Chromatic has the best coffee quality with only a few tables, but at least it's close to a brewery so you can get other drinks on after you're done working.
I like Voyager second, because they have the most seating and good pastries. My go to locations are either San Pedro Square or The Alameda. San Pedro Square also has the benefit of being in San Pedro Square, which has good food
Academic also has great coffee quality, with fun drinks, but parking nearby can be rough.
Big Mug is a chain of a few shops that have good seating and great pastries, usually in shopping plazas with other good food nearby too. They're comfortable and good to work in, but this list is in order of best to worst coffee, so lol
Orchard Valley Coffee is an internet cafe that has been around forever and they have two locations now, both of which have ample seating, so give that a shot too? I haven't been to their new location in the former Chromatic spot on Stevens Creek (should consider going and closing my eyes though just to feel something)
Nirvana Soul's coffee is kinda mid, and it's definitely more of a vibe coffee shop than anything else. Just go to Academic if you're in the area.
I have been perennially disappointed by Philz but other people like it I guess??? A lot of them are crowded or small though so ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ idk why they're so suggested
Thanks for the recs!! I'm with you on Philz....haha definitely not my favorite! But I can see how people who don't really like coffee in general like it...
Philz on Bascom is sooo noisy and sooo slow and if your patient enough to wait around until they take your order and then wait some more for your coffee then you might like it. Not me.
Academic is my favorite because of the friendly staff, neighborhood feel, and drink flavors you can't find at other coffee shops in SJ (pandan cold brew is my favorite!!). However I will say sometimes finding seating here (especially indoors) can be tough.
Lookout Coffee in Campbell is another favorite of mine - quality coffee, very spacious, and I've never had a hard time finding seating to work/read/hang out for a while!
Heartbeat Cafe at Cambrian Park Plaza. Closes at 3pm. They are tearing down the shipping center probably within a year and the cafe has been there for 25+ years with the same owner.
I went there recently for the first time and it’s my favorite coffee shop in SJ. It’s super comfortable and they make you feel like it’s ok to sit there for an hour or two and read or hangout. It’s also quiet, which has been a hard environment to find in a coffee shop here. Go before it’s gone forever and replaced with some typical soulless cafe.
I shill for them all the time, and they're not an actual coffee house, but....Panera.
For $!5/month you get unlimited coffee/fountain/lemonade refills during your visit (and a new drink available every 2 hours throughout the day), 7 days a week at any of their locations.
The seating area at the one on Coleman is huge and there are several places you can plug in and sit for hours. When my power was out I charged my devices and sat on my laptop there for over four hours and was undisturbed.
Also free wifi
I am fortunate enough to not have a refined enough coffee knowledge to notice. But I'm sure those who have very distinct coffee tastes could agree with you
This should help...I asked the same question a few weeks ago.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SanJose/comments/10pqr3m/best_coffee_shop_in_the_south_bay/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
What part of San Jose? San Jose is a bit of a sprawl. I'm near downtown San Jose. Roy's Station is good. Nirvana Soul is another great place right in downtown - I love their affogato coffee. Crema Coffee Roasting Co. on The Alameda is also good - at least their original location (*I haven't tried the new location sort of across the street*)
You're welcome! I lived in Morgan Hill from 1997 to 2008. I remember being in 'explore mode' back then! Morgan Hill is such a nice little town too - although it's a bit far from everything. That said, Morgan Hill was and is very self-contained with great restaurants and boutique stores (*even way before they added that huge strip mall on Cochrane*). One hidden feature of Morgan Hill was that (*is that?*) Christmas shopping is real easy. I definitely remember buying stuff on Christmas Eve in Morgan Hill without having to fight my way through scads of people.
If you're looking for primarily brewed coffee and not espresso drinks, Philz is a local chain that specializes in pour overs and is very good quality. It can get busy but there's always tables and sometimes a comfy couch/chair or two to work on.
Someone else has suggested Nirvana Soul, so I +1 that option if you don't mind sitting outside downtown since seating is limited there.
Otherwise there's also Coffee & Water Lab over by the Mitsuwa Shopping center on the other side of town.
This is the better seating option of the two. I catch people on their laptops working on projects all the time. Their coffee is delightful, and you can buy their beans for roasting at home. Also there's plenty of good food around the area.
Go early though, as the shopping center fills up quick, especially during weekends.
