Mission Heirloom Cafe

Every now and then, I a chef and nutritionist am in need some really tasty and HIGH QUALITY nourishment, ON THE GO.
If there’s one place I know I can go to to get some alkalinizing, anti-​inflaming, immune-​boosting, recharging, revitalizing foods it’s here.
I used to apprentice here, and know what happens on the backend. Only the best ingredients step through this place, and very strict standards are in play. Local, seasonal, beyond-​organic, bio-​dynamic, wild, fair-​trade, pasture-​raised, sustainably harvested, you name it, I mean, you are in the best hands here. There’s no compromise. None.
So whoever complains, it may be a taste issue, but the love, heart, precision, dedication put in every aspect of this food biz is bar none. Their to-​go items are in fact my favorite and I also love their in-​house dishes as well.
Go here when you’re about to have a cold.
Go here when you have a cold.
Go here if you’re recovering from a surgery.
Go here if you’ve been exposed to some gluten (what happened to me last night and I’m a mess).
Go here if you need to go on a food elimination diet such as AIP /​GF /​GAPS, Ketogenic.
Where food meets medicine, it is here.

I’m pretty impressed with Mission Heirloom in a couple different ways, but particularly with the beauty of the food and seating, and the richness of flavor and texture consider there is no onion (I didn’t even know allium-​free was a thing before visiting here) or gluten in their dishes! I came here last week during the Berkeley Restaurant Week for the $ 20 prefixe menu and here’s the breakdown of the 3 dishes:
Bone broth– Amazing! The spicy warmth from the ginger/​tumeric mixed with the essence of savory bone was truly spot on. I was very glad I decided to pick a seat outside in the gorgeous gardenesque patio– the slightly chill breeze in the afternoon really made me enjoy the warmth of the soup that much more. Extra «vibe» points for using a glazed blue-​grey soup bowl that had smooth, but non-​uniform waves to it… I’m not sure why, but I appreciate interesting serveware! lol
Shepherd’s pie– Not super wowed with the plating of this dish, but damned if it wasn’t a hearty bowl of lamb and sweet potato-​y goodness! I didn’t care too much for the taste of laurel and/​or mace bark, but I did really like the how the meaty oomph of the lamb was able to cut through the starch, as sweet as the sweet potato was! Also the «bread crumbs» (which I suppose might be dried/​toasted flakes of coconut? maca? yucca?) on top of the mash stayed crispy… very nice texture contrast!
Avocado tart– Silly me for thinking this was going to be any ol’ avocado tart… guys. IT’S INFUSED WITH POMELO!!! Dear god. I remember my eyes widening in surprise at the first bite… scrambling to consult the menu descriptions… ah yes… clear as day «avocado and pomelo filled…» ^_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​^ It’s SO GOOD. The citrus notes really help cut through the rich creaminess of the avocado so that it doesn’t feel heavy at all! And not just any citrus. POMELO citrus… which is super distinct from your usual lemon/​lime/​orange (not that these are bad, but not as interesting lol). Thank you Mission for putting this wonderful flavor combo together!
Clearly, I’ll be back for that tart. ;] But also I like the sound of the other brunchy items on the menu… particularly the fact that there is a range of small to large snacks/​meals to choose from, just in case you don’t want a huge plate (yes, I’m looking at you 2 eggs & scone).

I have tried their Lamb/​Beef Bone Broths and Turmeric Tonic in the past. Would recommend the latter two. I like lamb, but it was a bit gamey, even for me.
Not truly Paleolithic, as they have rice in their meals. LOVE that they are certified GF.
Nice take out mason jars and staff meals, not all were a hit:
–kale salad, tasted sour
–Chicken chimmichuri, hearty and fragrant
–Short ribs, good
–excellent cauliflower soup, creamy and flavorful, dairy free, the addition of ginger, savoy and shiso took this to another level
–Skip the frittata, salty, tiny and mostly purple potatoes
Coffee Talk:
–wish they had almond milk, it’s a very rare event, according to the barrista
–NO decaf!!!
–raw milk for $ 2+
Baked goods:
–check out the scones, so rich and decadent, with a nice crunch at the edges, savory and sweet versions for $ 2.50ea
Purchase jars and pre-​made items through Good Eggs and Uptown Juice in Oakland.
Market is open at 9AM daily and on Sundays 10AM. Restaurant is open 10AM daily and on Saturdays 9AM.
They carry many local purveyors including Uptown Juice. Healthy real food, décor and garden area is a major plus — will need to revisit for a sit down meal.

