Great coffee ☕️ + Excellent egg bites and bagels as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jasmine Granas
Great service and their overnight oats/chia puddings are soooooo yummy. I just wish they had more seating. And the atmosphere is a little blah.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alexandria Cesar Piano
Omg what can I say about this delightful spot on Solano. Love the beverages. I tried their Oolong Latte and oh my stars, how divine ✨️. My awesome gal pal had the Ube Latte and that was so divine as well.I am looking forward to trying their Matcha Latte next ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Model Bakery English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
Siddhartha Nag
Ube late is fantastic. Good balance of Ube and coffee. The girlfriend is an Ube enthusiast and strongly approved.
Food: 5
Recommended dishes: Chai Latte and Ube Latte
Jose M
Everything with my double latte was wrong. Over extracted, burnt espresso, and terrible milk texturizing that ended up with more foam than a cappuccino. Very disappointing.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
Lin B.
I was absolutely correct in assuming that their espresso coffee and tea drinks would be superior to Peets and Starbucks (both of which I've given up on as their $7+ Lattes are so inferior these days). So I'm extremely happy to have discovered 'yes, I can get a superb chai latte while walking on Solano' here at Signal where the snacks and accessories are handmade artisan brands as well. Great place!
Robyn Goldberg
Ube latte is so good! Love this cafe
Jason F.
The signal is loud and clear at SIGNAL Coffee Roasters, where the coffee and strong and the accompanying bites are even stronger thanks to the local partnerships that they have developed over the years. Located on a busy section of the bustling Solano Avenue at the junction of Tulare Avenue near the Berkeley Hills, SIGNAL Coffee Roasters comes from owners Brendan Doherty and Rebecca Brown and this is the second of their current three locations. SIGNAL's Coffee Roasters claim to fame in the competitive world of coffee roasting is an emphasis on approachable natural-process coffees sourced from great farms, communities, and smallholders that are doing things sustainably right. With this practice in mind, co-owner Doherty brought his passion for building tube amplifiers while considering communicating with the often far-reaching signals that coffees provide from the farm level all the way through to the cup, hence the name SIGNAL Coffee Roasters. I have had the opportunity to try SIGNAL's inaugural coffee shop in the island city of Alameda, where they bought and completely gutted and upgraded a former bank into the coffee shop of their dreams, and I was so thoroughly impressed with everything that I experienced. A visit to this second shop was equally impressive, as they have taken over the former Brazilian Bread and Riveter Cafe and turned it too into a small yet accessible coffee shop with cafe seating in front.When I arrived I managed to get lucky with a hour-long parking spot that required no payment, and I was even luckier that only one person was in line when I ordered. The menu at this location of SIGNAL is separated into their coffee drinks which range from drip coffee to that of chai, matcha and hojicha beverages. And the food menu at SIGNAL is equally as impressive, as they feature English muffins sourced from Model Bakery, Bagels sourced from Boichik Bagels, and Empanadas sourced from El Porteño Empanadas. With so many options to choose from, I had to think fast on my feet, and there was something about their Mexican Mocha that was calling my name. After I asked their associate what their top selling food was, she said their bagels were some of the best, so I ordered their Bagel with egg and cheese. And to top off my meal, I also ordered a Morning Bun for good measure. My total bill was $21.87 with tax, but before gratuity, which was on the pricier side, but what I got with my order made the price tag all worth it. It would take a few minutes for my coffee and my bagel sandwich to be prepared and it was well worth the wait, as I assumed that I would eat in the car or when I returned home, but I would have none of that since the weather was warm enough and their cafe tables were cleared.First my Mexican Mocha was served in a sixteen ounce cup and was a rich combination of their spicy, house-made chocolate, combined with rich handcrafted SIGNAL espresso, and whole milk. My egg and cheese bagel sandwich was warm with every bite and the bagel had a nice crunch to it with a chewy interior thanks to the way that Boichik bakes their bagels instead of boiling them. My first experience with this location of SIGNAL made it loud and clear there is no place better in this area to get an exceptional quick breakfast and handcrafted cup of coffee. I cannot wait to come back and try their Ube Latte and Peppermint Mochas because they are thinking outside of the box when it comes to coffee drinks with a sense of wonder. I am so happy that they made Solano Avenue their newest home as the neighborhood definitely deserves a special coffee shop that's not your run of the mill franchise. They made this space all their own with an eclectic homey vibe that hopefully will be here for years to come, and with another location opening in downtown Berkeley soon, it looks like SIGNAL's domination of the local coffee roasting scene has just begun!
Darren T.
