Espresso Roma
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Claremont, Elmwood2960 College Ave
(between Ashby Ave & Webster St)
Berkeley, CA 94705 (510) 644-3773
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Paid
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
167 reviews
Neighborhood: South Berkeley
"We've been here twice so far. The second time I ordered not one, but 2 desserts. These desserts are like what you'd get if you went to…" read more »
53 Reviews for Espresso Roma
Can I just say, for a Starbucks junkie, this place serves damn good coffee. Love their cold pasta salads, too! Nice spot to meet friends for lunch.
I did a band interview here for my job - while I was trying not to be distracted by the attractiveness level of my subject, I had a strawberry smoothie from the place. Very creamy with a generous dab of whipped cream, though I was hoping for maybe some fruit chunks (that would have been more milkshake-like too, I presume).
I agree the place may need a better paint job, but it's in a nice location in prox to the UCB campus and has plenty of seating to hang out, do homework, catch up with friends, or in my case, try to write notes while blushing at the hot specimen seated across from you (did I mention that shit was hard)? The staff was really pleasant too when I asked to use the restroom. Maybe if I venture back across the bay and am not so preoccupied/flustered, I can have something off their hot food menu - my interview guy raved about it.
ummmmm. i'm confused about this place and the reviews about this place. i think this place is a front for a money laundering operation. i've been here twice and both times i got the "this is not a legit operation" vibe from them (hence the logical conclusion that they are a money laundering front business.) anyway, my soy latte was pretty but didn't taste amazing, but definitely decent. our food was ok (we got hot sandwiches, which were not hot but rather luke warm and a side salad, which was good). so two stars for espresso roma plus one star for being subversive in a screw the government kinda way.
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Espresso Roma is not my top choice cafe.
There's a lot of seating, a lot of outlets for your laptops, and a decent menu.
But, the times I've been here, there are a lot of students. As a student, I can't really complain about that fact too much, but I will anyways. It's a bit too loud to study (for me), and kind of defeats the purpose of studying off campus for me.
The drinks are decent, but not great. People definitely don't come here for the customer service.
It's an okay place, but more of a meet-to-chat kind of place than anything else for me.
There is one very important reason to go to Roma:
Baked Potatoes
Tucked inside this oversized, darkish, not so impressive coffee-making establishment lies the best baked potato menu this side of planet Earth. Get yours with basil pesto or sundried tomato, cheeses, or roasted vegetables, accented with a refreshing green salad and tasty vinegrette plus a sizeable couple slices of soft foccocia. Wow! Who knew a spud could be such a big deal? Believe me, it is, because I have yet to witness someone _not_ fall in love with their four-variety potato menu.
And its cheap and they take credit cards. Coffee ain't great.
Marketing 101, look into it. So much potential ...
Prices are high, my mocha wasn't all that tasty - it tasted really gritty. $8.00 for 2 drinks which included 2 mistakes.
1) we ordered 2 small drinks, they gave us 1 small / 1 large
2) we ordered for "here", they gave us in *to go* cups (I wonder if they charged us the .25 cents per take out cup)
Service was really rather indifferent to us. Chalkboard menu was a clusterfuck of words I could barely read. They need to repaint those walls! Even if I needed to find a cafe to camp out at for several hours, it's unlikely I'll be back here again.
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This place is enormous, especially for a coffee place. Their coffee is pretty good (shell out for some Splenda, guys) and you can always find a table. I often go here alone to read and there is some excellent people-watching to be had. I have also overheard some fabulous conversations. The staff is so rude as to be amusing and the food is surprisingly good for a cafe. I must agree on the bathroom -- go before you get there.
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This place would get higher stars if the girl I met here didn't reject me after the first date. It's not your fault Espresso Roma, I'm sorry. I'm still bitter.
You know what she said to me? "I think you're a nice guy but I don't think we should hang out. Please don't ever call me again." Did you hear that? She said to never call her again without so much as giving me the "Let's be friends" talk!! :(
I give you one star for having attractive girls, happy?
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The staff is not what you would call friendly but you can sit for hours and they won't bother you. The drinks are fine (cost a little more than I think they are worth ) but as others noted, that is probably because you are paying for the electricity that your laptop sucks while you are there.
