Top Coffee Shop in Berkeley
Sodoi Coffee Tasting House
2438 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
Note: their card machine is acting up, unsure when that will be resolved but cash is faster to order!!Cute, funky space, music is not crazy loud which I LOVE! Coffee is good from what Ive had (large Americano) but there are so many interesting fun options! Red ginseng latte, strawberry matcha iced latte, and red velvet latte to name a few! Im excited with their spread.Also the ice creams look delicious and I look forward to trying them! Pastries could definitely use some work though, especially considering the pastry game thats been going on in these Bay Area cafe with Third Culture and other fantastic bakeries. Very average/subpar chocolate croissant, but honestly Im here more for the coffee and study environment, so I stand by my 5 stars.Service is great. Aside from the slow card reader, the ladies running this place are very polite, sweet, and friendly.Absolutely love it here.고맙습니다!다음에 다시 올게요 ♡♡
Roaming Bean Coffee
124 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710, United States
We found the Roaming Bean cafe team at the SF Coffee festival and loved their coffee and immediately got the idea to have them at our wedding reception in Berkeley.From the beginning of the planning phases, Jasrajs passion for coffee and catering drinks to fit our likes and the season was very clear - he came up with very interesting ideas for drinks to serve at our event!At the event itself, having his coffee cart was a great hit and we received many amazing reviews from our guests. Jasraj and team were able to quickly serve 5 different types of drinks/dessert with high quality (Espresso, Cappuccino, Cardamom latte, Affogato, Hibiscus tea.) We had lots of guests interested in all of these drinks, and due to their promptness, there was not much of a wait and the guests were delighted with what they got! We had more than anticipated demand, and Roaming Bean was also able to scale on demand at the event itself.Highly recommend hiring Roaming Bean for your event, if you are a coffee fan or simply if youre interested in entertaining your guests with interesting drinks!
Sasha Coffee
2023 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
Absolutely wonderful coffee and service!This coffee shop is honestly a gem and the city of Berkeley is that much better for having Sashas.Overall, the coffee is excellent and you honestly can not ask for better service. Everytime I go Im greeted with a super friendly vibe and there is always an excellent selection of gourmet items to choose from. Oh, and did I mention the coffee is perfect, Every. Single. Time.!?Change nothing; youre doing everything right!Thanks a million! :)
MY Coffee Roastery
2080 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
Tucked along the busy MLK thoroughfare, two coffee aficionados share their labor of love. I walked in to Christine (the barista & owner) serving a latte topped with a two-colored heart-within-a-heart, delivered with a wholesome, thank you for your support! As humble newcomers to the specialty coffee scene in Berkeley, their commitment to mastering their craft is authentic and what will certainly sets their shop apart.What made me excited to visit them was how theyve staked their reputation on roasting their own beans. Most small cafes will launch by brewing and serving the beans of reputable roasters, but Peter and Christine are drawing from their years of experience to roast and serve delicate cups of coffee in a cafe of their own design.Its like walking through a time machine, said Peter in describing his thoughts behind building the countertops. [As you walk in] its modern, but stepping into the back it becomes more historic.I ordered a washed Ethiopia pour over coffee, and watched our artist at work. Christines pour over technique was wonderful - delivering a floral coffee with a sweet lingering aftertaste. She explained her coffee with the excitement of a musician telling the story behind a new piece: quick to point out how the coffee she made, with beans aged 20 days past roasting, had a gentler taste than when it was first roasted.MY Coffee Roastery is elevating the specialty coffee scene here in the East Bay, and theyre doing so in the most authentic way possible: by studying every roast, educating the community around their coffee, and making people happy with every cup they serve.
Peets Coffee
2124 Vine St, Berkeley, CA 94709, United States
But it all depends on the baristas skill and the store. The original Vine St store is pretty consistent in quality with some outdoor sidewalk seating...local hangout for decades for some who are now gray haired...a nice location, but parking can be challenging. Walk there if you can.Several good quality boutique stores nearby and Gourmet Ghettos sought after eateries .The Shattuck downtown store is a different environment...and they always have an insufficient amount of chairs. There you have to have a code for the bathrooms.More street people around, virtually no parking but a hop, skip and a jump from downtown BART stn. With Berkeleys downtown at your doorstep, including 2 3 movie theaters!The Solano Ave Peets continues to be, a good place to stop over for a relaxing cup. Recently remodeled theres ample seating inside and on the extra wide sidewalk there. Lots of shops and eateries nearby.Finally, the Telegraph Ave site....pkg again a chore so best for walkers. Cal student area including student oriented casual eateries and shopping. Very little left of Telegraph of the 60s...this Peets is fine..again, coded bathrooms as this area is part of the street culture hub..