A nice small coffee shop in the neighborhood close to a Starbucks and Peet's we visit. We gave it a shot, twice. I want to love this place, but it's unfortunately not the best. My wife says the matcha had a soapy taste to it. However, she loved the everything bagel with the green chile cream cheese. I went to get drip coffee with my own reusable 16oz cup on two visits and both times I was charged the Berkeley cup surcharge. Berkeley's disposable cup surcharge is intended to have consumers use reusable cups; not sure if this coffee shop is aware. Both Starbucks and Peet's waive the Berkeley surcharge in addition to giving you a small discount using your own reusable cup. The first time I went to get drip the barista gave me a dark roast without asking/finishing my order. They were busy, so I understand. My 2nd visit I made sure to get the holiday roast (light or medium roast) and it was reasonable. Wait times for this coffee shop is on the longer side. It's a busy and popular place, however small. The side walk gets crowded. It's worth a visit and we'll probably be back for bagel and drip.However for the majority of our coffee runs, we'll be sticking with Peet's.
Jeannie D.
Local coffee shop with friendly service and great bites offerings too! I just ordered an iced hojitcha latte with almond milk and they sweeten with black sesame! WHAT?! I also wanted to buy the ceramics and origami coffee pour over filter. Cute!
Nice tiny coffee spot - a small selection of snacks to go with the coffee. Spots to sit outside or in.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Christina T
Good coffee and good options. The slowest ever service every time. Average wait for a drink is easily 10-15 minutes. I live supporting local businesses but I'm moving to another independent coffee spot on Solano.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Christine H.
Got thee espresso and loved how strong, fruity, and thick it was. The tonic water of course complimented it well. They used their Espresso Blend (East African, South American, and Indonesian Organic Blend). I loved the seating near the window (super bright and such a vibe).
Lisa
Just visited Signal coffee in Alameda on Webster Street. What a cute spot, great little patio in the back and the food and coffee was all delicious. They offered Boicheck bagels (which is the best), and their green chili egg bites & chili & corn Empanada were delicious. Coffee was smooth and loved having it served in a ceramic cup. The atmosphere is perfect, definitely want to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
S. Bracciotti
I stumbled upon Signal while on my walk back to Ramona from the Chase Bank on Fresno. I am glad I didn't go into the Peets!I ordered a 16oz Americano and the English muffins sandwich with bacon and miso egg and microgreens. The sandwich was AMAZING! I have never had a house made English muffins and now I don't think I could go back to the regular ones at the store. The bacon on the sandwich was thick, so every bite I had there was a flavorful bit of everything. My Americano was smooth and went well with oat milk.They offer free water inside, which was nice after my long walk. The cafe was pretty warm, so I sat outside. Ambiance is alright, but gets the street noise of busy Solano and direct sun at the tables.I definitely want to introduce my friends to this place!Dietary restrictions: They have milk alternatives, especially a creamy oat milk.Parking: Parking on this side of the street is 30mins max.Kid-friendliness: The place is small, but there were parents with their kids, and an assortment of baked goods and drinks without caffeine.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Model Bakery English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
Great coffee ☕️ + Excellent egg bites and bagels as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great service and their overnight oats/chia puddings are soooooo yummy. I just wish they had more seating. And the atmosphere is a little blah.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Omg what can I say about this delightful spot on Solano. Love the beverages. I tried their Oolong Latte and oh my stars, how divine ✨️. My awesome gal pal had the Ube Latte and that was so divine as well.I am looking forward to trying their Matcha Latte next ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Model Bakery English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
Ube late is fantastic. Good balance of Ube and coffee. The girlfriend is an Ube enthusiast and strongly approved.
Food: 5
Recommended dishes: Chai Latte and Ube Latte
Everything with my double latte was wrong. Over extracted, burnt espresso, and terrible milk texturizing that ended up with more foam than a cappuccino. Very disappointing.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
I was absolutely correct in assuming that their espresso coffee and tea drinks would be superior to Peets and Starbucks (both of which I've given up on as their $7+ Lattes are so inferior these days). So I'm extremely happy to have discovered 'yes, I can get a superb chai latte while walking on Solano' here at Signal where the snacks and accessories are handmade artisan brands as well. Great place!
