Zaya Cafe

Best coffee in Oakland! Nice spacious area to sit down to read and relax, or talk with friends.

I will return every chance I get.
Desperate, I got off my BART train to SF, ran to the station agent and asked for a bathroom. No dice. «…but try the café on the left at the top of the elevator. I had no choice.
Ran in, said calmly that I was desperate, and with a big smile the ladies behind the counter directed me toward instant relief. No hesitation.
Came out, bought an absolutely delicious lemon scone, got back on BART and continued my journey into the city; having barely averted disaster.
Thank you, ZAYA! You are my new favorite place in Oakland… and you have free wi-​fi!

I wanted something quick, warm, and tasty where I could also sit and relax during the time I had. This was my first time at Zaya, and it ended up fitting the bill perfectly. I had a hot meatball sandwich with tangy Marinara sauce and gooey, melted cheese on a crusty, fresh French roll. Their back seating area was spacious, quiet, and sort of felt like I was hanging out in someone’s cozy living room. I had no idea this space even existed. I’ll be back to try coffee or latte here, along with apparently free wi-​fi. This was a good find in downtown Oakland where many coffee shops and small restaurants are overcrowded.

I’ve going to Zaya more than three years now. The owner/​manager, Betty, makes it feel like home.
She’s always there for friendly conversation, while she and her hard working, hustling staff prepare your order.
Service is quick and genuine.

I had a tuna sandwich here today and it was very good. The rye bread was yummy, not the soft floppy stuff you get at crowded lunch spots, and the tuna salad was juicy, the way I like it. Recommend.

i bought a yogurt parfait and the granola was STALE! it was NOT CRUNCHY!!! i suspect the staff is giving me day old yogurt parfait or something that was made very very early in the morning. the granola should not be stale and soft. it should be crunchy.
i think this is the last time i will go to this Café. AWFUL!!!

Very cozy and spacious with friendly baristas; they even remember your usual orders! Great for grabbing some coffee, a nice pastry, and getting work done on your laptop, or just grabbing something to go. Their chai tea lattes are phenomenal.

Good place to get coffee; the servers are friendly and polite. Not many food choices, but the breakfasty stuff they have (coffee, bagels, scones) is good and cheap. Quiet atmosphere, always very clean.

I ordered a toasted cheese bagel w/​cream cheese and a fruit smoothie. As my smoothie was being made I was surprised to see it being made with Mott ’ s Apple juice. Bottled juice isn’t my preference when trying to eat healthy. I asked for orange juice since they claim fresh squeezed. The lady making my smoothie told me they didn’t have any, even though there were several glasses for sell. I ended up with soy milk and ½ ice. I only asked for soy milk. And ice isn’t needed with forensic fruit. The smoothie was flavorless.
Robert Irvin said it best: When you nickel and dime customers they don’t return.
Zaya, you will never see this face again.

THIS IS THE LAST STRAW! I just ate the best sausage breakfast sandwich and now have to tell you about how this place has been amazing one time after another.
*Right out of the 19^th Street BART at the 19^th Street Exit (Corner of 19^th+Broadway)
The coffee is strong and very inexpensive. Drip is GREAT. Lattes are yummers too.
They have a FULL MENU of breakfast, lunch, coffee, smoothies, etc.
The variety of breakfast sandwiches keep surprising me with how good they are.
They have a MINI SWEETS BAR, like in an animé, with Macaroons, Tiramisu, Cheesecake, Carrot Bars, Hazelnut Cakes, Chocolate Cakes, and they keep getting newer items every couple weeks.
FREE WI-​FI
LARGE & QUIET SPACE with couches and plenty of tables. I’ve seen 5 person office meetings there.
The staff is SOOOOO SWEET! They always serve your order with a smile!
And as of recent, they have a Stamp Card: Buy 10, Get One Free.
^_​^

I love this place good coffee good food good service with the smile every time. Every time when I am in town I have to stop by Zaya Café.

Asked for a ham and cheese breakfast sandwich and watched the man making my food reach into the sink and shake water off of a dirty fork. He then used the fork to scramble my eggs. Needless to say… I didn’t pay for or eat that crap!

Café Zaya is unexpectedly spacious in the back. good place for a quiet meeting or get together. looks like an hole in wall in front.
offerings: smoothies, breakfast, lunch, pastries, bagels, sammies, expressos, etc.
pour: mclauglin coffee (m/1.85)
–max’s blend, quite strong for a pick me up.
3.5 stars
drips:
–only bad, no free parking around
–quick cordial service.

Not bad… But then again the place had to be really bad to screw up an iced chai with two shots.

I stop by this place for coffee and sometimes breakfast on my way to the BART. The staff are so friendly! Good bagels and everything is so reasonably priced! Coffee is fine– not the best, but fine. Overall a wonderful place to get breakfast on the go, or to stay and relax on their comfy couch listening to some jazz.

This is my go to place for a quick bagel and cup of coffee. The people at the counter are always polite and I’ve never been disappointed with the coffee; always nice and strong. One of my coworkers tells me that the smoothies are great as well.
One if the greatest things about this place is the comfy couch in the back. I love to sit there, eat my bagel and read a book while listening to their selection of old timey jazz.

$ 2 for a crème cheese bagel is a little much, I would expect it to be in the $ 1.50/$ 1.75 range but on the other hand I have never seen a bagel made with more care and attention than at Zaya Café!
Ok, I only tried this place as it is literally at the 19^th St Bart exit as I head to work, and this morning I was feeling particularly hungry and could not make it to my desk supply of healthy cereal bars…
I added a Iced Mocha to the mix which was delicious and a great wake up after very few hours of sleep.
Zaya has a good selection including coffees, breakfast items and pastries. Yesterdays pastries are available at cut price!
Free WiFi is always a nice to have, and a mandatory feature of any modern coffee shop/​café.
Service was very personal and friendly. I recommend this place for a breakfast stop in the 19^th st area.

They have great chocolate malt shakes. Conveniently located next to 19^th/​Broadway BART station, Café Zaya serves coffee, breakfast sandwiches, pastries, opens pretty early, has wi-​fi, and comfy couches.
My bathroom and breakfast stop after a night of holding my poo, on my way to work.
=8)

I’m stranded today. The car needs to be in the shop. My home office is far enough from BART that it isn’t convenient. I needed somewhere near a BART station to just hang, preferably the 19^th St station. Uh-​oh.
Café Madrid, my original destination, seems to be closed, at least today. But all is not lost. I may have found something better.
I’m sitting in Zaya right now. It gets three stars for being a very decent coffee shop with good coffee, decent food and music that is not too loud. It gets four stars because the service is pleasant as can be: the ladies behind the counter have been lovely to me all morning, as I do my displaced office thing. The fifth star is because of the location (there is NOTHING else around here, it seems) and because even in the wasteland of Uptown, there’s this warm, friendly little oasis that even has a clean bathroom and free, FAST wifi that works.
Originally I was going to organize myself here then BART to somewhere more congenial. Well, this is congenial enough to stay, and better, it’s congenial enough that I won’t wait until I am stranded again to return.
Zaya Café, glad I found you!

Nice café with lots of goodies inside. Coffee was pretty good. The barista made me a white mocha and it was just perfect. Not to sweet or bitter. I came in and there are plenty of hot and cold, Sweet and savory items to choose from.
I had a simple ham and egg croissant. It came out nice and hot and crispy. Free wi fi so i busted out my laptop and started surfing the net. Nice chill place with pretty good food and drinks. A+ for service!