Cafe Milano

Convenience and location to the UC Berkeley campus is prime, but everything else is… eh.
The food is just ok, the coffee is just ok, the access to outlets is just ok, the Wi-​Fi is either just ok or unreliable, and the cleanliness of the bathroom is usually between terrible and just ok.
Good place to study for a bit if you’re lucky enough to get a good spot, or to briefly chat with someone close to campus, but… eh

Love their sandwiches and pasta! Good place to stop for a cup of coffee in the morning. Baked goods aren’t amazing, but they’re a good deal for the price. As far as studying goes, there’s a lot of background noise but in my experience it’s easy to tune out.

This is my go to coffee stop when I don’t bring coffee from home!

Café Milano is a very cute and busy café nestled right across UC Berkeley. Due to its close proximity to campus, you will find yourself surrounded by a cultured group of individuals. They offer a variety of fresh* pastries and espresso beverages. They also serve a range of sandwiches and salads. For $ 10 you can get yourself a large bowl of fresh greens and chicken. The ingredients in the Greek Salad I had were very fresh, and I had enough leftover to enjoy for dinner. The chicken was grilled to perfection!
I would only wish that there would be more outlets accessible to most seats. There are few located around the plants which divide this large eating space.
The staff is also friendly and attentive.

Not a fan at all. This place is close to campus, so it’s pretty full most of the time and it is hard to find a spot even though they have two levels. The service at the counter is not good at all. On my first visit, I was a little confused about their menu, and while I was waiting to ask a question to the cashier, they ignored me and started taking orders from the next person in line. I ended up ordering a Mocha Bianca, which is a white mocha. The cup it came in was cool and it seemed well made, but it was actually not hot at all and hand a funky taste. I was super disappointed with the quality because of the café’s apparent popularity. I don’t know how much other people like this place, but they definitely stick around for the wifi. Almost every table was occupied with a laptop, so it would be difficult to even share a table due to the lack of space.
The crowds, the lack luster coffee, and poor service just made this experience unenjoyable. I normally love cafes like this, and I am happy for them that they have so many customers, but I think I may just stick to the local Starbucks.

I came here for lunch with a friend on a weekend and it was great! We each ordered salads — I got the Italian and she got the Greek. It was HUGE — definitely enough for a big appetite or to take some home. The vegetables were fresh, and it came with this delicious, again huge, piece of focaccia. We also each got lattes, and it was pretty standard, not much worth mentioning.
We sat upstairs, which was a little less crowded than downstairs. It made it easier to have quiet conversation over coffee. Overall, a pleasant experience at a nice café. Will definitely come back, maybe when there aren’t as many students.

It’s your average run of of the mill café. The good thing about it is that they have a huge space for students to study. The food is decent and so is the coffee but if you’re looking for a place to sit down in between classes to study for a bit, it is not a bad place. The quality of the food is nothing special but it is it’s location right by campus that makes it appealing for students.

Flies all around the café and bathroom. Wifi didn’t work. Asked staff to reset, but it still wasn’t working. There are better cafes in the area to get work done.

I like how massive this café is, with many tables on 2 levels. I’m coming from Brooklyn, where a space this size would be a Duane Reade or ½ of a Trader Joes. The coffee is cheap, the guy who works here is nice and the wifi isn’t that great but theres an xfinity hotspot so try that. It’s also nice that the music isn’t too loud or annoying, so I can actually get things done.

Drinks: One of the best bianca (for sweet tooths, if you want a less sweet but equally amazing one try Brewed Awakening on Northside) in Berkeley. I also used to be a fan of their iced chai lattes, but they changed the way they make them and I don’t really like them anymore. :(
Pastries: The muffins are hit or miss. I think the chocolate is the best quality (better than blueberry and poppyseed) which is unfortunate since I don’t care much for chocolate muffins. Their chocolate croissant is okay… It has a lot of chocolate and can get really messy. I prefer the sweet cheese croissant which is simply divine (ask them to heat it up for you!).
Food: I love their focaccia bread. It’s some of the best focaccia I’ve ever had. The avocado sandwich is really creamy (creamy mozzarella + avocado) and comes with a side salad. My favorite thing to eat here has got to be their salads though. They are HUGE, come with a variety of fresh veggies, and a slice of the beloved focaccia bread. The Italian is my favorite.
Atmosphere: Unfortunately the wifi is as flaky as the croissants here. Also, outlets are limited, and only some tables have feasible access to them. On the upside, I love their music! They play a lot of Ludovico Einaudi — perfect study music.

