In under a month, newcomer Local Cafe is already charming Piedmont Avenue neighbors and luring Oaklanders for a morning coffee or a quick bite to eat. Owners Megan Burke and David Crombie joined up with Colin Etezadi, formerly of Boot and Shoe Service, Pizzaiolo and Camino, to craft a menu that is seasonal, well-crafted, and relies on many local ingredients and products.
For breakfast, they serve drip coffee and espresso beverages from Graffeo along with fresh-squeezed juices, housemade granola, breakfast sandwiches, toast and INNA Jam, and pastries from Starter Bakery. I have yet to get over there in the morning, but I've heard rumors that the espresso drinks alone are worth the jaunt. I can attest that this is certainly the case with the salads and sandwiches.
Interior of Local Cafe
When you walk in for lunch, you're met with warm, modern decor (think Adesso with a cooler color palate), oversized lighting fixtures, chalkboard menus and a lovely community table. Walking up to the register, you'll see a cold case full of fun bottled beverages including lemonades, root beers, small bottles of Dr. Pepper and juices and teas. We were seated and given paper menus although I noticed a few couples ordering right at the counter, so it looks like it could go either way depending on how busy it is at the time.
