Hudson Bay Cafe

Adding this place to one of the coffee shops I visit frequently, it has a prominent presence on college avenue dominating the corner it is located on. It has a reasonable amount of seating inside and a good internet connection when you want to set up for work. There's also lots of seating outside, some in less noisy parts if you need a bit of quiet.

They have a full range of coffees and pastries, as well as sandwiches and other food types. There is also a selection of wines if that's what you're in the mood for. The decor and layout is pleasant and makes for an interesting place to hang out.

I was working here on this day while it was raining outside, it was beautiful looking out the bay window on the corner to the wet and rainy streets. And when I needed to work outside later, to join a meeting where I didn't want the noise, the canopy gave plenty of protection from the rain.

The baristas were very friendly and accommodating, making me a nice latte with latte art for this review.

Walking in, you are greeted with a uniquely-shaped, open space that is at the same time comfortable and classy. I made my way to this cafe from an hour away, wanting to stop by a craft store nearby after having lunch. Not used to the cool air on my Floridian nose, I could not help but sniffle embarrassingly. Despite my incessant sniffling, the barista was unbothered and even offered me a tissue after my apologies. I decided to write this review before even receiving my food. This is because, upon sipping the iced almond milk latte I ordered, I stopped mid-walk to my seat to relish the flavor... Of the espresso rising to the top. This caramel colored rocket-fuel truly deserved a moment of appreciation. Check my reviews: never have I left a review of this caliber before. That's for a reason. This is probably the greatest espresso I have ever tried. I don't even need to dilute the flavor or power through an unpleasant bitterness. Every aspect of the flavor profile is perfectly balanced. I would order straight espresso here to sip carefully. That's how wonderful this is. The person who made this deserves a golden award for their skill. I could not recommend this cafe enough.
- Beautiful, spacious area with plenty of seating
- Wonderfully satisfying and delicious options even for the vegan, gluten free
- The greatest ESPRESSO I have ever had (and that's certainly saying something)
- Perfect music for working, chatting, reading, relaxing, whatever you need
- Pleasant and kind workers
- and much more that I'm sure I'm missing.

Tl;dr: 10/10 would recommend. Best espresso ever. Vegan gluten free menu of deliciousness. Great atmosphere and kind workers!

Edit: Review follow-up. Oh, my. The vegan, gluten free egg and cheese bagel is absolutely perfect. I added their vegan cream cheese. Just do yourself a favor and eat here.

We are here every weekend morning that we are in town as it is part of our routine coffee stop and dog walk.

There are signs saying that there are only service dogs allowed inside, but we have seen dogs sitting inside and walking through with their owners for takeout. So it is a mixed message.

With our coffee, we usually get some kind of savory baked treat. During the pandemic regulars would be sitting outside to converse. Now, inside is back open.

I usually take my own straw to avoid using their plastic ones.

This place is pretty cool. We were visiting the town and worked there for a few hours. People are friendly and coffee and pastries were sufficiently decent. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the location is pretty great to walk and walk around.

One thing though, the coffee shop has no outlets to charge your devices. I understand why they don't have them but it was a little inconvenient because our Airbnb didn't have a decent place to work. We came to have breakfast coffee/pastries and work, too close to the meeting time and couldn't go to another coffee shop.

This is such a cute little cozy place on a cold morning. The service is friendly and fast. All I had was a large latte (with an extra shot), but it was really good and strong.

Surprisingly good find for ~affordable~ vegan breakfast food. Even if you’re not vegan, this is one of the only places you can get a hearty breakfast entree under 10$, and they have great food!

Sweet little shop. Went in on a Tuesday morning to do some work. Was in good company with their bacon cheese and egg sandwich and cold brew.

The food and service are both amazing. They really put love in the food and it shines.

Delicious coffee, outside tables are available, no restrooms, staff members are very effective in what they are doing.

Good coffee, good selection of fresh baked goods. Indoor and outside seating frequently available.

Such a cute cafe with delicious food and drinks! Very friendly and accommodating staff, I wanted to make a few adjustments to the drinks and they made it work! Got the vegan breakfast burrito and vegan sausage muffin, both really flavorful! They have lots of coffee and tea drinks! The London fog was very good, their tea leaves are fresh! Drinks came out right away, food took a few minutes longer. Will definitely be coming back for more!

Great food and drinks, reasonable prices, and super friendly service. The cafe is small and may be somewhat crowded as it is also very busy, but the atmosphere is relaxed.

Service with a smile❣Great music variety & most importantly, EXCELLENT café!

The service is really fast and friendly. The coffee is amazing! Highly recommend. They also have a lot of vegan options for food.

This is my favorite coffee shop in Rockridge. Excellent ambience. Fun people-watching. A nice assortment of food and drink.

Easy access neighborhood cafe! Has everything you need for a morning on the go or a nice sit. Great service, great pastries, great people

I'm seriously going to ask the breakfast burrito, and whoever makes it, to marry me.

Excellent lox bagel, with capers, tomato, onion and cucumber, for very good ($6.50) price. Great coffee (Guatemalan organic).

Beautiful corner store with lots of windows, on a "triangle" of streets. Nice ambiance, very relaxed.

Came here for the first time today, so many positives it's hard to know where to begin. Service was friendly and helpful, the ambience is excellent with plenty of natural light. They have fast Wifi with many outlets, and lots of tables. The coffee and food menus are expansive, and very affordable! We all know coffee shops in oakland have been bleeding people dry with expensive prices, but this place is more than reasonable.

In a neighborhood with many options, highly consider making this your choice for coffee and food. Oh and they also have beer and wine if you're feeling that too :)

We love this place. They have great gluten-free breakfast choices with a dedicated toaster. Delicious espresso drinks, great service and great ambiance. By far, my family's favorite cafe.