Ordered some food. The guy at the register prepared it with his bare hands after handling equipment and money (and without washing his hands first). And he gave me the wrong type of bagel, too.
I asked him to start over, and with clean hands. He looked a little embarrassed, but I doubt he changed his unsanitary practices.
The Health Dept. should take a look at this place for hygiene issues. If they are doing this kind of stuff in front of customers, I can only imagine what happens behind closed doors.

While the coffee here is fairly ordinary, the proximity to campus, and buzz from busy students conversing over papers, mid-​terms, and life’s most recent developments, makes this a must-​go for folks who like being in busy cafes.
The salads here are huge and tasty, and the sandwiches are delicious as well. The staff is incredibly friendly and fast.
As a seasoned vet of this establishment, a few tips: the power strips are closest to the tree islands on the bottom floor, and there are spots for outlets on the top floor (close to the stairs and on the overhang, overlooking the front door).
If you want even the closest chance at getting into the bathroom while this place is busy, you’ll need to spy the line while you’re still at your table.
Internet used to be spotty, but they’ve since rectified that issue. This place gets crazy during dead and finals week, so be sure to plan accordingly!

Pros: location. pretty good food. kind of pretty atmosphere. meh coffee, but coffee nonetheless. meh wifi, but wifi nonetheless. good hours. location, location, location.
Cons: meh wifi. Very limited outlets. Meh coffee. Crowded. A bit dirty.
Despite this, milano is probably one of my most visited places in berkeley. Nice place to drop in to spend your gaps, catch up with friends, do some homework, grab some coffee. Such a prime location.
I would say Milano is better than Strada because 1) it’s not so far, 2) it’s inside, so weather is not an issue, and 3) it actually has actual food, like sandwiches and salads, whereas Strada only has pastries and cookies. I would also recommend this place over FSM because FSM never has any seats, EVER. If you need wifi though, scoping out FSM and fighting for a table may be preferred to attempting the internet with the spotty wifi at Milano.

I enjoy coming here in the mornings when you can actually find seats. Come afternoon time, Berkeley students are here studying. They have wide windows and you can see people walking to and fro. It’s just a really open area where your ideas and thoughts can roam free~
The workers are friendly. I like getting their lattes and chocolate croissants. However, I’ve noticed that they use pre-​made foam which I understand isn’t all that different but the idea that it may have been sitting there for a while sort of turns me off. Few outlets.
Overall, decent food/​drinks for a decent price. Mainly come here for the convenience and proximity to campus. I’d say it’s more cheerful than Strada.

I come to this café all the time when I’m tired of studying at the SLC or the library. It’s right next to campus and it’s two stories of study space! I really love the décor as the brick walls and light-​strung trees give off a very quaint atmosphere that is super nice for studying or just for sitting down with a book.
On my latest visit, I ordered a turkey sandwich and an iced coffee. The sandwich was satisfying and the portion size was more than enough. The iced coffee was decent but nothing to write home about. I would recommend the mocha bianca or the frosted latte instead. All in all though, I was pretty satisfied with my meal!
The only con I would give this place is that the Wifi isn’t that good. On some occasions, the Wifi would disconnect or my connection would be very slow which is really frustrating when I’m trying to study on my computer… Other than that, this place is a solid 4 stars and I definitely recommend coming here if you need a place to grab lunch and do some work that’s possibly not online.

Dearest Café Milano,
I love you.
You and I were introduced to one another by one of my high school teachers that liked to take his students to public lectures in Berkeley on the weekends. As a class, we would meet at your tables near the windows. I remember knowing, when I stepped foot through your doors the first time, that you would always be my bae.
Our relationship started slow, though. We were separated for weeks and even months at a time. I would only see you when I took my ever-​infrequent trips to Berkeley or during the summer when I participated in those summer programs on campus.
As I approached the end of my senior year in high school I panicked. Whatever university I went to, unless I were to somehow be accepted into UC Berkeley («Yeah, right…»), we would probably never see each other again. Never would I enjoy your ethereal nectar; never would I experience your mochas with shots of raspberry or your Mexican hot chocolates. I would be too far away from you. I would probably forget about you.
But, by the grace of the universe, we were able to be together. Now I visit you at least once a week (okay, more like three times a week) and I indulge in your delicious cappuccinos and your amazing BLTAs. Oh god, your BLTAs… It’s true that the way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach. I thought I was in love before, but oh no, no, no. I didn’t know what love was until the little piece of heaven that is your BLTA graced my taste buds.
It’s now been almost four years since I first laid my eyes upon you in my junior year of high school, and I can confidently say that with your friendly staff and your beautiful architecture, you are still, without a doubt, the hottest café in Berkeley.
Yours ’til Niagara falls,
Marisa

