Larger Than Life – Oakland, CA Hot Spots
Best Cuppa Joe in Town (Permanently Closed)
*** UPDATE: CAFE DI BARTOLO CLOSED ITS DOORS AROUND 12/24/2010 HERE IS A PIC FROM THEIR GOODBYE PARTY. COFFEE WILL BE SORELY MISSED BY oaktownman ***
Scene from the farewell party at Cafe Di Bartolo, featuring Mal Sharpe's Big Money in Jazz
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Best cuppa joe in town… Oaktown that is.
Just half a block up Grand Ave from the Grand Lake Theater, Cafe Di Bartolo makes exquisite coffee. Forget all your Blue Bottle and Ritual delusions. Third Wave Coffee is a pretentious ODC hypochondriacal gimmick, not to mention overly-expensive.
Cafe Di Bartolo brews coffee with the perfect viscosity, flavor, and umph that is sure to enhance your pleasure centers.
Cafe Di Bartolo
3310 Grand Ave. Oakland
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Tao Yuen Pastry — Chinatown's Most Popular Bakery
about 2 years ago
If you want to know more about 3rd Wave coffee, which has been infiltrating Oaktown from S.F., check out this entertaining documentary by Killing My Lobster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMqutKBS5iE
about 2 years ago
Sad to see it go, good location and ambiance – decent coffee… better coffee elsewhere in Oakland, tho, such as Cafe 504, Farley’s East, Remedy, Actual Cafe, Modern Coffee, etc. With all this amazing third wave coffee and expert barista service available, it is hard to accept ok, even with good location and ambiance… but maybe we are spoiled in Oakland with such coffee talent and quality available.
about 2 years ago
Thanks for your comment Paula. Coffee preference is something that is very personal. It’s interesting how the slow food movement is overtaking coffee now. Though if you look at the European inspiration for this concept of ‘slow food’, you see coffee being prepared, served, and consumed very fast, as is the case in Italian espresso culture. For a fast cup of delicious drip coffee, Di Bartolo was oaktownman’s hands down favorite.
about 2 years ago
Ah, maybe that’s the thing, I don’t typically do drip coffee, I do lattes and cappuccinos, unless they do their drip Blue Bottle, Remedy or Ritual style, with single drip… Espresso is more finicky. I don’t think third wave means it has to be done slow, it is more about quality of ingredients, and getting the best flavor out of the beans the best you can.
about 2 years ago
Of course, Cafe Di Bartolo is closing to make room for the expansion of Boot & Shoe Service. It’s not all bad.
about 2 years ago
If Boot & Shoe Service opened up part of their restaurant to serve coffee and pastries during the morning and midday, that would only be too perfect.
about 2 years ago
That sounds like an excellent idea! They definitely need a kiosk/espresso bar.
about 2 years ago
@Oaktown Life: Wish granted: “They will be expanding into the space occupied by Di Bartolo Cafe which will allow them to enlarge the bar and provide outdoor seating in the patio. In addition, they will begin serving coffee and pastries and will be opening for lunch. Co-owner Richard Weinstein is hoping to complete the transition within two to three months.” (From @Ken Katz’s most-recent Splashpad newsletter: http://www.splashpad.org/mostrecent.html )