Ancestors Cafe
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We came here for lunch on a weekday before noon and were glad to have beat the rush somewhat. Around noon, there were many office workers and other folks ordering food, over a dozen. So they do get really busy and it might be better to call in your order if you're in a rush since the ordered do seem to take over 10-15 minutes to complete. I ordered the falafel pita and my partner ordered the chicharron sandwich, which the owner said was his favorite sandwich. My partner said that the sandwich was one of the best he's had in a while and the spicy mayo it came with was pretty delicious. My falafel sandwich on the other hand was good, but I did get tired of eating it because there was not as much variety in the falafel pita as I would have liked. At times I felt like the falafel was dry, and since the sauce was in a cup, I had to spread it and wasn't super satisfied with it. The fries were fresh but the portions were a little small. We also ordered a bowl of lentil soup and a green smoothie. The green smoothie tasted as if there was no sugar added and had a lot of ginger in it, so it had heat to it. The lentil soup was tasty and came with bread, albeit a little lukewarm when we got it. Overall, we were happy with our dishes and want to come back to try the other dishes. There is only outdoor seating, but there are about 8 tables to sit at outdoors. The owner seems very gracious and proud of his establishment. He says that everything is made freshly there from scratch, including the sauces. They do get their bread from a local bakery. There is clearly a lot of care put in the food, and it is a great establishing. We will be adding it to our list of lunch spots.
In the middle of the industrial area of San Leandro is hidden gem Ancestor's Cafe. Only open on weekdays for breakfast and lunch, you find reasonably priced Peruvian and Palestinian food. First time around, went for the Peruvian classics Pan Con Chicharron Sandwich, tender pork belly and roasted sweet potato on ciabatta and Aguadito de Pollo, carrots, potatoes, rice, and chicken in a lightly spiced cilantro broth. Although the soup was supposed to come with bread and butter, we got chips which was an odd combination. Also the pastries like the morning bun, were just okay as it was too dry. I absolutely loved the Aguadito de Pollo that I have been back for and to try the Pesto Chicken and Brie Sandwich and the Palestinian side with the shawarma sandwich. This time I received the bread which is a much better combo with the soup than chips and the chicken and brie sandwich was outstanding. Too bad they're not open on the weekends as I would love to try their breakfast items.
Came in craving a solid falafel pita and based on reviews, and while the food itself was pretty good, the experience was a little frustrating. The falafels were good--crispy on the outside, moist on the inside--and the pita was stuffed with high-quality, fresh veggies. It was a filling pita, although the whole thing had an unexpected lemony taste that threw me off. Not bad, just not what I was expecting in my falafel pita sandwiches. Also, I requested spicy in the order form, which this had zero heat. Not sure if they forgot. They do have hot sauces to use at the self serve area but I'm confused why that would be an option on the online order form if it's all self serve. Fries were excellent and seasoned well. The real bummer was the service though. They were busy, which is understandable, but when I finally got acknowledged, I gave my name and order number, and they just said, "We're working on it." Mind you I showed up exactly when the order form said it would be ready. Fifteen minutes later, after standing around, it turned out my order had been ready the whole time bc it was the same order I saw sitting on the shelf when I arrived. By the time they handed it over, my fries were cold, my falafels were cold--basically, everything was lukewarm, and there's nothing sadder than lukewarm soggy fries. I get that they're juggling a lot, and the woman at the front was doing a million things at once, but they really need a better system for keeping track of who's waiting. A little more effort in proactively checking on orders would go a long way. The food was solid, but the service was a bummer. I'll try it again in the future and hopefully it was just a busy/bad day.
The pan con chicharron sandwich is so simple and so delicious. The proportions of meat, picked onions, sweet potato, and bread were just right. I never had sweet potato in a sandwich before and they definitely belong together. The bread was crusty but not hard. I also enjoyed the herbs they added to the fries. I ordered my food online for to go and it was ready as I walked into the cafe. It was nice to see that it was ready when I requested rather too early and my food is sitting on the counter like in other places. It is a rare treat for me to go to Ancestor Cafe due to their hours but that might be a good thing because I will be there all the time. I can't wait to return to try the rest of the menu.
