"The walnut banana french toast was fantastic."
(in 46 reviews)
"The Alameda was fantastic, I highly recommend it."
(in 38 reviews)
Loading...
The Sunny Side Café
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
194 reviews for The Sunny Side Café
Review Highlights
Loading...
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
9/27/2009
11/10/2009
11/30/2009
12/1/2009
11/15/2009
11/28/2009
10/14/2009
2 photos
9/28/2009
10/11/2009
9/29/2009
10/7/2009
9/22/2009
11/4/2009
8/3/2009
8/3/2009
9/4/2009
9/7/2009
8/10/2009
6/22/2009
6/19/2009
8/12/2009
11/14/2009
6/17/2009
6/17/2009
5/18/2009
3/15/2009
3/10/2009
1/25/2009
8 photos
2/16/2009
1/23/2009
1/11/2009
3/17/2009
4/15/2009
2/17/2009
1/23/2009
3/24/2009
4/5/2009
1/9/2009
3/16/2009
5/31/2009
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
I just had brunch with a friend here and it was DELICIOUS!!! The place is small and from what I understand there can be a long wait at times (especially weekends), but since there was only two of us (and since I was running late) we were seated at the counter as soon as I got there.
The place has an open kitchen so we were able to see everyone's food getting cooked (and by cooked I most mean fried) and it definitely put me in the mood to devour food seeing bacon getting fried up, English muffins getting toasted, and thick pancake batter dolloped onto the burner!!!
I opted for the Sunny Side breakfast burrito w/steak and was not disappointed!!! It was huge, but somehow I managed to eat the whole thing. My friend had one of the Benedict's (whatever the one with mushrooms was called), which also looked great!!!
The menu of course mentions that the eggs are organic, the chickens are free range, yada yada yada, which I know some people appreciate and some people might not necessary care about, but you can definitely tell that the food here is fresh and high-quality and NOT what your gonna find at Denny's (not that I don't mind a good Grand Slam every now and then, but there's something to be said about eating higher quality food). Considering the huge portions you get here and the already mentioned quality ingredients, I thought the prices were fair.
The one minor complaint I have about this place (but I'm not bumping them down for this) is the mimosa I had was a little too much OJ and could have used a little more champagne. However, I think most people who make mimosas at home will of course use more champagne (I know I do) and the mimosa at Sunny Side was pretty typical of what your gonna get at a restaurant. Plus, this place is not a full on restaurant (it only serves breakfast and lunch), doesn't a have a full bar by any means (I think as far as boozing goes they only have mimosas and Bloody Marys), and is not the place to have a Sunday Funday.
I live in the city and I would definitely make the trip out here for a Sunday Brunch again!!!
After going to the doctor and finding out that my ankle is still not healed (another month in an aircast), I decided that the bf and I are going to try out this cafe in Albany to uplift my depressed mood. The cafe was on the corner and we found great parking right up front (prob because it was Monday morning). When we walked up there were signs that said free parking in the parking garage behind the restaurant - sweet..good to know when we come back :)
The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating, but since I didn't want to hobble my way back outside, we were seated by the window. The menu was pretty vast, but of course I had to try the Alameda and the bf had a cheese omelet with homefries on the side. When we got our order, my bf was super sad he didn't order the Alameda. It was huge with grilled garlic tomatoes, ham and cheese between two savory french toast and two sunny side eggs and hollandaise sauce to top it off...YUMMY! Of course, you can substitute the ham for spinach and broccoli if you are a vegetarian. After taking a couple of bits, I could see the envy in the bf's eyes so I shared some with him and he was an instant fan!
There weren't that many people there, but the service was impeccable! My water and coffee was never empty and their cup of joe was on point! Next time we are there, I'll try one of their specials on the board, which they have daily.
I have a love-hate relationship with Sunny Side. They have the best corner patio on Solano Avenue but the most inconsistent service. Because we had brunch here last weekend and the weather did not add value to the meal I have to give it an A-OK rating....
