Berkeley's Homemade Café closes on first day of the year, 'Everybody Eats' program will end

BERKELEY, Calif - A Berkeley café known for its ‘Everybody Eats’ program had a line out the door and around the block on the first day of the year. But this was also Homemade Cafe's last day serving breakfast and lunch. 

At one point, 75 people were waiting their turn on Sacramento and Durant streets to be seated for breakfast. 

75 people lined up to wait for breakfast at Berkeleys Homemade Cafe which is closing January 1st

Even those who arrived early still had to wait. Bill Abbott lives in San Francisco. But he came over for his last breakfast at the café that’s been around since 1979. He said, "It took us two hours almost exactly from 9:20 to 11:20." 

Devoted customers said the food is delicious, good value and the restaurant is a community establishment. There was a lot of emotion on the last day for a restaurant that’s been here for 45 years. 

Robert Estilo has been a customer since he was at Cal in 1989. "It’s sad that they’re closing, we’re losing another great Bay Area restaurant." He said, "I do hope they find something else. It’s a community place, it’s where everybody gathers. It’s like a family too. You get to know the staff. " 

Collin Durran grew up in the neighborhood. He’s owned the restaurant since 2011 but worked here in 1999. 

Durran has tried many different strategies to keep the place open, including a GoFundMe campaign. 

Berkeleys Homemade Cafe proprietor Collin Durran (right)  (Alice Wertz)

"It’s just very difficult in this economy to try and provide quality food, pay your employees, not charge exorbitant prices, and stay solid," he said. 

His daughter has worked here since she was a teen, back when it was always busy. "It feels like 2015 again," She said, "We used to do 300 people on the weekends all the time, then the pandemic hit, and we went down to doing like a hundred on the weekends, then we reached 200 again, but this is awesome to see, I wish it happened sooner. It does feel good though." 

What the community will also miss is Homemade and Durran’s generous free food program, called ‘Everybody Eats’. 

'Everybody Eats" allows patrons to pay $5 enabling a hungry member of the community free breakfast. 

He smiled as he said, "It’s a policy I’ve had forever, where I would feed anyone who needs to be fed." 

Folks who want to help pay five dollars and then post a small card on a bulletin board near the front door. The plain white business card simply reads, "Everybody Eats." Anyone who needs it can take a card off the pay it forward to folks who can’t afford a delicious hot breakfast of two eggs, potatoes, toast, and coffee. It’s a dignified meal for anyone who’s hungry. And it’s free. 

"I estimate about 5,000 meals this year." Durran’s estimate of free meals is about 10 to 15 a day on average.

He admits he was inspired by the Black Panthers’ free food program for school children in the late 1960s.  

Durran is recognized for risking profit for the betterment of the community, by simply feeding hungry people the most important meal of the day. 

Vincent Trahan is a basketball coach at Berkeley High School who’s been coming to Homemade Café for years and has enjoyed Durran’s hearty breakfasts and generosity. "He’s just a wonderful guy. We’re going to miss him and the employees here," he said. "It’s been a blessing over the years to support his family." 

Durran said it’s been worth it. He said, "It’s evident by how many people are here, that’s how it’s definitely worthwhile and a much better way of walking through this world the way many people try to do." 

As for what’s next with Durran and his future for the restaurant?  "We will have weekend popups, there will be dinner pop-ups. There will be dinner rentals." He said, "I still have the space, I'm not selling the business. We’ll still be around. We’ll build community and continue to serve great food, even better food, maybe." 

Alice Wertz is a freelance reporter for KTVU Fox 2 News. She can be reached at Alice.Wertz@Fox.com