First time at this small store front, will be coming back. Its tucked away in a small office park, plenty of parking and outdoor seating. Large portions for food. Delicious combinations of food. Ladies were super friendly
We found a hidden gem!!!!!!! A Palestinian and Peruvian place all in one?! Amazing!! Had to try and definitely going to be back here soon. Also. Wow. I kid you not, this place has the BEST pita bread I've had in my life. And I love Arabic food so I've had many. But seriously the one from here is so fluffy, baked perfectly, and warm and toasty. Shwarma sandwich with chicken -- just stuffed and packed with food. Good balance of flavor-packed and moist chicken, amazingggg sauce, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers. And did I mention the amazing pita bread?? Sammy's lunch platter with lamb-- flavor-packed and moist lamb that just tastes high quality. Really appreciated the olive oil over the feta cheese, and the whole platter was such a joy to eat especially with the pita bread that came with it on the side. Inside is only standing room to order. But there's a small yet nice area right outside to eat there if you want to eat here before you go. Also..... this place doesn't just have good food, but it also has an amazing story!! We met Jahad, the owner of this place, who is half Palestinian and half Peruvian. So cool to hear the story of how he wanted to bring his food out here and honor his parents, who started off this place with their catering company Blue Dish (that's why lots of their menu items are called "blue dish special sauce" in honor of his parents).
Been on my radar for awhile. Easy ordering online. Plenty of parking. For the chicken shawarma wrap and also the pan con chicharron. The pan con chicharron came with fries and also had the pickled onions. It was delicious! Good size pieces of pork belly on the sandwich added the pickled onions which balances out the greasiness of the pork belly. Not a huge fan of pork belly but I did really enjoy this sandwich. Fries were well seasoned. The family really enjoyed the shawarma and wanted to go back to try the lamb one. Ample parking, they also had a few tables set up in the parking lot for dining.
Amazing little gem in San Leandro! Got a lomo saltado sandwich and a pan con chicharron sandwich and each had its highlights. The lomo saltado was a bit more saucy and was closer to a traditional sandwich imo whereas the pan con chicharron has a sweet potato mash which was different. Looking forward to going back!
Was out in the area for work and found this awesome gem! The service was friendly and helped me with the questions I had about the menu. I decided to get the beef super burrito and I have to say it was a great choice. The beef was tender and had a lot of flavor to it. The burrito was a huge so you'll definitely get full of it. Lastly the price was super reasonable, I felt like I got what I paid for and more. I'll definitely be coming back when I'm in the area and hopefully a little earlier because those breakfast burritos look good but I couldn't get here by 10:30!
Ancestors Cafe & Market takes over Blue Dish Catering adding Peruvian & Middle East menu options. Outside seating under a large tent. Quick service @counter. Food ready in 10ish minutes...large parking lot. Offerings: soups, salads, burritos. Sandwiches, shawarmas, coffee, bakes... Slurps: Aquadito De Pollo (Peruvian Chicken soup, 8.50) -rich simmering broth flavored with carrots, celery,, , , lime squeeze. Utterly Fulfilling with the addition of rice, lentils, + butter. -classic comfort food. Worthy! Bites: Pan Con Chicharron Sandwich (14) -within toasted ciabatta bread lies slow roasted semi-tender/semi-chewy Crispy thick pieces of lean pork belly. Nuanced spreads of flava with cilantro pickled , roasted sweet , spicy rocoto aioli adds complex notes of yumminess. -accompanying expertly fried exteriors with firm, not mushy interiors. Dusted with cilantro & artisan seasoning. No ketchup needed. Garlic yogurt sauce didn't last long. 4.5 stars. Crispy pork belly needs tweaking..
Everything is fresh and delicious. Salads are huge! Kind staff. I recommend the Cobb salad and Sammy's platter.