Pros: The food; however is consistently ok. I like their unique menu which includes various types of eggs benedict (my fave brunch item) as well as clever twists on the classics: pancakes, 2-egg breakfast, etc. What I can't stand about them is their service.
Cons: No water re-fills which is the real barometer of a waitstaff. They charge extra for almost every condiment you ask for that's not on the table including syrup. Cafe is also small so there is almost always a wait for a table.
My second time coming here, I decided to be adventurous and try the tofu scramble. My advice is don't be adventurous here.
If you are looking for a tofu scramble dish, I recommend going to Cafe M on 4th Street in Berkeley.
Keep to the traditional dishes here. The portions are decent and you can sit outside and enjoy the day. Plus it's a great spot to people watch.
Sunday morning, 9am. I walked by and thought: I'll try this one.
I ordered a simple refill, coffee, to go - indicating that I brought my own mug, average size.
$2 bill.
Mike left the building.
Now I rest my case.
Everything was good or close to great. The Alameda was the best dish, and the cranberry french toast was also great. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for brunch.
My friends got pigs in a blanket and another got the gingerbread french toast, and while good they didn't seem as pleased.
- HUGE PORTIONS: My eggs in my Scram n' Ham were cooked perfectly (fluffy, flavorful, not dry at all, and oh so delightful) My bf's Alameda (mushrooms, Golden Gate ham, roasted tomatoes, and emmenthal cheese, sandwiched between two pieces of savory French toast, topped with two eggs over-easy, Hollandaise sauce, and a balsamic reduction ... *gasps for air*) was one hell of a breakfast sandwich. Zomg... so rich and a mouthful! (wait for it...)
- Freshly squeezed orange juice
- Home fries: Crunchy on the outside, soft/warm/fluffy on the inside. REALLY yummy~
- Bill + tax + generous tip = $37 for 2
I want to try their french toast next time with a hot mug of hot chocolate.
P.S. I still love Alley Cafe's portions and prices, tho :)
A plethora of cafes in the east bay leaves you wondering which one is the best. As quoted from a friend who is from the east bay, if you want great pancakes, fat apples.......if you want eggs Benedict go to jimmy beans......if you want a nice ambiance and great location go to Bette's Oceanside diner. We opted for Sunny Side Cafe, it's in between everything. Not great but not bad..........it's a ok
It's your typical cafe serving up the classic dishes as eggs Florentine, Benedict, pancakes, and a few specialty items. I came here with 7 other friends today and so the first thing the server said to us was that everyone had to be here before we can even sit down. I don't know what is up with the east bay friends always coming late to any event. Maybe it's just me.............but all the time!!!
We had six here already so we just told them that we would order for them. Our server was a little pissy.
5 oj's
1 eggs Benedict
1 Caesar salad
sides of tomatoes, eggs, ham
blueberry pancakes with chicken sausage
the specialty french toast sandwich
2 eggs and chicken sausage combo
fruit salad
cafe late
1 coffee
125 dollars after tip because of the size of our party.
I am on a Berkeley streak: two in a row.
Beth and I joined Cynthia for brunch a couple of weeks back in Berkeley and she took us to one of her favorites: Sunny Side Cafe on Solano Ave. SSC is a no-frills breakfast and lunch place with some rock-solid food. The breakfast menu had all the standards: waffles, pancakes, scrambles, omelets, etc. as well as some interesting creations like the Alameda (it's what I had): mushrooms, Golden Gate ham, roasted tomatoes, and emmenthal cheese, sandwiched between two pieces of savory French toast, topped with two eggs over-easy, Hollandaise sauce, and a balsamic reduction. Not exactly healthy but that's not why you go to a place like this. The Alameda was fantastic, I highly recommend it. All the little things like jam, butter, and syrup are fresh and house-made. Service was solid to match the food.
The only thing I really really liked here was their freshly squeezed OJ! =) Delicious! Sunday was a very hot day and we had to wait for about 30 minutes.
I had blueberry pancakes ( it was ok not very fluffy)
chicken sausage ( ehhh it was aight)
OJ (YUMMY)
Coffee ( it was strong, just the way I like it)
I'll start by saying that I absolutely *love* the food here.
