Caffe Central
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Ordered a mocha to go and it was well made. There was plenty of street parking out front and seating inside and outside. Staff were friendly and not was clean inside. Everything looks so delicious and well made. I can't wait to go back and try more. Perfect place to start your morning at.
Great breakfast! Delicious French toast, churro pancakes, lox crossiant, and lite-eater. Friendly service, cozy atmosphere.
Lovely brunch option that is opened from morning to quite late at night so you can enjoy brunch items for dinner as well. They have a beautiful display of the menu next to the cash register which is perfect for those who need to visualize their options. You wait in line to order and sit down with a number and they will bring the food out to you. Don't get intimidated by the full restaurant while lining up. People leave pretty quickly and finding a spot before my food arrives has never been a problem. They have a large variety of classic brunch options like toast, bagel, and salad bowls but also a great variety of dessert options as well. Price isn't cheap but standard compared to the other brunch options in the area.
Cute place to have brunch in downtown Burlingame! They have both indoor and outdoor seating. I got one of the steak paninis (tasty!) and my friend got one of their salad bowls (kinda huge tbh). Service was quick -- you order at the counter, they give you a number, and come by later with your food. They had a large selection of coffees, paninis, pastries, and other brunch foods all on display. I was tempted to get one of their pancakes (I heard good things about the lemon ricotta pancakes!) but I knew it would be way too much food. Pastries looked really good but were on the pricey side.
I just wanted to update pictures. I love Café Central every time. I'm in the area. I go there. They have the best desserts the best food best service best ambience just best everything and I love that. They're dog friendly.
Caffe Central is located on the busy street of Burlingame Avenue. You can't miss it as it is on the corner and has a lively spot. Ordering is done at the counter where you will receive a number to be displayed on your table . There are lots of open seating inside and out. On chilly days, patio heaters are used. During this visit I got the chicken BLT. It was good and the chicken was tender. My only complaint is there was too much dressing on it. I recommend getting it on the side for you to drizzle on. It's a crowded ambiance. Service was decent. I would return to try other lunch sandwiches.
6 of us + 1 baby had brunch here on a rainy Sunday. How it works: you order and pay inside first, they'll give you a number, you find a table, and they'll bring out your food to your table. Service: 4/5 Employees were quick, efficient, and friendly although they did not check-in with us throughout the meal. Ambiance: 5/5 Trendy, minimal, and busy. Outdoor seating is perfect for warm and sunny days. Food: 4/5 Tons of options to choose from and yes, items for both food and drinks tend to lean more towards healthy options. I personally think it is a bit pricier for smaller portions but if you're a small eater like me, this would be perfect.
I've been a regular here for brunch with family and friends, so it genuinely pains me to write this. It was 73 degrees in Burlingame and I decided to grab breakfast and sit outside while waiting for my car to be serviced -- ordered the farmhouse breakfast. I stepped inside briefly to grab a to-go box for my unfinished eggs, potatoes, and chicken sausage. When I came back, Valeria had already cleared my plate and told me "there's nothing left." I paid $30 for that meal. When I went inside to address it, I was met with no apology and a dismissive "so what do you want to do?" I let it go and sat back down -- until I overheard Valeria telling her coworkers that I had thrown the to-go box at her. I had my earphones in at the time but wasn't listening to anything, so I heard every word. I calmly approached her and asked if I could clarify something. I explained that I was eating alone, that I had stepped inside only to grab a box, and that I still had food on my plate. I acknowledged it was a misunderstanding on both ends. I wasn't aggressive, I wasn't combative. What I got back was anything but that same energy. $30 for a meal that got thrown away before I finished it, staff who couldn't be bothered to make it right, and an employee fabricating stories about a customer to her coworkers. There are too many good brunch spots in the Bay Area to spend your money somewhere that treats loyal customers like an inconvenience. Do better. I won't be back. Below is the to go box I apparently hit worker, Valeria, with...
This cafe always looks busy. Decided to finally try it. They have a display of the food which is really helpful and everything looks so good! They have a lot drink options, coffee, tea, smoothies, juices etc. a lot pastries too. Everything was delicious and tasted really healthy. I enjoyed my chorizo wrap. It came with a side of fruit. My friend got the Irish breakfast. Said it was good but needed more salt. the toast comes in a heart shape , so cute. Presentation was spot on.