The main draw of this place is the aesthetic and the spacious backyard area — plenty of tables and seats, overhead heaters for the cold days, and plenty of greenery. The space is airy, with space for folks to spread out and read or work, but also a small apothecary and open fridge if you’re looking to take lunch or one of their prepared meals to go. The one downside to this place is weirdly enough the food, which arguably would be the easiest to plan out of all the concepts currently in play at Mission Heirloom. I was a bit stunned when I bit into my hard waffle drizzled in honey and shea butter, because it simply wasn’t that great. Regrettably bad even. My friend enjoyed their egg and scone with avocado but ultimately, you’re better off sticking with a simple coffee until they can fix that menu. I understand that its supposed to be healthier than your average meal but I’m sure it that doesn’t have to taste like this.

Dude. These guys have bulletproof coffee! I’m in love!
There are no other options for grass fed butter and MCT coconut oil coffee in the Bay Area. They also feature Intelligenciá coffee roasters and have a beautiful back patio. Try the Camel Milk!

My partner and I visited this establishment on Thursday for Berkeley Restaurant Week. The menu sounded intriguing and a little different from most other restaurants’ lunch offerings for the event. Upon arriving, we were both delighted with the absolute beauty of the space. It’s bright, airy, spacious and have a patio that is so inviting I can imagine lounging there for hours!
Because they have 2 options for each of their 3 courses, we decided to try all 6 dishes on offer. The 1^st course, a bone broth, was a lamb broth that day and it was a rich and luscious cup of goodness! The vegetable purée soup, which was carrot soup, turned out to be different from what was stated on their board. After my partner expressed her dismay at receiving this unexpected and unwelcome bowl of soup, they apologized for not updating their board and agreed to switch that for a 2^nd cup of bone broth, per our request. Immediately after the switch, the 2^nd course started arriving. While the harvest bowl, a beautifully presented bowl of vegetables, is basically a salad and is not temperature sensitive, the shepherd’s pie is. So we asked them if they can keep the pie warm while we finish our broth and, again, they agreed without hesitation. I ended up eating most the harvest bowl, with the sublime celery root purée and equally subtle yet tasty dressing. I just wish there were more of the winter vegetables and less of the ubiquitous baby arugula. My partner enjoyed the pie with its sweet (from the sweet potato mash) and savory mouthfeel. For the 3^rd course, the avocado tart and apple crumble were both also a win. While the crust for the avocado tart was a bit too sturdy and hard to break off, the pomelo mixed in with the avocado gave it a pleasantly surprising flavor. The apple crumble, made with cassava flour, was a light and most enjoyable ending to this healthy and delicious meal.
Aside from very minor hiccups on the service end that were quickly addressed without any issue, we were both quite pleased with our experience here and added them to our ‘return’ list.
As an added bonus, you can also take home a jar of camel’s milk here if you have the curiosity for it :-)

I like this place, it’ quiet and peace, surrounded by garden greens.
Their coffee is very good. Foods are OK.
This time we took garden salad and Shepherd’s pie. The salad was good, with several kind of greens, avocados and grapefruit. The dressing was also made from grapefruit and it tastes sour and fresh, it was good. But talking about Shepherd’s pie, I cannot recommend to take it. It was OK but not remarkably good. It was too big and heavy because of lots of potatoes.
But just for coffee, having talk with friends for a while, this is a nice place to go.

Beatiful gluten free restaurant. We sat outside on its incredible garden. It was a real pleasure. Awesome food. Great desserts. Staff is mice and friendly! Not many fiod options for children though.

Reposting my deleted review, which was reported by «the Unilocal community», because «it did not appear to describe a firsthand customer experience», to clarify that I did in fact eat here.
Are you one of those annoying people with a made-​up condition that requires you to only eat flavorless junk in a completely misguided attempt to emulate our short-​lived ancestors? You should come here.
I ordered a bulletproof coffee and an egg and scone bowl. The egg was not seasoned, and the scone tasted like an unsweetened energy bar. The coffee was not bad, but it would have had to be brilliant to save the rest of the meal.
I also tried the chicken curry gravy from my friend, which had the same problem — too little spice, and too much filler.

Mission Heirloom is great. It is gorgeous with a beautiful outdoor space that I am sitting in now. Their mission statement is written on the wall and you can tell by the quality and care of the food that they live up to their word. The service is lovely and competent. Please note — especially if you are traveling from afar, the hours have changed. Call before you head over.

Love this café! Super cute and great ambience. They offer a ton of interesting stuff on the menu (including bulletproof coffee), and have bottles of camel milk! I still haven’t mustered up the courage to try it. maybe next time. or. the next. There are also shelves of all sorts of soups packaged in really cute mason jars! Love it. My favorite area is the back outdoor area — I can sit and hang out there for hours! It’s a covered space, and at night when it’s chilly, they turn on heat lamps and also drape really cute blankets on the back of chairs for you to warm yourself up with. There are tons of really adorable succulent arrangements on all the tables, hanging above… a really cool area for sure. Check it out and bring a book to chill with!

BEST restaurant for advanced, health-​conscious eaters!
If you are serious about 100% organic, non-​gmo, lovingly prepared, truly nourishing food… there is no other place like Mission Heirloom Café.

Since listening to Bulletproof podcast I really wanted to come here. I live in San Jose so this is a bit of a drive. Well worth it. I ordered beef burger and it was not only delicious but also nicely presented. The costumer service is great.
The prices are a bit high but that what we have to pay if we want a high quality products.
Highly recommend it

I really wanted to love this place. I was hoping I had found a new gem that I could frequently visit from the moment I sat down. There’s no line for brunch AND it’s only a 15 min walk from where I live. It’s very spacious, clean, and has an ambiance that projects health and good vibes. There’s so much to love.
The glee I had unfortunately turned to disappointment the moment both my boyfriend I had received our food. Based on the server’s and staff’s recommendation, we both decided to go with the chicken & waffles that were described as one of the best items on the menu.
Neither of us finished our food. This wasn’t because the meal was large portioned. It was really because it wasn’t very good… my waffle was rock hard! I took it home later thinking I could soften it up, but it’s still rock hard! I’m not sure why it’s so hard even after being soak in syrup… it’s like eating an extremely stale cookie. The chicken was well seasoned, however they gave us 3 tiny chicken wings instead of the usual breast/​thigh meat that other restaurant give when you ask for chicken and waffles. My boyfriend hates chicken wings… which was lucky for me because all I could eat were the 3 tiny chicken wings due to the rock hard waffle and I was still hungry even after eating two of his (he ended up picking at one sadly).
Our meal cost a total of $ 40 (before tip), and it was frankly a bit sad. Neither of us felt like we had eaten anything even though we definitely paid enough money thinking that we should have. We normally spend the same amount of money at other brunch places and I usually end up leaving full, happy, satisfied, and ready for the day. This was completely unfulfilling for both us and we both had to get a 2^nd meal afterwards :(
I’m writing this review hoping that they can improve the quality of their food since there’s so much potential. The garden is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the place has a great ambiance. Before our food arrived I mentioned to my boyfriend that he should bring his parents here since his mom loves gardens, but now definitely not.

Wow this place is fantastic! First off, the food was delicious and I personally thought it had plenty of flavor. I got the shepherds pie and loved it. The cauliflower purée had a great texture and the lamb was perfectly cooked. My boyfriend got the taco salad and bulletproof coffee and both were also great. Previous reviewers who said that the food was under seasoned must not typically eat paleo fare. Both my boyfriend and I thought the food had great natural flavor and barely had to add any salt (and trust me, we both love our salt!). Portion sizes were decent and prices were to be expected for higher quality ingredients.
The outside area is SO cute. I was in love with the garden and the tables were spaced far enough out to not feel crowded at all. It was a perfect warm day but they had heat lamps so I bet it would be great on a colder day as well.
We trekked from SF to come here and will definitely be back!

We had a wonderful experience here! I recently developed gluten sensitivity so now I am extremely strict with my diet and only eat unprocessed gluten free foods. I love how the entire menu here caters to my new albeit extreme diet! The prices were a little high, but that didn’t really bother me as I’m used to spending tons of $$$ a month on food actually.
Now taste-​wise. YES the food was slightly bland. But, again, I’m used to that as well due to my new restricted diet. I would love it if they could use more spices, tumeric maybe? I also had to heavily salt and pepper my salad as well as my shepherd’s pie. That would be my one recommendation. please add some flavor :)
However, I’m still giving these guys 5 stars as I didn’t have to cook last night and they provided me with a healthy meal and beautiful atmosphere. Wow! I just loved the décor, it was modern and clean yet cozy.
If you aren’t health conscious, then yeah, don’t eat here as you won’t be able to appreciate it ;)

Did you hear about Mission Heirloom? It’s a shame. The idea and photos looks so cool and promise so much! Beautiful atmosphere.
Step inside, however, and it’s a different story. You are excited to try their menu while gawking at the cool-​looking back patio/​greenhouse area. Where is the menu? I can’t find it! Oh, wait, there it is. It’s tiny/​very limited selection. Nothing really jumps out at you on it either. The man at the counter isn’t of much help, suggesting everything with such a quiet voice over the loud din of the restaurant that he may as well be suggesting nothing. We order the two most appetizing sounding things and one juice. Almost $ 50. Wow. This better be stunning food. It isn’t. The curry is relatively flavorless and the burger salad is a burger on some greens. Green juice is good though. Oh well, won’t be coming back here.