Glad they know what's Vegan I sat outside from the other smells There is cake option but spendy I went because it's open early
7 days ago
The pan con chicharron is still my S tier for sandwiches!! Btw if you get the aguadito de pollo soup, try an adding a little ketchup to zest it up a bit. Refreshing juicesss Called in my order on the way to the cafe, everything was ready when I arrived. Love this quaint little spot, and it's just 10min from Oakland airport. -plentiful parking -outdoor seating, no indoor read more
3 months ago
Simple and delicious cafe that provided us some quick lunches during a hospital stay! We went here two days in a row and were happy with everything we tried: the Lomo Saltado sandwich (nice saucy flavor), Pan con Chicharron (the onions were not too strong and i liked the sweet potato), Cheesesteak (pretty standard but lots of meat), and the fries with the dipping sauce which i should've asked for extra of. We also ordered a surprise bag of pastries through Too Good To Go and we got a variety of croissant based pastries that were all yummy! It's outdoor seating only which was a little rough for us because the first day we went was sprinkling rain while we ate under the porous tarp and the second was scorching hot so we just took it to go. Also if you're eating in, you'll have to go in to check if your foods ready because they didn't bring it out. read more
I saw that Ancestors was well-reviewed online, so decided to give them a try. I ordered a falafel sandwich in pita (the other option is to have it in a wrap). They have a bunch of outdoor tables and chairs under shade in the parking lot, and plenty of free parking in the lot. The fries were crispy with light seasoning on them, and the sandwich is huge. I'm not a fan of the red cabbage, but the amount and the crispiness of falafel was great. Hummus is off to one side inside the sandwich. There was a small cup of yogurt sauce under the sandwich. They gave me two ketchup packets and also a compostable bag for carrying the food. Food was really good, so I recommend giving it a try. read more
We came here for lunch on a weekday before noon and were glad to have beat the rush somewhat. Around noon, there were many office workers and other folks ordering food, over a dozen. So they do get really busy and it might be better to call in your order if you're in a rush since the ordered do seem to take over 10-15 minutes to complete. I ordered the falafel pita and my partner ordered the chicharron sandwich, which the owner said was his favorite sandwich. My partner said that the sandwich was one of the best he's had in a while and the spicy mayo it came with was pretty delicious. My falafel sandwich on the other hand was good, but I did get tired of eating it because there was not as much variety in the falafel pita as I would have liked. At times I felt like the falafel was dry, and since the sauce was in a cup, I had to spread it and wasn't super satisfied with it. The fries were fresh but the portions were a little small. We also ordered a bowl of lentil soup and a green smoothie. The green smoothie tasted as if there was no sugar added and had a lot of ginger in it, so it had heat to it. The lentil soup was tasty and came with bread, albeit a little lukewarm when we got it. Overall, we were happy with our dishes and want to come back to try the other dishes. There is only outdoor seating, but there are about 8 tables to sit at outdoors. The owner seems very gracious and proud of his establishment. He says that everything is made freshly there from scratch, including the sauces. They do get their bread from a local bakery. There is clearly a lot of care put in the food, and it is a great establishing. We will be adding it to our list of lunch spots. read more
In the middle of the industrial area of San Leandro is hidden gem Ancestor's Cafe. Only open on weekdays for breakfast and lunch, you find reasonably priced Peruvian and Palestinian food. First time around, went for the Peruvian classics Pan Con Chicharron Sandwich, tender pork belly and roasted sweet potato on ciabatta and Aguadito de Pollo, carrots, potatoes, rice, and chicken in a lightly spiced cilantro broth. Although the soup was supposed to come with bread and butter, we got chips which was an odd combination. Also the pastries like the morning bun, were just okay as it was too dry. I absolutely loved the Aguadito de Pollo that I have been back for and to try the Pesto Chicken and Brie Sandwich and the Palestinian side with the shawarma sandwich. This time I received the bread which is a much better combo with the soup than chips and the chicken and brie sandwich was outstanding. Too bad they're not open on the weekends as I would love to try their breakfast items. read more