1951 Coffee Company
2410 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
Verve coffee and mochi muffins in support of a social mission! (5/5 green stars also).It's pretty quiet inside – definitely a study spot. But then the owner got some music going and the place seemed to relax a bit. Staff members were friendly. WiFi signal is good. Tables and lighting are good (although the high chairs may not be ideal for some).Coffee: The Verve pour-over was excellent – Jurutungo Natural (from Panama) – best coffee I've had in a while. Natural (sun-dried) coffees have a wonderful sweetness to them from the pulp that's left on the bean.I recognized the mochi muffin from Sam's Patisserie and nabbed one. Sam's (whose bakery shares space with Catahoula coffee on 4th street) has been renamed as Third Culture Bakery. Their mochi hasn't changed, thankfully : )The coffee and mocha muffin came to just over $7 including tax, which was very reasonable considering the quality of both – Verve coffee beans aren't cheap.The other pastries were from Starter Bakery. I tried their staff favorite – sour cherry Danish ($4). The pastry in the Danish was delicious and the cherry was sour, as advertised, providing a nice contrast.I'm also giving them 5/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on these reasons:• The whole refugee hiring and training program is legit and the owner seems to get along really well with the workers.• Verve coffee says: “Our direct trade practice allows us to exceed Fair Trade minimums every time, no exceptions.” No information on growth conditions (e.g., shade cover) but the natural sun drying processing conserves water: “capitalizing on the complex sugars found in fully-ripe catuai cherries, without further straining the water-scarce region.”• Sam, the maker of the wonderful mochi muffins bakes with organic (and pasture-raised) dairy, eggs, flour, and fruits whenever possible. He tends to use good local seasonal ingredients from sustainably-minded suppliers, e.g. fruit from Frog Hollow farm and flour from Central Milling.• Their other pastry supplier, Starter Bakery, say that their “flours and grains are non-GMO and/or organic; the only fats we use are butter, non-GMO canola oil and organic olive oil; we never use shortening. Premier local food companies like Clover, Guittard, TCHO, Central Milling and select farms supply us...”Interested in writing green star reviews? If so, contact me!
Belmo Caf
1160 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702, United States
Growing up in this neighborhood for a few years in my young life, Im always happy to see a new business with something good on the Westside.I actually caught this place out of the corner of my eye, expecting a Middle Eastern restaurant that was there before, and when I saw the words French and Algerian bakery. I practically slammed on my brakes turning around to check it out.Man was I ever glad that I did this. A lot of people, especially students in this town, Dont really know what a real baker is, or the kind of things they create until they taste it and are blown away. I walked in here, noting a cafe tables outside on University avenue, and met the proprietor, Nadir, a master baker from Algeria.When you walk into the place, on the left are more of the French classical treats, and on the right are the Algerian and Turkish pastries, which are simply mind-blowing and amazing. Add to that, the staff is super friendly, all the baked goods are made there daily, there are chairs and seats outside, and to top it all off they make espresso drinks, as well as drip coffee. I think this is the spot that I was waiting for.Im going to tell everybody that this is the spot to go for baked sweets, and I believe Nadir also does custom orders for people upon request. When you want to treat yourself to something truly special in West Berkeley, and love real, masterfully baked old school pastries, this is the spot to go. Say hi to Nadir!
Blue Bottle Coffee
2118 University Ave #1026, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
I recently visited Blue Bottle Coffee in Berkeley, and my experience was a mix of positives and negatives. While the hipster coffee and overall ambiance were enjoyable, there were some notable issues that affected my overall impression of the place.Lets start with the positives. Blue Bottle Coffee is known for its high-quality, artisanal coffee, and in that regard, they did not disappoint. The hipster vibe permeates the atmosphere, with trendy decor and a unique aesthetic that appeals to coffee enthusiasts. The coffee itself was excellent, boasting rich flavors and a distinct freshness that satisfied my caffeine cravings. Blue Bottle definitely knows how to brew a good cup of joe.Unfortunately, my experience was hindered by a couple of issues. Firstly, I was disappointed to find that the handicap door was broken. Accessibility is crucial, and its unfortunate that the door was not functioning properly, as it can make it challenging for individuals with disabilities to enter and exit the establishment comfortably. This is an aspect that should be promptly addressed by the management.Additionally, another door in the café was also not functioning correctly, failing to open properly. This meant that customers had to navigate around it, causing congestion and inconvenience during peak hours. Its essential for a café to ensure that all doors are in good working condition to avoid such disruptions and provide a smooth customer experience.Furthermore, I found the staff to be somewhat lacking in their customer service skills. While the quality of the coffee is undoubtedly a highlight, the same level of care and attention did not extend to the interactions with the staff. Their demeanor felt distant and disinterested, and I didnt feel particularly welcomed or valued as a customer. Improving the staffs friendliness and engagement would greatly enhance the overall experience.In conclusion, Blue Bottle Coffee in Berkeley offers a hipster coffee experience with high-quality brews. However, the broken handicap door and malfunctioning entrance door, coupled with lackluster customer service, detracted from the overall experience. I would recommend the management address these issues promptly to create a more enjoyable and inclusive environment for all customers.