But. Waitress who snap at their customers get a two star decrease. And this particular waitress is always there weekend mornings (the blonde ponytail one).
I understand you are busy. I wasn't being rude to you. I simply asked if I could get another Diet Coke for my honey and you cut me off, snapped that you were busy, and strode on your way.
Honey. I've been a server before, and that's a cardinal sin. Since I was a server, I CANNOT and WILL NOT deny you a tip--but it's been weeks since this incident has happened, and honestly, I've decided on four separate occasions NOT to eat at this place because of your rudeness.
It's a shame really, because that Alameda is fantastic. I just don't like to run the risk of being shouted at by my server for simple requests.
Delish! Absolutely. So good I can't wait to go back.
Had breakfast/brunch with two friends. We ordered collectively and split everything three ways - all off the specials menu. The mushroom scramble actually tasted like mushrooms. The french toast came with fig syrup that actually tasted like fig. It was incredible. I guess I'm so used to eating things that are processed or what have you, that I was just shocked to actually eat things that were tasty and had distinct flavors. I'm not sure what their secret is, but it's delicious.
Although there were a lot of people waiting outside, and we went on a Sunday at prime brunch eating time, the wait wasn't that long. It is a bit cramped, but there was plenty of space, even for our stroller which can sometimes be a challenge.
A+ on the food. B on the ambiance and service.
Yummy. I LOVE lots of options for sides with my breakfast eggs, and Sunny Side provides oodles of fresh choices (while I love potatoes, they do not love me). My fiance ordered the roasted tomatoes which had a very light dusting of garlic to give them a little extra flavor. I ordered the fruit cup was was exstatic when our waitress delivered a heaping cup of FRESH apple and pear spears and kiwi slices in addition to the obligatory red grapes and melon chunks.
You know that okCupid profile that's just too good to be true? Hot, smart and not crazy? Impossible! But just looks so damn a-mazing on paper? That's the Sunny Side for me.
I salivated buckets just looking at their menu. Awesome, creative combinations of comfort food: mocha french toast, four kinds of benedicts, the "Alameda" involving chicken, ham, tomatoes and blue cheese in between two pieces of french toast topped with poached eggs and beurre rouge. Got all the food groups in there! I don't think I've ever used so many words to describe one dish before.
So we order, basking in sunshine (true to their name) but what was delivered was a mere shadow of what was promised. Oh, the ingredients were all there, but it was a serious case of poor execution. The orders were sloppy, pancakes mushy, veggie links obviously nuked.
Sunny Side, I thought you were going to be my brunch soul mate! Woe is me.
Oh, Sunny Side. I would have awarded you five stars if your service lived up to your name.
The food, I must say, was delicious. I got an impeccably tasty omelette - three eggs, avocado, bacon and cheddar - with some properly oily and tasty home fries (with a nice dollop of sour cream), a freshly baked English muffin, and a wonderful side of chicken apple sausage (ever so slighly burnt, which I like). I also tried their fresh squeeze lemonade, which was fantastic.
The service, though...sigh. I've rarely met a grumpier hostess, and the everything was slow - from the taking of our order to the delivery of our food, to having to flag down people for simple things like water refills. And I know working in food service sucks...but there's no need to be so grumpy. They should look at the...wait for it...SUNNY SIDE and cheer up a bit.
Fantastic brunch/lunch spot! Make you sure you check out the specials, though, because while their regular menu is great, their specials are even better.
And good news for Sunny Side fans in Berkeley: They're opening a location on Oxford, a few doors down from Ben & Jerry's!
Sunny Side Cafe is definitely worth your devoting your Sunday brunch to.
It's a neighborhood cafe, so you won't find a duplicate elsewhere. All of their produce was fresh and you can taste it in the food. Their omelets, scrambles, starches ---everything-- were pretty much cooked perfectly or as ordered.
Prices are very fair and service was good.
FOOD: Ok. I have had much better. It wasnt worth the long wait and is over-rated. I think its popular because they serve organic.