Our new favorite brunch spot! Caffé Central is fantastic. The food and the coffee are tremendous and the portions are huge! I had the breakfast bowl, trying to be healthy and it was amazing. I feel you can tell a fair bit about a place when they can perfectly poach an egg. This bowl combined with a squeeze of lemon was incredibly good. I would have added some hot sauce to it but it was just about perfect without it. The masala spiced chai was great. The foam was thick and creamy and the spice stayed on top so you had a bit of spice in every sip. We will be back again and again. Just be aware that it is open seating so you may have some trouble finding a spot to sit on a busy day.
We stopped by Caffe Central on a very busy Sunday, and even with the crowd, the team worked impressively fast. We ordered a mix of dishes -- the Pastrami Sandwich, Fajita Bowl, the Burlingame dish, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, and Avocado Toast -- plus the Detox and Vitamin C juices. Despite the rush, everything came out quickly and was fresh and flavorful. The portions were generous, and each dish had its own standout moment: the pastrami was savory and satisfying, the fajita bowl was hearty, the pancakes were light and bright with lemon, and the avocado toast was beautifully prepared. The juices were refreshing and a great complement to the meal. Overall, Caffe Central handled the Sunday crowd with ease, delivering great food and fast service. A solid spot in Burlingame for a relaxed weekend brunch or breakfast! They have indoor and outdoor sidewalk seating, which is perfect if your dog tags along.
I like this place a lot. Good food. Lots of options, healthy options. We plan to stop by when we are driving through. Today was one of those days. Always a favorite. We shared a so-Cal omelette which was enough for two of us. Will be back!
3 years ago
Straight forward service with avg cost of coffee in Bay Area, some nice indoor seating area for self study or self work. Not too loud on a Wednesday afternoon read more
Excellent coffee, pastries and menu items. This is one of our favorite brunch and coffee shops in the Bay Area. They have a good assortment of desserts and pastries including several gluten free options. Their lemon almond cake is amazing! They also have delicious salads, bowls and sandwiches made to order. The chicken pesto will not disappoint. They use Clover organic milk in all their drinks which is pretty impressive in itself. read more
5 years ago
This place always has the most amazing food! Always fresh and the purest ingredients. I am a FOODIE a and those are very important to me. I hate getting a salad that is suppose to be all romaine but you get an all white salad? You will never have the issue here! The service is impeccable and the wait staff always serve with a smile and are Very polite. This place is really busy and sometimes it is hard to find a place to sit but it has always been worth the wait for me, since I go there frequently......the food, portion size and temperature of the foods is always consistent!!! read more
3 years ago
It's a modern cute cafe. You order at the counter and they give you a table number to bring with you. They will bring your order to your table. Bring back the Irish Breakfast! Been ordering and coming here for about a year. They were remodeling their kitchen and took the Irish breakfast off the menu. No idea why but that was our favorite. Everything we ordered here has been really good. Their beverage menu is quite extensive and we love it. read more
4 years ago
Nice little place for breakfast or lunch. Everyone that works here is friendly. It's also a bit pricey. I usually get the turkey avocado BLT and it comes with a side of mixed greens and dressing. It's delicious and the baguette is always toasted perfectly. However, I do think that the sandwich size is pretty small for the price - $16. The pastries are hit or miss. I've gotten a few stale muffins or brownies. read more
Went last Saturday morning about 10:15am to have breakfast with a friend. I ordered the Locals Only breakfast($17.50) which included 2 Sunny-Side Up eggs, Waffles, Thick-Sliced Bacon Strips, Butter & Maple Syrup. I also ordered a Pour-Over Coffee($3.65). I asked for Almond Milk on the side for creamer & the Sumatra Blend which was on the Chalkboard above along with other flavor choices like Ethiopia. I was charged $0.75 for Almond Milk given in a tiny decanter(1/4 c. amt?) on the side & $0.60 for the Sumatra blend?? Did I miss a sign saying other flavors other than the "House Blend" would be extra?? So that was my $5 cup off coffee not including taxes. I asked the server for Agave Syrup but they didn't have any so they gave me honey. It was a deliciously rich, hot cup of coffee & I should've asked for more Almond Milk as it was strong but in a good way. For the main entree, the first bite was into the Waffles which were cut into 1/4s so it amounted to 1 whole Waffle when placed on the plate. First off, they were COLD, not warm nor even lukewarm! That was disappointing. I sat outside & the sun was out so it was a little cool but warm under the sun. My order came within 15 minutes & even if sitting outside on metal chairs & tables, the food wouldn't have cooled off that fast upon delivery unless it was sitting out? The syrup was warm but not hot so I took sips of my coffee in between bites of a dry chunk of waffle. The butter was slabbed on & wouldn't even melt cos it was cold. So disappointing. The