Caffé Verbena
Oakland Wedding Location1111 Broadway, Lobby Level
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: 510/465-9300
www.caffeverbena.com
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Description
Caffé Verbena is what most urban restaurants long to be: a place that provides respite from the big bad city while simultaneously playing up the glamour of metropolitan life. Inside this upscale eatery, buttery walls, deep leather booths and a handsome bar envelop guests in comfort and calm; yet thanks to vertical windows and an adjacent atrium and garden, the impressive Oakland skyline—and the excitement of the city—is never far away.
Right in the heart of Oakland’s newly revitalized downtown, Caffé Verbena occupies a portion of the towering Shorenstein APL Building’s lobby level. Businesses may inhabit the upper floors, but Caffé Verbena and its immediate environs are all about pleasure. You can limit your celebration to the restaurant itself, but it’s great fun to expand into the light-filled atrium, gleaming marble lobby, and Zen garden just beyond the establishment’s wide-open doors.
The atmosphere changes depending on where you are. In Caffé Verbena’s paneled cherrywood dining room, low lighting, dark fabrics and mahogany wood accents set the tone, with an open kitchen and long, well-stocked bar completing the picture. These details provide a sophisticated backdrop for a seated meal or cocktail reception.
Just outside the restaurant proper, an atrium with floor-to-ceiling windows affords views of the garden and the nearby Federal and City Center buildings. This space can be used for just about anything: drinks and hors d’oeuvres, a delightful lunch or supper, or as a dance floor with room for a DJ booth.
Beyond the atrium, the sparkling but spare rear lobby of the building boasts a high ceiling and a rotating selection of contemporary abstract sculpture from the Oakland Museum. There’s ample room for a cocktail hour, sit-down dinner or even a wedding ceremony. With plenty of advance notice, Caffé Verbena’s management can remove the sculpture—but why bother? These artworks are an added bonus, enhancing the ambiance of the place.
Stepping into the great outdoors from the lobby, guests encounter a grassy courtyard surrounded by a waterfall, stone benches and more sculpture, known as the Zen garden. Some couples get married on the grass, while others exchange vows on the wide cement path that wraps around the courtyard. This open area can also accommodate larger groups, for both seated and standing receptions.
For smaller get-togethers, Verbena sports a petite patio that overlooks 11th Street. Amidst city views, a bride and groom can tie the knot, ply guests with champagne or sit down with an intimate group of family and friends for an al fresco party.
At Caffé Verbena, you can design your event using any or all of these spaces. In fact, this property’s main draw might be the diversity of its event-friendly areas and the different moods they provide. Though Caffé Verbena has only been open since 2001, it should become increasingly popular for weddings, wine tastings, private parties and corporate functions as people discover its enchanting urban setting.
Capacity
Ceremony |
Reception/Special Events |
Meetings |
|
Max. Seated Indoors: 300 Max. Seated Outdoors: 150 |
Max. Seated Indoors: 350 Max. Seated Outdoors: 250 Max. Standing Indoors: 600 Max. Standing Outdoors: 400 |
Max. Seated: 600 |
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CEREMONY CAPACITY: The Lobby holds 300 seated guests, and the Zen Garden holds 150 seated. |
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Fees & Deposits
25% of the food and beverage minimum is required to reserve your date; the balance is due at the end of the event. Facility fees may apply depending on space rented. Luncheons range $18–35/person, dinners $35–55/person. Tax, alcohol and an 18% service charge are additional, as is a $3/person cake-cutting fee. A ceremony setup fee may apply.
Breakfast meetings run $10–20/person. All other fees are the same as above.
Availability
Year-round, daily, 7am–2am.
CateringProvidedBYO AlcoholProvidedBYO w/ Corkage Fee Sites UsesCeremoniesWedding Receptions Special Events, Parties Business Functions/Meetings Rehearsal Dinners Services/AmenitiesCatering: provided or BYO CBAKitchen Facilities: CBA for BYO catering Tables & Chairs: provided or CBA Linens, Silver, etc.: provided or CBA Restrooms: wheelchair accessible Dance Floor: yes Bride's Dressing Area: yes Meeting Equipment: CBA, extra charge Parking: nearby paid garages or on street Accommodations: no guestrooms Telephone: pay phone Outdoor Night Lighting: yes Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no Cleanup: provided, extra charge View: cityscape, garden Other: event coordination |
MusicIndoorsOutdoors w/ Restrictions Wheelchair AccessWheelchair AccessibleSite ViewsCityscapeGarden Garden Patio/Courtyard RestrictionsAlcohol: provided, or wine corkage $10/bottleSmoking: outdoors only Music: amplified OK, with restrictions Wheelchair Access: yes Insurance: required for outside vendors |
Wondering what CBA or BYO means?
510/465-9300
www.caffeverbena.com
Email or request a proposal for your event from Caffé Verbena
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