SERVICE: HORRIBLE. I normally dont care about service. I am all about a restuarant that serves good food and understand when its busy. This was just ridiculous. First, all persons have to be present when reserving a table! I had my husband jump out to put our names down while I parked. Only to find out when i got there that he wasnt allowed to because I wasnt there. WHO DOES THAT?! Wierd. Second, we didnt even know who our wait person was! We had three. One took our order, one gave us the food and one took away our plates. We were NEVER ONCE checked on to see if we needed anything. I needed more coffee so I ended up searching the restaurant for it and finally found a pot and re-filled it myself.
ATMOSPHERE: Too many people. Its not that good of place people! Why are you here?
WE WILL NEVER GO HERE AGAIN. There are so many better places in Berkeley.
The awning sort of reminds me of a yogurt shop, and the Safeway across the street irritates me not to mention all the happy looking people too early in the morning waiting for seats on that chirpy Solano Avenue...where people drive slow, vacant and oblivious. These are some of the reason's I gave for not wanting to have brunch here this past weekend. Given the stupidity of my reasoning, I was over-ruled.
With alot riding against them Sunny Side managed to score a star up front for providing an unheard of fete on Solano Ave....a parking garage (shhhh...don't tell anyone), then another star by providing tons of wait seating.
The interior was actually quite nice...not Yogurt Shop-ish at all, more like a Tuscan kitchen: bright and sunny inside but still a little cramped.
I ordered savory instead of my favored sweet with the Wildcat Benedict. My terrible two year old, also determined not to like this Sunny Side Cafe had the scrambled eggs instead of his usual can't go wrong oatmeal, we were both surprisingly pleased to find the food was undeniably delicious. My hollandaise sauce was made from scratch, I know because the pre-made bottled stuff makes me sick. The eggs were poached perfectly, the bacon was thick and crispy but not greasy. The accompanying country potatoes were flavored perfectly with rosemary and had just enough taste and crispness. My son's scrambled eggs were fluffy and light and he enjoyed his accompanying orange slices.
The service was also exact to my liking, not overly friendly or disruptive but very attentive and just friendly enough.
A lesson well learned: you can't judge a place by its awning.
The many reviews of Sunnyside attest to its popularity but still, I add my voice to the din. Why?
Well, because Sunnyside is my kinda place when I have been eating oatmeal long enough to absorb the extra (and very delicious) calories 'n cholesterol. Yummy, yummy...but a nice breakfast at S.S. *DOES* require a good healthy half hour walk before and after the meal! (Lucky for us we live almost precisely that distance away from it.)
We enjoyed the brief reign of the Luna Cafe which occupied the same space in the evening. Luna's major drawback was that we could never figure out which evenings it was open. And since we walk over (see paragraph above)...we didn't ever really know if it was going to be available for dinner of an evening.
Meanwhile...Sunnyside will still be our breakfast of choice when in the neighborhood. Marvelous food and great atmosphere!
I first came here with my sister and bro in law for lunch on a thursday. There was no wait to be seated. We looked at their menu and my bro in law couldn't make up his mind about what to have. The server when my bro in law looked curious at all the dishes he was bringing to people's table, would stop by and tell him which dishes they all were. So friendly and helpful.
My sister had the lemonade that was just the right amt of sweetness. We shared the homemade blackberry and blueberry muffin that was yummy. I had the Alameda that was great. Loved the mushrooms and the balsamic reduction. My sister had the classic eggs benedict with the perfectly poached eggs, yummm... Bro in law had the spinach scramble that was yummy.
I came back the following Sunday with hubby , baby, and friend and her little girl. This time I had the roasted goat Alameda. It was good, but not as good as the regular I think. The rest of the table had the Alameda as well. Baby had yummy pancakes.
Good place, good food, friendly service. We liked..
First the good: nice outdoor seating (except dealing with other people's animals/pets/dogs). Everything else was average: the food, the service, the coffee. Too pricey for that. Won't be back.
Don't be fooled by the awesome menu options.
