The interior of the newly opened La Peña Café. Photo: Ellen Salaza
By Rachel Budker
Where do politics, art, culture and community meet? Around the dining table.
When La Peña Cultural Center opened 38 years ago, the founders believed in the necessity of a gathering place where community members could discuss local issues of the time. While La Peña has had an adjacent café since its opening in 1975, the café has been run as a concession for the past 12 years.
Not anymore. On Friday, July 12, La Peña took back the operation of the café and revamped the menu. It now features food from Oakland-based Pachamama Cookery and Bacheeso’s Restaurant, which has outposts in Berkeley and Oakland. The menu is affordable and internationally focused, with a wide variety of foods, including empanadas, vegetarian and vegan entrees like eggplant with tofu, lentils and rice, and seasonal fish.
Smaller plates include chips and salsa, humus and pita, as well as several salad options. There is an extensive beverage menu featuring four local beers from Berkeley and Oakland, reasonably priced wine, as well as specialty drinks such as La Peña’s famous sangria. (...)
Read the rest of International cuisine is focus of La Peña’s new café (377 words)
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Post tags: Bacheeso’s Restaurant, Berkeley dining, Cafe La Pena, East Bay drinking, Eric Leenson, Kristen Sbrogna, La Pena Cultural Center, Pachamama Cookery