eggs were topped with sliced green onions & parsley which looked nice but there was still a film of uncooked gooey translucent egg white so the eggs were undercooked. I just scooped it off. The bacon was cooked perfectly, thick & crispy. The ambiance was nice & the covered table areas on the street was sufficient. There were still enough seats inside & out. Large table umbrellas were available where I was seated. I would say it took 10-15 min. until I was able to order my food. The line was far faster than at Crepevine which looked like a zoo as it was packed esp. in the outdoor tables. They have mock counter window displays of the pastries & entrees so you have an idea of what your entree/salad/sandwich looks like. If I went back, it would probably be for just a cup of Pour-Over coffee & pastry. The cold Waffles & undercooked eggs were disappointing. I probably could've sent it back but my friend hadn't showed up by the time my food was served & I didn't want to lose my seats/table. The servers were very accommodating & hustling on a busy Saturday morning so much kudos to those hard workers! read more
2 years ago
Delicious! Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday and we had breakfast together. There are seatings indoor and outdoor, we sat outdoor since the weather was perfect. We got there around 9:30am on a Saturday, there were many open seats. The staffs were all super friendly. read more
A friend suggested Caffe Central to meet for a weekday brunch. The restaurant is located on Burlingame Ave which is convenient to get to and parking is fairly easy on a weekday morning. This cute cafe reminds me of Foreigner in San Mateo. There are sample dishes on display of all of the items on their menu. The set-up is to order and pay at the counter and grab a table and your order is delivered to you by a server. Since this was my first time there, I asked the cashier if they recommend the brioche French toast or the ricotta pancakes. She said both are equally good but if I'm not ordering anything else to get the French toast as it comes with fresh berries. My friend got the breakfast bowl and we both got lattes. The French toast was really pretty to look at but not so good to eat. The toast was extremely dry even dipped in syrup. The berries were delicious and fresh. My friend enjoyed her bowl. Overall, an average experience for me, but do want to come back to give other items on the menu a try. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
Caffe Central is a solid brunch spot for the weekend in downtown Burlingame. It is a cafe with plenty of options and also a feel of a higher end type of cafe. The atmosphere is certainly nice for outdoor seating especially when it is nice outside. Only down side is some cars driving by can smell horrendous. It is almost always busy every time I stop by so there can be a bit of a wait time, but it isn't too bad. After you order you get a number tag that you place on your table and the staff bring your order to your table. When it comes to the food I tried the Breakfast Bagel ($10.95) and Salmon Eggs Benedict ($18.95). You can tell that everything is fresh. I will say for the price of the Breakfast Bagel I would expect at least a small side like the Benedict does, but regardless the bagel was soft and stands out from the rest of the ingredients. My biggest criticism with the Breakfast Bagel is the fact that they basically torch the ham and it is left with a weird gas/burnt flavor that ruined the whole sandwich with how overpowering it tasted. Someone else at my table ordered a dish that included ham and had the same issue as well. I would not recommend any items with their ham personally, but that is my preference. The Salmon Eggs Benedict was solid. Personally I would prefer not having cream cheese because the hollandaise sauce is more than enough for this dish flavor wise, but I'd recommend their Benedict. Their poached eggs are done perfectly and you know how pricey eggs are nowadays. If you are in downtown Burlingame this is definitely a pretty decent cafe option and I would like to try other options on their menu. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
5 years ago
This place reminds me a of a smaller and less extravagant Crepevine. Decent prices, not too expensive, can be an affordable meal if you pick your meals wisely. The location is nice and central. I like how they have displays of what your food will look like. This is not a sit down server restaurant, instead you just order, take a number, and they bring the food to you but there is no waiter. This place has breakfast and lunch foods mainly. Then they have pastries and coffees. I think this is a great place if you're looking for a place to catch up with friends or grab a quick bite, maybe a little too noisy to study. But the ambiance is great inside. The food itself is pretty good too. And I like their selection of different types of avocado toasts. So far, I'd definitely recommend this place if you're looking for brunch in Burlingame Ave. read more
4 years ago
