the revolution will be                          caffeinated....

Cafe Voltaire

is Benicia's premiere local coffeehouse.  We serve exclusively organic trade coffee, teas and chocolate.  The cafe's location at the water's end on historic First Street, offers Benicians and tourists a beautiful setting and a friendly, comfortable place to meet, work, share coffee and conversation.

Why is Fair Trade so very important? 

 (from Global Exchange)

The United States consumes one-fifth of all the world's coffee, making it the largest consumer in the world. But few Americans realize that agriculture workers in the coffee industry often toil in what can be described as "sweatshops in the fields." Many small coffee farmers receive prices for their coffee that are less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt.

Fair Trade is a viable solution to this crisis, assuring consumers that the coffee we drink was purchased under fair conditions. To become Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet stringent international criteria; paying a minimum price per pound of $1.26, providing much needed credit to farmers, and providing technical assistance such as help transitioning to organic farming. Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education, and environmental stewardship.

WARNING:  Cafe Voltaire ain't for sissies:

"It's hard being a regular."  ---- Joe Kearns 

 Cafe Voltaire Restaurant Reviews

Sustain Lane -- Green Restaurants

Yelp !  SF Bay Reviews

In the News....

Cafe Voltaire Reviewed by Under Covers in the SF Chronicle
December 13, 2007
By Stephanie Wright Hession 

Downtown Benicia is small and very walkable. Enjoy an organic cup of coffee and a pastry at Cafe Voltaire. Stroll past adorable boutiques, antiques stores and art galleries on the way to the palm-lined marina. Enjoy afternoon tea at the Camellia Tea Room; nearby restaurant options include seafood, Thai and Chinese. For a glimpse into the city's history, stop by Benicia Capitol State Historic Park, home to California's capitol building from 1853 to 1854.

BENICIA - A big table in back of Café Voltaire is for hashing out the days' burning topics over a hot cup of joe.

At least that's how Jan Cox-Golovich, owner of the new shop sees it. Café Voltaire opened in mid-August.

"It's a communal table styled after European coffee houses," Cox-Golovich said recently from her new business digs in the Tannery Building. . ...

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