Community Support Helps Iconic Peninsula Café Keep Doors Open

MENLO PARK, CA — When the weight of a bad economy threatened to shutter an iconic Peninsula eatery, it turned to an extended community of loyal customers it has served for parts of six decades for help.

Café Borrone’s faithful customers answered the call.

Café owner and CEO Marina Borrone started a GoFundMe drive in late April to help the popular restaurant afloat when shelter-in-place orders devastated its business.

It had raised over $135,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.

The café first opened in Redwood City in 1979 before moving to Menlo Park 10 years later. It has been at its current location on 1010 El Camino Real since 1989.

It’s survived the Loma Prieta earthquake, the Great Recession and ridden through boom and bust cycles that go back to the Carter administration.

The COVID-19 pandemic has the neighborhood institution fighting for its survival like at no other time.

“As a family we’ve weathered plenty of setbacks, but this one is unprecedented.” Borrone wrote on the GoFundMe page. “With no way to generate income for an extended period of time, our cash reserve has dwindled to next to nothing.”

The café reopened for takeout in late April according to a report in The Almanac.

The restaurant currently employs just 20, a fraction of the pre-pandemic staff of 70 it had just a few months ago.

The restaurant applied for but was declined a Paycheck Protection Program loan.

“I am doing everything in my power to save Cafe Borrone and continue to play our vital role in the Menlo Park and larger community,” Borrone wrote on her GoFundMe page.

“I am humbled to say that I need your help. I know this is a hard time for everyone. Anything helps - including leaving a comment about your experience at Cafe Borrone, and sharing this campaign whether or not you can contribute.”