Oakland's cozy neighborhood cafe blending Filipino-Guam flavors with in-house roasts and welcoming spaces.
Charlie May Coffee & Tea House, located at 11200 Golf Links Rd #G, Oakland, is a welcoming cafe with in-house roasted coffee and drinks like champorado iced. The space includes an outdoor patio, a cozy living room, and a rentable conference room. This women- and minority-owned shop highlights Filipino/Guam flavors with empanadas, vegetarian zapallo, vegan options, and sustainable practices like ceramic mugs, compostable cups, and a branded tumbler. Roasting is done in-house with a Bellwether electric roaster.
11200 Golf Links Rd #G, Oakland, CA 94605, USA
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Freshly roasted in-house coffee, unique beverages like champorado and latiya, and carefully brewed teas.
Delicious empanadas (including vegetarian and vegan options), scones, croissants, and cookies.
Private meeting space with a large screen for important gatherings or remote work.
Cozy outdoor area perfect for enjoying drinks and snacks in a serene setting.
Books and toys available for children, making it a welcoming spot for families.
Overall rating
Maria Paz Gonzalez Cordero
We came here after hiking and were surprised with this delicious place! We had amazing empanadas and pastries without a family of four. My two little ones love the food and the thoughtfulness of having l books and little toys to play, so we we're able to enjoy our food. We look forward to come back. This place is a gem in the middle of the Woods.
Emilie Raguso
Neighborhood gem — amazing to have such great coffee so accessible. Not to mention cozy vibe and super sweet staff. Love making this part of my daily routine. And the Pumpkin Spice Latte is a real treat. Not too sweet with a nice spicy kick!
James K
Friendly café with good coffee and snacks (4/5 Green Stars). I met someone at Charlie May’s for coffee/tea and snacks before a hike – the Clyde Woolridge trailhead is just up the road. Service was friendly and the drinks were good – my Americano was well-made and my friend’s London Fog looked enticing. We also shared a veggie empanada and scone and agreed that they were both tasty. The Buenos Aries style empanadas are from Javi’s Cooking. We had the vegetarian “zapallo” empanada but apparently there’s also a vegan empanada, made with Impossible mince and vegan butter. It wasn’t on the café menu that day but is listed on the website menu. Something for another day! The café has a mix of spaces including regular tables, an outdoor patio and a cozy living room area with armchairs, lamps and framed prints. They also have a conference room with a large screen that you can rent if you have an important meeting coming up. I think it’s an interesting space with some unique food and drink options. I don’t normally do coffee with syrups but I’m curious to try one of their homemade “sauces” next time – champorado, based on a Filipino porridge of chocolate and rice, and latiya, inspired by a Guamanian dessert of cinnamon cake and vanilla custard. I’m giving Charlie May coffee 4/5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact, based on these factors: • Charlie May is a small, women-owned, minority owned business. It was founded by two sisters whose families came from the Philippines and Guam. • Charlie May provides no info on their coffee, which is odd for a company (even a small one) that roasts their own beans. They sell Nicaragua La Estrella beans but it would be nice to know more. • Coffee is roasted in-house with an electric roaster (Bellweather) developed in Berkeley. Charlie May mentions this as one way in which they are reducing their carbon footprint. • Plastic waste is minimized with ceramic mugs, compostable to-go cups and a branded tumbler for sale. • They take part in local events and fundraisers, for example donating to a homeless org.
Claire Mizutani
Went for the first time with a friend and I can’t wait to go back. It’s a cute shop and has really friendly staff. I got their champorado iced and my friend got an iced black tea. I’d not heard of champorado before and sounded interesting. It was just the right amount of sweet. The tea took a little while to come out but that’s just because they took care brewing it and my friend absolutely loved the resulting flavor.
Vineet Sinha
Quiet nicely decorated Filipino/Guam coffee shop nestled in the Oakland Hills, near the zoo. What an absolute treat to visit this verdant sanctuary with outside seating in the gentle September sun. We ordered a version of the mocha that was less sweetened and made with non-cane sugar, natural sweeteners it was satisfying . The ham and cheese croissant featured a jalapeño that added so much flavor to the overall experience My cousin ordered a Pollo empanada that came with a herby garlic sauce on the side, which was quite the surprise. They were kind enough to warm all of this so we took a chocolate chip cookie for dessert Excellent ambience, food, and service and will come here again If you visit, tell them that Vinny sent you. No, you won’t get any discount and they don’t know who I am but it’ll be hilarious to see them guessing who Vinny is.
