Café Borrone - Menlo Park, CA
Located on the corner of and El Camino and Santa Cruz Ave, Café Borrone celebrates good architecture. There is a nice balance between the indoor and outdoor space. The two spaces are connected by walls of glass, which allow the eyes to wander into the other. On warmer days, when the walls are open, tables literally spill into the patio. The outdoor space is protected from the street by three key elements: two large stone arches, a fountain and approximately 40 feet of walkway. Because the tables are spaced irregularly and close together, you are forced to engage strangers either with a polite smile or “Excuse me” as you navigate to your place. You feel connected to those around you. Perhaps my favorite quality is the lack of wireless. People come here to write, read or enjoy company. Café Borrone enjoys many of the elements of an old world café.
Coupa Café – Palo Alto, CA
Coupa is my favorite all-around café in Palo Alto and second favorite overall (next to Borrone’s). Located on Ramona in the heart of downtown Palo Alto, Coupa enjoys a steady crowd of students, residents and business types. Coupa has a great front patio and backroom with skylights and fireplace. The coffee is good, second best to Café del Doge. Although the wireless network is free, it makes finding tables difficult and dulls the hum of the café during afternoon hours. I’ve fallen into more great conversations in Coupa than any other café in the world. Conversation topics included Paris fashion, sustainable development, tango dancing, graceful aging, and advanced neurobiology. There is a high degree of synchronicity in Coupa. For example, I am the debate coach at Palo Alto High School because I met the director of the program at Coupa back in March. The coaches and I meet at Coupa regularly to discuss team strategy.
Café del Doge – Palo Alto, CA
Although Café del Doge serves the best coffee, I don’t enjoy the indoor space. Something about the lighting and narrowness of the space bother me, however the four outdoor tables are nice. (You may have noticed a pattern: I love sitting outside and watching people, so my favorite cafés all include an outdoor space). What I enjoy most about the café are the regulars. Especially on weekends (around 9:30 AM), families relax with their children, mountain bikers gather before a ride, and friends join to talk. I must admit that this café is particularly fun for eavesdropping, as conversations range from business to politics to all sorts of opinion-charged subjects.
Other Good Coffee Houses
Canyon Coffee Roastery in Redwood City and the San Carlos Starbuck’s across from Washington Mutual (I like the old couches, baristas and regular customers; it has a sense of community) .
