Joe Cho’s Café Teatro is more than just a gathering place – Illy coffee, fresh sandwiches, breakfast bagels and sweet pastries all offer just a little bit more than the usual coffee shop fare.
Joe Cho understands.
“You can find coffee, sandwiches and pastries anywhere,” said the long-time owner of Café Teatro. But not only does he focus on serving the best and freshest coffee, sandwiches and pastries he can, he also makes sure to foster a sense of community.
Of course it helps that Café Teatro is located in the Orinda Community Center, tucked under the library and opening up onto a small plaza filled with tables, umbrellas and Orinda’s civic-sponsored sculptures. And Cho understands how important that location is to his success.
“The identity of this café is that it’s at the center of the community,” he said. “There’s always a pack of people outside – it’s a little community inside Orinda.”
And that community can count on the Café Teatro.
For example, Cho only serves Illy coffee, an Italian brand that has singled out his business as an “Artisti del Gusto.” That designation is only awarded to a few cafes that serve only Illy coffee, and there are only a handful in all of Northern California.
But Cho just didn’t go down to the store and randomly buy a case of Illy’s.
He took over Café Teatro in 2003, and the previous owner was serving a different kind of coffee every day. Cho wanted consistency, so he tasted a variety of coffees until he found one he really liked – which was Illy coffee. And since then, Café Teatro has only served Illy coffee.
“Coffee is a preference,” he said. “Lots of people like Starbucks, but for me, I like espresso – and the Illy bean is made for espresso. It’s not bitter, and it has a deep taste. It’s not flat or weak. And when it’s mixed in a latté, it blends really well.”
And Cho should know, as he drinks six or seven cups of coffee day to keep his energy up for his six-day week (the café is closed Sunday).
Naturally, Cho and other coffee drinkers need more than just caffeine to survive, so Café Teatro has the usual selection of pastries, sandwiches and other drinks, and Cho understands their importance.
“’Fresh’ is my key word,” he said. “I don’t want any ingredient to be old.” And in fact, when a vendor brings him anything that isn’t fresh, his immediate next step is to find another vendor.
When it comes to pastries, Cho has some distinct demands. “The texture is very important,” he said. “And I don’t want things that are over-flavored.”
As for bagels, “we try to avoid doughy types,” he said. “We like closer to New York-style.” Which means the sandwiches are not only fresh, but have a little crunch as well.
And whatever he doesn’t sell on one day does not go back in the display case the next morning. Everything has to be fresh, from the food to the coffee, and it all adds to the sense of Orinda community Café Teatro exemplifies.
Joe Cho understands.