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Ciao, Roma. So many hours spent studying, reading, fretting, agonizing, sipping, crying (unfortunately I once ended a long-term relationship here a few years ago), laughing, talking, basking in the sun.
This is my ideal cafe because it is conducive to all of the above.
Some cafes are only for talking (like Roma in North Beach.)
Some cafes are only for studying (like the Beanery down the street.)
Some cafes are only for telecommuting (like the Nomad in North Oakland.)
Some cafes are only for attitude (Gaylords)
Roma is a Renaissance Cafe.
Anything is allowed at Roma!
(Except for Decaf. Definitely NOT allowed.)
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there is much to be had at espresso roma.
great people watching.
free wifi...when you can get it. ;)
ok expresso and italian sodas
delicious coffee cake
and great shopping to in the vicinity
the bathroom just sucks here and the staff is rude...but ultimately...this is a great place to get your work done!
I stopped by here for a "quick" bite to eat and made the mistake of ordering a calzone that turned out to be larger, in both length and circumference, than a football. Sure the bread was soft and fresh, but not too doughy. Sure it was bursting at the seams with ham, spinach, and mozzarella. Sure it was delicious. But dammit, it was H-U-G-E. And I was dining solo on the trip. All the patrons snickered at me. Passerbys would gawk. A little girl walking by with her father stopped and pointed directly at me:
"Oh my god daddy! Look at that big thing that man is eating."
Well, I FINISHED IT BITCHES! The whole thing. *burp*
I went home and lied down. The end.
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I would like this place so much more if they would only do something about their bathroom. They have the dirtiest bathroom I have ever seen in a G8 country, and that includes the porta-potties.
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I go to Roma quite frequently b/c it's in my neighborhood. They usually make excellent espresso based beverages (depends on the barista).
But the food there is quite mediocre--ie. giant size greasy croissants, giant size calzones, giant sandwiches...the foccacia is fresh...but nothing really tastes good.
Also, they have 1 bathroom for the entire place...and it's usually quite gross.
That said, their cappuccinos are excellent and if you get the guy with the glasses making them, he'll draw you a flower or sth. in your mug.
If you want a pastry go to La Farnine down the street.
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There is something pleasantly delightful about walking into a coffee house, scanning the crowd for the man with whom you have a blind date, only to find him sitting off in a private corner by the window, looking more handsome than you anticipated. What a promising start to, what turned out to be, an even more promising evening...
I can't remember the last time I looked into the eyes of a gentleman for the first time and felt such wonderful chemistry; not the "rip-your-clothes-off" kind of chemistry, but the kind of elusive chemistry that makes your inner voice say, "not only am I attracted to him, but also have a great feeling about him; I hope he likes me!" I'd have to say it has been YEARS since I truly cared if I made a great impression on a date....sigh...such a lack of quality single men in the Bay Area...
My date suggested the cafe, and I had been here once before, although it was a late night last February, and the wonderful outside seating escaped my notice. I also failed to notice, on that evening last winter, how the huge all-glass windows slide open, giving the place an open-air, breezy feeling.
Espresso Roma seems to be a place that has something for everyone, without appearing to be desperately trying to have something for everyone. It has a natural, easy-going ambiance that speaks of a successful establishment with nothing to prove. There is a room for the lap top crowd and an outdoor patio for those who like to soak up the sun or lounge with their faithful, four-legged companion. The main room is enclosed with the aforementioned large sliding windows, natural wood paneling, and copper-top tables.
I can't comment on the coffee, tea, or food items, as I was too full of excitement to eat or drink anything. I just helped myself to the serve-yourself water on the counter; it helped to offset my very dry mouth. My date had an iced-coffee, which he enjoyed very much, and the smell of freshly ground coffee beans added a nice aroma to the air.
The only negative I might mention is that parking can be challenging. My date had some trouble finding a space at 7 PM, and I anticipated the parking situation and walked over from Telegraph and Ashby. It's a brief walk for me and I recommend you not plan on driving and finding parking close by.
