I'm sure Strada is for many, including me, the sustenance in completing a Cal degree. My favorite time to do is to come here on a sunny afternoon and sit outdoors with a good book. Can't go wrong with the Strada Biana, my personal favorite, or the Strada Bianca Mocha. Both are equally delicious depending on one's mood. Most pastries are, as mentioned, common but slightly better than average. When friends and family come to visit, I like to hit this spot before taking a walk around campus! read more

Cafe Strada is a historic cafe at Berkeley and is frequented by many students - especially those who go to Boalt law school or the Architecture school on campus. The bianca mocha (white chocolate) is great. The iced mocha is good on a hot day as well. Fast and friendly service. They also serve some good desserts and also bagels and oj and other breakfast items. Nice outdoor patio seating as well as some interior seating. read more

Lovely cafe! Conveniently located on the edge of campus, it offers both indoor and outdoor seating -- the latter being most abundant and most popular (even though it's usually too chilly to endure, in accordance with Bay Area weather tradition). You'll find half of Berkeley's GSI's and professors getting their daily fix here... and expect a crowd during peak hours. I can't say that I find their coffee particularly mind-blowing, but it certainly does the trick. Service is cordial and fast, and prices are decent. It's an excellent spot to do some intense people-watching, to meet and catch up, or to (pretend to) do some work over a snack. HOWEVER... I severely dislike cash-only policies, so I'm going to bump this 4-star cafe down a notch in protest of an outdated and irritating custom that defies the principle of freedom of [payment] choice -- and which has, more importantly, ruined my morning coffee ritual many a time. read more

I have been wanting to try this place out for a while so I finally got to last night around 8:30pm. Parking in the area is terrible since it's right next to the campus. It's in a really convenient location if you are a student at Cal. The two men at the counter gave me an interesting look when I came in, a little pervy lol. I think it's because they are so used to Cal students coming in that me being there threw them off a bit. I ordered a small Americano which wasn't small at all. it was about the side of a grande at Starbucks. It was really good though and only $1.80. There is barely any indoor seating, probably about 10 tables, 2-4 per table. TONS of outdoor seating though! I'm sure it's beautiful during the day. At night they have the heaters on outside. Also, I overheard some students complaining about being asked to sit outside if only 1 person was going to purchase a drink out of the 2. I found that a bit odd, but makes sense. They also have free wi-fi that isn't very strong and kept cutting in and out. I'd only come back here if I just so happened to be walking past. read more

Great place to grab some affordable and good quality coffee and baked goods. TONS of seating. Prices are very reasonable too. I got a 16oz americano and a blueberry scone for around $4... great value. read more

i think it's weird to drink coffee out of a beer glass. it's kind of dangerous, too. but that's just me. the heat lamps definitely make it habitable in cold weather, and the coffee isn't bad (not being too much into coffee, if it's potable it's good) i guess my only real complaint is a lack of any kind of cushioned seats great place to meet with people. loudly say "yeah you look exactly like your myspace picture!" and count the number of heads that turn. read more

It is THE perfect cafe location. I have yet to find a nicer place to sit outside and enjoy a coffee in the Bay Area. There's shade from the trees, there is a view to campus across the street, and the temperature is usually mild. How is the coffee? I almost dont care but I do enjoy the Strada Bianca Mochas. If you need to study or just read a book, I cannot find a better place. read more

Close to campus with wonderful outdoor seating (still can be challenging to find on some days), but limited indoor seating. They have heater panels outside, so it's quite nice to relax outside the cafe in the evening or on a cold day. The food is fine and fairly priced, but the lines are sometimes long and the cafe can get noisy. I recommend the Italian sodas (it's on the cheaper end in the area) and the hot caramel apple ciders. The bathroom is gross. read more

passed this place almost everyday for 4 years. Thank you strada for keeping me awake during those long class and clinic days. I wish you had a bathroom. haha Nice to sit outside on sunny days. read more

i came here all the time to cafe study when i was an undergrad. sometimes it's hard to get seats, but if you wait long enough, you'll get it. I can stay there for hours and hours, sip on the cafe mocha bianca or just the cafe mocha. They also have really good pastry, cookies, etc. They make awesome coffee! read more

