Bartavelle Cafe (86 Toast!)

"A Berkeley cafe that closed due to financial struggles exacerbated by the pandemic, building issues, and rising costs." - Dianne de Guzman

"Bartavelle Cafe in Berkeley, along with its companion wine alter ego Bar Sardine, announced in an Instagram post that it will close on September 15. The closure is due to financial difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic, high buildout costs from relocating, and a significant drop in sales. The owners launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover final payroll and unpaid vendor bills." - Brenna Houck

"The coffee and wine bar in Berkeley has a black-and-white canvas tote bag with their logo on it, along with pantry items like hot sauce, tinned fish, and za’atar - all of which would also make excellent gifts." - julia chen 1

"Since 2012, this Berkeley cafe has served some of the city’s best daytime dishes: bountiful avocado toast, deeply comforting savory porridge, tomato toast in the summer, and jammy eggs topped with good olive oil and Marash pepper. Now, the cafe has opened its new space a few doors down from its previous annex window, and the short-lived nighttime wine pop-up Bar Sardine has relaunched, as well. Try the lovely little baguette sandwiches, as well as excellent desserts from pastry chef Nellie Stark, or drop by for a glass of wine and snacks in the evening." - Dianne de Guzman, Luke Tsai

"Enter Bartavelle and you’ll want to lock your phone in a box. You know, to focus your attention on the housemade pastries, seasonal toasts, and salads—and succumb to the cafe’s no-rush energy (the former quick grab takeout window is now a permanent, larger, and more tranquil space down the block). Golden-brown coconut macaroons and buttery sweet and savory scones are royalty, but the showstopper is the Persian breakfast, hands down. It's a nicely balanced plate of pickles, lebneh, and a pile of fresh herbs, plus a side of pizza bianca. This place transforms into a sexy wine bar at night, so don’t be surprised when you find yourself here twice in one day. " - Julia Chen 1, Lani Conway