As I left the charming company and warm embrace of my date, I found myself smiling, thinking that I will definitely come to Espresso Roma again. In fact, it may just be my new hang out to read and sip tea....thinking about our next date, and how nice it is to feel optimistic.
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Two words always pop up in my head when I think of this spot: "Funky" and "Odor". Not porta-potty funk, but old cleaning chemical funk mixed with a slight Bikram Yoga studio funk. And that's not a good thing when you need to find a spot to be comfortable in for a few hours of focused work.
The guys behind the counter, are, how do you say, "indifferent". Almost bordering on unfriendly. So combine the funky attitude with the funky smell, and it's just a funky experience. I'd recommend walking up the street to the Beanery but since the Beanery is about 1/3 the size of Roma's, you might just HAVE to end up here.
If you do find yourself here, and since I like to say at least one nice thing in a diatribe of negativity: sometimes i get a whimsical happy face or rose inked in chocolate on my foam. That enough for at least one star.
After one visit here, I'm scared to go again.
The iced mocha was gritty. The tuna sandwich was blah. The staff austere.
I came to Espresso Roma to study, which somehow didn't work out. Of the two sections I could I have chosen, the room off the main entrance smelled a bit like bathroom/wet wood and the main room smelled like copper (from the tables). Though these seem minor distractions, they are not appreciated during studying.
The Beanery is less than a block down College. Go there instead.
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My favorite thing about Roma is that there are 2 seperate seating areas. Although you are totally free to talk through out the place (no viscious Library glares here!) the front part of the place is a little bit more noisy bc of people ordering, street noise and the staff having a good time.(you can practice your espanol here:D) the back part has tons of outlets and has bigger tables and not as loud.
I just got back today and had a calzone bigger than my head for only 9 bucks. The rest of the food is reasonably priced (sanwiches about 6, desserts about 2.) Theres also BEER mmmm and wine!
This place really has everything, I like it bc when i am in study mode I am in it for like 5 hours and don't really want to be stuck drinking coffee and eating croissants (althought i love them both) I want REAL food like pasta, fresh pizzas, sandwiches w ingrediants like ricotta, pesto, and spinach!
I also don't feel weird if my cell phone rings and i want to pick it up and talk for a second, or if i am with friends. The staff is really nice too!
Its not so croweded as other nearby UC cafes, and has a broader range of people, which i heart bc i hate seeing JUST stressed out people while i eat my calzone.
the wifi you have to sign up and pay which is why it loses 1 star, and the parking is a bit tricky bc of all the popular restaurants around college.
Basically
- good food
- great seating, outside for people watching, front inside (cold at nights but close to foood and ordering) or back inside (more outlets, bigger tables)
Umm i love this place but i hope you all dont come out during finals...i want to be able to sit!
Best coffee I have ever had. We will drive all the way from mid peninsula area cross the bridge and buy a cup of double shot latte. I always order coffee to go and walk around the neighborhood. Never tried their food or pastry but the coffee definitely worths 5 stars.
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I've spent MANY hours here drinking coffee, eating snacks, and studying. The only reason I can't rate them higher is because parking is HORRENDOUS.
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Why am I here so much?
1) It's huge, but not scary and impersonal
2) The back room has an outlet at almost every table against a wall. That's AWESOME. So generous. It makes me want to spend more money there just to make sure they stay open
3) They are open until like 1 am on the "out" nights and 11 ish weeknights. Late for the area. I've had trouble finding another cafe in the area that is so generous with their late nights.
4) Food's purty darn good. And the best part - they don't give you dirty looks when you ask for a refill on the hot water to recycle your tea bag. I like that.
5) Front patio area has a respectable number of tables and people are friendly about the not smoking right in front of the door thing
6) Yeah, the bathroom sucks, but it's really not that bad. I've never been in there where I've said "gross. i would never pee in this hole" - you know? I've seen much much much worse. Plus, if you need TP or something the guys at the front are always so nice and attentive.
7) You can be social there - this place is so not just for studying. They serve beer and wine, which is by far the coolest in a study cafe because when you brain feels like it's going to mush to something of the mashed cauliflower consistency, you order a glass of red wine and Wala! You are back to your old wonderful and easily distracted self.
I totally love this place and am there pretty frequently. Say hi!
