Café Rumi

Tried the Pink Chai as many people have suggested it. It’s very unique and is not very sweet, which I love about. Also had the salad with lamb/​beef meat which was very flavorful and the portions were pretty big. I was only able to eat half and saved the rest for another meal. :) I definitely want to come back and try their breakfast specials/​menu

In the cuts of CV. It’s one of those places where I missed a small street and then had to turn into a small street to back track. But it’s worth it and they have a parking lot.
Love the loose leaf teas, I think there were over 20 in glass containers to peruse and choose.
Gets busy during lunch, but the staff will acknowledge you and thank you for your patience.
Check out the hummus, super thick and satiating. I had the eggplant platter, which was fragrant, the saffron basmati rice and salad were nice additions.
Great local spot, recommend.

First time trying this place. Had the Beef/​lamb gyro and Chai Iced Tea. Delicious but is 8 bucks the going rate for a gyro? Is this comparable to other gyro places?

Chai latte — ¹⁰⁄₅
Drip coffee of the day — ⁵⁄₅
White Mocha Latte — ⁵⁄₅
Belgian Waffle — ¹⁰⁄₅
Gyro Plate — ⁴⁄₅
Baklava — ³⁄₅
Service — ⁴⁄₅
Went here 3 times during our vacation trip. One of the best local coffee places. They did forget our chai latte but it was during Memorial Day and it was busy. Overall highly recommend!

Dear Sarah,
Thanks for all the explanation but it was Thursday, not Friday so that was a different person put on hold.
The phone was perfectly fine. There were no technical issues. The reason why no calls were going through was because the receiver was not properly placed back on the base. The cashier only corrected it when I pointed it out, when I got there. That’s when she remembered that there was someone on hold. She was then actually very apologetic. Look, being on hold is not the problem though I think we can both agree that having to make someone wait for over 10 minutes to just take a to-​go order is not good business. I understand that people get particularly busy around lunch and I get it, it’s a café so customers can be in and out. Maybe if she was training, I wouldn’t have been as irritated. But that was not the case and I don’t appreciate someone telling me about perception, judgment and lack of understanding especially if you weren’t there.
The reason why I chose to divulge that I had someone who weren’t particularly feeling good at home that day was to point out the further need of a quick transaction. Instead, of getting a sorry we didn’t mean to waste your time, we know it’s precious –I got an I’m sorry you’re taking your life’s frustrations on us. I don’t need a saccharin apology if it’s laced with zingers meant to invalidate the complaint. Not all complaints on Unilocal are unsubstantiated.
Perhaps it’s better to investigate before giving a litany of excuses and hollow assurances because you actually made it worse regardless if it was the incorrect day, by insulting entirely the wrong person and dispelling a totally different incident.
I was unsure before but definitely not coming back after this. Sometimes, certain people are just defensive and there isn’t much we can do about that.

I checked out this place due to the hype on Unilocal.
It wasn’t at all bad by any means, and staff was nice, but I don’t see what the big deal is. I was disappointed only because of how talked up this place was.
It’s a very small place, but has a lot of parking. The food was okay, the coffee was pretty good.
Is there a secret menu I’m missing?

My wife and I are regulars here. The food is amazing, no complaints there. I would give it five stars but knocked down a star because it is a bit pricey.

Now hear me out. The 2 stars has nothing to do with the tasty food for the most part. It has more to do with poor service and poor management.
When we arrived I was shocked to discover that this is actually a coffee shop that serves Mediterranean food. With coffee shop seating. Smelled good. And as it was a friend’s bday I decided not to pre judge.
Our party of 5 ordered on one tab as they said it would be 10 to 15 minutes for food. However being an hour and a half before closing we were informed that there was no rice or cuscus available as it would take to long to cook but we could have extra bread. (Wtf?). We had to sit outside as there was only a 2 top available inside.
Our food came quickly except that one of the plates that was asked and repeated to our cashier twice never showed. Turned out wasn’t even on the reciept. So had to reorder that plate. Like I said food was tasty.
The final ugh moment for this place was we ordered desserts Togo. 7 different items, but when we got home 2 were missing from the bag. Tasty food or not I will not be returning.