Example: You look at the menu and you think, wow, "pigs in a blanket pancakes!"Where has this breakfast option been all my life?" You anxiously await the caloric blitz after you put in your order. The fresh squeezed orange juice that you sip while waiting is totally delicious-- a harbinger of things to come? You certainly hope so! The decor is great, a sort of old-timey country kitchen feel that is instantly comfortable and just enough kitsch to be adorable. Ahh, when will those pancakes get here?
But then, disaster strikes. The food is totally lackluster and disappointing. Think: two huge nondescript pancakes wrapped around extremely tough and tasteless sausage.
My heart broke a little that day in a way that it totally wouldn't have had I ordered something like "an omelette" that turned out to be bad or even just boring. A brunch place can't offer pigs in a blanket pancakes and then not deliver.
I will never return.
I love the atmosphere of Sunny Side Cafe - it's on Solano Ave., so it's very laid-back, especially on a weekday morning. I love the staff of this place - everyone is so friendly! Our server came multiple times to refill our coffee and to check whether our food was okay.
My family came here and we shared the Orange French Toast (poppyseed bread), The Alameda (a French toast sandwich of mushrooms, ham and roasted tomatoes topped with over-easy eggs in a really yummy sauce), and the Wildcat Benedict (garlic-roasted tomatoes and bacon on English muffin). The French Toast was a bit dry, but everything else was reallyyy good. HUGE portions, so come hungry or share with someone. They also serve fresh-squeezed orange juice and organic coffee.
However, I gave it a 3-star because I personally just thought the food was a bit too much and heavy. My family loved it though!
This "restaurant" is the reason I started a Yelp account.
Stopped in Saturday for lunch. I ordered the catfish sandwich, which they don't serve on the weekends. Instead, I had the tuna sandwich with salad instead of home fries. The salad was incredibly oily lettuce. I would have gotten less fat in the home fries. The sandwich was two pieces of toasted wheat bread (y'know, like, Wonder bread), some of the grease salad, two slices of tomato, an ice cream scoop of Star Kist tuna fish with little pickle bits and a mess to eat. My date had a chicken salad, which consisted mostly of the oily lettuce. For this cafeteria food and a couple sodas, I had the privilege of paying over $30. I paid $10.50 for a $3 sandwich that made me sick for the rest of the day.
In case you missed the point, THIS FOOD IS DISGUSTING, UNHEALTHY AND GROSSLY OVER PRICED.
We saw our server twice: once to take our order, once as we left. Someone else brought us water, gave us the check and cashed us out. No one checked on us during the meal to see if all was well. It was against my better judgement to leave a tip at all.
An utterly terrible, disappointing dining experience. Never again.
I ended up here for brunch today after we were told it was an hour wait at Rick and Ann's and decided to try something new. We showed up at The Sunny Side around 11:30 and were told 10-15 minutes despite the apparent business. The decor is cute and homey, you really feel like you are in a neighborhood establishment, and specials included strawberry carmel french toast and asparagus with goat cheese and shiitake mushroom pancakes.
We were quite promptly seated and I decided on the benedict Solana, which came with sauteed spinach and herbs in lieu of Canadian bacon. I am mildly obsessed with poached eggs and they were done to absolute perfection. The Hollandaise was creamy and indulgent and the fruit salad that I opted for (at an extra charge) was fresh and included strawberries. Mmm. My date had the "pigs in a blanket" with scrambled eggs and the HALLELUYAH this establishment knows how to scramble eggs! YAY! They were soft and custardy, just as they should be.
Lastly, our waitress was one of the warmest, friendliest people ever, and we were extremely well taken care of (waters refilled, offered coffee several times, check brought in a timely manner, etc.). I think the prices are pretty reasonable in comparison to other brunch establishments. I think I have found my new favorite place to brunch in the east bay. YUMMY!
We tried this place for the first time the other day and I suppose my expectations were too high because I was expecting the food to be excellent, but it was mediocre. Not mind-blowing, but satisfying.
