by Erika Kita
The Bay Area has an array of fun cafes with unique ideas and delectable desserts and drinks. From hanging out with friends to enjoying the atmosphere of the cafes, many find these cafes in the Bay Area to be a fun experience rather than just a basic local Starbucks. Many of the popular cafes are located in San Francisco and also are Asian-owned businesses, since most of the inspiration for these cafes are also cafes from Asia.
For instance, Smile House Cafe in Taraval Street, San Francisco, is a Hong Kong-style cafe including many Chinese-American fusion foods and desserts. “This casual yet fun cafe is a perfect place for many locals and includes big portions and a diverse selection of desserts which is really nice” says Rachel Cheng (12). Weekdays are not as busy as weekends and the wait time was not bad at all while the food came early. “I recommend the beef brisket and tendon noodle soup for anyone wanting to visit.” she says. The spacious dining area and delicious variety of dishes shows how Smile House Cafe is a must-go place in the Bay Area.
Gram Cafe located in the Stonestown mall in San Francisco, serves Japanese foods and their specialty fluffy souffle pancakes. With the cafe’s setting in a popular space in the mall next to many other fun shops, customers are drawn to this favored spot. With many seating arrangements and a variety of menu selections, people go there for lunch, brunch, or just some dessert for people with a sweet tooth. A local customer who is also a senior in Mills High School is Chester Ho who exclaims that “Gram is literally so good, the pancakes are so fluffy they feel like you are eating clouds.” He also speaks on how “even though they take a while to come out, it is still worth it!”. With the popularity of Gram Cafe, it is usually packed and people have to sign a waitlist most of the times you get there. With the wide variety of pastas, Japanese curries, tonkatsus and more, there are many options to choose from and they often have limited time seasonal pancakes as well. However, the original souffle pancakes are so popular that it is unavailable for customers to take it to-go and it is only available to eat there. Ho also shares “I love the atmosphere of the restaurant and the music choices played in the background are always great and the experience you have with the service and food is really nice.”
At KitTea Cat Lounge in Valencia Street, San Francisco, you can enjoy a fun time with tea, food, and with an accompaniment of cute cats. In this warm welcoming environment of cute felines and arrangement of food and teas, many find the place very relaxing and comfortable at this homey cafe. The 29 different cats roam around the cafe as customers come in and out and have a good time. The cats are very friendly so many are not scared of humans and will come up to people all the time. If any customers are interested in the cats, they are also up for adoption as well which is a nice way for people who want to buy cats to have a fun interaction with them before adopting. A student from Mills High has had the chance to visit the cafe before and during her visitation, covid restrictions were still prevalent so in order to keep the virus contained, they were unable to enjoy the food or drinks that were usually offered. This place is very unique and a fun experience, especially for cat lovers, and it is a very welcoming place in the Bay Area.
If you love board games, card games, and any other game possible that you can think of, Game Parlour in Irving Street, San Francisco, is a wonderful place for people who want to have a good time with a group of friends. This fun inviting place offers a selection of foods such as their popular mochi waffles, french fries, and even cute latte drinks with character designs on them. People of all ages are welcome and there are many fun and cool games that you can choose from and bring over to your table and enjoy with your friends. Some games to choose from include, Game of Life, Heads Up, Uno, Monopoly, Clue, Dungeons and Dragons, and much more. A customer of Game Parlour who goes to Mills High is Katelyn Lam (12) who shows her appreciation for Game Parlour. “Game Parlour had lots of fun games to choose from and I loved how they had a cafe attached too!”
With all the fun activities and foods provided in these cafes, they are a definite recommendation from many Mills High School students.
