Caffe Bene (Review)

A few weeks back, my little family went cafe hopping and found this one located in the business districts of San Marino.  The cafe is located on a main street where traffic is fairly fast so there is a big chance you might miss it.  We came around dinner time on a week night and the place was half filled.  The cafe interior is clean with minimal decorations.  They have a display of their own line of cups and mugs that kind of reminds me of Starbucks.  Their menu is extensive, from coffee and Boba to waffles and sandwiches.  They also sell Honey Bread, their version of Brick Toast.  As usual, my review is based on what we had and who we encountered at the time.

Price: $$

Food: A

Choco Rasberry Saudae Waffle $8.95

I literally had just one bite of this.  It's not that it taste bad it's just because I am not much of a sweets person.  According to my husband who ate most of it, it was pretty good.  Judging from the one bite I had, I would agree because the warm waffle and cold ice cream paired together was a perfect mixture.  To my surprise it was not as sweet as I thought it would be.  My son approved it too, seeing that he ate quite a few spoonfuls.

Bread Bowl Soup Combo $8.95

People often say "It tasted better than it looked" but in this case, it's actually the opposite "it looked better than it tasted".  Maybe I had high hopes for this since the picture on their menu looked very inviting with crusted cheese over the soup.  With this price tag, I was expecting something superior but it really was nothing to brag about except maybe the crusted bread bowl.  The soup was clam chowder but honestly I found more potatoes than clams.

Ambiance:  A

Like I say earlier, their decorations were kept at a minimal but I like the fact that their setup was not busy looking.  We actually felt at peace while having our meal there, which is hard to come by in cafes.

Service: B+

This place is more of a self-serve cafe so you can't expect customer service or waiters coming to check on you.  If you need anything you have to get up to their counter to ask for it.  However, the people that work there are fairly pleasant. 

Caffe Bene

2322 Huntington Dr.

San Marino, CA 91108

1 (626) 291-2393

Open Mon - Sun 7am-10pm

Photography by Herman and Lily