A nice brunch spot on The Ave. After visiting the Farmer's Market, we strolled by and decided to have brunch here. It's an easy process: find a table, order at the counter, get a number, and they'll bring your food out to you. I'd give this place a higher rating but the counter service was not great. In the middle of giving my order to the person (Person A) at the register, another woman (Person B) on staff approached her and began talking to Person A about a different order from another customer. Mind you, I was in the middle of ordering my food and none of them bothered to say "just one moment" or "excuse me". You know, as maybe a courtesy to the customer. It's fine, I thought. It must have been too important for Person B to disrupt Person A as a customer is ordering. When Person B leaves, I continue ordering my meals, and what do you know. Person A walks away from the register in the middle of me ordering mid-sentence (again) and she's talking to Person B. And again, Person A gave no acknowledgment that she had to step away and literally just walked away. That service is pretty inexcusable and it's rude. Another worker comes to the register to finish taking my order. At least she was pleasant. To the owner, I'd say, train your staff better. You have patrons who enjoy eating your food and that should include experiencing good customer service. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Recently tried this place. It can get really busy and maybe hard to get a table. But we ordered and got a table right away. They have a great selection of pastries, beverages and food. The inside is clean and has an aesthetic look. Food came out on time and the portion was good too. My husband has a chorizo breakfast wrap and he enjoyed that as well. read more
Outdoor Saturday brunch with 7 ladies. There was a line to order, and everything looked delicious. You order and the cashier gives you a number and they bring the food to your table. Lots of outdoor dining tables right on the sidewalk next to parking slots. A little scary watching people park as they back into their slot right beside your table wondering if they're going to step on the brake and not back into you... yikes! Food and service was very good and considering it was quite busy. We sat for awhile after eating but eventually felt we had to get up and give our table to people that were wandering around looking and waiting for tables. It was a Saturday so quite busy. Would definitely come back to try other entrees and maybe some of the desserts that looked really delicious! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Came in here on a Wednesday afternoon for lunch with my son and sister. The weather was perfect which was probably why the area was bustling with people. This restaurant reminds me a little bit of Crepevine - on the menu are breakfast and lunch foods and you order first then sit down. The seats/tables can get filled up quickly so if there's more than just yourself, one other person should grab a table just in case. We got pretty lucky to get a small table outside to enjoy. It was my first time here and I really liked it. Immediately, we got great customer service from elderly Asian guy that worked there. He was very attentive, kind, and I could tell was a super hard worker since he was moving around getting stuff done left and right. He was able to give us an extra chair for the table we got outside and he opened up the umbrella so the sun wasn't directly at us. I ordered the Chipotle Bowl - it had roasted chipotle chicken (a little spicy / too spicy for a baby) on top of arugula and quinoa. This was a great dish! I love these types of bowls that have meat, veggies, and grains because it makes me feel like I'm being healthy lol! I also ordered their house drip coffee - I was pleasantly surprised how much I LOVED this!! I can't explain it but it was delicious. I did add a lil bit of sugar and half and half but damn, if I wasn't saving myself for some boba afterwards, I would've gotten a second cup. Definitely recommend! They also have other coffee/caffeinated drinks like espresso but this was really good. I ordered Steel Cut Oats for my son - it came with walnuts, cinnamon, and bananas. Bananas are his favorite and the oats themselves was delicious and creamy!! Loved this for myself too! Lol! Overall, I would love to come back to eat here and try their other bowls and walk around this area. Parking around here is paid street parking with a couple of paid parking lots as well. It took me a couple drive arounds to get a parking space. There's also a small playground next to the parking lot close to Safeway - it didn't have swings but my son enjoyed climbing up and sliding. Great little area to spend a couple hours at! read more
Everything here looked so good, I almost didn't even know what to do with myself. When you walk in, you are greeted with a beautiful food display of every item on the menu. That's what I'm talking about when I say we eat with our eyes! Total bullseye! You order inside and they will give you a number sign, you then pick any seat you want either indoors or Outdoors. We picked Outdoors farthest away from the sidewalk. The bruschetta was the most beautiful thing I've seen, and oh man the flavor... the flavor was heavenly! It was the perfect combination of savory, sweet, with acidity from the tomatoes... and whatever kind of aioli they had spread, it all came together so well. I'm excited to go back again to try something new, but I have a feeling I'm going to get the bruschetta again. Maybe I'll just take a second item home LOL and not lie to myself. Menu items that we picked: - Latte - Almond Croissant - Pie - Latte - Bruschetta - Irish Breakfast - Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Highly Recommend read more
2 years ago
