An Urban Oasis

Nomad Cafe is the East Bay's hub of conscious community. Nomad is a zero-waste-over-the-counter, internationally recognized, award winning certified Green Business promoting urban engagement and the arts. Our menu features delicious vegan-friendly fare, organic beer & wine, and the Bay Area's best Fair Trade coffees and teas. We offer a busy calendar of live music, poetry, storytelling and open mic performances on the Nomad stage. Come see rotating monthly exhibitions of local artists work on display at the Nomad Cafe gallery, North Oakland's own community canvas. Our Kids' Corner is a favorite among parents seeking a refreshment break while their children build Lego towers or read picture books, lounging on colorful pillows and a soft, hand-woven nomadic Gabbeh rug. The Nomad features indoor and outdoor seating, and is wheelchair-accessible and transit-adjacent (Ashby BART, AC Transit bus line #18).

The Ashby Arts District

The recent emergence of this affiliation of arts venues in the South Berkeley/North Oakland neighborhoods surrounding Ashby BART station has finally given a name to an area long known for its proliferation of artists, writers, musicians, dancers, actors and other performers, as well as residents who appreciate community-based arts. The formation of the Ashby Arts District was spearheaded by Epic Arts, which serves as its fulcrum. The partnership includes La Pena Cultural Center, Epic Arts, The Shotgun Players at The Ashby Stage, The Black Repertory Group, Nomad Cafe, Northern California Land Trust, Unconditional Theatre and the Triptych Gallery. This district is unique in that it has been organized by artists and arts organizations from the grassroots up, and is now supported by the local business community, neighborhood associations, and was officially recognized by the Berkeley Mayor's office in the summer of 2003.

Through collaborative events and programs, the District's members are working to bridge gaps between neighboring organizations, increase public awareness of the arts, and unify the communities we serve. Our undertakings include: publishing a monthly arts calendar that reflects events and performances throughout the Ashby Arts District; compiling and sharing a database of nearly one thousand local artists, musicians and other performers in order to allow broad saturation of favorite acts within the district; and working with city officials to move new arts organizations into the area.