The chicken platter with a pink chai really hit the spot. The saffron rice was delicious and the portions (of rice) were large. Fast and friendly service. This place is considered a café as they sell coffee but also sell food; there is no table service. If you’re looking for a quick delicious meal, I would definitely recommend stopping by. Be prepared to spend about $ 16 on a plate and drink though.

Yup!
Definitely good. All about the Saffron Chicken.
Really small place, but the food packs alot of punch!
Got the seasoning right

«It’s chai… what’s the big deal about this one?» I thought to myself. I then took a sip of my pink chai and my eyes suddenly went… *BOIINGGGGG!* I literally felt like they were about to pop out. My head went back a little and then I said to myself… «OH I GET WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT! NOW THAT IS GOOOOD!»
I drove 20 minutes just to check out this place because I read reviews about how great it is. As a lover of chai (SERIOUSLY A LOVER OF CHAI!) I had to give this place a chance. I parked in this small shopping structure and thought «hmmmm where the heck am I?» I walked in and the place is pretty small, but cozy. It’s mainly a place for catching up with friends or hanging out. Studying is good by the window area, however, wi-​fi wasn’t working when I went. Nonetheless, the food and drinks I ordered were worth the trip.
I tried the Saffron Chicken, very good and filling! The sauce was what made it standout. It was $ 13 overall, and though I thought it was a bit pricy for a plate size, I still thought it was good. Plus, I had some leftovers. The Flourless Chocolate Cake was also great! Not too rich or sweet, the texture and balance was perfect. For $ 4.50 I initially thought it was pricey, but the serving size is bigger than I thought it would be. Very filling!
Finally…let’s go back to the Pink Chai. As someone who LOVES CHAI, it’s hard for me to order this drink in a lot of stores because I always think they mess it up… to the point where I don’t know what chai is supposed to taste like sometimes. Trying this drink at Café Rumi definitely is proof that this is what Chai is supposed to taste like. It was so good, I ordered another one to go! It’s hard to explain, but the fact that everything is natural makes the drink super healthy. You just have to try it yourself! Check this place out and support your local places.

I came here for dinner with my girl to try something different that we don’t normally do. This place is small but feels very alive and full of soul. Their menu is not huge but what I did see on it sounded great. The two ladies working behind the counter were very sweet. My girl ordered a chicken Kabob Sandwich and I ordered the gyros platter and an iced coffee. It didn’t take long for our food to be ready. When I took first glance at my platter I thought, damn this looks delicious. Well, I was right. The lamb/​beef was tender and juicy. The rice was tender and plentiful. And the tzatziki was smooth, cool and just phenomenal. Finally, there was cut up vegetables seasoned to perfection that when I mixed everything together there was so much flavor fighting for my attention I didn’t know what to do. So, I ate everything. Even the bread that came with my meal was soft and brought the meal together like a traditional gyros. My girls chicken Kabob burger was scrumptious too. A soft bun smothered in that delicious tzatziki sauce with onions, tomatoes and chunks of tender chicken. Everything was delicious, including my iced coffee. It’s a little pricey but no joke I feel that it was worth it.

Café Rumi is tucked away in a non-​descript strip mall. It’s a small café style space with hard plastic chairs and small tables inside and whimsical décor with colorful hanging stars and drapes. The patio seating has hard metal chairs outside. The seating both inside and out is not the most comfortable to be honest.
Café Rumi has a simple menu of standard Mediterranean items and a few specials and breakfast items. They have a large selection of coffees, teas, chai, lattes, and juice, as well as some fresh pastries.
We came on a quiet Sunday afternoon so it wasn’t busy and the food came out quickly. I loved my pink Himalayan chai! My new favorite! It’s so unique!!! My saffron chicken platter was delicious. The chicken came in a bowl with a delectable saffron sauce. Then the plate had rice, a cucumber and tomato salad, a few pieces of pita and yogurt. I loved every bite. The flavors and portions were well balanced.
My man’s beef gyro platter was really good but the meal is kinda dry between the meat and rice without more yogurt or sauce. He went to buy some saffron sauce sauce to add some moistness to it and that helped. You could also buy a separate side of hummus. He loves chai and kept commenting on how good his was. I tried it and had to agree. The pastry we tried was unfortunately dry and not that appealing.
The platters can totally fill you up and are only $ 12. Other items were less. So for a delicious and affordable meal check out Café Rumi. Will definitely be back!

