice place to have breakfast or lunch I would go back and try their breakfast very good

This place is horrible! Ordered breakfast of prociutto and poached eggs on a bagel. The eggs were cooked so hard you needed a knife to eat them and the bagels were burnt up to a char..absolutely un edible.. complained to the staff and got nothing but a shoulder shrug then walked away..and the prociutto was just ham! Fucking rediculous..stay away

This is my Berkeley I've been going here for 15 years review, but you know what, that's who I am ;) I agree with Nique -- the breakfast burritos here are easily the best deal in Berkeley outside of Cheeseboard pizza. They're fresh eggs, a little cheese and bacon, and a tortilla and they're ready to go. On your way to Bart and want some protein? You're set - and you don't need 4 hours to recover like a lot of breakfast burritos. Everything else is pretty good too -- the pastries are better than most Berkeley cafes (I know, faint praise), they make fresh salads and pastas, and their coffee is tasty if not spectacular. And an ice coffee Is $2.25, not $4. They have a nice garden, long time employees, and just make me smile every time I'm here. Everyone I've shared it with -- they're regulars now too.

Worst l lmk ate I've ever had. Plus it's maybe 12 ounces and cost $5.50. The person burned the oat milk leaving it un-drinkable. What a waste.

The best kept secret in Berkeley? $2 breakfast burritos at Roma Cafe!!! They're warm, they're fresh, they're filled with eggs and melty cheese (and bacon, if you wish). It's really insane that you can have such a substantial meal for 200 cents in the Bay Area. Look for them in the catering dish near the register, ready to grab & go. If you're not into protein (whaaaa?) they've got great carb options too: muffins, scones, glazed breads, croissants... and coffee, of course. Can't comment on the latter, but service was very chipper and efficient, which I especially appreciate in the morning. You're welcome!

Has the potential to be amazing, if only they could get good pastries and fix up the broken and dilapidated benches.

This coffee shop has all the trappings of a great place - plenty of seating, a large outside patio, a decent menu. Sadly it falls short - the service is slow, the coffee mediocre, the area dirty. It likely survives simply due to the lack of other coffee shops nearby. I do hope that someday it is taken over by somebody with a bit of a vision.

My favorite local coffee shop. Amazing staff and great vibes.

This is a wonderful location, but the place is not well-maintained (peeling paint, broken chairs and tables) and ownership/managers are rude - they really don't care about customers, just money (and one frustrated barista told me as much when I asked why it was such a mess). The coffee is also not very good compared to the Peets, Philz and Bluebottle-type blends of the world, which are much tastier. Somebody should really buy this place, fix it up and turn it around - there's a ton of potential!

This is a former gasoline station property that offers great outdoor seating for a warm, sunny, and fog-free day. Indoor seating is fine too. I can walk here from my Albany home and makes a nice shopping and exercise loop if I include the nearby Monterey Market, Hopkins Street Baker, Gioia Pizzeria, and other neighbourhood businesses. Or course, there's plenty of food choices here at Expresso Roma and the usual variety of coffee drinks. The service and the behaviour of the clientele is better than you would expect for the People's Republic of Berkeley and it's a nice comfortable place to hang out and watch the world go by. Real people interaction also works best here since electrical outlets are scarce and you're missing a lot by staring into your smart phone. Also bring your Cash through the door and your Plastic in your pocket.

Went back today and had the best cap ever. New barista works foam magic and is funny to boot. Can't beat the location so I'm a fan again.

I LOVE THIS CAFE!!!! i moved to this area from claremont canyon recently- & semifreddis (my regular bakery) closed last month... i didn't know if i could ever fill the semifreddis void- until cafe roma!!! i already have a "usual" + the staff is SO amazing. i love the woman who helps make my coffee.

This is a great café to start your morning at, they offer all the basic breakfast necessities like coffee, hot tea, bagels, and fruit, and always have plenty of seating indoor and outside on their patio area. Their quality of coffee is decent here, its freshly made on a consistent basis and is supplied through Scooters, but seems to be very overpriced, as there are at least two other shops within walking distance that make "Joe" the proper way(no grind in the cup).

It's time for this café it up it's game. It's been here for years and has been considered a local landmark. But actually their coffee is subpar, their salads are no longer fresh And their soups leave something to be desired. Yes, it's a local institution, opposite one of the greatest vegetable markets known to man. And very near an amazing pizzeria. With a fish store and a meat market to boot. But this place, which could be an anchor of excellence in the community, is failing.

The atmosphere is comfortable and is a great place to talk while eating with friends. The food is good, and it's a great place to eat breakfast, brunch, or lunch. I recommend this place for people who want a casual place to chill and enjoy time reading, or with friends.

I really enjoyed spending an unseasonably warm (68F) January afternoon on the patio here. It was a mellow vibe, the servers as well as the patrons seemed friendly, my coffee was good as was my boyfriend's hot chocolate, and my friend's tea. He also got a brownie which he devoured pretty quickly, suggesting it was either delicious or that he has a mild eating disorder. Hard to decide which. It wasn't a laptop workday, but hearing that there are no plugs outside is a bummer, as I would love to go there and get some work done on a nice day. Perhaps a few outdoor extension cords and a staplegun would make for a nice easy one-hour project for this place, and get them that extra star. I'm biased, my laptop is old and ghetto and holds a charge for about three minutes anymore :-P

I've been coming here for years and always get the chicken sandwich. Today I thought I'd have breakfast. Silly girl! Tried ordering the #6 from the menu board and Mr. Counter Guy asked me what kind of bagel I'd like. Bagel? It comes with focaccia and potatoes. No, it doesn't, he tells me, it's a bagel sandwich. Not according to the menu board, but hey the counter guy is always right, right? Especially when he refuses to even look at the menu. I ordered the chicken sandwich. And didn't bother to tell him about the ants crawling around on the counter where the sugar us kept for the coffee. Something tells me he wouldn't appreciate the info. Won't go in there again if I see him.