50 Best Coffee Shops near El Sobrante

“I just want to say how grateful I am for The Good Table Cafe. I work with individuals who have developmental and physical disabilities, and many of them don’t always have extra money to spend on little treats or outings. As professionals, we do our best to help where we can, but unfortunately we can’t always provide the same experiences for everyone.

My grandma actually came across this cafe online, read about their mission, and suggested we visit. I’m so thankful she did. This place gives my clients the opportunity to enjoy a treat or drink alongside their peers, something they are often left out of or unable to experience.

The environment feels incredibly safe, welcoming, and inclusive, and my clients truly have a great time every visit. The food is fantastic, fresh, and organic, and the nursery has a beautiful variety of plants along with everything needed for plant care.

I’ve already recommended this place to my entire company so that more clients can come and enjoy a special treat here and there. Thank you, The Good Table Cafe, for creating such a thoughtful and meaningful space for the community.“

“I was dying from Dunkin’ Donuts in the east coast. Finally an independent owned donut shop I can come, order, relax and even do some work/studying in. The workers are awesome. Make sure you bring cash. Debit/credit has a $10 minimum!“

“I recently visited Roaming Bean Coffee, an outdoor gem that exceeded all my expectations! My drink was perfectly balanced with rich, smooth flavor and delightful frothy top. The staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive. Overall, Roaming Bean Coffee is a fantastic spot for coffee lovers looking for tranquil outdoor setting!“

“Had a wonderful experience at EL TINY CAFE. The café had a cozy, welcoming vibe, and the coffee and food were fresh and flavorful. The staff was friendly and attentive, making the visit even more enjoyable. Highly recommend for a relaxed and charming coffee stop!“

“It is close to Ashby Bart Station. They have all kinds of sweets and drinks too. I like the decorations too.“

“Cafe Parisien in Berkeley (Shattuck) is sensational. The pastries are amazing, so fresh and gorgeous; the service is spectacular, the price of these delicious pastries and sandwiches is phenomenal. It's my new favorite cafe! (I think the chocolate croissant is my current favorite, but the almond croissant runs a pretty close second!)“

“Came in for brunch and had the foul here...was BOMB!! As an Eritrean who did not normally care for foul I have had my mind changed completely after eating here. Go support this local family business. Good vibes good food and good people 👌🏾😋“

“My friend had been telling me about this place for months, and I finally went. It's as great as she said! The coffee (well, I had a Chai) was delicious and so were the pastries. They also sell a small variety of items - prepared grab and go food & drinks, jams, and more! The vibe is awesome. It's cute inside & out, with lovely outdoor space on the front patio or back. It reminds me of the coffee houses in Portland (houses w/ tables set up in different rooms).
To top off how great they are on a normal day, when I absentmindedly left my purse just before they closed, they called back to confirm it was there & safely held on to it until my friend could pick it up for me the next morning.“

“I recently got a chance to visit Masterpiece Coffee in Berkeley. They focus on specialty coffee produced in Yunnan, China, with Asian-inspired drinks served at a kiosk. Their specialty is Chinese coffee, slow bar pour over, a minimal menu, and uniquely crafted drinks. Young Sun takes incredible pride in every cup, and my experience was truly heavenly!“

“A clean, well-lighted place for exquisite coffee, tea and pastries. They owners (very nice people) are very particular about their coffee using high quality beans from Ethiopia. Their decaf espresso is delicious. They have mocktails too.“

“If you're looking for a fun and diverse set of chocolates to try then this is the place. I only took a pic of one portion of the options available and I'm told the selection grows during the holidays. I can't wait to come back and explore more options.“

“This place is the best! Keeps it simple: Pastrami sandos and a few other items; all done well; always ready when you get there to pick it up.

Folks who work there are super friendly. Couldn't ask for a better sandwich shop. Plus they're open early so you can grab and go on the way to work. Dad's Mustard is my choice, but no choice is wrong at this spot.“

“Absolutely the best matcha, beautiful space, and overall perfect vibes. I love that they had an oil free oat milk option. The mochi had a lovely apricot filling and melted in my mouth. They also had a clean bathroom, which is not common at matcha cafes. Cannot wait to return!“

“Heading over to Forma Bakery on a weekday morning is a breeze. Arriving right at the 8:00 AM opening window means you can walk straight to the counter with no wait at all. For parking, there is a generous patch of free street parking available just around the corner about a block away, though the immediate storefront strip also offers standard metered street parking options if you want to pull up closer.

