Penelope’s Coffee and Tea recently opened on the corner of Shattuck Avenue and Kittredge Street, in the same location that Peet’s Coffee on Shattuck formerly was. Their bright turquoise signs add a vibrant and fresh feel to the streets of downtown Berkeley and have drawn attention from those who frequent downtown Berkeley’s many cafes. Penelope’s is named after a woman from the Greek island Crete. The cafe is run by Penelope’s grandchild’s cousin, Theodoros Kokkoris.
Kokkoris shared about who Penelope was as a person, and why his family decided to open a cafe to continue her legacy.
“She was a lady from the island Crete in Greece, and one of her favorite things to do was to invite strangers, family, friends, or whoever over at all times. She was always preparing coffee and food for them,” Kokkoris said, “That actually really inspired the concept of Penelope’s.”
The cafe pays homage to the welcoming community that Penelope built in her Greek home for those looking for family, friends, and food.
From Penelope’s picture displayed on the wall, to the Greek menu items, the cafe features small touches that reference the woman behind it all. Penelope’s specialty is the Greek coffee, which is traditionally boiled with coffee grounds which are later strained out. The cafe also offers a modern version of the coffee, in which the grounds are left in. The baklava sundae is another special dish that honors Penelope and her culture.
Kokkoris and his staff all play significant roles in deciding what drinks and foods they serve at Penelope’s. “We’re the ones experimenting with all the recipes and everything. We believe in our products and we wouldn’t serve you anything that we personally don’t like,” Kokkoris said.
Kokkoris shared that Penelope’s was originally planned to serve only a single location. However, eleven years after the first location had opened, the San Francisco location opened. Now, Penelope’s has expanded to Berkeley.
“We really believe that we have something special, and we want to share it … we’re hoping to keep that forward trajectory of growth and to continue, hopefully spreading across the Bay or wherever that may be,” Kokkoris said.
Kokkoris reflected on how local coffee shops and cafes contributed to his college life.
“I loved going to my local cafes … I always felt like I had a place outside of home where I could really focus on my studies and have a safe space for community,” Kokkoris said. He saw the opportunity to recreate that experience of warmth and community that local cafes brought to him for all students in Berkeley, with Penelope’s.
Kokkoris’s favorite part about working at Penelope’s is being at the register up front, speaking to and getting to know people from all walks of life. Through such interactions with customers, Kokkoris has begun to build a community at Penelope’s through storytelling and coffee. “It’s always really fun to get to know someone, especially when you start having regulars and memorizing their orders and just hearing about their day,” Kokkoris said.
Penelope’s has also newly incorporated matcha as a staple flavor choice in their menu, something Kokkoris credited to students in the area, including those from Berkeley High School. “All the high schoolers, everyone just orders matcha, and I was like, ‘Okay, I have to really keep trying this and see what all the hype is about’,” Kokkoris said, “We then made the recipes and the lavender matcha is so, so, so good.” The drive to cater to customers’ desires is why Penelope’s menu ranges from traditional Greek recipes to trendy lavender matcha.
“We plan on keeping you guys interested through customer service and providing new drinks,” Kokkoris said.
As a final note to the public from Penelope’s and their staff, Kokkoris said, “We’re happy to serve you all. If you guys ever need anything, we’re always there for you guys — whether it’s food, coffee, drinks, or just a space to sit down for a little bit and recenter (and) regroup.”
With this dedication to customers, Penelope’s Coffee and Tea is sure to grow as a welcoming presence in the downtown Berkeley community.
“Whoever you might be, you always have a seat at our table, and we’re always gonna have coffee and food for you,” Kokkoris said.