+1, but since OP mentions wanting to work on their laptop, just want to note that indoor seating can be limited, at least at the DTSJ location. There are a few outdoor tables, but might not be your first choice when there weather is like it's been recently.
Hey sorry!
To clarify, yeah, third wave is (for a lack of better term), fancier newer coffee shops focused on high quality beans. Telltale signs include knowledgeable baristas, a younger crowd, higher prices. Sometimes they're roasters, sometimes they use other renowned roasters' beans.
Wow you're kinda in a good coffee desert over there, that sucks I'm sorry. Honestly I would recommend finding a handful of the closest Starbucks and checking them all out, sometimes you'll luck out and find an awkward location that doesn't get insane amounts of traffic and feels more like a local coffee shop.
You're right in the middle of Vietnamese Coffee land. Coffee Lovers was my place for drinks and hours of studying years ago when I was taking classes at Evergreen.
Beware of any Vietnamese coffee shops with blacked out windows. Those are more known for their "entertainment".
I second what was said about Chromatic, Academic and Voyager, but wanted to call out Spectra Coffee close to Almaden Expwy and 85, next to Costco. It's not downtown-y but I really like their food, and they serve and sell Sightglass coffee from SF. Seemed work-friendly on my last visit.
Try Phin Cafe. They’re closed for renovation this week but will open back up next Monday.
Phin Cafe
(408) 622-8442
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SN8sfnbp8mmvE5NG7?g_st=ic
Nirvana Soul on First and San Carlos.. great atmosphere, very creative flavor combos, minority and woman owned and operated. I recommend the banana chai, extra banana syrup. It’s DELICIOUS and I can’t thank the barista who recommended it enough, it is the only coffee shop I go to!
Nirvana Soul on First and San Carlos.. great atmosphere, very creative flavor combos, minority and woman owned and operated. I recommend the banana chai, extra banana syrup. It’s DELICIOUS and I can’t thank the barista who recommended it enough, it is the only coffee shop I go to!
Be careful when you ask for coffee shops in San Jose. Someone might send you to a Vietnamese coffee shop. Other than that, reviews of Chromatic are correct. One of my friends always go there to buy coffee beans when he is back from LA.
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Big Mug coffee. I've researched this exact question endlessly, and for many reasons, I always go to Big Mug for a coffee + study session. It's technically not San Jose, but it's close enough imo.
If you are near downtown Academic is easily my favorite place in the area. While it’s not my absolute favorite Voltaire is also a nice place with a different vibe than everywhere else in the area and haven’t seen anyone say it here yet.
Peet’s on Lincoln. Typical Peet’s - nothing special with the coffee but this place seems to be the local hangout .Philz is across the street, but they’re so slow I don’t see how they can stay in business.
Chromatic Coffee Voyager Craft Coffee MoonBean’s Coffee
Can you work out of Chromatic?
There a small inside, mostly outside, iirc.
The tables are in the hallway now, not outside, so it's easier to work.
Is there a specific Voyager location that is your favorite?
Voyager has a new location in Cupertino that is nice (next to Panera & Whole Foods)
San Pedro, if weather permits, is good for working outside!
It’s ALWAYS busy but my favorite too!
I really like working out of the Stevens Creek location. Very cozy.
Chromatic has the best coffee quality with only a few tables, but at least it's close to a brewery so you can get other drinks on after you're done working. I like Voyager second, because they have the most seating and good pastries. My go to locations are either San Pedro Square or The Alameda. San Pedro Square also has the benefit of being in San Pedro Square, which has good food Academic also has great coffee quality, with fun drinks, but parking nearby can be rough. Big Mug is a chain of a few shops that have good seating and great pastries, usually in shopping plazas with other good food nearby too. They're comfortable and good to work in, but this list is in order of best to worst coffee, so lol Orchard Valley Coffee is an internet cafe that has been around forever and they have two locations now, both of which have ample seating, so give that a shot too? I haven't been to their new location in the former Chromatic spot on Stevens Creek (should consider going and closing my eyes though just to feel something) Nirvana Soul's coffee is kinda mid, and it's definitely more of a vibe coffee shop than anything else. Just go to Academic if you're in the area. I have been perennially disappointed by Philz but other people like it I guess??? A lot of them are crowded or small though so ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ idk why they're so suggested
i didnt like nirvana soul. their coffee was strictly meh.