I will say, however, that I really liked the fact that they are very vegetarian friendly...they even had veggie sausage links.
We got the french toast and I think I would prefer them using other toast besides a baguette because it was hard to cut the bread. The omelette was typical but we got a very basic omelette with no cheese so that's probably why it was typical. Overall, its worth trying if you are in the neighborhood,
I don't even know how to start this review but this is one of the best breakfast places I've been to in the Bay Area. I love that the place is certified "green" because even though I'm paying a little more for the dishes, I don't feel guilty at all for anything I'm eating (except for the fatty that I will become)! Cows are treated well, they only serve water for the truly thirsty, light bulbs are low-energy, and low carbon emission menu options (food that doesn't make you fart as much?).
I originally came here because my friend posted a picture of "The Alameda" on Facebook and when I see something good, I have to try it. I looked on this weekend's specials and they had a variation of it, The Roasted Chicken Alameda!!
--Pause--
WHAT IS A ROASTED CHICKEN ALAMEDA MIGHT YOU ASK?
Think two thick slices of French Toast... stuff some ham, smoked chicken, jack cheese, Roma tomatoes, and spinach in between. Top that whole thing with two eggs over-easy and hollandaise sauce. Let it sit in a watercress pesto sauce.
--Unpause--
Every bite was heavenly. The chicken was extremely moist, although it was mostly dark meat. I was hesitant about the pesto because I thought the thickness would just overpower all the rest of the texture-thick meal but this had a light sauce consistency. Every item went well together. You have to share this because even though you don't think that half a portion will fill you up, the toast expands fast! If all you read from this review is one line, REMEMBER TO GET THE ALAMEDA! THE ALAMEDA... THE ALAMEDA!!
We also got a small side of homefries and it's funny because on the menu, it says that they have recently reduced the standard size of this dish but it's still a LOT (see the pictures I uploaded). They were cooked soft, but not overcooked, and seasoned perfectly.
Every bite of our dishes was perfect and I will definitely return. The weekend specials is more of an incentive because they really know how to spice things up! I even saw Tres Leches (rum-infused) Pancakes on there but my tummy couldn't handle it. But the variations of the standard breakfast dishes makes life more exciting. To be honest, I can't even remember much about the service or decor except that it didn't disappoint.
I think that if you've read through at least three of these reviews you will already have gotten the point: GET THE ALAMEDA.
I don't know if this has always been on the menu or if I've just happened to miss it every other time that I've been here but seriously, you will not be doing The Sunny Side Cafe justice if you do not try this at least once. This dish elevates breakfast foods to another level...no joke. I am that serious.
And at a little over $11 it makes sense to order it financially as well! You can get an eggs benedict (the bf got the wildcat - very good) for the same price yet will not experience the amazing potential of this cafe and will never have the opportunity to realize that balsamic vinegar does indeed belong on a breakfast dish.
Still not convince? Please read the menu description:
The Alameda: mushrooms, Golden Gate ham, roasted tomatoes, and emmenthal cheese, sandwiched between two pieces of savory French toast, topped with two eggs over-easy, Hollandaise sauce, and a balsamic reduction
I am drooling just thinking about it!!
I'm never really ever eaten on Solano. I know a place by their relative Safeway, and I know I've never eaten on Solano. Ever. How can that be? That all changed the day Obama came into office. It was a sunny day indeed.
Sidewalk seating and a doggie water bowl for Brimley, very nice.
Decent prices, and friendly staff. We had no idea we were one of the last customers, they apparently were closing at 3 and did not give off that vibe at all. Very sweet.
I had the Sunny Side burger, just a burger. Nothing outrageous but cured my mo' meaty needs. The salad was yummy, but I could tell I had the end of the day homefries. Tired spuds did not make my mouth happy.
All in all, it was warm, it was a great pit stop for a late lunch and the staff is very welcoming.
I really didn't understand the hype of this place for the longest time. A friend of mine convinced me to go a few times and it was always 2-3 stars. Until I had the Alameda. Gawd that thing is good.