I love their espresso drinks and their croissants. The apple pie is to die for. Order in Spanish or buy some gift certificates and they will be nice to you forever. read more

i'm not a coffee person. but the bran muffin.... makes me love bran.... only there.... oh so good... now that i'm no longer a student, even if i can grab one for later, i do, and savor it! (same source as the bran muffin at free speech on campus...so you have 2 chances to try it!) also, amazing amount of seating for students... read more

Definitely a staple of mine since I've been here @ UCB. All my classes are on this corner of campus so it's always an easy stop for me on the way to class/from class. - Open really late, which I've been thankful for. - Regular coffee is STRONG (used to never be strong enough for me, so this was a good thing). - Cappucinos are AMAZING. I'm not a big mocha/chai/sweet and creamy drink person but the one time I ventured out and got a Bianchi Mocha it was pretty tasty - very flavorful, but, VERY sweet - so be warned. Also, they have Italian sodas with I swear every flavor of Torani made. - Always happy with the muffins/croissants/other pastries. Never had a stale one or anything. Never tried the cakes but they always look tempting inside that little glass case off to the side. - The patio is a nice little oasis in the middle of the bustling campus area. There's heat lamps above the seats by the front doors as well. However I've given up on trying to come here to study on a rainy day since the minimal indoor seating fills up fast. - Enough AC plugs around - Free wi-fi However, it's CASH ONLY. read more

Generally it's a very nice and cozy environment. I've been there several times with friends. And I LOVE their outside seating. The coffees are fair. And I've never tried their pastries. However, I could have rated this place a four star or even a five, until one day I asked the cashier there to add a little caramel to my latte... And it was HELLA sweet!! I tried to tone it down by adding more milk and coffee powder to it after I got to my dorm, but it didn't help at all!! I had to dump the latte because it was even sweeter than the sweetest brownies I've ever had. I guess it was just a little mistake the cashier made (a little == a lot?). But this hella-sweet latte totally destroyed my craving for any sorts of latte for the rest of the semester. read more

Strada is good for anything - chatting with friends, doing homework, just sitting outside to feel the breeze... The location is prime, right next to campus - and the best part is it's open till 12a.m. I had their Strada Bianca Mocha - it's on the sweet side, and the after-taste isn't that good, but atleast it's warm! But honestly, if you want good coffee and that's all you're going for, don't go here. If you want a place to chat with decent coffee and favorable location near campus, this is the perfect place. I love their outdoor seating because they heat it - considerate move. Although I wish they'd make us feel more welcome sometimes - I was studying here with a friend just after dinner, so we didn't order anything (but we were going to, once we recovered from our meal!!). The employees kept on walking past us, organizing the chair in a loud fashion, and even started dusting. I get that it's annoying for them to see people using their space while not even buying their stuff, but it was 8PM, plenty of space, and guess what - this is right next to a college campus, so maybe it would be nice to just let college students go without bugging them about buying their stuff. In the end I ordered something even before I had completely digested my big meal, and my coffee was turning cold. Not a pleasant experience, but being able to study outside in the breeze at 9pm made up for it. read more

On my first trip to the Berkeley campus I came here to do some work. Not a bad place to come work. Lots of tables inside and outside. Their internet is on the slow side though (2.5 Mb/sec download and 3.1 Mb/sec upload, via Speedtest.net). However, this is most likely due to the large number of people using the free internet. read more

Great location right on campus, great selection of hot drinks and breakfast pastries. Nice mix of outdoor and indoor seating.

Big, spacious, easy parking, open late, has chocolate cake....and HOT WHITE CHOCOLATE!!