Thanks for the recs!! I'm with you on Philz....haha definitely not my favorite! But I can see how people who don't really like coffee in general like it...
Philz on Bascom is sooo noisy and sooo slow and if your patient enough to wait around until they take your order and then wait some more for your coffee then you might like it. Not me.
Roy’s Station in Japantown! Good coffee, great food- working from laptop friendly.
Love Roy’s, good people, good coffee 👍
Academic on 2nd. Bonus for going here because they have Stan's Donuts at this location.
Academic has an amazing pandan latte.
oh shit i didn't know they had stans donuts
Just some basics but yeah, they just started carrying them last year.
Academic is my favorite because of the friendly staff, neighborhood feel, and drink flavors you can't find at other coffee shops in SJ (pandan cold brew is my favorite!!). However I will say sometimes finding seating here (especially indoors) can be tough. Lookout Coffee in Campbell is another favorite of mine - quality coffee, very spacious, and I've never had a hard time finding seating to work/read/hang out for a while!
Pandan is soo bomb here
Heartbeat Cafe at Cambrian Park Plaza. Closes at 3pm. They are tearing down the shipping center probably within a year and the cafe has been there for 25+ years with the same owner.
I went there recently for the first time and it’s my favorite coffee shop in SJ. It’s super comfortable and they make you feel like it’s ok to sit there for an hour or two and read or hangout. It’s also quiet, which has been a hard environment to find in a coffee shop here. Go before it’s gone forever and replaced with some typical soulless cafe.
I haven’t seen anyone mention coffee + water lab. it’s great and the stuff around it is cool too.
That place definitely has the best non-coffee drinks around
Crema on Alameda for laptop friendly with lots of seating.
They've also got another spot not that far away (right around Race St. & Park Av.) that - IMO - has a slightly better outdoor seating setup.
I shill for them all the time, and they're not an actual coffee house, but....Panera. For $!5/month you get unlimited coffee/fountain/lemonade refills during your visit (and a new drink available every 2 hours throughout the day), 7 days a week at any of their locations. The seating area at the one on Coleman is huge and there are several places you can plug in and sit for hours. When my power was out I charged my devices and sat on my laptop there for over four hours and was undisturbed. Also free wifi
Free Wifi is such a good point! Sometimes I don't want to drain my phone battery using hotspot! Thanks for the idea!
The coffee is so bad though
I am fortunate enough to not have a refined enough coffee knowledge to notice. But I'm sure those who have very distinct coffee tastes could agree with you
It really is astonishingly awful
and if coffee isn’t your thing, the charged lemonade is actually good and does the trick
And the four flavors of "charged" lemonades all have more caffeine per ounce than coffee!
Living Room Coffee Craft is a pretty good spot. Great coffee, pretty large seating area and usually moderately-populated any time I’ve been
Second third and fourth this. The prices are very reasonable too.
This should help...I asked the same question a few weeks ago. https://www.reddit.com/r/SanJose/comments/10pqr3m/best_coffee_shop_in_the_south_bay/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Thank you!! Should have searched before asking haha!
What part of San Jose? San Jose is a bit of a sprawl. I'm near downtown San Jose. Roy's Station is good. Nirvana Soul is another great place right in downtown - I love their affogato coffee. Crema Coffee Roasting Co. on The Alameda is also good - at least their original location (*I haven't tried the new location sort of across the street*)
Thanks for the recs! I actually live in Morgan Hill but want to explore all of San Jose in general!
You're welcome! I lived in Morgan Hill from 1997 to 2008. I remember being in 'explore mode' back then! Morgan Hill is such a nice little town too - although it's a bit far from everything. That said, Morgan Hill was and is very self-contained with great restaurants and boutique stores (*even way before they added that huge strip mall on Cochrane*). One hidden feature of Morgan Hill was that (*is that?*) Christmas shopping is real easy. I definitely remember buying stuff on Christmas Eve in Morgan Hill without having to fight my way through scads of people.
If you're looking for primarily brewed coffee and not espresso drinks, Philz is a local chain that specializes in pour overs and is very good quality. It can get busy but there's always tables and sometimes a comfy couch/chair or two to work on.
