Red velvet waffles from One Love Cafe in San Bruno. Courtesy One Love Cafe.
Named after the famed Bob Marley song, One Love Cafe opened on Oct. 25 in downtown San Bruno. Taking over the former longtime space of coffee shop Never Too Latte at 486 San Mateo Ave., the cafe is dedicated to unity and community.
One Love Cafe features an all-day menu of healthy bites and drinks while serving up familiar favorites like toffee lattes and red velvet waffles popularized by their predecessor. Food offerings include acai smoothie fruit bowls, bacon and egg avocado toast, chicken almond pesto sandwiches, and quesadillas. To drink, guests can choose from espresso options like cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas, plus refreshing choices like homemade pineapple strawberry agua fresca and berry smoothies.
A Bay Area native, owner Rebecca Molano focuses on supporting other local businesses at One Love Cafe. The menu features Vasquez Coffee, a Latina owned roastery in San Francisco; bread from Raymond's Bakery in South San Francisco; pastries by local wholesaler Moulin Boulangerie; and Mitchell's Ice Cream, also from San Francisco.
A realtor by trade, Molano decided to take a leap of faith and open up her own shop this year. With an eye for design, Molano harnessed her real estate background to create a cozy, oasis-like environment. The remodeled space accentuates the cafe’s high ceilings and natural lighting from the skylight, and a leafy accent wall adorned with a neon “One Love” sign greets guests upon entering. The space also features a children’s corner with toys and books.
“As a Latina, I always felt like (San Bruno) needed a local space that had a beautiful aesthetic and lively vibe that reflected the warmness of my culture,” said Molano. “The cafe has a modern aesthetic, but also a home away from home feel with a fireplace, couch and big TV.”
Molano hopes to cultivate a sense of warmth and community through the cafe as well. The space is available to rent for parties and corporate events, with plans to host entertainment, open mic nights and live music in the future. Since opening her business, Molano is even more encouraged to make One Love Cafe a force for good.
“Now that I have experienced what it means to be a business owner in San Bruno, I have found that there isn't a lot of support for small businesses in this town,” Molano said. “My personal experience has led me to organize the local merchants to start meeting with city officials to improve the downtown neighborhood.”
One Love Cafe, 486 San Mateo Ave., San Bruno; 415-952-0101, Instagram: @onelovecafesb. Open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm.
