A new cafe has taken over one of Redwood City's most talked-about storefronts. Passport Cafe & Bar soft-opened Oct. 2 at 2159 Roosevelt Ave. in the Roosevelt neighborhood, according to Palo Alto Online.
A fresh start
The space was Chez Nous, which owner Maria Rutenburg opened in November 2021. Some residents boycotted it after her attendance at the Jan. 6 Capitol riot became known, and it closed in June. New owner Noryn Aldana, who has opened more than a dozen Bay Area cafes, including Plucky's Cafe in Burlingame, told Palo Alto Online she is not affiliated with Rutenburg. She's replacing the old bookshelf's conservative literature with materials about world cultures and plans a children's corner.
The menu
Aldana makes syrups, granola, sauces, spreads, sausages and pickles in-house. Bowls (chia, oat, granola and acai) run $9 to $14, and tartines $15 to $19, including a popular Nordic smoked salmon tartine and a vegan mushroom tartine. Drinks include espresso, cold brew, matcha, hojicha and a Mont Blanc coffee with tiramisu cream, according to Palo Alto Online and Hoodline.
Hours and what's next
Passport is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aldana plans to add an Italian-Californian dinner menu once she gets a full liquor license, which she estimates will come at the end of the year.