Came in craving a solid falafel pita and based on reviews, and while the food itself was pretty good, the experience was a little frustrating. The falafels were good--crispy on the outside, moist on the inside--and the pita was stuffed with high-quality, fresh veggies. It was a filling pita, although the whole thing had an unexpected lemony taste that threw me off. Not bad, just not what I was expecting in my falafel pita sandwiches. Also, I requested spicy in the order form, which this had zero heat. Not sure if they forgot. They do have hot sauces to use at the self serve area but I'm confused why that would be an option on the online order form if it's all self serve. Fries were excellent and seasoned well. The real bummer was the service though. They were busy, which is understandable, but when I finally got acknowledged, I gave my name and order number, and they just said, "We're working on it." Mind you I showed up exactly when the order form said it would be ready. Fifteen minutes later, after standing around, it turned out my order had been ready the whole time bc it was the same order I saw sitting on the shelf when I arrived. By the time they handed it over, my fries were cold, my falafels were cold--basically, everything was lukewarm, and there's nothing sadder than lukewarm soggy fries. I get that they're juggling a lot, and the woman at the front was doing a million things at once, but they really need a better system for keeping track of who's waiting. A little more effort in proactively checking on orders would go a long way. The food was solid, but the service was a bummer. I'll try it again in the future and hopefully it was just a busy/bad day. read more
1 year ago
The pan con chicharron sandwich is so simple and so delicious. The proportions of meat, picked onions, sweet potato, and bread were just right. I never had sweet potato in a sandwich before and they definitely belong together. The bread was crusty but not hard. I also enjoyed the herbs they added to the fries. I ordered my food online for to go and it was ready as I walked into the cafe. It was nice to see that it was ready when I requested rather too early and my food is sitting on the counter like in other places. It is a rare treat for me to go to Ancestor Cafe due to their hours but that might be a good thing because I will be there all the time. I can't wait to return to try the rest of the menu. read more
1 year ago
First time at this small store front, will be coming back. Its tucked away in a small office park, plenty of parking and outdoor seating. Large portions for food. Delicious combinations of food. Ladies were super friendly read more
We found a hidden gem!!!!!!! A Palestinian and Peruvian place all in one?! Amazing!! Had to try and definitely going to be back here soon. Also. Wow. I kid you not, this place has the BEST pita bread I've had in my life. And I love Arabic food so I've had many. But seriously the one from here is so fluffy, baked perfectly, and warm and toasty. Shwarma sandwich with chicken -- just stuffed and packed with food. Good balance of flavor-packed and moist chicken, amazingggg sauce, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers. And did I mention the amazing pita bread?? Sammy's lunch platter with lamb-- flavor-packed and moist lamb that just tastes high quality. Really appreciated the olive oil over the feta cheese, and the whole platter was such a joy to eat especially with the pita bread that came with it on the side. Inside is only standing room to order. But there's a small yet nice area right outside to eat there if you want to eat here before you go. Also..... this place doesn't just have good food, but it also has an amazing story!! We met Jahad, the owner of this place, who is half Palestinian and half Peruvian. So cool to hear the story of how he wanted to bring his food out here and honor his parents, who started off this place with their catering company Blue Dish (that's why lots of their menu items are called "blue dish special sauce" in honor of his parents). read more
Been on my radar for awhile. Easy ordering online. Plenty of parking. For the chicken shawarma wrap and also the pan con chicharron. The pan con chicharron came with fries and also had the pickled onions. It was delicious! Good size pieces of pork belly on the sandwich added the pickled onions which balances out the greasiness of the pork belly. Not a huge fan of pork belly but I did really enjoy this sandwich. Fries were well seasoned. The family really enjoyed the shawarma and wanted to go back to try the lamb one. Ample parking, they also had a few tables set up in the parking lot for dining. read more
1 year ago
Amazing little gem in San Leandro! Got a lomo saltado sandwich and a pan con chicharron sandwich and each had its highlights. The lomo saltado was a bit more saucy and was closer to a traditional sandwich imo whereas the pan con chicharron has a sweet potato mash which was different. Looking forward to going back! read more
1 year ago
Was out in the area for work and found this awesome gem! The service was friendly and helped me with the questions I had about the menu. I decided to get the beef super burrito and I have to say it was a great choice. The beef was tender and had a lot of flavor to it. The burrito was a huge so you'll definitely get full of it. Lastly the price was super reasonable, I felt like I got what I paid for and more. I'll definitely be coming back when I'm in the area and hopefully a little earlier because those breakfast burritos look good but I couldn't get here by 10:30! read more
