A new café inspired by the timeless charm of Berlin and Vienna has opened its doors in Sausalito. Mill Valley resident Iryna Nevozhai has launched Franko & Co on Bridgeway, aiming to create a warm, elegant space that blends old-world hospitality with modern tastes.
Although Nevozhai and many team members are Ukrainian, the café is designed to feel universal. “I wanted to bring the level of hospitality I admired in Kyiv, but make it accessible to everyone,” she said.
The café’s French-American pastry menu includes fresh, in-house croissants filled with pastry cream, chocolate, pistachio, strawberry, and occasionally sour cherry—a fruit with deep roots in Ukrainian cuisine. The pastries are baked daily at a commercial bakery in San Rafael.
Savory offerings include sourdough toast from Sausalito’s Portside Bakery, topped with avocado, salmon, or goat cheese with strawberry jam. Waffles will soon join the menu. Special pop-ups will also highlight traditional Ukrainian dishes.
This Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Franko & Co will celebrate Kyiv Day with a special menu featuring sour cherry varenyky (traditional dumplings) and classic Kyiv cakes.
The café serves coffee from Hedge, a San Francisco-based roaster. The menu features a single-origin espresso blend, natural-process Honduran beans for brewed coffee, and decaf options—all also available for purchase by the bag.
The café’s name honors Ivan Franko, a 19th-century Ukrainian philosopher and political activist. “He was kind of a hipster,” said Nevozhai. “He loved coffee and cafés. He was such a cool and inspiring character.”
Related topics:
- Kenyan Coffee Farmers Urged to Adopt Organic Farming for Global Edge
- Fits Retail Brings World-Class DeLonghi Coffee Experience to Sri Lanka
- Vietnamese Coffee Scene Expands in NYC as FifthSip Joins the Trend