Closed Thanksgiving Day

So that our family can be with their families Bittersweet will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. We will reopen at our normal time on Friday.

Please have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Our Own Micro Batches Now In All The Stores

Bittersweet Café Introduces Its Own Micro-Batched Bittersweet Origins Coffee

New Hand-Crafted, Locally Roasted Coffees Join the Bean-to-Bar Micro-Batched Bittersweet Origins Chocolate Bars

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - November 17, 2009) - Bittersweet Café, the Bay Area's bean-to-bar Bittersweet Origins chocolate maker and chocolate cafés, announced today the introduction of its own Bittersweet Origins micro-batched coffees. The coffees -- espresso, drip blend, single bean and decaf -- are locally roasted by Bittersweet's own coffee expert in micro-batches and use beans from Kenya, Brazil, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Sumatra.

The Bittersweet Origins coffees join the company's own Bittersweet Origins micro-batched, hand-crafted chocolate bars. The coffees and the chocolate bars are for sale at the three Bittersweet Cafés in Danville, Oakland and San Francisco as well as online.

"Our coffees follow the same hands-on approach we use for our Bittersweet Origins chocolate bars," explains Penny Finnie, co-owner of Bittersweet Café. "This is another amazing varietal product and we are taking the same interest in the farms and cooperatives where the coffee beans are grown as we do with our cacao sourcing."

The Bittersweet Origins coffee is light roast. Light roast coffee, though it tastes less strong than some darker roasts, actually contains a stronger caffeine "dose."

The micro-batched Bittersweet Origins coffees include:

--  "Long Day's Journey" Espresso -- named in honor of Danville's own
Eugene O'Neil's play.   The Espresso is a blend of Kenyan and Brazilian
beans now which will change depending on the season.
--  "Faultline" drip coffee -- this will always be a blend; today it is a
mixture of Sumatra, Ethiopia and Guatemala.
--  Single bean drip -- this coffee will change seasonally. Right now it
is Guatemala Finca Florencia.
--  Swiss water process Decaf coffee is also available from Bittersweet
Origins.

"Bittersweet has developed its bean-to-bar chocolates. Moving into roasting our own coffee beans is a logical next step," explained Finnie. "We are very motivated to take control of our products so we can provide our customers with an outstanding taste experience."

Seneca Klassen, Bittersweet Café's chocolate maker, makes the "bean-to-bar" chocolate in 50-pound micro-batches, making each bar unique. He uses cacao beans from the Dominican Republic, Bali and Madagascar for the Bittersweet Origins chocolates and roasts and prepares the beans in Bittersweet's Berkeley production facility. The coffee beans now join the cacao beans, roasting in the Berkeley facility, under the supervision of a Bay Area coffee roasting expert.

About Bittersweet Origins and Café

Bittersweet Origins is a manufacturing and retailing company which creates craft chocolate and coffee in handmade, micro-batches to engage the senses and the mind. Bittersweet Café retail stores' ambience and furnishings reflect the one-of-a-kind nature of its chocolate bars, chocolate drinks and coffees. The warm and welcoming spaces furnished with unique tables, benches, carts and artwork from local craftspeople and artists create a gathering place for the community to savor locally made chocolate delicacies, coffee and tea. The Bittersweet Cafés are located in San Francisco on Fillmore Street, College Avenue in Oakland and the Rose Garden Shopping Center in Danville. For more information, visit www.bittersweetcafe.com or call 510-705-1860.

Plaid Friday, November 27th.

Wear plaid while you shop on November 27th to show you support for local and independent businesses.

About Plaid Friday

The name Plaid Friday celebrates the diversity and creativity of Bay Area independent businesses. Envisioned to be the independent business alternative to the big box store "Black Friday", Plaid Friday is designed to help raise awareness about shopping local and supporting the local economy.

Although the designation of this day is a new concept, the movement towards supporting the independent spirit and "Indie" Businesses of the Bay Area has been growing and expanding year by year. In early 2009, The East Bay Express launched a monthly guide to shopping local called the Indie Resolution, where patrons pledge to spend money at local establishments. Other local movements include Buy Local Berkeley, Oakland Grown and Oakland Unwrapped. Plaid Friday was created by two local independent businesses, Blankspace Gallery and the Compound Gallery, as a way to tie into this movement and elevate the awareness of the abundant and thriving independent businesses located in neighborhoods throughout the East Bay.

Help us celebrate by supporting participating shops on Friday, November 27th and throughout this Holiday season.

Wear plaid on November 27th to show your support while shopping at participating businesses. Look for the special plaid placards at your local shops. Many of the participating businesses are offering specials for Plaid Friday. Go to the participating businesses page to find out.

Postcards from Paris

"Paris Postcards" is a new book written by Leonard Pitt.

He will be joining us Thursday, December 3rd, from 7-9PM, to discuss his new book and show some of the postcards, as well as, discuss his favorite chocolate, Pralus.

“The book has almost 200 stunning postcards, many hand tinted, from the early 1900s. The history of the early postcard is full of drama. Deplored by many, it became a world-wide craze that revolutionized communication just like email today and with many of the same problems. The photos in the book show a Paris that no longer exists. The messages written by Americans to loved ones back home evoke the American experience of Paris at the turn of the century.”
-Leonard Pitt

Come and join us for some fabulous chocolate and a "guaranteed good time."

Bittersweet Origins Espresso Now Being Served!

It is finally here and we are so excited. After months of talk and hard work we have come up with a wonderful espresso blend that will know your socks off. It has some great citrus notes with a wonderful chocolate finish.

Bittersweet Cafe is now exclusively serving Bittersweet Origins Coffees and drinks.

Come in today and try it for yourself. It is amazingly good, especially in a Mocha.

Canned Food Drive In Full Swing

Bittersweet: Rockridge is a drop off location for the Alameda County Foodbank Holiday Canned Food Drive.

When you bring in a donation you will receive 10% off your drink purchase.

Please bring in your canned food to help those less fortunate get back on their feet and to have a full table during the holidays.

We are in the news again, and what a nice article!

This article came out a few days ago in the Oakland Tribune. The picture of Seneca is quite nice. It is a really good article explaining about fine chocolate and what we, Bittersweet, do.

Opening Later Tuesday the 10th.

Bittersweet will be opening at 9:15 AM on Tuesday, November 10th, instead of our usual time, due to staff training. We are excited to be rolling out our very own Bittersweet Origins Espresso and want to make sure that every cup is served perfectly. Our knowledgeable staff will be training to serve you better.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to bring you the quality you expect from Bittersweet Cafe.