Espresso Roma Cafe

Most reviews focus on the food and overlook the patio which is utterly epic. If you’re post hipster and aren’t looking for new wave mind-​blowing coffee and are more likely to appreciate the simpler things in life then go here. I’ve been everywhere in Berkeley and no place quite matches the level of vintage old European feel of the green spacious canopied patio. This neighborhood of Berkeley is very quintessentially Northern California and a lovely place to pass the morning listening to the birds chirping.

This is quite a happening place. I have seen many locals stop by here. Also, there are a lot of students from the nearby junior high were there as well.
I am always intrigued when I see a ton of people at a place. So I had to stop by myself and see what was up.
I decided to go before school was out so I didn’t have to deal with a crowd. I was able to see a bunch of things to order. There was Italian soda, bagels, fruit, boiled eggs, pasta, cake, etc. I was utterly amazed!
I ordered the raspberry Italian soda and an oatmeal cookie.
Not bad!

I used to really like this place but it’s gone way downhill. Plus, now that I am a dog owner, I’m always looking for places to bring my pooch. The fact that they don’t allow dogs on their patio is ridiculous. Plus, our latte and mocha this AM were not good at all. Bitter espresso and a bitter feeling as my husband waited on the corner with our dog. I’m a neighbor but won’t be back.

Lots of seating but the could be because of the substandard food. Met up with a few artists here and there were other groups of people hanging out too.
I got the spinach and mushroom omelette. The egg part was thin and very brown and totally dried out. The mushrooms and spinach were totally drowned out by cheese. The potatoes were not fully cooked — hard inside and it came with a piece of focaccia. A few pieces of fruit would have been better.
The hot chocolate was fine.
This would be a good place to go to if you just want a drink. Skip it if you’re actually hungry.

Charged 20 cents more for decaf. WTF? Server could not say why. Chocolate croissant maybe 2 days old. Very dry and tough. Tried to return for refund but the server was too dumbfounded and did not know what to do. Server needs customer service skills training and communication skills training. Patio is very nice.

I can sit here for hours and catchup with old friends. There is wifi, but outlets are hard to find. The items here are a bit pricey, but then again you’re in Berkeley. I like siting out doors and watching the cars drive by and talking about life. During the hotter month’s its cool, other than that it gets chilly. You can bring your own food and sit there for however long.

Ordered the cappuccino strong but it probably wasn’t necessary. Nice location, friendly staff.

Awesome place to come and relax and have a nice cold beer! Food is excellent and the vibe is great!

Great location, great outdoor seating area, average food/​coffee, bad management, no respect to customers.
Whenever I go in this place I am surprised with the way they manage things and behave towards customers. They charge extra for to-​go cups, and for decaf beverages, they give only one tea bag for large tea and extra charge for 2^nd tea bag.
On one occasion, after purchasing beverages and food around 6pm, I and my 9-​year old son were not allowed to use the restroom a few minutes later while my son had to go to the bathroom really badly. They said they close at 6pm and they start cleaning it so they can’t allow us to use it.
On another occasion, I left $ 20 at the cashier, and paused to look at the menu, when I was ready and completed the order the cashier claimed he didn’t take the money. After arguing a few minutes, I offered him my id and asked to take my cell phone number and call me if they are short of $ 20 at the end of the day, at that point he gave me the change for $ 20 without saying anything, as if he was doing me a favour.
I refrain from going to this place anymore and wish that somebody else takes over as it is a convenient and great location with great outdoor seating area.

The stars are mostly because they had food & I love the patio…2 poached eggs on bagel with proscuitto was kind of dry except for the egg yolks. Nice patio hang.

Love the outdoor patio under a canopy of trees. Location is perfect, as its next door to Monterey Market, so I pop in here for an espresso on my way to get local produce from Monterey market. Espressos are just alright though, i like mine thick and creamy but theirs is more on the watery side.

