my new friend Zoe

Tucked away in a residential neighborhood with a closing time of 3 on Saturdays, there’s something quite charming about Cafe Zoe in Menlo Park. It’s got that air of being something only the knowing locals are aware of.

But hey! Off to Cafe Zoe it was for Anna and I, on a cool Saturday morning for coffee, breakfast pastries and the endless mission of readingreadingreading.

Neither of us knew what to look for in Zoe, but it was the cute, slightly politically active, picture of a small cafe that greeted us (as well as a sweet parking spot).

Some breakfast items weren’t ready (namely, bagels) by the time we got there bright and early and, to be frank, there isn’t much in the way of breads and things. But Anna found a blueberry muffin to her liking, and me a super-nutty pumpkin bread, both of which were set out on plates for us to neatly enjoy. Oh, they were good! [And catered - Cafe Zoe isn't a bakery.] It was all very well-priced.

And I even ran into a friend there who is from the area! Which totally drove home the locals-territory point for me.

Cafe Zoe is earthy, warm, wooden, slightly hippie, and has rock-vases on the tables that declare “Peace” and “Serenity” and similar pleasant concepts. There are also cushy chairs further back where I saw a woman with work sprawled everywhere, taking good advantage of the free wi-fi. Anna and I were sitting on benches with awesome cushions as we chatted and sipped from our enormous coffee cups (another Cafe Zoe high point) and got to our reading.

And the morning finally woke up, daylight started streaming in, and it was honestly a most delightful morning with our new friend Zoe. (Oh, and the rock on our table said “Community,” I think. HAHA.)

It’s only 10-15 minutes away from Stanford, but feels like a total escape, hidden between houses and the like: If you think you read the directions totally wrong, you’re actually probably okay.

Go to Zoe! Get that bread if you see it…

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