Also, I think their lemonade is a little sour. Refreshing though as long as you add sugar !!

The coffee here is okay - not too good but not too bad either. I like this cafe more for the atmosphere and convenience than for anything else. It's a nice place to hang out late at night because of the heaters outside. Finding a seat during the day is pretty hard though because it is so close to campus, but usually I'm lucky and can snag a seat outside. Overall it's a good place to meet friends, but a little hard to study because of the noise level and foot traffic. read more

As I sit inside Strada, daintily sipping at a matcha green iced tea paired alongside a cinnamon roll... I can't help but smile and love the convenient location of this place before I head off to class. It's a perfect rest stop with a good number of people always splayed across its front, enjoying the sun and loving the outside outlets for charging electronics even more. I've come here quite a bit, expecting to enjoy either a hot cappuccino for a quick caffeinated pick-me-up for bleary mornings, or a cool Italian soda or iced tea for those hot days I wasn't quite prepared for. in short, I always look forward to passing by this corner cafe, slowing down to consider if I should grab something before enjoying spots across campus, and many excellent conversations have happened under Strada's roof during my past four years in college (sorry, senior here about to graduate, if you couldn't already tell). I have always enjoyed their cappuccinos. I'm not a coffee aficionado so I can't tell you what it is that makes Strada a bit special, but I only understood there could be a difference when I tried Starbucks last week and nearly cried with disappointment. Strada's espresso doesn't seem to be particularly extraordinary, but it is solid. Also, their cafe au lait is simple and enjoyable, for days when I'm feeling a creamier and less caffeinated hot beverage. Whatever it is that Strada does, I encourage Strada to keep doing. Apparently Strada's apple pie is quite the star, and unfortunately I have yet to try it with an honest intention of appreciating it thoroughly. I have this tendency of forgetting what I ate when spending time with acquaintances, and I happened to try the apple pie when I was hanging out with a friend. This is really useless of me to even say, but I did eat a good bit of the pie, so it must have been good. After all, I have a rather refined palate (now that is intentional snobbery right there, bear with me). At the very least, I can say I do like Strada's cinnamon roll - more of a bun, really -, which is quite dense and more bread-y than your typical cinnamon roll. I can't have Cinnabon, but I can have this bun to satisfy the most persistent of cravings. And the best part? All of these things are payable by card - and that, my friends, is why Strada deserves its 5 stars by yours truly. The most irritating thing for any college student is paying an ATM fee for a blasted cup of coffee, or having to carry around cash when everywhere else is perfectly reasonable with accepting debit cards. So, kudos. read more

An awesome place to catch up with friends, study, or people watch. The heated and covered area is great in the winter if you can manage to get a seat. Consistent drinks at reasonable prices. Don't bother with the pastries. read more

this place is by no means good-- it is all (only) about location. People get addicted and then have to keep coming back because there is nothing NOTHING around the top south of the university which doesn't' cost an arm and a leg and lets you sit. I prefer the Ihouse cafe, at least they have food, indoor seating and they are somewhat nice. read more

two words: BIANCA MOCHA! after reading the reviews, i made it a point to check this place out when i went up north for a mini-vacation. it was well worth it! my brother and i got to the place right when they had just opened for the day so we practically owned the place. but as time passed, people came in various states of dress... there's your pillow head... there's your business type... then there's your professor type... all having one goal: to get their first cup of coffee for the day. how i wish they had one down here in L.A. read more

Coffee and pastries suck in the place. Wifi sometimes works. Chairs are uncomfortable. Eccentric characters are regulars. But what pulled me into this coffee shop almost everyday for six years was its charm. Reading arid journal articles was more bearable in this place. The best location to enjoy a sunny afternoon and to experience Berkeley at its best. read more

I love the atmosphere of this place. I can't remember what i had when I went (it was a while ago), but i remember thinking I'll def. be back

