WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – Walnut Creek has seen an explosion of Turkish food recently. We covered the opening of PiddeG last month.
But right in downtown, there’s another new Turkish place. Ananas Coffee serves Turkish coffee, smoothies, food, and Middle Eastern sweets at 1372 North Main Street.
Ananas occupies the space that formerly housed CREAM. It’s a small but light and airy interior, and Ananas has leaned into that feeling with a white color scheme, small tables, and a nice bar seating area by the window where you can people watch.
On the menu, you’ll find specialties like Turkish coffee, served with the traditional cardamom, with the grounds at the bottom of the glass.
Unlike other local Turkish places, though, most of the food is Californian. There are things like avocado toast, breakfast sandwiches, and smoothies.
You’ll also find a big case filled with sweets–both Turkish ones like baklava and American classics like banana bread and brownies
Ananas has a small open kitchen you can watch them prepare the food items.
You can also watch as they make your coffee!
The coffee itself comes from Zolo Coffee Roasters, a local chain. This is the same coffee you’ll see served at places like the Danville Farmer’s Market. It’s excellent and fresh.
I tried the Turkish coffee and baklava. The coffee was intense, and served in a lovely white China cup. It feels like a Turkish espresso!
It was excellent and strong, but I was expecting a more pronounced cardamom flavor. Still, this will definitely get you up and moving in the morning!
The baklava was the perfect, ultra-sweet contrast to the strong, dark coffee. Literally dripping with honey and ground pistachios, it was a decadent and tasty little sweet that solidly ties in the Turkish concept.
Overall, I enjoyed the items I got at Ananas, and will definitely need to stop back in to try the more substantial breakfast food.
Especially with chain coffee places like Starbucks departing Walnut Creek, it’s great to see local, artisan coffee spots coming in to fill their place!