I always forget that Castro Valley is past the Blvd. The café is in a empty shopping area in the middle of a residential area. It definitely threw me off.
Before we walked in, all you smell is delicious meat. Right when you walk it, it’s overtaken by smells of spices. Very distinctive spices. I wasn’t a fan. But then after being in there for a while, it faded into the background.
We started off with the hummus and bread as an appetizer. Their bread came out hot and fresh. Their hummus had a kick to it. It was served in a plastic container with a lid underneath so it was easy to pack.
I couldn’t decide between the gyro platter and the eggplant platter. Upon a suggestion from the cashier, I got a combo. The eggplant wouldn’t have had enough texture for me. It was mushy, as eggplant should be. But my half and half plate was perfect. The lamb gave it texture. And both were delicious. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much having picked one or the other. Portions were hearty. We couldn’t finish our entrees.
The great thing about cafes are their desserts on display. It always reminds me to save some room! We topped off dinner with some macaroons, a latte and their drip coffee of the day. Their macaroons were not my favorite. The ratio of the cookie and filling was not right. The filling tasted like jelly. And it had so much jelly that it was overpowering. I fought against my usual instinct to get chocolate cake. I should have followed my stomach.
Regardless, my splurge of the weekend was well picked.

Wow, a friend of mine told me about Café Rumi!
Hidden Gem.
I obviously had the pink chai. I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. It was DELICIOUS. They have a chalk board that describes what makes the pink chai so special. When you see it, you understand:) I attached the picture of the board.
I also had a latte and a breakfast sandwich because i was socializing for a while. The coffee was great! The egg and sausage on an English muffin was fresh tasting.
They also have a little play corner for kids.
Staff was super friendly!
Reasonably priced.

Great spot to study with really good eats!

Thank you for being around! Incredibly friendly staff. Welcoming and nice! Helpful and they know their food well.
Delicious gyros! The pink chai was amazing! I only got it too bc the lady at the register recommended it.
It’s hard to find a decent Mediterranean and Greek food place, but this was really amazing! A+++++++

The pink chai latte was very good. I also order chicken masala which I didn’t enjoy much. Probably won’t be back for the food but the chai is a must

First time here and I fell in love! It’s super cute and it has a very relaxed atmosphere. I had the Mediterranean chicken salad with a side of hummus and it was so delicious. My husband ordered the Gyro platter and the meat was cooked perfectly. We ended the night with the flourless chocolate cake and with the very first bite I felt like I was in heaven!!! Will definitely come back to try their breakfast options soon!

Not good at all. Spent over $ 100 with the family here and meat was uncooked. They baked everything. No frying or grilling here. Even the fries were uncooked. Rice was cold. I saw the reviews here thinking it’d be good but I guess there’s nothing else around here for people to eat so they think it’s good. The employee had no knowledge of their menu items. Won’t be coming back here. Not real food !

In this review, I will consider 3 categories:
(1) Does the cost = the quality?
(2) Is the ambience inviting and fun?
(3) Is the idea original?
The price is pretty good. Generally speaking, you will pay between 7 and 14 dollars. The people working here are also really really sweet. So sweet in fact that if I lived nearby I would probably stop by for a cup of coffee once in a while.
The quality of their food, however, is not that good. The food is already pre-​made, the Café seems to just heat it up. But it is important to keep in mind that the portions are generous, but a little on the salty side. I would probably go without the hummus next time. It really didn’t add anything to the meal, and the pita bread was stale (microwaved perhaps?). The hummus was also served in a plastic Tupperware container, and way too much oil was added to it. It was mostly salty.
The presentation was on point though. Beautiful presentation. Lots of greens, and at least the food was hot. I hate ordering food and it coming out cold.
And, although the ambiance was fun, it was also pretty boring. The music playing was pretty cheesy pop. There is decent pop out there.
As far as the third criteria goes, it was a bit original. A coffee shop of sourts that serves Mediterranean food.
I got the beef lamb gyro platter. The meat was squishy and salty, and the rice was good consistency but a bit flavorless. And the pita bread was stale. The Thai tea was good, but it was mostly syrup and half and half.
All things considered, I probably would not visit again. Good for a one time stop, but pretty low quality. But in all fairness the price is relatively reasonable.

