All IncredibleDietary restrictions: Opción gf and v
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melissa Monday
Stopped here to grab a hot cup of coffee before window shopping.Here’s what I liked:- the line moved quickly- there was plenty of space to stand inside while we waited.- there is a cute little indoor seating area but you need to be able to climb a couple of steps to get up to it.- some outdoor seating at small bistro tables- pastries were delicious! We tried the raspberry almond bar, pecan bar and lemon bar. All were incredible but the pecan ended up being the crowd favorite followed closely by the lemon bar.- coffee (vanilla latte and hot tea) were very tastyThings I would change:- I ordered my latte extra hot but it was barely beyond warm. I had to drink quickly before it got cold.- very limited street parking…can’t change that but I would if I could! LOL.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pecan Bar
R S.
Whenever I come to Carmel, I always enjoy a cup of coffee on the beach -- it has been my ritual for many years. And Carmel Valley Roasters on the Ocean Ave was my go to place. I liked both the atmosphere and the coffee itself. I always bought their coffee beans. I even have their T-shirt. I have no idea what happened yesterday, but after a long wait, we've been given lukewarm and severely diluted coffee. I hope it was just a mistake and not a way of punishment of someone who didn't give them tips (I always do, but this time, the check was a bit higher than I expected, and I gave no tips). I just tried freshly roasted Carmel Foglifter Organic beans which I bought yesterday. Although it is just a blend, I still expected some character and special taste to it. Like, the taste of Carmel. Unfortunately, it was nothing more than a mere dark roasted coffee, and it was just extremely bitter. I mean, take any organic blend from Whole Foods, and it will be the same, if not better. Maybe my expectations were way too high. Maybe I have been spoiled by coffee roasters down in the Bay Area?! Anyway, it just feels like Carmel Valley Coffee can do better. I am giving 3*, with much room for improvement. Cheers!
Jingwen Wang
Worst pour over I’ve ever had. No brewing techniques at all, no balance, no timing, just over brewing.
Christine H.
It's all too easy to get distracted (which is okay when you're not doing something all too important). Take it a day at a time and be present. This approach has been bringing me inner peace as well as gratitude as I go through 2024. A special someone and I made our way to the beach with coffee in hand. We both got the ORGANIC DRIP (12 oz. Carmel Foglifter (French)). As described by the details on the bean bags, our coffee reminded me of a black tea with a dark chocolate after taste. Wasn't absolutely blown away by the coffee, but it was a clean and light cup. Note that they have a few small tables inside as well as outside.
Wendy L.
Coffee and food items are very delious! Cute place where you can sit and chat with friends and family. Perfect location right in the middle of town off of Ocean and Lincoln. The staff is very welcoming and friendly!
Claire L.
The coffee here is really good! We ordered a fogbreaker with oat milk and a matcha latte. I really like that they have lots of specialty drinks, and the fogbreaker tasted a lot like the Starbucks brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso. The matcha was also a nice, vibrant green color, so we could tell it was good quality.
Jan-Paul Braack
This cappuccino was an utter disaster, undoubtedly the worst I've ever experienced. The espresso was an abomination, drowned in a sea of poorly frothed milk. For someone supposedly versed in the art of coffee, the incompetence is staggering. The quiche was uninspired, and while the Pain au Chocolat salvaged some dignity, the claim as coffee roasters is nothing more than a mockery. Consider this not a recommendation, but a scathing indictment of incompetence.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Kelita Smith
Inevitably, these piles of paper fall over and present a falling hazard for the many older residents in Carmel.Makes no sense.
Sold By Syl
The Carmel Foglifter was so good! Robust and indeed, it did lift the fog ??? awesome coffeeshop!
This place does not have restrooms for customers. The cashier made that very clear . She needs to put a smile on her face. She looked upset and not happy. The coffee and bake goods are is overpriced. Also made with low quality mediocre products. I could tell by the taste. Definitely go somewhere else where they offer restrooms, quality food and a friendly face.NO restrooms for customers!!! Disgusting, one can’t even wash hands before eating.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Croissants
Jacob Martinez
Best coffee in Carmel, and grab a bag of Fog litter coffee. Best drink is Fog Breaker.
Make sure you take a 24 oz jug of hot watery milk with a few pumps of cringey cancer-like syrup. Add just one shy shot of espresso. Oh, it also must be boiling hot! A true taste of Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting. Oh, the baked goods look like from dinosaur era. Probably taste like rocks too?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
Rachel L.
busy local spot for coffee and pastries! went on a saturday morning and the line was out the door (15-20 minute wait). beats starbucks by far! menu has a wide variety of options, and pastries on display look delicious. i personally got the matcha zen (which comes in both hot and cold, and with soy milk). the matcha itself is lightly sweetened and had a nice ratio of matcha:milk. the drink was $6 and satisfied my matcha cravings. there's limited seating however, so if it's busy, be prepared to wait. their coffee drinks are quite unique so give it a try!
Pranathi M.
A quaint coffee shop in Carmel. They offer a wide variety of drinks, pastries, and other foods to eat. The line does get long, and it does take 10 (ish) minutes to get your drinks after placing an order. There is seating inside, but the tables do fill up quickly. The staff was super helpful and explained the different drink options. I got a signature drink called 'Beach Walk'! It was the perfect blend of cinnamon and brown sugar. I also got a chocolate croissant, which was nice and buttery!
