Lunch & meeting spot on College Ave, Rockridge

[bgbc]

Meeting with a small group and need somewhere relatively quiet where we can talk without being interrupted by rotation of courses, attentive fussing, etc. (I'm all for good service, but this would not be the occasion.) Needs to be walking distance (a few blocks) from BART.

Besides Cactus (noisy), Zachary's (too crowded) and Pasta Pomodoro (Pasta Pomodoro) I can't think of anything open around this area that fits the bill. Places that sound/look good, like Enoteca Molinari and I Squared, aren't open for lunch. What am I forgetting?

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I squared
5403 College Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618

Enoteca Molinari
5474 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

[kmah]

Had a lovely simple and very quiet lunch with a friend at Uzen.

[cortez]

Wood Tavern early and often. Meet my various family members there every month or so. Never a disappointment. You feel like you know the staff and clientele even though you don't.

Delicious food in a friendly, warm atmosphere.

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Wood Tavern
6317 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

[Morton the Mousse]

Just spent a few months on a project in that area so tried out many of the options. My vote is definitely for Oliveto Cafe. Great food, good value, casual atmosphere but not too loud. You may want to call ahead if you're 6 or more as it's a small and popular space. Only other place to consider is Wood Tavern - though that may be too loud and a bit too far from BART. Not a fan of the food at Sommerset - though it is really, really quiet (mostly because everyone is eating at Oliveto and Wood Tavern.)

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Wood Tavern
6317 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

Oliveto Cafe
5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

[kellylee]

Somerset was pretty empty! We had soup (cream of artichoke) and salad-- it was tasty. The menu did veer around a bit from cuisine to other cuisine. I LOVE Wood Tavern's food. If you could get a window table, it would probably be fine for conversation.

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Wood Tavern
6317 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

[kellylee]

I had a lovely lunch and long chat with a friend at Somerset. Quiet and cozy.

[Robert Lauriston]

Southie seems totally inappropriate for a meeting, even for two.

Soi 4 is great. I didn't realize it was that close to BART.

[bgbc]

These are great options -- thanks everyone. I didn't know Oliveto wasn't pricey in the cafe (or at lunch) and am glad to see favorable opinions of Soi. And I always forget about Crepevine!

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Oliveto Cafe
5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

[Scott M]

Soi 4

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Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery
5421 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

[bbulkow]

+++ on Soi 4. Has a nice combination of "ladies who lunch" and other people meeting. Lots of space between the tables.

[singleguychef]

What about Crepevine? It's really casual and if you get a spot in the outdoor seating it might be a nice environment.

I would recommend Southie on the other end of College (a bit of a walk, but not awful) for their sandwiches and nice decor. But don't know how small your small group is? They only have two tops, mainly, unless you go early and grab the two two-tops way in the back. They're set apart from the rest of the place, so might provide some privacy for your small group to meet.

[Robert Lauriston]

Oliveto Cafe. Ben & Nick's.

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Oliveto Cafe
5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

[escargot3]

I love meetings at Oliveto's. But it's $$$

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Oliveto Cafe
5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

[Robert Lauriston]

Oliveto Cafe (downstairs) is not expensive, particularly at lunch:

http://oliveto.com/cafelunch.pdf

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Oliveto Cafe
5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

[escargot3]

that's good to know about the lunch menu.
i usually go for breakfast meetings. Love the breakfast pizzas, and i had a really great croissant last time i was in.