International House Cafe

2 Reviews on “International House Cafe”

• JKay

  The I-house caf is mostly a student spot, but if youre on your way to a game or concert, or just visiting Cal, I think its not a bad spot to stop for a coffee or bite to eat. One of the best things about it is the view especially at sunset since the conservatory and outdoor seating looks down Bancroft to the bay and Golden Gate bridge. Nearby Strada has better coffee, but I-House has beer and some food offerings.Overall, Im giving the I-House caf 3/5 regular stars for quality and also 4/5 green stars for social and environmental impact (more on that later). Coffee: I had a single latte ($3.10) and thought it was OK, although I did have fairly low expectations. Ive been to some cafs around campus where the coffee truly sucks and yet students crowd in because its a convenient place to study. They dont do coffee refills so I tried a decaf Americano ($2.60) next it was not memorable. Food: Its the kind of place where you can bring your own if you like theyre not going to care. The menu was pretty dominated by meat but then I noticed that they had a garden burger option, and several veggie options on their international side menu. I had the Caprese sandwich ($8.20) and it was good, but had two problems. First of all, it would have been better if properly toasted the bread was warmish while the mozzarella was cold. Second, there were no tomatoes! A Caprese contains three ingredients and one of them was missing. On the caf website they say If you prefer to sit, relax and enjoy a cup of direct trade coffee, or a locally-grown heirloom tomato sandwich we’ve got you covered. Apparently not! One the plus side, there was lots of mozzarella and basil and the flavor was pretty good. The pasta side-salad was also tasty. The latte deserves a scant 4 stars while the Americano and sandwich each get 3 stars, but overall, taking into account the ambiance and view, Id give the caf 4 stars (being generous).General sustainability (4/5 green stars): They are run by the Bon Apptit Management Co., which operates college dining and catering facilities across the country. They are pretty committed to using sustainable, locally-sourced ingredients, workers’ rights, and waste reduction. You can read about their policies on their website (bamco dot com) and there was a booklet on my table to the same effect. Their coffee is direct trade, but I was disappointed that they dont have mugs available and they stick a plastic lid on every cup. They have adopted Seafood Watch standards and also source antibiotic- and hormone-free meat (they have the endorsement of the Humane Society but it looks like only some of their meat is certified humane). Their eggs are cage-free, certified by a third party, and they support sustainable small to mid-size farms. Their tea and baking chocolate is Fair Trade certified. They mostly use compostable food containers and recycled paper for cups etc. However, although my sandwich came in a paper box (they dont do plates) the forks and knives were conventional plastic. They had compostable spoons but it seems like they ran out of the others and just bought plastic ones instead. I think this goes back to what other reviewers have pointed out the management are lacking when it comes to execution. Overall, as a large national catering / restaurant company, they are making strides towards social and environmental responsibility but theres definitely room for improvement at the I-House caf. And to be honest, considering the rest of their operation, I dont entirely trust that they live up to the Bon Apptit commitments.

  October 21, 2016, 4:50 am

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• Taste.

  International House (Breakfast/Brucnh/International). Berkeley, one of America’s foodiest cities, has a plethora of amazing restaurants. International house is not among them, but, then again, did anyone expect it to be? This small establishment is, first and foremost, a study hall and place of gathering for UC Berkeley students. The food isn’t terrible, and is relatively affordable at about $5 to $10 a person. The Breakfast Burritos are pretty popular, as they come in multiple varieties like Sausage or Bacon and can be eaten easily on the way to class. If not for the undercooked meats and flash cooked eggs, they might not be too bad. Given the multitude of good food in the city that caters to college students, I’d advise heading elsewhere for anything other than a snack and good company.Rating: 4.2/10 tasteperiod.blogspot.com

  October 2, 2014, 8:39 pm

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