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The Annex

3.7 (200 reviews)
Open 7:30 am - 8:30 pm

The Annex Photos

Business Info

THE ANNEX ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Casual
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - The Annex

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Reviews With Photos

Beet combo customized with ginger added ($2)
Tiffany D.

Healthiness, selections of savory entrees for a meal and fresh juicing shop at its finest for the win here! Grocery next door and readily cooked up food connected! Entering, it makes me go for being green and healthy! Stay local and fresh!

Medium sized strawberry and banana smoothie
Mito I.

Quick Summary: - Parking is found behind the two El Cerrito Natural Grocery Store buildings, the path is between the two stores - Grocery store is on the left; cafeteria styled place is on the right - Smoothie is good and at an affordable price - Food theme is American style such as salads and casseroles - Plenty of seats to sit down and eat We came here after a long walk under the sun. It was a warm day, so we decided to come here and order something to drink. There was a fridge near the end of the cafeteria, but most of them were kombucha, which I wasn't craving for at the time. For this time, I ordered my first smoothie here. I ordered a medium sized banana strawberry. It arrived in less than 10 minutes while we were walking around, observing the dishes they served. Despite the hot weather, the dishes consisted of warm comfort dishes like casseroles and cooked vegetables. I might try it on another day. We tried the smoothie and it was very good! The drink was thick but the flavors popped with fruit. The strawberry flavor stood out the brightest, and I tasted more lemon. I didn't taste so much of the banana, but it helped sweeten and mellowed up the drink.

Wine and beer section - 5 stars for selection and knowledge, just awesome.
Ana V.

Important: 5 stars for wine and beer section. Very good local and international selection. The passion is there! Food annex: Selection is very good with a vegetarian hot food section and a separate one for meat dishes. I like the coffee, salad bar, and prepared dishes such as pizza very much. 4 stars overall, but could become 5 stars in the future... I'm very sensitive to dirty plates and tables and lately (the last six months) I have sometimes had to clean a table before I've been able to sit down and I've watched other tables remain unclean. I know it is the fault of the patrons, but please keep tables consistently clean and I'll be 5 stars all around!

Thai vegetable curry & chana tiki masala

They have vegan options! I recommend the "thai vegetable curry & chana tiki masala" there very good in my opinion!

Montage of images from El Cerrito Natural Grocery - Prepared Food Annex

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1 year ago

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Nat C.

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9 months ago

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Nat C.

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4 months ago

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8 months ago

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9 months ago

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Nat C.

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1 year ago

Good vegetarian options in a cheerful atmosphere. Healthy options abounded too. Prices were reasonable.

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Nat C.

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11 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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7 months ago

Great staff. Wonderful drinks and food. PLEASE GIVE THEM A TIP JAR. they work way too hard to not be able to accept gratuity

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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8 years ago

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2 years ago

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5 years ago

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7 years ago

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12 years ago

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8 years ago

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6 years ago

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Nat C.

Thanks for your review Jean! We really appreciate your business!

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

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11 years ago

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12 years ago

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Ask the Community - The Annex

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Peet's Coffee

Peet's Coffee

3.5(177 reviews)
0.7 mi
$$

If I could give 6 stars, I would…read more I'd like to congratulate the visionaries at JAB Holding Company on a masterclass in operational optimization. You've taken a beloved neighborhood spot and, after last month's redesign, transformed it into a model of extraction efficiency that any private equity firm would study as a case example. Every design choice, from the streamlined seating to the app-optimized workflow, demonstrates a laser focus on maximizing throughput and eliminating inefficient customer dwell time. It's German engineering applied to the coffeehouse experience. My son and I were here this morning and got to witness peak operational excellence firsthand: more than 20 minutes observing how seamlessly the redesigned space deprioritizes low-value, high-friction in-person transactions in favor of scalable digital fulfillment. I was gobsmacked by your commitment to eliminating legacy experience paradigms like "neighborhood gathering place" and "third space" in favor of a pure revenue-per-square-foot model. Why waste valuable real estate on people who might linger when you could transform it into a high-velocity order fulfillment node? The pivot away from that outdated "community coffeehouse" concept shows remarkable strategic clarity. Those old design elements (the cozy seating, the welcoming atmosphere, the sense that you belonged there) represented significant capital inefficiency. You've correctly identified that sentimental attachment to "human connection" and 'happiness' was preventing optimal asset utilization. By redesigning the space to actively discourage physical presence while maximizing app-based transactions, you've unlocked tremendous value that was previously trapped in obsolete notions of "local gathering spot." This is what true innovation looks like: a lean team of workers executing at maximum velocity in service of algorithmic demand signals, while walk-in customers experience the acceptable inconvenience of learning they're no longer the target demographic. The future isn't about creating spaces where people want to be. It's about creating spaces that extract maximum value from every interaction, regardless of how that interaction feels. Kudos to the team at https://www.jabholco.com/ for demonstrating what happens when you stop being sentimental about "community" and start optimizing for what really matters: shareholder returns. My son asked why we had to stand there so long, and I told him he was watching capitalism at its zenith. My only regret is that I can never come back due to an inconvenient personal customer preference for not being treated like a worthless little meat puppet. But there is a large and growing customer segment of people who enjoy feeling degraded before they've fully woken up, and they will make my patronage irrelevant I'm sure. Bravo!

Loved the iced coffee, made my day. Staff were really nice and I had a chance to chill before…read morestarting my day.

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Peet's Coffee
Peet's Coffee
Peet's Coffee

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The Annex - coffee - Updated May 2026

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