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Catbird Breakfast Club, a New Underground Pop-Up, Arrives in Berkeley

Breakfast in the garden.
Breakfast in the garden. Photo: via Facebook

A new underground brunch option has just arrived in Berkeley called Catbird Breakfast Club, which is the work of chef Ciara Sanker. It’s a side project for Sanker who also co-founded Rogue Café, a Sunday pop-up she started with local coffee roasters OneNinetySeven (she’s actually not involved with that anymore). Catbird happens on Saturdays only, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in Sanker’s own garden, outside her cottage a few blocks from Berkeley Bowl. So far in its first weeks it’s mostly been attended by friends and friends of friends, but she’d like to open it up to the local community in so far as space allows. The menu, which changes weekly, features things homemade pistachio morning buns; leek bread pudding; soft cooked egg and Serrano ham on toast with tomato, watercress and chimichurri; and samfaina, a Catalan version of ratatouille served with a marinated egg. Because it’s underground and has limited capacity, Sanker only gives out the address by request, via Facebook. She hopes to keep the operation going through the winter and next year, weather permitting, but keep an eye out for potential rain days.

Catbird Breakfast Club, a New Underground Pop-Up, Arrives in Berkeley