October 19, 2015

Berkeley: Mission Heirloom Cafe (CLOSED); restaurant review

CLOSED  2085 Vine St./Shattuck Ave., Gourmet Ghetto, (510) 859-4501.  Tu-F 8am-7pm, Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 9am-2pm; $$.

counter at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California
counter at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California


As usual, Berkeley is in the forefront of food trends.  Have you heard about the Paleo Diet--no processed or refined oils, sugar, gluten, grains, legumes; no cooking with plastic or aluminum, which introduce toxins; and no ingredients that sound like chemicals?  And if you have food allergies, you can eat here--at the Mission Heirloom Cafe, the Bay Area’s first paleo eatery--worry free.  Everything is organic, dairy and grain/gluten free, non-GMO, and prepared from scratch in house.  Sit either inside in the cool contemporary area in front, or in the big sheltered outdoor area in back that is furnished with a mix-match furniture collection and alive with blooming flowers and butterflies.

On the short and sweet seasonal menu items are sweetened only with raw coconut sugar or raw local honey—no sugar.  For breakfast look for an egg and scone or maybe a shiso-epazote waffle with fried chicken, for lunch maybe a beef burger salad, and for an afternoon snack perhaps a paleo gelato.  Raw milk as well as vanilla and chai almond milk made from scratch and available for coffees.

I came here specifically to try the trendy bulletproof coffee (some people refer to it as Sherpa coffee), which has Straus unsalted butter added to it and isn’t cheap ($6.50).  Made with a special mix of beans and frothed up in a blender, it is said to gently boost your metabolism and give you consistent energy all day without any crashes.  I enjoyed it, but I did become jittery a few hours later.  Whatever you do, don’t drink it after noon or you might be up all night!  No decaf coffee is available, though you can get a shot of matcha green tea or velvet cocao tea.

In addition to many house-packaged foods, they sell camel milk to go!  Why?  Because it is reputedly tasty, of similar consistency as breast milk, and easy to digest.  As at Chez Panisse, dishes are from Heath ceramics.  Related classes and events are sometimes scheduled. 


 
back patio at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California
back patio at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California


menu at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California
menu at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California


bulletproof coffee at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California
bulletproof coffee at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California


zebra coconut macaroons at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California
zebra coconut macaroons at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California


bottled camel milk at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California
bottled camel milk at Mission Heirloom Cafe in Berkeley, California


More things to do in Berkeley.

Way more things to do in Berkeley.  

More ideas for exploring Northern California.

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers  

4 comments:

  1. What a cool place, I'll have to visit here the next time I'm in Berkeley which is often.

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  2. Have to research more on that paleo diet. But I would never try that sherpa coffee! Sounds really cool!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Never heard of bulletproof coffee before. I keep on the lookout-but camel milk. Hmmm.....I don't think I'll be searching for that beverage.

    ReplyDelete

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