All IncredibleDietary restrictions: Opción gf and v
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stopped here to grab a hot cup of coffee before window shopping.Here’s what I liked:- the line moved quickly- there was plenty of space to stand inside while we waited.- there is a cute little indoor seating area but you need to be able to climb a couple of steps to get up to it.- some outdoor seating at small bistro tables- pastries were delicious! We tried the raspberry almond bar, pecan bar and lemon bar. All were incredible but the pecan ended up being the crowd favorite followed closely by the lemon bar.- coffee (vanilla latte and hot tea) were very tastyThings I would change:- I ordered my latte extra hot but it was barely beyond warm. I had to drink quickly before it got cold.- very limited street parking…can’t change that but I would if I could! LOL.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pecan Bar
Whenever I come to Carmel, I always enjoy a cup of coffee on the beach -- it has been my ritual for many years. And Carmel Valley Roasters on the Ocean Ave was my go to place. I liked both the atmosphere and the coffee itself. I always bought their coffee beans. I even have their T-shirt. I have no idea what happened yesterday, but after a long wait, we've been given lukewarm and severely diluted coffee. I hope it was just a mistake and not a way of punishment of someone who didn't give them tips (I always do, but this time, the check was a bit higher than I expected, and I gave no tips). I just tried freshly roasted Carmel Foglifter Organic beans which I bought yesterday. Although it is just a blend, I still expected some character and special taste to it. Like, the taste of Carmel. Unfortunately, it was nothing more than a mere dark roasted coffee, and it was just extremely bitter. I mean, take any organic blend from Whole Foods, and it will be the same, if not better. Maybe my expectations were way too high. Maybe I have been spoiled by coffee roasters down in the Bay Area?! Anyway, it just feels like Carmel Valley Coffee can do better. I am giving 3*, with much room for improvement. Cheers!
Worst pour over I’ve ever had. No brewing techniques at all, no balance, no timing, just over brewing.
It's all too easy to get distracted (which is okay when you're not doing something all too important). Take it a day at a time and be present. This approach has been bringing me inner peace as well as gratitude as I go through 2024. A special someone and I made our way to the beach with coffee in hand. We both got the ORGANIC DRIP (12 oz. Carmel Foglifter (French)). As described by the details on the bean bags, our coffee reminded me of a black tea with a dark chocolate after taste. Wasn't absolutely blown away by the coffee, but it was a clean and light cup. Note that they have a few small tables inside as well as outside.
Coffee and food items are very delious! Cute place where you can sit and chat with friends and family. Perfect location right in the middle of town off of Ocean and Lincoln. The staff is very welcoming and friendly!
The coffee here is really good! We ordered a fogbreaker with oat milk and a matcha latte. I really like that they have lots of specialty drinks, and the fogbreaker tasted a lot like the Starbucks brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso. The matcha was also a nice, vibrant green color, so we could tell it was good quality.
This cappuccino was an utter disaster, undoubtedly the worst I've ever experienced. The espresso was an abomination, drowned in a sea of poorly frothed milk. For someone supposedly versed in the art of coffee, the incompetence is staggering. The quiche was uninspired, and while the Pain au Chocolat salvaged some dignity, the claim as coffee roasters is nothing more than a mockery. Consider this not a recommendation, but a scathing indictment of incompetence.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Inevitably, these piles of paper fall over and present a falling hazard for the many older residents in Carmel.Makes no sense.
The Carmel Foglifter was so good! Robust and indeed, it did lift the fog ??? awesome coffeeshop!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fogbreaker
Restaurantji Recommends
This place does not have restrooms for customers. The cashier made that very clear . She needs to put a smile on her face. She looked upset and not happy. The coffee and bake goods are is overpriced. Also made with low quality mediocre products. I could tell by the taste. Definitely go somewhere else where they offer restrooms, quality food and a friendly face.NO restrooms for customers!!! Disgusting, one can’t even wash hands before eating.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Croissants
Best coffee in Carmel, and grab a bag of Fog litter coffee. Best drink is Fog Breaker.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Almond, Fogbreaker, Croissants
Make sure you take a 24 oz jug of hot watery milk with a few pumps of cringey cancer-like syrup. Add just one shy shot of espresso. Oh, it also must be boiling hot! A true taste of Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting. Oh, the baked goods look like from dinosaur era. Probably taste like rocks too?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 2
busy local spot for coffee and pastries! went on a saturday morning and the line was out the door (15-20 minute wait). beats starbucks by far! menu has a wide variety of options, and pastries on display look delicious. i personally got the matcha zen (which comes in both hot and cold, and with soy milk). the matcha itself is lightly sweetened and had a nice ratio of matcha:milk. the drink was $6 and satisfied my matcha cravings. there's limited seating however, so if it's busy, be prepared to wait. their coffee drinks are quite unique so give it a try!
A quaint coffee shop in Carmel. They offer a wide variety of drinks, pastries, and other foods to eat. The line does get long, and it does take 10 (ish) minutes to get your drinks after placing an order. There is seating inside, but the tables do fill up quickly. The staff was super helpful and explained the different drink options. I got a signature drink called 'Beach Walk'! It was the perfect blend of cinnamon and brown sugar. I also got a chocolate croissant, which was nice and buttery!