Inspired by the old-world café scenes of Berlin and Vienna, Mill Valley resident Iryna Nevozhai has opened Franko & Co on Bridgeway in Sausalito. While she and much of the team are Ukrainian, she aims to create something more universal and in keeping with the high standard of hospitality she admired in her home city of Kyiv.

The French American pastry menu features fresh croissants filled with pastry cream and chocolate, pistachio, strawberry and sometimes sour cherry, a fruit deeply rooted in Ukrainian culinary tradition. These are made daily in-house at a commercial bakery in San Rafael.

Sourdough toast by Sausalito’s Portside Bakery is topped with avocado, salmon or goat cheese and strawberry jam. Waffles will be added soon, and occasional pop-ups will highlight Ukrainian specialties, including one from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday when the café celebrates Kyiv Day with sour cherry varenyky (traditional dumplings) and classic Kyiv cakes.

Hedge, a San Francisco-based roaster, supplies the single-origin espresso blend, natural-process Honduran beans for brewed coffee and decaffeinated beans that are also sold in bags.

The name of the café was inspired by Nevozha’s favorite Ukrainian author, Ivan Franko, who was a 19th-century philosopher and political activist known for shaping the country’s cultural and intellectual life.

“He was kind of a hipster. He loved coffee and cafés and was such a cool and inspiring character,” Nevozha said.

Nataly Karavay of Los Angeles-based Nataly Karavay Design handled the interior, which combines earthy tones with tactile materials and handcrafted elements.

“We didn’t want to bring in too much Ukrainian ethos — just enough to be present through the décor and curated pieces,” said Karavay, noting that the goal was to create something new for Sausalito that feels like it’s always been there. “We chose to emphasize that contrast … with the objects we brought into the space — vintage frames, jugs and imagery found at local markets, mixed with works from modern Ukrainian creators, many of which are available to purchase.”

She adds that the deep burgundy tile on the bar front was chosen to echo the rich berry hue of the shop’s signature strawberry croissant.

Seating is available at three small tables inside and another three in front on the sidewalk.

Nevozhai, a former tech recruiter who moved from Kyiv to the United States a decade ago, first lived in Cupertino before settling in Mill Valley. Thinking that the picturesque town of Sausalito deserved a coffee shop to match, she spent a year researching its viability, talking to locals and looking for the right location. Construction began in the winter of 2023, and she introduced Ukrainian-baked goods to the community as a vendor at the Sunday Sausalito Farmers Market last summer.

Franko & Co is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends at 721 Bridgeway in Sausalito, with breakfast served until 11:30 a.m. weekdays and 1:30 p.m. weekends. Event catering is also available. For updates, follow on Instagram at instagram.com/franko.and.co, where inquiries can be made via direct message.