Café Milano is a café I’ve visited on the regular since my freshman days. The café itself is beautiful, built by the architect David Baker who’s actually come by the university a couple times to discuss his work, and the café is adorned by some rad artwork/​photographs reminiscent of the 60’s.
The place is two stories and full of tables to study, meet, or eat. The espresso drinks are delicious (go-​to is an iced latte) and their house coffee is pretty good! If you’re looking for some artisanal coffee, though, this isn’t the place (try Babette a few blocks over.) The employees are also really fast and really friendly!
The hours of this café extend pretty late, and sometimes I stay until closing, when they never fail to thank you for coming on the way out. The only things I think this café could improve on is their food menu (could be more interesting) and their occasional shaky wifi.

Cor! A café in Berkeley sharing the same name as of one of my favourite Italian cities in the whole wide world?! Definitely gotta check it out! I have gone in a few times to check the place out, still have yet to chow down there. There is an upstairs level along with the downstairs level. At times it is quiet, at other times it is quite noisy with Cal Students holding court with study groups or gatherings amongst themselves. (Mostly downstairs.) It appears to be hit or miss as to when the best times are to go in to Café Milano without le riffraff to chill out and study.
Le Professeur announced this is place he would be holding his office hours at instead of Free Speech Movement Café to the class. It would be quite a challenge for him to hold court there because it is quite crowded not to mention to find a table, and to which I replied, «Thank You!» (see my review of Free Speech Movement Café). His reasons being there is more room and he would be able to find a seat and table more accessible to the entrance so his students can easily find him. Of if need be, he can be found upstairs where it is guaranteed to be less noisy.
I had my appointment with Le Professeur at Café Milano to discuss ideas and to get some guidance on a paper assignment he gave us this past week. I got there early before my appointment and ordered a Mocha Bianco which was served quite nicely in a glass stein. I heard my order given to the barista in Spanish. So I spoke some Spanish, which surprised the cashier; he seemed taken aback that I knew Spanish. (I think he suspected I heard about a customer’s unpleasant experience with this establishment.)
Le Professeur eventually arrived and ordered a sandwich and a salad which he munched on during our appointment. It looked like Rueben sandwich, looked quite fetching. (Note to self: try some of the food offerings.) Le Professeur and I chin-​wagged about my topic related to and more about Cinéma Français and La Nouvelle Vague (the French New Wave) that were quite influential to Hollywood and global filmmaking, especially the films of Jean-​Luc Godard.
As of this writing, it appears that coming to Café Milano is best when Cal is not in session during the summer months. That may change when Session B commences next week. During Session A, it is not so bad. I will be back for a lunch at Café Milano. Ciao, á bientôt!

Great music here! A mix of classical and alternative; I don’t even need to plug in pandora while studying. I prefer to sit upstairs with all the Christmas lights.
It’s one of the few places open late weekdays around campus, so I can also get my needed night study fix, especially during finals week.
I’ve tried the mocha Bianca which was okay, it gets the job done but nothing special. The food smells great so I’ll def get noms here in the future.

The unassuming and easily overlooked exterior has housed many generations of students studying and will probably continue to do so for a long time. I might have missed this place entirely my freshman year had someone not explicitly told me that there was a café there and we were to meet inside.
Dim lighting, slow internet, and slightly sticky tables considered, Milano has a pretty Berkeley-​esque vibe (though not nearly as much as Café Mediterraneum) with the advantage of being right across from Sproul and bordering several chain restaurants. Seating is a bit cramped, especially during the afternoon and evening, even with their upper level seating. The only outlets are in the planters or laid out haphazardly on the floor on the upper floor. So if you’re planning on eating in house, I’d suggest securing a seat first and setting your stuff down before getting your food and trying not to drop the heavy plates while maneuvering between the tables. And note that your Instagram pictures will need filters.
Four stars mainly for the location, delicious sandwiches (how can you resist that foccacia?), and good conversations I’ve had here; the coffee does leave something to be desired and isn’t nearly as strong as some other spots around Berkeley. Also, they accept card, unlike Strada. Their playlist usually consists of Latino music and instrumentals of popular soundtracks.
Their bathroom got an upgrade within the last year, so the door lock actually looks like it works now and the facility smells a little less. At least for now.