5 months ago
Ancestors Cafe & Market takes over Blue Dish Catering adding Peruvian & Middle East menu options. Outside seating under a large tent. Quick service @counter. Food ready in 10ish minutes...large parking lot. Offerings: soups, salads, burritos. Sandwiches, shawarmas, coffee, bakes... Slurps: Aquadito De Pollo (Peruvian Chicken soup, 8.50) -rich simmering broth flavored with carrots, celery,, , , lime squeeze. Utterly Fulfilling with the addition of rice, lentils, + butter. -classic comfort food. Worthy! Bites: Pan Con Chicharron Sandwich (14) -within toasted ciabatta bread lies slow roasted semi-tender/semi-chewy Crispy thick pieces of lean pork belly. Nuanced spreads of flava with cilantro pickled , roasted sweet , spicy rocoto aioli adds complex notes of yumminess. -accompanying expertly fried exteriors with firm, not mushy interiors. Dusted with cilantro & artisan seasoning. No ketchup needed. Garlic yogurt sauce didn't last long. 4.5 stars. Crispy pork belly needs tweaking.. read more
7 months ago
Everything is fresh and delicious. Salads are huge! Kind staff. I recommend the Cobb salad and Sammy's platter. read more
1 year ago
Glad they know what's Vegan I sat outside from the other smells There is cake option but spendy I went because it's open early read more
2 months ago
8 months ago
1 year ago
The food is fire. Literally anything on the menu don't miss. The service weather it's the owner or main lady in charge is always APlus. The spot is literally meant to serve you the food so you can get back to work so it's quick and fresh. The deserts are all hand made by moms too. You can't how wrong here and if you want to stay and eat? They got a nice spot out front with that good sunshine on the house. read more
6 months ago
7 months ago
8 months ago
When I first saw this, I thought it might be a Native American restaurant. But it's fine example of mixed cultures coming together and since I'm two cultures I'm all about that. It's run by a Palestinian and Peruvian couple And the menu reflects that. I stopped in before my shift to get a mid morning/early lunch. I wanted get their fig/brie (next level) breakfast burritos but it was past the time so I got a chicken swarma sandwich. It come with fries, but they had got their delivery so the JiJad the owner suggested the homefries home fries. That was right on the money. I had a little time to spare and ate at their out door seating. When I opened the container my swarma sandwich was in a pita bread and huge!!. And the home potatoes were good. I had enough that I ate my left overs for my dinner break. 2nd trip on my way to work, was going to order on the app/online the Next Level burrito. I didn't see it on both, so I called to check if it was still available cuz I could order on line. Juanita said yes they have it and I placed my order. The burrito was huge and so flavorful. Again leftovers for lunch. The owners are great, I don't care what you are.my experience with both cultures has always been warm and friend and their foods I've had separately are good too. It's a hidden gem so stop by. You won't be dissapointed. read more
2 years ago
Our holiday party was catered from here which I really enjoyed so I decided to grab lunch here one day this week. It is a small cafe and market. No indoor seating, but there are available tables outside. I ordered the Sammy platter with chicken. There were a few customers ahead of me, but the wait time for food was quick. The chicken was seasoned well. I love hummus so I loved the bed of hummus where the chicken laid. The salad was also delicious! I can't wait to go back! read more
1 year ago
The food is really flavorful. The recommended pork belly sandwich was delicious and the yogurt sauce they serve with it had the perfect amount of heat. The fries were crispy and the salad was good. The vinaigrette they use was delicious and not too sweet not too vinegary. The drinks were also good I got the SG fog iced it was good probably better hot. My sis got the Incredible Hulk and said it cured her of all her ailments plus it was gingery. The outdoor seating provided the right amount of space for those who may want to eat here but the counter ordering is more like a grab and go spot. It's located in the industrial area but from what I saw while I ate it is a hidden gem and not only people who work around it come to eat. read more
3 months ago
9 months ago
got the ancestors' salad with falafel. delish. adding the sweet potatoes for sweetness and olives for briny fat really makes the salad stay interesting while you eat it. it's a good size and i ate just over half. comes with a slice of french bread and butter (wished it was pita). falafel is sliced in halves so it's easier to eat as salad (have you tried chasing wayward falafel though your salad with a plastic fork?) crunchy crispy sweet salty tangy goodness. Dressing was good too. also bought a mini cake from the fridge. super nice folks and delish salad. will be back to try the soup! read more
4 months ago
11 months ago