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+drinks taste better than Spasso (down the street). Competitive prices. try the CARMELA LATTE.
- Wireless internet offered, but not free.
+Large dining room. does not make for the "cozy cafe atmosphere" if that's your deal.
- Service - not friendly, but not rude. you don't come for the service anyway.
+they serve beer!
CONCLUSION:
---would come back, but only for the drinks.
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It's been quite a few years since I lived in Berkeley, but this place was hands down my favorite cafe (and I've loitered in oh so many). Berkeley is positively littered with coffee places, but this one was always my favorite; even though it was a good 1/2 hour walk from my old place on College Ave (it's not really "in" Berkeley proper).
I loved the atmostphere at that place; the cool French coffee posters, the fact that it was crawling with people. The food was good, the drinks were really good, even if it was all a bit on the pricey side.
One of the places I miss most about Berkeley.
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Perfect after a night out at the movies. I always leave w/ a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the stroll home. I haven't tried anything else but I definitely will next time.
Usually coffee shops make their hot chocolate taste like the cheap stuff but not this place. I could even go for one in this 80+ weather (10am) in so cal.
A nice place to go mid-morning and sit with a cup of coffee and a book. Plenty of tables and a laid-back atmosphere. Disappointing pastry selection, though - I was all set to treat myself to a croissant or a biscotti, but their selection didn't look very fresh or appetizing.
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FABULOUS FOOD!!! Try the eggplant hot sandwich and the creme of mushroom soup (comes with super yummi focacia) .....I love to sit on the patio with my soy late and lunch like I'm in Florence sunning on siesta. -My hubby likes the turky melt and we agree it's the best cafe in the Bay.
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Really awesome atmosphere. This place is huge. Once you snag a table, you can hold it for hours without feeling guilty. The food is decent and there is more variety than you would expect from a cafe, but I would discourage ordering meat. To give an example of why: the meat in the roast beef sandwich is the taste and consistency of Spam. Completely disgusting to look at and to eat. The focaccia bread they serve their sandwiches on is wonderful, though, and they do have lots of veggie options, so just stick with those and you'll be ok.
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Frankly, between you and me, I'm not sure if you should even bother reading this review. You see, I walked into a place called "Espresso Roma" and ordered a tuna sandwich and Pepsi, which pretty much says it all, doesn't it? But if you're still reading, the sandwich was not bad at all, although the so-called focaccia struck me more as an experiment in crossing white bread and marshmallows gone awry. I'd probably even go back and order it again, but not until they rename the place "Sandwich and Pepsi Roma."
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I have almost the identical reaction as another yelper, except that i had a cold-assed latte instead of hot chocolate, and i chose not to pay the six bucks for wifi.
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After seeing all the sky high reviews for this coffee joint, I decided to give it a try. The coffee is great (as mentioned by many others), the entree selection is quite expansive for a coffee shop, and there are plenty of plugs for laptop users (a pet peeve for those papers and lab reports:). Granted, their drinks and pastries are a bit pricier than most neighboring cafes. Though bustling with patrons, there always seems to be a seat available; I guess it's far enough away from the Cal campus to not explode with undergrads. I agree that the College Ave./Ashby locale gives this place a more laid back feel than most cafes at Berkeley, surrounded by quaint restaurants and small shops.
The main gripe I have with this cafe is why they don't offer free wi-fi when Cafe Milano does; they're owned by the same people!!! Also, if you go in the afternoons there's often this really psychotic middle aged guy who furiously slams his fingers at the keys of his laptop and confronts anyone who coughs or talks too loud around him. Bummer. That's really a major annoyance.
I've yet to find a cafe in the East Bay that beats this place for quality of coffee and food. I'm an Americano drinker, and this place makes one with a dark, chocolatey richness that's both unique and addictive. Food-wise, while their soups, salads, and sandwiches are all above par, they really excel with their freshly-made brick-oven (I think) pizzas, calzones (one is easily enough to feed two), and hot pockets (which is really just a smaller calzone). BTW, if anyone knows the secret to their wonderfully light-yet-chewy dough I'd love to be privy to it.