Arts Coffee
1717 Fourth St B, Berkeley, CA 94710, United States
My first impression of Artis was that it's spacious, light-filled, and welcoming. It has a great laid back atmosphere and friendly staff. There's nicely spaced out indoor and outdoor seating. The music is mellow but good and not too loud. It's on the edge of the fourth street area but it doesn't feel overrun by rich folk and it's not overly hipster either. There was a good mix of people and the staff seemed to make everyone feel welcome.Overall I'm giving Artis 4/5 “normal” stars for quality/price/experience but only 2/5 “green” stars for their social and environmental impact.First, the coffee and overall experience… I had a flat white ($3.50), which was small, only around 5 or 6 oz, and not as velvety as other flat whites, but it was good overall. The coffee was strong and well balanced. I also had a savory scone (cheese and corn) which I think was $3. The scone was good and their other pastries look tasty too – but it is a small selection. Good sandwiches (like Blue Bottle) or any kind of savory food menu would be welcome. A downside for me was that the WiFi networks only worked very briefly for me – it was pretty frustrating.It was around $20 per lb for most of their coffees and you can have them roasted to order in their big “popcorn poppers”. Watching them being roasted on site is fun but I wasn't temped to buy any. Their coffees have no formal certifications (Organic or Fair Trade, etc.) and when I asked the staff about it they were super vague (“we try to buy ethically sourced coffee”). Their website makes a very broad claim (“We offer the finest coffees from around the world, sustainably and ethically sourced.”) but the coffees listed coffees on their site gives no info to support this. Come on folks, your entire operation is built around coffee – you need to back up any claims you make.I'd be more inclined to buy some green coffee from Sweet Maria's in Oakland (for $7) and roast it at home in an old popcorn air popper (which is a lot of fun to learn!). Sweet Maria's provides a lot more information on each variety of coffee so you know what you're getting.Artis uses nice cups and plates but it's a little strange that they don't have metal spoons – I feel wasteful using a spoon just to stir my coffee a few times and then trashing it. But at least all of their utensils are compostable and they have separate bins for recycling and composting. Their bathroom… Why do I care about their bathroom? It's a good way to get a feeling for their ethos. Ok, continue. Thank you, your honor! So, their bathroom doesn't have a low-flow toilet or hand-activated taps; a fairly new place fitted out during the worst drought on record should have these. Their toilet paper and toilet seat covers aren't recycled or FSC certified. At least there's a hand dryer.They also have a lot of lights on that are not needed – the wide windows and skylight supply most of the light. This might all seem like nitpicking, but I feel that they are putting a lot of emphasis on style over substance. If they are going to charge $20 for a pound of coffee then it should have a positive social and environmental impact. Artis: I can see on your blog that you supported the International Womens Coffee Alliance in Burundi back in 2013 and that you had a fundraiser for distracted driving awareness in April, but you need to be more forthcoming with information on your coffee, and also more consistent in your approach to sustainability in the store if you want to earn more green stars :)
Cafenated Coffee Company
2085 Vine St, Berkeley, CA 94709, United States
Pros:* The space is lovely and theres a great ambience given how busy it is. The patio is a stand out in the spring + summer. Great place to hang out for an hour or two.* The coffee is solid and reliable.* Quality internet, some annoying restrictions at times with things like `git`* Solid pastries (mostly from Starter Bakery in town)* Booze! Not something I want frequently, but when I do a glass of wine or a mimosa is a great thing to be able to get here.Cons:* The food that they make is too expensive for how uninspired it is. Seasoning/balance is often a miss. The items dont rotate and dont really fit together on a menuu. No bigger disappointment than the lame side salad that shows up on a bunch of dishes. Its competent, but just.. not worth it.* While Im reliably going to get solid coffee, I rarely get an amazing cup here -- and when I do, its always from the same barista. This + the food problem I highlight suggests management that is lacking in creating an exception team and in setting forth a vision for what it wants to serve.* SThe cons would feel more nitpicky elsewhere, and I am holding them to a tougher standard than I do other places out here, but its in part the expectation that gets set over such an intentionally put together space: that care and attention doesnt translate to the core offerings that I come to a coffee shop for. The mismatch is palpable.If they figure out a way to elevate their production game, this place has all the makings of becoming an institution out here. Im rooting for them.