This coffee shop is quaint, warm and cozy. Great place to study or have a casual lunch/​brunch. The paninis are incredible. All the ingredients are super fresh. The cashier that usually works here is the sweetest man. I always get chai tea lattes here and a fresh cookie! Yum!

I used to go to this café when I lived in the area, back in 2006. I went back the other day and had a «grilled» sandwich. It was two whole wheat toasted, but floppy, with a piece of cheese, a slice of ham with mustard and mayonnaise… that’s it. That was the kind of sandwich I made for myself when I was six years old.
Also their utensils that have been cleaned and put out for use did not seem very clean. I saw this with both a glass and a knife.
The outdoor area is beautiful but food has gone downhill and the service is not as good as I remember.
Hope they can make some changes.

More like 3.5 stars, but I’ll be nice. I like this place.
The amount of outdoor seating really can’t be beat. It’s fairly priced, parking in the neighborhood is fine. Food is decent, the workers are always friendly to me. I like their iced tea. It’s basic, but refreshing when you’re hanging out outside in the sun.
I also really enjoy watching people with laptops come in and look desperately for an outlet, and get annoyed when they realize they don’t exist. Maybe come here fully charged? It’s not that hard.
My one gripe with the place is that it isn’t very clean. They really need a new bathroom, and I always get bothered by fruit flies.

Top line summary: Nice set-​up for a cup of coffee and a chat or a little reading.
Atmosphere is nice… outdoor seating is spacious and pleasant on a warm day. Free wi-​fi. So okay… Why only two stars?
1. Coffee is just not very good.
2. Food is just not very good.
3. Service is just not very good.
I ordered a greek salad. The salad was thrown together with some lettuce, red onion, a clump of feta cheese, and a few random pools of olive oil. It had 4 kalamata olives in it, and no tomatoes. It was edible — without any signs of effort or care in creating it.
I took it back to the counter to point out that it was missing tomatoes. The cashier looked up, paused, then looked over to read the description on the board (it was desribed as having tomatoes.) He said nothing. He walked away. He came back with a small plate that had a few pale slices of tomato on it. He handed me the plate. He said nothing. Gee thanks. I’ve got other options and I won’t be back.

Lovely café, perfect when it’s sunny, sit outside and have some cold beverages. I sat by the quiet corner, good spot to read.

Cute neighborhood café. Very nice setting. People ignor you if you are outside the established clique. Table servers not very friendly speak little bad communication.

Great coffee in a great location! I would give them five stars but they don’t allow dogs on the patio. Since my wife has a dog that is a deterrent for us going back. The coffee was wonderful and the patio is lovely. I went early in the morning and was able to sit down before I went shopping at Monterey Market across the street.
Thanks for a great experience!

A favorite spot for chilling outside with a cold beverage and laptop. The staff is friendly and efficient.
A few con’s: parking sucks and it gets mobbed by the Jr high school kids from up the street after school so plan accordingly.
Otherwise it’s a great place to surf the web outside.

Finding street parking can be tough, but this is a neighborhood gem if you’re looking for a quiet and cozy place to catch up with a friend and enjoy a light meal, snack or coffee. This café is best enjoyed on days with sunny weather, so the outdoor patio space can be utilized, but I was happy to find the indoor benches and tables to be clean (and regularly wiped down by staff). And most importantly, that the indoor seating area is not drowned out by the sounds of the espresso machine steaming up a storm.
Food is nothing amazing, but it is definitely fresh. I’ve run into the staff while shopping in Monterey Market, so they’re getting their produce EXTRA fresh from across the street. I appreciate the variety of choices on the menu for both breakfast, lunch and snacks.
The biggest perk of this café is probably its awesome location across the street from Monterey Market. There’s no better 1 – 2 punch on Saturday morning than a cup of hot tea with breakfast and some reading at a café followed by a sensory overload at Monterey Market of the sight, smell and taste of fresh flowers and produce that is easy on your wallet for good quality times.
AND! They take credit card with no minimum purchase. Always a perk at a small café. :)