Café Rumi was the first stop on our drive up to Yosemite — it was one of the few non-Starbucks/Peet’s that showed up when I searched for nearby chai lattes. It’s hidden in an odd little plaza next to a neighborhood.
THE OVERVIEW.
~ Their pink chai latte didn’t really taste like any chai that I’ve had before, and was more sugay than anything, and seemed a lot more calorie-​laden than your average chai drink
~ They have offer food with a lot of variety (kebabs, saffron chicken, etc).
— That being said, their kitchen is a bit of a joke, I”m not sure how you can expect a few young girls to make anything decent with a microwave oven and a rice cooker. It looks like the chicken is all pre-​cooked and then doused in the appropriate sauce, kinda meh
I don’t know if I’d come back (and definitely not for anything to eat), but it’s nice seeing a popular community coffee house succeeding.

Always hard to find a decent Mediterranean place with gyros. But this place totally rocked. It’s quaint and peaceful. Friendly atmosphere.
Came with a friend today and the gyros were delicious. I really enjoyed my pink chai tea. It was something different but very good.
Staff were incredibly friendly and tolerated my babbling haha. Definitely coming again! It’s our new spot XD
Thank you for existing!

Café Rumi was the first stop on our drive up to Yosemite — it was one of the few non-Starbucks/Peet’s that showed up when I searched for nearby chai lattes. It’s hidden in an odd little plaza next to a neighborhood.
THE OVERVIEW.
~ Their pink chai latte didn’t really taste like any chai that I’ve had before, and was more surgery than anything, and seemed a lot more calorie-​laden than your average chai drink
~ They have a menu with a lot of variety (kebabs, saffron chicken, etc).
— That being said, their kitchen is a bit of a joke, I”m not sure how you can expect a few young girls to make anything decent with a microwave oven and a rice cooker. It looks like the chicken is all pre-​cooked and then doused in the appropriate sauce, kinda meh
I don’t know if I’d come back (and definitely not for anything to eat), but it’s nice seeing a popular community coffee house succeeding.

My girlfriend and I wanted to try a new spot to eat lunch. We looked up the reviews and places close to her place and decided to come here after seeing the pictures. The place is about 5 minutes from my girlfriends place so it’s a very short ride. I ordered the pink chai, fries and a beef and lamb gyro. My girlfriend got an iced pink chai and a chicken gyro. The place is small, but had a very homey feel. The girls behind the counter were very nice as well. The pink chai is delicious! Not even a huge chai fan, but his was fantastic. The gyros were great too! Lots of flavor and a little bit of a spicy kick to it as well. The fries were super good too. I only wish the gyro was just a little bigger. Overall, great experience here and I will gladly come back and try another dish!

Omg! I’ve lived in cv nearly all my life and never heard of his place. Super hidden in the middle of cv! I felt like eating something new today while at work, and decided to look up gyro and Mediterranean and this place popped up and of course I went off of the spectacular reviews! I ordered 9 hot sandwhiches ahead of time and picked them up at noon! Someone I left one of the platters there and it went missing they were so kind to make me another one no charge! Awesome service!
It looks family run, and you can tell who the owner was Bc he was making sure customers were being served to limit wait time on long lines. It’s small inside but family friendly.
Food smelled really good inside and I got the chicken gyro and it was the best I ever had! All my co workers loved their food as well. Happy girl.

Café Rumi, you did it again. Specifically, the owner, Sarah. I swear, I think she emailed me within 24 hours of posting my updated review. She then assured me that my recent experience was an anomaly. I’m just going to post an excerpt from my last email: «As a customer, I truly appreciate that you run a tight ship! And you don’t mess around when it comes to customer service. Your words AND actions really speak volumes. Again, thanks for your responsiveness. You are a top notch business owner.»
Café Rumi showed me again that it truly cares about its customers. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve experienced this much customer care from a business and that the owner really set a precedence. I really appreciate that and, because they found a solution (didn’t make excuses, didn’t blame the customer but truly resolved the issue), I will DEFINITELY return. I’ve got mad love for Café Rumi.