I don't know who thought to make a savory french toast with a balsamic reduction but whoever did deserves a special place in foodie heaven. Sandwiched between two gigantic slices of french toast is some thinly sliced ham, portabello mushroom, and tomato. It's then topped with two sunnyside-up eggs, hollandaise and a balsamic reduction. Every bite is a delight for my mouth.
Everything else on the menu is pretty underwhelming. I have sometimes gotten swayed by the specials and the fancy mimosas but they've never been worth it.
Also a tip; despite being on Yelp I'm not really a hipster so no, I don't ride a bike here. Trust me, I can run for hours but put me on a bike and I fall over in 5 seconds flat. I just discovered that they have a free Sunnyside Cafe parking lot right around the corner. Neato!
I'm such a fan had the Benedict and there country potatoes are awesome.
all of the food is over the top incredible!
a bit crowded little cozy restaurant.
friendly service
My friends took me here for a brunch one Sat morning and we had a girls day out.
Hearing that it is on Solano is a guarantee 3 stars already. All the resturants I've been to on Solano has been pretty good.
This one was no exception.
We started our brunch with a strawberry mimosa. It was the best thing ever! They have fresh OJ and Starwberry juice in this thing and the seeds of the strawberry were all mixed in into the champagne. It was such a great refresher.
I think if you come here you MUST try the alameda. My friends shared it with a side of homefries (very smart choice because the alameda is huge!) I think it's a hybrid between a big french toast smothered in with all kinds of breakfast food. The picture in the gallery will give you a better description than the one I can provide since that's not what I ordered. If you want to be healthy, they also have really good veggie omelette's. You can either have the omelette with traditional scramble egg or u can have them wrap it in fried egg whites. Almost all dishes come with a side, ORDER THE HOME FRIES! =)
Bf and I came here for our Valentine's Day brunch based on the Yelp reviews we saw for the place. I was fully intending to try the Alameda that everyone's been raving about, but we noticed that they had a Valentine's Day tasting menu for 2 that looked good, so we went for that instead. Everything was tasty, and it was such a good mix of savory and sweet:
I got a strawberry-tangerine mimosa; bf got the fresh squeezed OJ. Both were tasty and you could tell they were made fresh.
Next out was the small fruit bowl. This might have been the best fruit bowl I've ever had at a restaurant - there was a good range of precisely chopped and arranged fruit in it. Mango, kiwi, apple, grapes, cantaloupe, honeydew, blood orange, grapefruit... delicious and fresh.
Egg benedict with chile and mushrooms was wonderful, especially with the egg was poached so beautifully. The green chile added that extra bit of zing to it that made my mouth keep coming back for more.
Strawberry french toast was delicious; there was a shmear of fresh-whipped strawberry cream cheese between the two slices. Yum, yum, yum.
Tangerine pancakes had the slightest citrus hint to it, and the consistency was fluffy perfection. Topped by sliced strawberries and some chocolate chips, this might have been one of my favorites.
Egg scramble with feta, roma tomatoes, and leeks - this was a standard scramble, I thought, enhanced by the Tapatio sauce at our table. Solid.
I'll be adding this place to my standard Berkeley rotation for sure!
I used to go to this place for Saturday Brunch pretty religiously. I loved their weekend specials and the atmosphere. The highlight was definitely the specialty pancakes and mimosas. After I got laid off from my job I found a new breakfast place that left my wallet a little less light.
Today, I went their for a late brunch with my newly employed boyfriend to celebrate his success and indulge in some tasty treats. I was impressed that there wasn't a wait and we were seated at our table right away. It wasn't a weekend so there weren't any pancake specials and I stared at the menu for awhile trying to decide what to order. Unfortunately, after five minutes of starting I couldn't find anything I really wanted. I also noticed that the prices had gone up quite considerably and the menu announced add ons for sharing plates and for things like cheese and maple syrup.
Now I have no problem with small business owners doing what they can to stay afloat in our tumbling and troublesome economy however I have to say that this place has always been pricey and when you are charging over 8 dollars for three pancakes with nothing special added it seems wrong to have to pay an additional 1.50 for maple syrup.
