Plumbing

Cafenated prepares to open in an iconic Berkeley area

Cafenated
2960 College Ave. (on Ashby Avenue), Berkeley
Estimated opening date: Saturday, June 6th
8am-8pm

After decades at a high-profile location on the corner of College Avenue and Ashby Avenue, dark was falling at Elmwood’s faithful Espresso Roma 2021. Opened in the early 1980s, its prime location and loyal clientele weren’t enough to offset the venue’s $18,000. a month’s rent, its owner said, and when it found someone to take the lease, it was closed for good. After years of renovation, the premises at 960 College Ave. just days away from welcoming customers again as the second location for the Berkeley-based Cafenated Coffee Company.

Mak and Parisa Jamasbi founded Cafenated four years ago as the North Berkeley Café. A Harvard-educated entrepreneur and technical consultant, Mak was an at-home coffee enthusiast for more than 15 years, experimenting with brewing and creating his own green bean blends. He decided to turn this hobby into a career after visiting a coffee bean farm during an eye-opening work trip to Guatemala.

Noticing that women were running and running the majority of these farms, with middlemen taking a large portion of their proceeds, he wanted to find a way to bring more income to these women farmers. As the couple tried to find a way to help these farmers get their fair share, the couple began selling their coffee online.

“First, we only roast here in Berkeley and Oakland and use coffee beans from various women-run co-operatives,” Mak said. “Then we found some farms in Central America, South America, and Africa that were dedicated to women and taking their beans to Oakland to roast them.”

The online popularity of their single-origin coffee prompted the couple to open their first brick and mortar store on Vine Street in the former Mission Heirloom coffee shop (which they renovated to have a spacious and plant-filled patio) in 2019. This location was doing well enough, even in the face of the economic problems caused by the pandemic, that the Jamasbis decided to expand into a second location, the former Roma space.

Cafenated has traded in the gold and red facade of Espresso Roma for a more neutral color palette. Courtesy: Cafenated

But this time, a simple paint job and rebranding wouldn’t do the trick. “It was an ordeal to get the place back on track,” Mak told Vice of the vintage Miami location. We had to do extensive remodeling and renovation work, removing all plumbing and wiring.

Significant water damage and mold growth beneath the building meant the two would need outside help. To aid in the effort, the couple hired architecture firm Holder Parlette, the practice that created spaces for Serena & Lily stores in West Hollywood and San Francisco, and the cool but stunning Ryan Residence, a sprawling, by Eichler inspired farmhouse in Napa Valley.

Featuring designs by the Marin County-based firm, the new cafenated space features a beige and dark gray facade replacing the old yellow and crimson facade. Inside, you’ll find plenty of seating, with an emphasis on areas where guests can congregate.

“In addition to coffee quality, with this store we want to focus on customer experience, we want to create a kind of community space where people can relax and enjoy the full range of what we offer,” said Mak.

To achieve this, the architects opened up the space and brought in more natural light to create a more blurred distinction between inside and outside. New plants shape the entrance. And a darkened ceiling with hanging pendant lights helps keep things cozy without an oversized warehouse vibe.

In addition to a thorough overhaul (which includes the removal of the facade’s clock face, among other things) to bring the structure and atmosphere up to date, the space has also been transformed into a modern café, which will be open from morning to night. A new dinner menu (scroll down to view full) features dishes like a burger, fried chicken sandwich, and loaded mac-and-cheese with coffee-rubbed hangar steak.

“Essentially, this is a brand new room,” Mak said.

Though Vine Street Cafenated is known for its pop-ups and collaborations, Mak said this location will focus on its own menu, prepared by a team of full-time chefs. Imagine a casual grab-and-go cafe meets a date night spot and a late afternoon happy hour destination (with chicken nuggets and platters of cheese and fruit). There was on tap and also a selection of wines. But fret not, regular coffee shop patrons who need a relaxed atmosphere for reading and writing: “There will also be regular WiFi access, so you can bring your laptop and study in the afternoon or morning,” Mak said.

For those seeking knowledge alongside the caffeine jolt, Cafenated will also be offering coffee tasting classes and latte art classes once they’re up and running.

When it opens, Cafenated will be serving guests from 8am to 8pm, with plans to open at 7am once it gets its sea legs. As for a hard opening date? That will happen “very soon,” they say. After all, this is Berkeley, where the permit and inspection script rules everything. “Once final inspection is complete this week, I hope to open it this weekend,” Mak said. “If not this weekend, then next week.”

Cafenated new evening menu

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