Chicken burrito with guacamole and sour cream was a hit for my friend. I had the vegan option falafel platter but I should've gotten the vegan option falafel sandwich as it's the same thing and the platter was just too much food for brunch on the run to the airport. Fries seasoned with za'atar were perfectly crispy without asking! The sumac on the red onions were a nice touch. Hummus was perfect consistency with the olive oil seeping out of it and could've used a lil more salt but paired well with everything else; falafel wasn't exactly moist but definitely not dried out, the platter came with three balls. Outdoor seating in a few parking lot spots with tables and chairs and an awning bordered by barrel planters, no seating inside, it's a very simple place with a mural on one wall and a painting on the other to stare at while waiting for food to be bagged up. Fast and easy lunch style spot; order at counter and grab it at counter when it's ready. It's plenty of food and not overly priced. read more
3 years ago
Ancestors Cafe has been on my to-try list ever since I drove past it and the name caught my attention. It's been a bit difficult to find time to try it because of the hours, but I'm glad I finally got to try it the other day! It's located in a small, unassuming plaza right on Teagarden St., so plenty of parking available. It's a small mom & pop cafe. No indoor seating, but they set up a nice shady outdoor area with plenty of small tables. For my partner and I, we decided to pick up an entree and cookie to share for the afternoon drive. We got a Lamb Shawarma Sandwich, and a Chocolate Chip Cookie. The Lamb Shawarma Sandwich comes stuffed with slow roasted lamb, Palestinian pico, purple cabbage, and sumac red onions. It's coated with a layer of garlic hummus and I opted for the garlic yogurt on the side. It is highly recommended that you pour a dollop of garlic yogurt for every bite. The employee who gave me my order also gave me a choice between a soft gooey cookie, or a harder crispy one. Of course, I chose the soft gooey one! Those are the absolute best! By the time we got to try our Lamb Shawarma, we had to reheat it, but it was still so good. There's so much flavor to it and the pita bread pocket was fluffy! It may not look that big, but it was filling. As for the chocolate chip cookie, it was gigantic! Worth every dollar. Can't ever go wrong with a classic chocolate chip, especially one that's made in-house! I'd love to give their SG Fog or their fresh juices a try next time, but I'd also want to dine in and enjoy it outdoors as well. I will definitely come back to support this local business sometime! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
A real hole in the wall location, among a bunch of random offices it is a real hidden gem location. Decided to try this place for lunch and was not disappointed. Despite being a small location, with the only seating being outside the building in the parking lot, they had a surprising amount of food and drink options. Decided to get an iced mocha with almond milk and was blown away with how good it tasted. Most places struggle with milk alternatives but this was definitely not an issue here, still very rich in flavour and sweet. I also liked how they poured the milk first then poured the shot mixed with the syrup over like it was an iced macchiato. Something simple but I did enjoy just being able to mix my drink when I wanted. Then I got the Pesto Chicken and Brie sandwich, at first I got it with vinaigrette, despite not liking vinaigrettes (I was tired and not thinking), so after trying a bit I asked if they could remake it without the vinaigrette and they were very nice about it and did it with no issues. A mistake completely on me but they were nice enough to help and very quick with the replacement. They also had a few pastries, I don't know how many are made at the location, if any, but I think they're still relatively worth a try. I only got a chocolate chunk cookie but it was massive and only around $4. Very flavourful and filled with chocolate without being overwhelming or too sweet. Everything is a pretty good value overall, the sandwich with fries was, I believe, $14 which is pretty good for a small local cafe, and they definitely give a good portion size. The drinks are definitely a great value, I believe most were about $5, cheaper than most other cafes and definitely a bit cheaper than something like Starbucks or other big chain coffee shops. Drinks can also be made iced with no extra charge and even milk alternatives are cheap. My only complaint is that they need to work on their matchas. I did not get to take a picture but I also purchased an iced matcha with extra matcha, for my partner, and it was very clumpy. Hopefully this was just due to the modification of extra matcha and not the norm. It was still decently flavourful but the clumps made it a hard drink and eventually she just dumped it because of the taste and texture. Overall still worth a visit if you can go, a lot of options and friendly and helpful staff read more
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2 years ago