Ube latte is so good! Love this cafe
The signal is loud and clear at SIGNAL Coffee Roasters, where the coffee and strong and the accompanying bites are even stronger thanks to the local partnerships that they have developed over the years. Located on a busy section of the bustling Solano Avenue at the junction of Tulare Avenue near the Berkeley Hills, SIGNAL Coffee Roasters comes from owners Brendan Doherty and Rebecca Brown and this is the second of their current three locations. SIGNAL's Coffee Roasters claim to fame in the competitive world of coffee roasting is an emphasis on approachable natural-process coffees sourced from great farms, communities, and smallholders that are doing things sustainably right. With this practice in mind, co-owner Doherty brought his passion for building tube amplifiers while considering communicating with the often far-reaching signals that coffees provide from the farm level all the way through to the cup, hence the name SIGNAL Coffee Roasters. I have had the opportunity to try SIGNAL's inaugural coffee shop in the island city of Alameda, where they bought and completely gutted and upgraded a former bank into the coffee shop of their dreams, and I was so thoroughly impressed with everything that I experienced. A visit to this second shop was equally impressive, as they have taken over the former Brazilian Bread and Riveter Cafe and turned it too into a small yet accessible coffee shop with cafe seating in front.When I arrived I managed to get lucky with a hour-long parking spot that required no payment, and I was even luckier that only one person was in line when I ordered. The menu at this location of SIGNAL is separated into their coffee drinks which range from drip coffee to that of chai, matcha and hojicha beverages. And the food menu at SIGNAL is equally as impressive, as they feature English muffins sourced from Model Bakery, Bagels sourced from Boichik Bagels, and Empanadas sourced from El Porteño Empanadas. With so many options to choose from, I had to think fast on my feet, and there was something about their Mexican Mocha that was calling my name. After I asked their associate what their top selling food was, she said their bagels were some of the best, so I ordered their Bagel with egg and cheese. And to top off my meal, I also ordered a Morning Bun for good measure. My total bill was $21.87 with tax, but before gratuity, which was on the pricier side, but what I got with my order made the price tag all worth it. It would take a few minutes for my coffee and my bagel sandwich to be prepared and it was well worth the wait, as I assumed that I would eat in the car or when I returned home, but I would have none of that since the weather was warm enough and their cafe tables were cleared.First my Mexican Mocha was served in a sixteen ounce cup and was a rich combination of their spicy, house-made chocolate, combined with rich handcrafted SIGNAL espresso, and whole milk. My egg and cheese bagel sandwich was warm with every bite and the bagel had a nice crunch to it with a chewy interior thanks to the way that Boichik bakes their bagels instead of boiling them. My first experience with this location of SIGNAL made it loud and clear there is no place better in this area to get an exceptional quick breakfast and handcrafted cup of coffee. I cannot wait to come back and try their Ube Latte and Peppermint Mochas because they are thinking outside of the box when it comes to coffee drinks with a sense of wonder. I am so happy that they made Solano Avenue their newest home as the neighborhood definitely deserves a special coffee shop that's not your run of the mill franchise. They made this space all their own with an eclectic homey vibe that hopefully will be here for years to come, and with another location opening in downtown Berkeley soon, it looks like SIGNAL's domination of the local coffee roasting scene has just begun!
A nice small coffee shop in the neighborhood close to a Starbucks and Peet's we visit. We gave it a shot, twice. I want to love this place, but it's unfortunately not the best. My wife says the matcha had a soapy taste to it. However, she loved the everything bagel with the green chile cream cheese. I went to get drip coffee with my own reusable 16oz cup on two visits and both times I was charged the Berkeley cup surcharge. Berkeley's disposable cup surcharge is intended to have consumers use reusable cups; not sure if this coffee shop is aware. Both Starbucks and Peet's waive the Berkeley surcharge in addition to giving you a small discount using your own reusable cup. The first time I went to get drip the barista gave me a dark roast without asking/finishing my order. They were busy, so I understand. My 2nd visit I made sure to get the holiday roast (light or medium roast) and it was reasonable. Wait times for this coffee shop is on the longer side. It's a busy and popular place, however small. The side walk gets crowded. It's worth a visit and we'll probably be back for bagel and drip.However for the majority of our coffee runs, we'll be sticking with Peet's.
Local coffee shop with friendly service and great bites offerings too! I just ordered an iced hojitcha latte with almond milk and they sweeten with black sesame! WHAT?! I also wanted to buy the ceramics and origami coffee pour over filter. Cute!
Restaurantji Recommends
Nice tiny coffee spot - a small selection of snacks to go with the coffee. Spots to sit outside or in.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Good coffee and good options. The slowest ever service every time. Average wait for a drink is easily 10-15 minutes. I live supporting local businesses but I'm moving to another independent coffee spot on Solano.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Got thee espresso and loved how strong, fruity, and thick it was. The tonic water of course complimented it well. They used their Espresso Blend (East African, South American, and Indonesian Organic Blend). I loved the seating near the window (super bright and such a vibe).
Just visited Signal coffee in Alameda on Webster Street. What a cute spot, great little patio in the back and the food and coffee was all delicious. They offered Boicheck bagels (which is the best), and their green chili egg bites & chili & corn Empanada were delicious. Coffee was smooth and loved having it served in a ceramic cup. The atmosphere is perfect, definitely want to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I stumbled upon Signal while on my walk back to Ramona from the Chase Bank on Fresno. I am glad I didn't go into the Peets!I ordered a 16oz Americano and the English muffins sandwich with bacon and miso egg and microgreens. The sandwich was AMAZING! I have never had a house made English muffins and now I don't think I could go back to the regular ones at the store. The bacon on the sandwich was thick, so every bite I had there was a flavorful bit of everything. My Americano was smooth and went well with oat milk.They offer free water inside, which was nice after my long walk. The cafe was pretty warm, so I sat outside. Ambiance is alright, but gets the street noise of busy Solano and direct sun at the tables.I definitely want to introduce my friends to this place!Dietary restrictions: They have milk alternatives, especially a creamy oat milk.Parking: Parking on this side of the street is 30mins max.Kid-friendliness: The place is small, but there were parents with their kids, and an assortment of baked goods and drinks without caffeine.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Model Bakery English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich