Fertile Grounds Cafe

Now that Philz has closed its door for good in the Gourmet Ghetto, options for appropriate caffeination have dwindled to a precious few. OK, that was an overstatement, but it does increase my likelihood of coming here as I take frequent constitutionals on Shattuck Avenue. It's a Berkeley-lite cafe with a local art gallery and a loft floor for the talkative types who don't know when to leave a party.

The laptoppers appear to take over the main floor leaving the tiny side tables for two for the rest of us. No surprise that I prefer this cafe when it's empty on a weekday afternoon. That way I can nurse a becalming $2.50 cup of Mighty Leaf Vanilla Bean Tea in true leisure (photo: http://bit.ly/2DyvqqZ). Most recently, while waiting for Cha-Ya to open, Jamie W. and I came in on a rainy Saturday when it was abuzz with customers looking for an excuse to fold their umbrellas.

The staff looked challenged to keep up with the traffic as responsibilities appeared misallocated. Jamie ordered the $5 Mexican Mocha which added espresso-spiced chocolate to the steamed milk (photo: http://bit.ly/2SsrTF0). He felt there was an unappealing bitter aftertaste. I went for the $2.95 Cafe au Lait which I wished was amped up a level more than lukewarm (photo: http://bit.ly/2ImObUf). Alas, it was crowded, and let's face it, there is no Philz to run to for salvation.

COFFEE/TEA - 3 stars...a bit on the middling side amid the chaos
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...pleasant when empty, less so when it's not
SERVICE - 3.5 stars...true effort here but still harried
TOTAL - 3 stars...a Philz back-up is now in the Shattuck spotlight

RELATED - Hanging around in Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: bit.ly/2N4anQA

My favorite mocha of Berkeley is Fertile Grounds' Mexican Mocha. I think they're one of the few coffee shops that doesn't just toss chocolate powder/syrup into coffee and call it a mocha. There are also power outlets! And free wi-fi! *ecstatic moaning*

If it weren't for the mildly cramped seating, I would have studied here a ton, but this was my go-to for coffee. Go go go.

I ate at this little place when I was in Berkeley and I was so pleasantly surprised. The owner hand-crafted my egg and cheese bagel to perfection, and suggested some hot sauces to add. The coffee was good, and the space was comfy and cozy.

I was able to unwind with some wifi for a bit, hang out and chat with a friend, and even pet some dogs as they came in for a visit with their owners. This place is A+. Thank you, Fertile Grounds & Thank you, Berkeley!

Top notch cafe. Seating? Check. Wifi? Check. Coffee smells and chill vibes? Check. Outlets? VERY check.

Food-wise, a 4/5. I got a turkey pesto sandwich and hooo'mama, that was a good sandwich. Only thing is that it was a pretty pricey ($10).

Service-wise, a solid 4/5. Great barista.

Ambiance-wise, a stellar 5/5. From the local art on the walls, to the surprisingly aerated bathroom, this cafe has got it. I could sit here for hours... and I do.

This place is actually quite a nice place to study at! It's relatively quiet and located in North Berkeley where most students don't really venture out towards. The tables downstairs are all terribly small, but upstairs is the JACKPOT! There are nice spacious tables and it really is outlet heaven as other reviews have mentioned. I would definitely recommend this place for studying.

As for the food and drinks, I ordered an egg & cheese croissant and an iced vanilla latte. The portion of the iced vanilla latte was huge and was actually really strong! The food and drinks were both pretty solid. I see this place as a potential cafe to go back to grab a snack/drink and get on my study grind!

Hidden gem on Shattuck if you love going to cozy cafes to get some work done!
There are plenty of tables upstairs with outlets lining the wall. The atmosphere is pretty quiet with the exception of the typical coffeehouse sounds, which actually help me be more productive.

I was so tempted to get the strawberry pomegranate lemonade that was being advertised on the board, but it was so gloomy that I decided to go with a pot of oolong tea. The pot was only $3.28 with tax, and it's nice to have some hot tea while I worked. They also refill your pot with hot water for free which is super nice!

I'm not a huge hummus eater, but my hummus plate was amazing! Even after I finished my warm, toasty pita bread, I wanted to finish the hummus. Also, why don't more students study here? There's outlets everywhere and the WiFi is pretty fast.

While waiting for a friend, I decided to go to a coffee shop nearby. Looking at yelp, there was Philz Coffee and Fertile Grounds Cafe that were the same distance away. I picked Fertile Grounds because I like to support non-chain coffee shops whenever I can. I am so glad that I picked this place because I discovered my new favorite coffee drink: Mexican mocha! It has a spice kick (like in all Mexican chocolate) that a regular mocha doesn't have.I also ordered a bagel with cream cheese.

There is free wifi (yay!) and lots of outlets on the second floor. However, the outlets are only along the wall...so you might need a long cable if you can't get a table along the wall.

I had a delicious almond milk mocha with whip cream and waffles! Paul was my server and awesome to chat with.

Last time I was here I witnessed him handle a uncomfortable situation with a distressed customer (unrelated to his service or shop) with ease, kindness and also the proper amount of firmness. I even complimented his communication afterwards. I appreciate his realness and authentic chats.

In the past I have had egg sandwiches and loved them. There is an option between the downstairs and upstairs seating area. Both I enjoy depending upon the mood I am in.

A few shops down is a homey Celtic store with a golden retriever often by the front door that I love to say hi to and pet as well. Overall well rounded experience and a place I find myself coming back to! :)

Service here was subpar-- I asked for Iced Coffee in my thermos (may as well since I brought it out), got piping hot coffee instead. I feel that my order wasn't too difficult, but I guess this will be the first and last time I come here.

Also the coffee was crudely dumped into my thermos, spilling over on the sides so that was fun cleaning up on top of messing up the order.

I do admit, the price was fairly decent ($2.15), considering black coffee in any third wave coffee shop or chain runs between $4.50-6 in the Bay Area.