Ambiance-wise, it's definitely a very laid-back, study-friendly place. The music is quiet and mellow, the tables are large and well-spaced (and it's usually possible to get one for yourself), and people seem to be generally engrossed in their work (as opposed to L'Amyx, for instance, where patrons rather appear to be posing with their books, laptops, and magazines).
FWIW, I'd love to give this place five stars, but I have to dock it for (1) not having free WiFi, and (2) not having a variety of artificial sweeteners (just the pink stuff; I bring my own packets of blue). That (and the fact that parking isn't ideal on weekends) notwithstanding, I'm there at least once every couple of weeks.
It has one of the most vomit-inducing women's restrooms that I have ever been in. Seriously. It was worse than most porta-potties. It was so disgusting that I completely lost my appetite and was unable to order anything to eat or drink. I will never step foot in that filthy place again.
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I don't like this place AT ALL.
No real reason.
It gets two stars for being a good place to study.
Food and coffee is bearable, nothing special.
So, the search for the studying sweet spot in Berkeley continues. Next stop, Espresso Roma.
Like other places I like to study, this place was awesome because there's no free wi-fi. Internet + studying = exercise in futility. There is wi-fi available, but at a cost of $5.95 --- which is enough of a deterrent to get on the 'Net.
The fact that there's caffeine and food makes it a place where you can buckle down for an extended period of time. Prices are reasonable, though I haven't eaten anything there yet.
Atmosphere? Well, it's good enough. To me, feels kind of industrial inside. Definitely no warmth to it, but when you're studying, it's likely for the best that you have nothing else to look at. Interesting Berkeley folk enter off of Ashby and may accost you in the back room...but this is Berkeley. Can you expect anything less?
Hasn't ever been terribly crowded when I've gone --- always enough seating to go around.
Hands down my favorite cafe in Berkeley. Here's a list of some of the reasons I love it:
*Good coffee
(however, be prepared to run directly to the bathroom the moment it hits your lips)
*Friendly service
(the guys will even teach you some spanish if you go often enough)
*Extensive menu for a cafe
(where else can you get a feta and pesto baked potato and a double mocha)
*Great people watching
*Indoor and outdoor seating
*2 sections to the cafe
(one for quiet studying and one for conversing)
*Beer and wine
*Not a huge college crowd
*Great atmosphere
*You can find parking with relative ease
*In the Elmwood district - gotta love it!
Really are there any downsides? Hmm. Nope.
It's hard to get a table, but once you do, it's a great place to sit and sip and perhaps eat a bit as you while away a lazy Sunday.
This place has consistently good coffee - both drip and espresso - and great energy. The main room has solid feng shui, with all-glass windows and doors that will slide open on a warm, breezy day. It is also one of those mysterious places that is always full, yet never seems to run out of seating. Great place to do some work, or to have a long, Euro-style conversation. The food menu is also varied and inexpensive, good pizzas and salads, and they are licensed.
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This place is great. It has a huge area to sit with a nice arrangement outside as well, which is awesome since the neighborhood is so lovely. I basically only get one meal here --- stuffed potato with a side of greens and foccacia. The bread is super tasty, the salad is fresh and healthy with house vinnegrette, and the potato is to die for. I usually get sun-dried tomato w/ mozerella. Soooo delicious, VERY filling, and all for under $5!! Can't beat that. If you're a coffee drinker or an italian pastry lover, this place is also for you. Grab your laptop or a good book and settle down for some great italian food and an espresso.
All this boring talk of coffee when people have clearly missed the significant quality about this cafe.
Like all coffee shops in the Roma chain, this is where to pick up hotties. Yes, sometimes it's an off night, but I've always spied a cute intellectual studious type reading some manifesto, or waxing philosophical. Of course there are just the cuties who have come in for a cuppa joe, who do not have books on the mind. Seriously, this is a cool place to hang out, strike up a conversation and is not sketched out like a bar.
(Oh and the pastries and coffee are indeed great, if god forbid, it be a strike out night).
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Roma serves up coffee, tea, beer, and a bunch of other stuff I didn't get a chance to sample. Their outside patio is a great place to sit and chat with good friends after a tasty dinner or to to see your ex with his new girlfriend and not have it be uncomfortable at all.
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