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About

Discover why discerning individuals who know and enjoy great food and wine from around the globe come and dine at Cafe Merlot.

Welcome to Cafe Merlot, we are a green socially conscious cafe with a great heart and great food, located in the historic Bernardo winery. We also offer hands on cooking classes and catering services at an affordable price.

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Reviews of Cafe Merlot

Ericka
Ericka Sent on 12/08/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Highly recommend Cafe Merlot!

Toni is wonderful, she first met with us to get a feel for who we are and what flavors we like. From there she crafted a custom menu that matched our personalities, favorites, venue, and season of our wedding. When we had our tasting, it was clear a lot of thought and heart went to each dish. And let me tell you, everything we tasted was AMAZING. Our guests absolutely loved their dinner and dessert. Toni has done so many weddings so we knew we had nothing to worry about - great experience all the way around!
D
Debra Sent on 06/07/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Cafe Merlot is now called Elements. Toni and her team were wonderful to work with. Toni takes a personal interest to help you customize your food selection and to keep within budget. The food was fantastic. The service was terrific. Can only say Thank you for making the day so special.
J
Jennifer Sent on 08/28/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Toni @ Cafe Merlot is amazing! She and her team catered our August 2014 wedding and she spoiled us from the tasting all the way up until the day of the wedding. She was flexible regarding payments and never stressed me out. Her calm demeanor and professionalism are just what I needed throughout the planning process.

The food is one-of-a-kind. She grows most, if not all, of her ingredients in her own garden. Just awesome!
M
Maria Sent on 08/23/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Toni & her staff created a most delicious meal, for our wedding guest from appetizers to the desserts, which included gelato, italian pasteries, and a most scumptious wedding cake, duplicated from a pic I had sent her!
Deborah
Deborah Sent on 03/22/2014
5 out of 5 rating
Best food ever, was a total hit with our guests!
A
Amber Sent on 11/22/2013
5 out of 5 rating
Amazing!!! Food, price and service!! Nothing but the best from Cafe Merlot! Toni "got" my vision and pulled it off flawlessly!!!! If you aren't looking for Catering services visit their restaurant on property at Bernardo Winery.. The Italian Wedding soup is to DIE for!!
Nhu-Chi
Nhu-Chi Sent on 12/13/2011
5 out of 5 rating
Cafe Merlot did a wonderful job catering our wedding. We especially enjoyed working with Toni. It was so fun picking out the menu with her. The food was delicious and they had a lot of variety. If they don't have it, Toni will definitely try her best to make it work. Toni and her team were friendly and professional. They did a great job putting together our lovely wedding. We would recommend them for any catering event.
K
Kathy Sent on 11/02/2011
5 out of 5 rating
Toni Kraft is the best- she was easy to work with and very accommodating. We had a brunch reception which was an excellent value and the food was delicious. She even made a bunch of gluten-free food for us, as the bride and several guests had celiacs. The tasting was a fun experience (there were 4 of us) and she gave us full servings of everything, not just "tastes"
I highly recommend Cafe Merlot!
somemoresmith
Sommer Sent on 05/20/2010
5 out of 5 rating
On site caterer...amazing choices to please all food varieties! Costs are very reasonable and quality of food is outstanding!
H
Hailey Sent on 10/12/2018
4.9 out of 5 rating
Toni is beyond accommodating. The food is divine, service is impeccable and professionalism is too notch. Our guests raced about the food at our wedding and continue to tell my family & I how delicious everything was. Toni caters to your needs (mine being 9 vegans, 2 vegetarians & a to-go plate for my disabled father). Out of all the tastings we did, we felt she was the most thorough and would take care of us best and did she! Waiters followed the bridal party everywhere during cocktail hour making sure we had enough to eat. I would recommend you to book with Toni, 100%. If you go with someone else, you’re definitely missing out. Photos from our tasting are included (everyone was praising the gnocchi as the best they ever had) and our cake table with mini desserts.
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Cafe Merlot frequently asked questions

Cafe Merlot offers the following event services for weddings:
  • Delivery
Cafe Merlot offers the following catering services for weddings:
  • Buffet
  • Cake Cutting
  • Hors d'oeuvres
  • Plated
  • Server(s)
  • Stations
  • Tastings
At Cafe Merlot, you can find the following types of cuisine:
  • American
  • French
  • Italian
  • Local
At Cafe Merlot, the following dietary needs can be accomodated:
  • Organic
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
Cafe Merlot is recommended by 99% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in quality of service, 5 in professionalism, 5 in value, 4.9 in average response time and 4.9 in flexibility.

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