Um… I walked in expecting something amazing, mind blowing, incredible… and found… a walk up coffee shop looking bar.
You browse the menu, order, take a number and find a seat and your food is brought to you at your table. Just different than what I expected.
My burger was VERY good. Incredibly juicy and flavored perfectly but was also incredibly greasy (yes, healthy fats, I’m sure but still), and served with the most bland crackers I’ve ever tasted. For what I paid, I was expecting something more, I think.
My boyfriend got the Chicken Curry which sounded amazing but was definitely lack-​luster. Almost flavorless and again, overpriced.
We both left feeling a little… deflated.
1 burger, 1 chicken curry, 1 green juice = $ 43
$ 43 for what?! In awe when the cashier told us the price.
The bottled green juices that you can purchase was the saving grace here. That was great. And we finished the juice, returned the bottle, and got $ 2 back from the $ 43 spent.
I guess it could have been more if we purchased a 8 or 12 oz bottle of Camel Milk for $ 20. Camel milk? Interesting…
Redeeming quality is the backyard seating space, which is huge, great open space filled with tons of flowers, plants, and herbs. Very pretty.
I also do love the concept of Mission Heirloom. Paleo, AIP friendly (autoimmune friendly), and wholesome dishes. Truly needed EVERYWHERE but maybe the flavors and price could be a little more friendly, too.
Sadly, I probably won’t be back and I SO SO SO wanted to love this place. :(All the Instagram photos are gorgeous and mouth-​watering.

Mission Heirloom Café is a small place with a big backyard where you can eat your meal in the shade (I could also see myself working there since it’s pretty quiet).
If you are on Paleo diet and/​or have allergies this is one of the rare places where you can eat worry free. For real. They make things organic, dairy and grain free, also non-​GMO. Those people that complain this café is not for all people — yes, you are right, it’s for people with allergies and those that live by Paleo standards. So if you’re not one of those, I’d suggest you find someplace else and stop complaining they did not cater to your needs. It’s a *Paleo* place (check what it means if unsure). End of story.
Their menu is short and seasonal, so you won’t spend much time deciding. You can also check it online before coming in (
). However we didn’t come over here for a meal, but for some ice cream and almond milk (yes, we made the trip just for that). They are one of the rare places that sell paleo gelato from Jone’s (
) and made from scratch Vanilla and Chai Almond Milk. A nice surprise was also Cold Brew Coffee with Almond Milk. All the bottles are refundable if you bring them back, because the producers reuse them.
Prices and staff are another story (that’s why only three stars). It’s an expensive place, but it’s to be expected given the ingredients and the care they put into their products. Things (salads, soups, meat, smoothies, sweets,…) are made from scratch and that has to show somewhere, though again, not necessarily on this level. The staff could be a bit more helpful and enthusiastic about the whole thing. I got the impression they just come there to work without any wish to actually stand behind the product itself.
Would I go here every day? No, because I can make a lot of things from their menu at home, but it makes for a nice trip since I can spend a sunny day outside (instead of in the kitchen) and somebody else makes a paleo worry free meal for me. :)
P. S. They also sell some of their products on Good Eggs (
) if you can’t/don’t want to make the trip to Berkeley.

For those who dream of eating healthy AND reasonably fancy when dining out, Mission Heirloom Café has come to the rescue. All of their offerings are made from scratch, utilizing non-​gmo and organic ingredients. No grains and no gluten. The ideal place to bring your friends who live in fitness apparel or could benefit from a meal that doesn’t come out of a microwave. While it is unlikely that I will eat this consciously 24/​7, I can still aspire to it. Very excited about their operation and looking forward to more salubrious treats in the near future.
The location is truly classy. The front functions as a shop for an assortment of neatly organized pre-​prepared items (entrées, soups, broths, sauces, and more), a hot and cold drink bar (featuring bulletproof coffee, various tonics, etc.), and a standing bar for quick consumption (a thoughtful option for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle?). The back patio is what health nut dreams are made of. With it’s sleek and modern green house inspired design, it’s a lovely place to dine. They have mounted heat lamps to cut the chill, an edible garden, fresh succulents, and great lighting. And? The staff is incredibly friendly. What more could you want?
When eating nutritiously on the go, my most typical complaint is lack of flavor. Here, it’s not even a concern. Food that looks this good usually comes with a caloric knock out, but these dishes are beautiful and delicious, as well as mindful. While their menu is comprised of things I tend to make at home, it’s nice to sit down in a restaurant and not have to think about being slipped a knob of butter or an abundance of unnecessary sugar. The shepherd’s pie is my personal favorite, made with their silk road lamb. Other plates worth mentioning are the red curry beef meatballs and the spice laden taco salad. I highly recommend their 63 degree egg as an add on. There are few things as luxurious as that rich, velvety yolk. While the cost of your meal may be a bit steep, you can’t put a price on your well being.
If you find happiness in ritzy presentation of paleo eats, Mission Heirloom Café is killer.