I found myself in Berkeley upon accomplishing my quest for a skyline landscape. Task completed, I started my hunt for breakfast. Like I planned my photography, I also had a list of some coffee places that would be open early in the morning and also sounded good enough to try out.
While I don't have a picture of this, I have to give CoRo Coffee Room a huge shoutout. They pulled an exquisite shot of espresso and provided a small glass of cold water to wash it down. The price was more than fair, the service was quiet and professional, and the coffee was excellent.
With the first place checked off my list, I headed towards the second name -- Bartavelle Cafe. As I drove up to the small shopping plaza the cafe was nestled in, I noticed that there was a massive line of people (all standing 6 feet apart) that stretched out of the parking lot, around two corners, and along an entire block of houses. I figured that I had just blundered into a hyper-popular coffee spot and as I had not much else to do, I parked near the end of the line and joined it.
I waited in the chilly air for more than half an hour. I snapped photos of some flowers that grew along the sidewalk, and listened to an audiobook. When I finally rounded the last corner and stepped into the parking lot, I realized two things. First, the cafe I wanted to visit was closed. Secondly, the line we were all standing in was feeding directly into the Acme Bread Co., a Bay Area staple for wholesale bread. Having already sunk my time and body heat into waiting (and because freshly baked pastries and bread is perhaps even better than coffee), I stood in line for a few more minutes till I was permitted to enter a small, cozy room attached to the back of a giant industrial bakery. The room was filled with a soft warm light and absolutely packed with all manner of pastries, breads, and confections.