Yes, it’s almost the end of 2015, and yes, we are still eating avocado toast. While it may be number 3 on the list of Top 10 Betchiest Food Trends of 2015, we’re not letting it go anywhere just yet because Bartavelle Coffee & Wine Bar, located on San Pablo Ave. and Cedar St. in West Berkeley is serving up some of the best avocado toast we’ve ever had.
Photo by Heather Feibleman
Bartavelle is a cozy cafe that stands humbly between Acme Bread and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant. Its brick walls, wooden benches and string lights bring it a refined yet rustic feel. Bar seating is available, and customers get to watch nimble hands assemble their food at the counter and talented baristas pour smooth lattes and fresh squeezed orange juice (bomb AF).
Photo by Heather Feibleman
The menu is simple, but filled with exquisite items, from their smoked trout board to their ricotta toast. Every item on the menu is crafted with skill and the freshest local ingredients, but our favorite dish is their avocado toast served with an olive oil egg.
Photo by Heather Feibleman
How exactly does Bartavelle prepare their avocado toast? They start off with a slice of lightly toasted Acme pain au levain, thick enough to support a substantial amount of avocado. It is toasted to perfection, aka crispy exterior and soft, pillowy interior.
Then comes a (very) generous amount of perfectly ripe avocado spread on top. After, Bartavelle drizzles olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice over the avocado and finishes the avocado toast off by sprinkling coarse sea salt and marash pepper. Don’t forget to order the decadent soft-boiled egg drizzled with olive oil on the side!
Photo by Heather Feibleman
We don’t know how Bartavelle does it, but they combine the ingredients to form the perfect balance of smooth, buttery goodness with a touch of acidity and heat. Not to mention, every avocado toast they serve up has avocado that is at its prime ripeness. Say goodbye to firm and bitter or brown, funky-tasting overripe avocados, ’cause Bartavelle comes through.
Photo by Heather Feibleman
Whether you’re on-the-go, in for a quick pick-me-up or staying for a long chat with a friend, you’ll definitely want to stop by Bartavelle for some bomb diggity avocado toast. Maybe bring a friend or two, ya know, for those must-have hipster photos.
Photo by Heather Feibleman