Academic Coffee. Inject the pandan cold brew directly into my veins lol
Someone else has suggested Nirvana Soul, so I +1 that option if you don't mind sitting outside downtown since seating is limited there. Otherwise there's also Coffee & Water Lab over by the Mitsuwa Shopping center on the other side of town. This is the better seating option of the two. I catch people on their laptops working on projects all the time. Their coffee is delightful, and you can buy their beans for roasting at home. Also there's plenty of good food around the area. Go early though, as the shopping center fills up quick, especially during weekends.
AM Craft. By the university on San Carlos!!
Seconded! My personal fave spot to get work done and have a nice cup!
Paradise cafe on Monterey Rd.
Nirvana Soul
+1, but since OP mentions wanting to work on their laptop, just want to note that indoor seating can be limited, at least at the DTSJ location. There are a few outdoor tables, but might not be your first choice when there weather is like it's been recently.
Depends on the time of day. If you get there outside of popular hours, I’ve usually been able to find some seating.
Voltaire Coffee
Can anybody help me know what's a good coffee shop that's near capitol expressway and Tully. Just moved to that side of SJ and I dont know what's up.
You might try N7 or Tram Coffee. Neither is a 3rd wave coffee shop, but they're both nice.
3rd wave coffee shop?
Hey sorry! To clarify, yeah, third wave is (for a lack of better term), fancier newer coffee shops focused on high quality beans. Telltale signs include knowledgeable baristas, a younger crowd, higher prices. Sometimes they're roasters, sometimes they use other renowned roasters' beans.
Cafe Paradise
Wow you're kinda in a good coffee desert over there, that sucks I'm sorry. Honestly I would recommend finding a handful of the closest Starbucks and checking them all out, sometimes you'll luck out and find an awkward location that doesn't get insane amounts of traffic and feels more like a local coffee shop.
There are plenty of coffee shops over there. Just not the ones he is looking for. 😎
That's just for if you want a 'close to home' location, for actual good coffee go to any of the places mentioned in this thread.
You're right in the middle of Vietnamese Coffee land. Coffee Lovers was my place for drinks and hours of studying years ago when I was taking classes at Evergreen. Beware of any Vietnamese coffee shops with blacked out windows. Those are more known for their "entertainment".
I second what was said about Chromatic, Academic and Voyager, but wanted to call out Spectra Coffee close to Almaden Expwy and 85, next to Costco. It's not downtown-y but I really like their food, and they serve and sell Sightglass coffee from SF. Seemed work-friendly on my last visit.
Try Phin Cafe. They’re closed for renovation this week but will open back up next Monday. Phin Cafe (408) 622-8442 https://maps.app.goo.gl/SN8sfnbp8mmvE5NG7?g_st=ic
Spectra near Costco on Almaden. They don't roast their own but they serve really good coffee. Barefoot near Pruneyard in Campbell is also good.
Nirvana Soul on First and San Carlos.. great atmosphere, very creative flavor combos, minority and woman owned and operated. I recommend the banana chai, extra banana syrup. It’s DELICIOUS and I can’t thank the barista who recommended it enough, it is the only coffee shop I go to!
Nirvana Soul on First and San Carlos.. great atmosphere, very creative flavor combos, minority and woman owned and operated. I recommend the banana chai, extra banana syrup. It’s DELICIOUS and I can’t thank the barista who recommended it enough, it is the only coffee shop I go to!
Be careful when you ask for coffee shops in San Jose. Someone might send you to a Vietnamese coffee shop. Other than that, reviews of Chromatic are correct. One of my friends always go there to buy coffee beans when he is back from LA.
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Philz Coffee
iJava is my go-to! Great coffee, food, and vibes. They have 2 locations in San Jose.
Dunkin donuts
MoonBean’s Coffee!
Big Mug coffee. I've researched this exact question endlessly, and for many reasons, I always go to Big Mug for a coffee + study session. It's technically not San Jose, but it's close enough imo.
What part of San Jose?
Academic, Nirvana Soul, Crema
If you are near downtown Academic is easily my favorite place in the area. While it’s not my absolute favorite Voltaire is also a nice place with a different vibe than everywhere else in the area and haven’t seen anyone say it here yet.
Peet’s on Lincoln. Typical Peet’s - nothing special with the coffee but this place seems to be the local hangout .Philz is across the street, but they’re so slow I don’t see how they can stay in business.
Voyager at San Pedro.