During covid this cafe remains popular! They've expanded their food menu and everything looks delicious...nom nom. They have plenty of outdoor seating and a table inside as well. There is hand sanitizer right by the front door and also at the cash register. Everything is efficient and the staff is so nice and helpful. Their coffee is always strong and delicious, now in takeaway cups by default. Support your local business during this tough time! Their Apple strudel is one of my favorite pastries! read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
Great quality food and coffee for a nice brunch. You seat yourself - tables are first come first served. Seating inside and outside available. Order at the counter and if dining in, they'll give you a number to bring to your table so servers know where to deliver to. Buddha bowl's dressing was just the right amount - not completely drenched in sauce nor leaving me wanting more. Coffee was also the perfect amount of sweetness. I was worried caramel would make it too sweet but it was a good balance. read more
1 year ago
Food is fresh, I give you that. But Don 't try to order brunch at last minute. Cashier would step away and referred us to the next cashier and thus past the cut off time. Also a person has sneakily (nobody asked me if I still need my sign) took away my order sign on my table area (long table) before my plates arrived & later found my sign at cashier area. Cashier didn't placed everything in the same order. Had to wait for my salad minutes later, quickly but we had to place another order (the hassle). read more
Came by for coffee the other day and it was a mediocre experience. The cashier taking my order was safely behind the plexi glass wearing vinyl gloves and a disposable mask. Ordered the mocha and it was okay. The chocolate flavor was on the lighter side and my beverage was a touch too warm...bummer. There was nice latte art though. read more
2 years ago
Looking for a good spot on the Ave- highly recommend Caffe Central!! Went there for lunch today and had their tuna melt (always my go-to) and if you're looking for a breakfast spot, I would recommend them too!! Service is great and quick! They also have indoor/outdoor seating and plenty of it. read more
My new favorite Brunch spot!!! I got to experience dining outdoors at Caffe Central's seating outdoor seating area before the second stay at home order was implemented all over the Bay Area. I loved the dining area Caffe central had set up, and it was clean. Inside it is very airy, roomy and spacious. Menu selection was amazing and I had a hard time deciding what to get. **What we ordered: 1 Burlingamer (8/10) 1 Smoked Salmon Toast (9/10) 1 Vietnamese Iced Coffee (7/10) The Burlingamer: Classic toast, sunny side up eggs into halves forming a heart (how cute?!), slices of avocado, and 2 separate sides of butter and jam Smoked Salmon Toast: SO.DARN. FRESH. LIGHT/FILLING. AND. GOOD. I was so happy to order this and would order it again and again. The portion is huge but there is something about the dish that is so light at the same time. If you love Avocado toast and smoked salmon, with a fresh light sauce, you would love this. Vietnamese Iced Coffee: I have definitely had better Vietnamese Iced Coffee elsewhere, however it wasn't that bad here! I would probably order something different next time but again it wasn't horrible at the same time. I think it was a bit too sweet for me. Parking is horrible. A lot of meter based parking. You can try parking lots around the corner or per how many blocks but parking lots get filled quick too. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
This is the ultimate go to brunch spot for catching up with a friend! I've been here multiple times and have enjoyed their brunch selection! The hot drink selection is also delicious! Would 100% recommend! read more
Great place to just hang out with friends. They have both outdoor seating and indoor seating. The food selections are on display so it makes it easier to choose the items. I had the Farmer's Market salad and it was good. They give you a # and then bring the food to your table. read more
3 years ago
Perfect spot for an afternoon snack. Stopped in for a tropical green iced tea and a slice of their gluten-free lemon almond cake. On first bite, it was really sweet and scented with lemon. But now that it's gone, it really was a great slice of cake and I'd love just one more bite. The tea was good too and the service was fast and the caffe chic. I'd definitely make a point to come back. read more
5 years ago
This place was suggested by a friend after our early morning runs. We came for breakfast and coffee. It's so fresh, food is delicious yet so healthy. We took some take outs and our family Loved it. I have been twice at this location since. Never a disappointment. read more
More info about Caffe Central
1380 Burlingame Ave
Burlingame, CA 94010
Directions
(650) 315-2511
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http://www.caffecentral.com
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Ask the Community - Caffe Central
Do they accept reservations?
No they don't as it's just a place you order at the counter then find a seat, type of restaurant.
Do they allow dogs in their Caffe while we eat there?
They have seating outside. I saw many diners enjoy meals with their baby"dog" outside 👍🏻(I don't see any inside the cafe).
Does this location have a phone number? Looking for lost and found?
650-315-2511 is the phone number for the Burlingame location
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