Alameda Business Spotlight: Cafe Rio California

Owner: Ney Araujo

When did  you open? This year, right after the Fourth of July.

Do you have other locations? Yes, in Preservation Park in Oakland. Originally, I opened a cafe in Berkeley but sold it before starting the one in Oakland. I've been in the restaurant business for 20 years.

What type of food do you serve? Continental with a Brazilian accent. I'm originally from Rio de Janeiro, so we have South American specialities like coxinha, which is a chicken croquette. But we also have Italian and French entrees as well as sandwiches. And we have Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken. We offer daily specials like pasta, salads and feijoada, which is the Brazilian national dish.

Our breakfast menu includes pastries, bagels, coffee and tea. There is also an Acai Bowl with bananas and granola. On Saturdays, we offer a full breakfast with omelets and scrambled eggs.

When are you open? Right now, we are open for breakfast and lunch. We want to add dinner once business picks up. It's getting busier now that the and are back in session.

Why did you choose to expand to Alameda? To fulfill a necessity for this neighborhood by providing a unique type of food. There are 500 homes in Bayport and almost 2,000 homes across the street, yet there are few restaurants near here. You have to drive all the way to Webster Street and try to find parking. I noticed this because every week I drive my daughter to do sports at and .

Cafe Rio California is located at 1930 Main St. It's open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.