OUR STORY

 

 

ABOUT CAFÉ DEJÉNA

We are a local, family-owned Eritrean café located in Oakland, California. We offer dine in meals all day, grab & go for those on the run, delivery via UberEATS, and catering for small events. The café has a bright and friendly atmosphere, free WiFi for students and busy professionals looking for a quiet spot to work, and is conveniently located near public transportation. Come on by and join the Dejéna community!

A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

In the Eritrean tradition, whole villages of people gather under the big tree to create community and live in harmony, enjoying coffee and meals together as if the tree's shadow were an extension of their living room. With the exception of the capital city of Asmara, Eritrea is composed of small communities and villages. They conduct their village business and community meetings under the watchful eye of big trees. The serving of tea, coffee and snacks is a very traditional and welcoming practice to anyone who visits their home or village.

 
 
 
Cafe Dejena

OUR BUILDING

The building in which Café Dejéna is located is filled with history as well. It is the place where the Eritrean refugees would come together, seek support in this new, strange country, and make new friends. We supported the Eritrean struggle for independence here in the building through the Eritrean Students Association. In fact, the building was the first site in Oakland where the Independence of Eritrea was announced in 1993 and then celebrated for two straight months!

We opened Café Dejéna on December 22, 2003. It started as a place for the Temascal neighborhood to gather and has grown from there. It's now a place for old and new friends to come together, share a meal, and enjoy life. 

OUR HOMELAND

Officially the State of Eritrea, Eritrea is a country in North East Africa. The capital is Asmara. Eritrea's size is approximately 117,600 square kilometers (45,406 square miles), with an estimated population of 5 million. You can learn more about Eritrea and its rich history here