Homemade Cafe in Berkeley closes on New Year’s Day after 45 years of business.
The restaurant posted on its Facebook on Friday, “It is with great sadness and disappointment that we have to close. It is just financially impossible to stay open. In today’s economics, running a small, locally owned, full-service restaurant that serves Homemade food out of quality ingredients, at relatively reasonable and affordable prices, while valuing its employees and refusing to pay less than a living wage is apparently not possible.”
Homemade Cafe was opened in 1979. The current owner and longtime employee Collin Doran bought the restaurant from previous owners Norm Berzon and Janet Hinze in 2011.
Doran implemented the “everybody eats” initiative, according to the Facebook post. Customers had the option to donate a $5 “free food” ticket that would a person who could not afford breakfast to eat for free.
The restaurant expressed its gratitude to its patrons, “This past year we have provided close to 5,000 meals to those who couldn’t afford one. You supported us and generously joined our program by donating and purchasing Everybody Eats meals.”
“We have survived and thrived throughout the years, through the booms, the economic down turns, global pandemics and more. We tried to evolve, pivot, change with the times all the while staying true to our goal of being a positive part of this community. Most recently we made it our mission to build community and be a force of and for good in this community. Our community, our HOOD, OUR corner of Dwight Way and Sacramento Street we have cherished and nourished. We created a safe space for everyone from every walk of life and we made sure “Everybody Eats” at Homemade.”
