For many people finding a good coffee shop is like finding a good hairdresser. Once you finally find one that gets your coffee order right consistently and makes a brew you love, you stick with it!
Others like to bounce around and try new places. If you’re looking for a new coffee place, East Bay has lots of fantastic coffee shops, each with their own special perks. Here is a short list of our favorites:
Rasa Caffe
At Rasa Caffe, coffee is never just coffee. Located in Berkeley’s Lorin district, one block away from Ashby BART, Rasa Caffe prides itself on being an elegant coffee bar; house-made spices are used in its lattes. The Rose Latte is a house specialty, made with rose, saffron, vanilla bean and organic espresso. If you’re more of a regular coffee drinker, the Rasa Coffee serves up a distinctive blend of cinnamon, cardamom, and organic espresso. Pair either one of these with a local vegan or artisanal pastry.
Guerilla Café
Fair-trade coffee with breakfast food and baked goods all served in a hip environment is what you’ll find at the Guerilla Café. There’s a brew for every Joe and Jane here, ranging from a regular latte to something a little fancier like an Iced Cairo coffee cardamom infuse.
The Guerilla Café also serves breakfast with a unique flair. You’ll find dishes like Egg Polenta — that’s two organic poached eggs on polenta with gorgonzola. Get yourself down to Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley to try it!
Perch
You can “perch” yourself for a few hours at this coffee shop located right next to Lakeside Park on Grand Avenue in Oakland. What’s unique about Perch is that it has a dedicated children’s play area as well as a gallery that showcases the work of local artists. It’s a good choice if you want to enjoy a cup of java with the kids in tow.
Speaking of java, Perch proudly serves Proyecto Diaz Coffee. The Proyecto Diaz Company strives to rebuild one coffee farm at a time, starting with the family farm in Oaxaca, Mexico. So when you order a cup at Perch, you’re not only getting an awesome cup of coffee, but are also giving back to those who need it.
Blue Bottle
Blue Bottle Coffee owns several cafes throughout the Bay Area; in East Bay you can visit Blue Bottle in both Oakland and Berkeley. If you’re a cold-brew fanatic, this coffee shop boasts an iced coffee contraption that makes a refined cold-brew coffee that is served in apothecary bottles. There are also a variety of unique coffee blends that you’ll only find at Blue Bottle. The Beta Blend mixes candied orange, milk chocolate and white peach. If you’re hungry, there is also a full breakfast menu available.
Philz Coffee
Philz Coffee is an American coffee chain with various locations throughout California, including three in the East Bay area. You can find them on Shattuck Avenue, Gilman Street, and at College and Claremont Avenues. All of the coffees served here are customized blends, meaning you won’t find them anywhere else. These combine anywhere from two to seven beans per blend.
At Philz, each cup is brewed one at a time, to make the perfect cup for each customer’s taste. While you won’t find any lattes or espressos here, you will find baristas who are ready to make your perfect cup of coffee each and every time.
When you’re looking for a cup of coffee that is unique and flavorful, visit one of these East Bay coffee shops where there’s always something new brewing!