After some time of mulling over the menu and the prices I finally found something to order the egg scramble with emmenthal cheese and avacado--- 10.50 total. Seems like a lot for some eggs on a plate with a bit of cheese. Looking over at my boyfriend he seemed to be thinking the same thing so we decided to pay for our coffees and leave.
After leaving we decided to go to the Safeway where our car was parked and buy some things to make breakfast. In the end I had the same thing I would of ordered at the restaurant in the comfort of my own home for a fraction of the price.
Now this is not to say that I will not go back to Sunnyside, but I will definitely save it for weekend breakfast only special occasion types of meals.
I've only been here a few times, but just those few times have made me fall in love with this cafe. Everything here is absolutely the freshest, all of the fruits and the juices and coffee. Everything just tastes REALLY good.
I am a huge fan of their eggs benedict. MMMMM!!!! Their bacon is thick and crispy and just perfect, it isn't fatty or under/overcooked. Their toast is thick and the eggs are just right. Something special about their hollandaise sauce too, it is much more rich and tasty than others I've had.
And their mimosas, delicious!!! I had a strawberry mimosa last time I was there, and I loved it, especially that it wasn't super expensive and had a log of champagne in it. I'll definitely continue eating here.
I fortuitously came across this place after getting lost tracking down a spot suggested by a long-time bay-area habitant (GPS would have come in handy.). I ordered their pigs-in-a-blanket rendition, which was a unique creation of Italian sausage wrapped in mushroom pancakes with a side of eggs. That's right, mushroom--not the usual fruit pancake selections (although a variety selection of those were also on the menu). Surprisingly, the combination was yummy. I gulped every bite down with the home-made lemonade with a hint of basil. (I wish they offered free refills.)
My server was considerate enough to only check on my meal once--no pestering, since my goal was for a relaxing brunch place where I could catch up on emails and leisure reading. Mission accomplished. I have a feeling that if I arrived during prime brunch hours, I would have been less successful at checking off my to-do list.
If I find myself lost in Albany again on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I would be a repeat customer and bring some friends along too. But beware, the prices at this brunch place in this homey town is comparable to city prices. At least they used fresh eggs for my scrambled eggs rather than that substitute, yet cost-effective, egg yolk in a carton. No place is perfect so I'll accept the higher price points for fresh ingredients.
It is virtually impossible to expand on what other true believers have said. The Alameda is fantastic. One of the greatest breakfasts I have ever had in my life. I don't see any reason to eat anything else on the menu, even though I know all other items have got to be just as good (but how is that possible?!?! haha).
Regardless, this is a wonderful spot. You haven't lived until you've at least tried The Alameda. Good luck...
Trust yelpers, it's all about the Alameda (or maybe they should call it the Albany!). It's a huge mound of goodness - french toast, egg, ham or veggies, garlic roasted tomatoes, and hollandaise sauce. They offer large portions so you should consider sharing.
The also use quality fruit in their fruit salad such as mango, watermelon, kiwi and other seasonal fruits.
They don't seat you if your entire party is not present - fair enough. This place is family friendly. The have the separate colorful children's menu that's laminated.
kara r.recommended the alameda specialty breakfast here so i decided to try it out.
orgainic coffee(2): a little harsh made smooth with half/half and splenda.
"alameda" speciality (11.95) :" mushrooms, golden gate ham,roasted tomatoe, and emmenthal cheese, sandwiched between 2 pieces of savory french toasts, topped with 2 eggs over easy, hollandise and a balsamic reduction. tender ham, tasteless cheese, etc.
alameda menu special(11.50):same as above except the main ingredients are asparagus, snap pea, and goat cheese. vegetabkes prretty tender. cheese not noticeable. vinegar very strong.
service: very good. got refiill on coffee and was checked many times if things were ok.
leftovers
-sunnyside is cramped for space
-menu looks ordinary except for it's emphasis on organic and greenness. yes, it requires more greens to eat here.
-i was stuffed.
-nothing special to return to here.