Not the best coffee but the outside seating can't be beat on a nice day. There are also heat lamps for the colder days. Annoying that they are cash only though! read more

Usually pretty crowded, not much seating inside. Most of the seating is out on the patio, so of which is under heat lamps. The coffee is fine, but nothing to write home again. I lived a block away freshman year, and I'd always pop by to satiate late night cravings for hot cider and hot chocolate. It's a campus institution, and it's nice that it's open late. read more

This place has recently become my favorite place to get coffee. I haven't had mochas for a long time because I can't find a place that makes good ones (Starbucks puts way too much chocolate). Peet's isn't too bad but nowhere near as good as this place. Their black coffee is pretty damn good too. Definitely full, and strong! Very convenient for students across from campus. read more

A living structure of what people would imagine a "Humanities Cafe" would look like. WIth big windows enough to let sunlight in and an open porch, with matching heater, it's the perfect place to enjoy a bright sunny day with a friend or a book:) read more

i just graduated from uc berkeley and moved back home. i really miss strada. it's where i would go (and FSM) to get my coffee and pastry fix. bianca mocha and an apple cloud. enough said. read more

Best place to go for a quick cup of strong Americano

I came here just for the bianco mocha, or whatever it is. I loved sitting outside from the UC Berk campus, and working on school work, and watching the street life wonder past. Its a great location, and good barista. Check it! read more

GREAT spot for coffee or just sitting around. It's just such a gorgeous spot. The coffee has gone downhill though and I don't like that they don't use their own paper cups anymore. Still love the place though. read more

After hearing all the hype about Caffe Strada, we decided to check it out. I ordered the chai tea latte which had NO taste and was a waste of $3. We had also ordered the Stada Bianca (White Hot Chocolate), which was okay, but I have tasted much better. Overall, not worth your money when there are tons of other coffee shops around. The outside seating area is nice, but get your coffee elsewhere. read more

i used to come over to this place few times a week on a religious basis......that was 14-years ago....., it changed.....not on looks, that's same...... but coffee ain't same no more, i used to get Cafe Mocha....and it was the best!!!!!! ......not now, tastes crappy......and more pricier...... only thing i like here is nice area to sit outside, free wifi and availability of AC power for laptop, everywhere.... ....I'll still come back here, really like the atmosphere and area!!!!! read more

It's convenient to my work, so I go there for an "Indiano" or Mocha when I need a caffeine fix. The "Indiano" is their term for a Chai Tea Latte. I don't particularly recommend Strada for this, but their Mochas are ok. I had a pretty good chocolate brioche there too, but nothing beats the ones at Muffins, Muffins, and More in Alameda. I just got back from living on the Italian border, so I guess I have to admit that I am a bit snotty about the coffee in America. This place does the job and everyone's right--it's fun to people watch and is in a great location to meet up with friends. read more

Everything a collegiate cafe should be. Stopped by here for the first time in quite a while, and was pleased to see that the staff hadn't changed, and that the prices weren't much different, either. read more

I love meeting my friends here for hot chocolate (you can taste a hint of mexican cocoa - yum!!). Keep in mind, they don't accept anything, but cash. It gets cold to sit on the benches outside, but if you sit close to the heat warmers, it will be alright. Inside can get crowded during the winters and pretty loud so not a good place to study if you're a student. I love reminiscing of the summer days spent at this cafe as a student. I will be back for some more soon. :) read more

i love strada. almost to the point that i think it's the eastbay's best spot for coffee. my sf dudes ride for blue bottle, but i keep one lit for strada. i pretty much only drink their americanos, i can't really mess with super sugary espresso drinks anymore. but im kinda suprised that people say their coffee is just "aight". peets is good but tends to be too strong. starbucks is pretty much hot garbage water. tully's is ok. royal grounds and berkeley espresso are decent. but i think the only place that is similar to strada in americano form is that spot on ashby and college... espresso roma i think it's called. strada keeps it movin to the k.i.m. read more