The Branch Line

10 4th St Ste 1, Santa Rosa, CA 95401, United States
$$$ Cafe , Vegan restaurant
(74 Reviews)
Price Range $10–20

The Branch Line sits quietly along 4th Street in Santa Rosa’s town center, where the hum of the nearby railroad faintly underscores a casual, unhurried atmosphere. This café leans heavily into plant-based offerings, with nearly all items vegan-friendly—though they do use honey. Its outdoor seating invites you to linger over a cup of coffee or a light meal while soaking up the historic vibe of the district, making it an appealing stop for both locals and visitors wandering the nearby shops.

The menu is curated rather tightly, putting focus on quality rather than quantity. Standouts shared by regulars include the bagel paired with cream cheese and ripe avocado, and a variety of drinks that showcase thoughtful coffee craft—like the house-made hot chocolate and the strawberry matcha latte. Locals appreciate the nuanced flavors in the coffee, often sourced from regional roasters, adding a local dimension to the experience. For those who like to explore beyond the standard pour, there’s a whispered “secret coffee menu” known to regular patrons.

Price-wise, the café doesn't shy away from reflecting the quality and care put into its ingredients, but the lack of listed prices means it’s wise to check ahead if you’re budget-conscious. The outdoor setting and friendly, personable service add to a relaxed, neighborhood feel—something that makes it both a morning pit stop for a latte and an afternoon break for a light, veggie-forward bite.

Because seating is mainly outdoors and the café hugs the edge of the train line, quieter parts of the day—like mid-mornings or early afternoons on weekdays—tend to offer the most tranquil visit. Those coming for a quick coffee or a calm spot to read will find the ambiance suits casual, low-key visits more than long, boisterous gatherings.

Overall, The Branch Line suits visitors who enjoy thoughtfully prepared, plant-based café fare paired with well-crafted drinks in a setting that picture-frames a slice of Santa Rosa’s local character and community rhythm.

Highlights
Serves great coffee
Has great tea selection
Popular for
Popular for breakfast
Popular for lunch
Good for solo dining
Good for working on laptop
What they serve
Serves coffee
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Serves organic dishes
Quick bite
Serves vegan dishes
Serves vegetarian dishes
Best for
Serves breakfast
Serves brunch
Serves lunch
Serves dessert
Has seating
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Does not have assistive hearing loop
No wheelchair-accessible toilet
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Paid street parking

Openings Hours

Checking

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

Closed

Wednesday

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Thursday

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Friday

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Saturday

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Sunday

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

74 Reviews
Shelly Puri

28 Dec 2025

Delicious almost all vegan café (sells honey) located by the railroad in the town center. Seating is outdoors and the food is absolutely delicious. The menu is relatively small, but the items are all delicious – just beware that the prices for the food items are not listed on the menu and they are not cheap. Be sure to ask how much each item costs before ordering if you are price conscious. I would suggest that the café proactively add prices of the menu items on the menu so that consumers can avoid this step. The food is well presented, and all of the ingredients are very carefully considered and sourced. The folks at the café do not rush you out so it’s a wonderful spot for a leisurely meal. The gluten-free avocado toast is absolutely delicious. The gluten-free pastries are available, but please note that they are very sweet. So if you are watching your sugar intake, one pastry split amongst many should be enough or, opt to not get it. The matcha is also very nice – not bitter and nice and smooth. They are also offer a strawberry matcha with housemade strawberry syrup. Definitely worth a stop for a meal and/or beverage if you are in town.

Jennifer Alexandria

12 Nov 2025

I enjoyed the avocado gluten-free toast immensely. So delicious! They had a delightful gluten-free scone as well. It was tasty. Thank you for your impeccable service. Many blessings

Angela Innes

09 Nov 2025

First time here this past Monday and I’ll definitely be back! I got a delicious avocado toast with greens and a hot chocolate, with the chocolate made fresh in house . Good location near historic shopping district and train line. The young man that took our order and brought us the food was very nice and sweet with wonderful personality. Great customer service! I highly recommend The Branch Line.

Andras Heczey

23 Oct 2025

Coffee with nuanced flavors and locally sourced savory goods. Close to a train station on the first floor of an old brick building is The Branch line coffee shop. Wonderful selection of muffins and tasty bagels. Their coffees are exceptional and worth a trip from the Bay area. Don't forget to ask Justin about the secret coffee menu and the black sesame latte.

Peteris Virsnieks

18 Oct 2025

Great plant base food. ordered avocado GF toast with cream cheese and pretty large microgreen salad, will come back for that!

nadya perez

02 Oct 2025

Such a great spot! The atmosphere is soft and inviting, the owner Kim took our order and gave my husband and I great coffee suggestions. I myself am not a coffee person but the drink he ordered (brown sugar cinnamon latte) was so yummy and well made! I’ll definitely be coming back here for coffee. I also had the avocado toast which was fresh and tasty. Some of the reviews note that it’s a little pricey here, which I won’t argue against, but everything was also homemade and not pulled from a frozen bag or plastic bottle (including all syrups which are made in house), so I don’t mind the price! It kind of sucks because most of the foot traffic goes across the parking lot to Aroma Roasters, but The Branch Line will be where I head from now on for coffee! my only regret was not getting a muffin.

Cortney Flather

15 Sep 2025

What a cool place! We had toast with vegan cream cheese, avocado, and greens and it was absolutely delicious with a beautiful presentation. They had vegan/gf baked goods, vegan cheeses among other little snacks for sale and beautiful local flowers. I would highly recommend hitting up this spot if you are in the area! Yum!

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