Café Rumi sells gyros, Kabobs, teas, coffee, pastries, sammies
eats: chicken kabob platter (12)
–cucumber/​tomato salad, so so
–basmatic rice ok
–one skewers of tandoori looking marinated chicken kabob.
*online mentions 2, cashier said 1, maybe it was 2 skewers given. no idea how many pieces on a skewer.
kabob looked premade, just warmed up
–cups of tzatziki sauce and cilantro chutney yummy with kabab.
–chicken not juicy, not dry either. tender yes.
not a comparative good value, pricy. food above average.
*owner inbox they offer fusion med food/​website mention influenced by traditional afghani
cuisine.
crumbs:
–very warm inside café.
–food «made» to order, 10ish minutes.

First time ever having a gyro *prepares for chastising* and WOW! What a great place to be de-​gyro-​virginized!
Pink chai is absolutely delicious too! Would def recommend!

So far, I’ve only tried the pink chai and a pastry. The pink chai was a bit like sipping a cloud during a summer sunset. Delicate, sweet and soft…
I love the colorful atmosphere and the warm vibe. We were one of two large groups there that morning. I’ll definitely return for additional experiences.

Solid 3.5. Ordered to Go. Saffron Chicken was expensive for 6 small 1 inch cubes in a mild sauce with rice, pita, small cucumber salad for $ 12. Won’t order that again.
However, Gyro with beef/​lamb was solid. Pink Chai was delicious.

The pink chai is so… pink! It’s like a rose-​mauve color. I have never seen anything like it! It also tasted quite delicious, not overly sweet but instead full of complex flavors of cinnamon and other spices. And it had a creamy, velvety texture. Probably not light on the calories, but it was worth it. I also think it had quite a bit of caffeine in it though, which I was not expecting, because I had some trouble falling asleep that night.
Will have to come back to try the food, it looks like there’s a lot of yummy options.

So happy the Vietnamese place we wanted to go to wasn’t open because instead we stumbled upon this gem!
Great selection of coffees and tea. Opted for the mint tea because my stomach hurt but I soooo wanted to try their pink chai, lavender tea, and Nutella hot chocolate. Believe me, I shall be back to try each!
I ordered the beef/​lamb gyros plate. For $ 12 you get more than enough. Everything was fresh tasting and absolutely delicious.
The atmosphere is great for studying, reading a boom or just relaxing for a bit.
As I said earlier, I can’t wait to come back soon!

Who says there isn’t anything yummy to eat in Castro Valley… lol
We came here for lunch today and it was delicious, it was very good…
We ordered a saffron chicken plate, the sauce is so good… goes well with the salad served and with the rice…
We also ordered the hotdog, the bun was very good, has a tart sauce on toasted bun, halal style, I really wanted another but we were both full…
If you haven’t tried Afghan and Mediterranean, try this small cozy café…

This place can be hard to find!
Google maps didn’t instantly bring me here. I had to look around and guess. It just brought me to a general street location. I wonder if anyone else had the same problem.
This place is pretty nice! The vibe is a mix of coffee shop and middle eastern /​Mediterranean. Their food is delicious and their drinks wonderful!
I had the:
1. Gyro LAMB: This was pretty simple. Put pieces of wonderfully seasoned lamb, with purple onions, tomatos, sour cream, and the bread! It was excellent! Good job for the great customer service! I accidentally ordered the wrong choice of meat and they switched it with no hesitation even when I was at wrong! Thank you guys!
2. The NUTELLA HOT CHOCOLATE!!! I am obsessed with nutella and this was the perfect drink for me! Especially if you can not drink coffee!!!
I must say though since I can not drink coffee I asked the front lady if the CHAI LATTE was caffeinated and she said no. It actually has caffeine and it was nice that she verified but, if she hadn’t, this review would have not gone well because it would have brought me unwanted health issues.
I would come here again!!! Try it out!