Cafe Van Kleef: One Word…Greyhounds

Vodka was probably one of the first types of alcohol that I ever drank. I was all too familiar with the “screwdriver” which is vodka and orange juice. Growing up, I would watch my father make “screwdrivers” for himself and my mother. I think he even let me make some, for sure I got to stir them. When I was in college, I started drinking the “Cape Cod” which is vodka and cranberry juice. I got more sophisticated when the popular television series “Sex and the City” got me drinking the “Cosmopolitan” which is vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec, and lime juice. Fast forward about two and a half years ago when I learned about the “Greyhound” which is vodka and grapefruit juice.


My first “Greyhound” was at Cafe Van Kleef, a bar on Telegraph Ave in Downtown Oakland a few blocks from work. Practically everyone there were drinking “Greyhounds”. What’s so special about the “Greyhound”? At Cafe Van Kleef, they are delicious. They use freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit and they top it off with a large wedge of grapefruit.


My colleagues and I went over for a drink after work on Friday. It was one of those weeks and I couldn’t think of anything better than a “Greyhound”. We sat at the bar and the bartenders were busy cutting up and squeezing grapefruits. Apparently they go through about five cases of grapefruits a day with each case having 20-25 grapefruits. That’s a lot of grapefruit. Cafe Van Kleef is a funky cool place and for $7 you can experience it yourself.