The setup inside is wonderful. They feature a great selection of morning goods, all displayed beautifully, which makes scanning the options and making your precise selections incredibly easy. The staff is exceptionally friendly and the service is quick. Plus, they package everything perfectly with zero damage: the heavy Blue Corn Sourdough loaf was placed flat on the bottom of a large paper bag, while the fragile, individually bagged pastries were gently layered on top to keep them from getting crushed.

If you want to eat right there, they have some nice outdoor sidewalk seating, which gives the place a great, community-forward neighborhood atmosphere along Telegraph Avenue.

Traditional Butter Croissant: Where so many other bakeries have failed, Forma has it down. I could smell the rich butter before I even bit into it. A proper croissant requires the correct kind of butter and baking techniques, and this one delivered. It had the exact shattering flake effect you want on the outside and tasted absolutely phenomenal.

Chocolate Concha: This is the best concha I have ever had. It has a real, deep cocoa flavor, and both the texture and flavor are incredibly hard to beat.

Flan Croissant with Strawberry & Rhubarb: This was the absolute favorite of everything I bought. The contrast between the crisp, flaky pastry base and the smooth vanilla flan custard layered over the tart strawberry and rhubarb is incredible. It’s an absolute must-order item.

Passion Fruit Morning Bun with Earl Grey Sugar: This was a really pleasant surprise. I wasn't entirely sure how it would taste, but the flavor combination is fantastic. The light, bright flavor of the passion fruit perfectly balances out the sweet crunch of the Earl Grey sugar coating. My only small wish is that there was a bit more substance to the center of the bun, but the flavor and textures are totally there.

In fact, everything I purchased tasted really good. Every single pastry had the perfect crunch and flavor. Forma has firmly established itself as a top-tier bakery in the East Bay, and I highly recommend checking it out.“

“Kind and welcoming staff. Told them we are doing a tour of all the Yemeni coffee shops around. Good times.

We got an orange blossom mint latte and a knafeh cheesecake to share.

Best decision for 10pm Berkeley. Both were well made and enjoyable.

Coffee was a touch on the sweeter side, NBD.

They put a dried orange slice and mint cluster on top. Cute.

5/5 will come again.“

“This is the best, best, best place. Even picky teens lick their plates clean. I want everyone to go so they stay open, but I also want no one to go so it's not too busy for me to get in. Ha! I have loved everything I have eaten or had to drink, the space is large yet inviting, and the proprietors are the nicest people you'll ever meet. Just go, even if it's just to grab one of their fancy coffees.“

“I like to sit at the sidewalk tables in the morning with the sun shining and I always enjoy the friendly banter w staff. Try the Wu Wei tea! Wu Wei. You could look it up :) And the cortado! Peace.“

“HERCULES is a great place to live crime rate is low compared to other cities . But it would help a lot to encourage neighborhood watch “ MODESTY ASIDE I DO . I have knocked to several houses esp when I was still working swing shift I kept my eyes open n still doing it if garages are open when I go hone from work n 1 time called the police station when 1 of the neighbor’s garage was opened n no one answered when I knocked her door . Let’s have a neighborhood watch all over “ HERCULES THIS IS OUR HOME AND WE HAVE PROTECT IT AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE WHO LIVES HERE . OUR CITY OFFICIALS SHOULD BE TOUGH LIKE ( MANILA PHILIPPINES ) MAYOR FRANCISCO DOMOGOSO HE MADE N MAKING MANILA A NICE PLACE TO LIVE IN . MANILA IS HOW MANY TIMES BIGGER THAN HERCULES !! HE WAS JUST A MAYOR FOR 7 MOS BUT MADE A LOT OF CHANGES NO WONDER PEOPLE LOVE HIM SO MUCH NOT ONLY IN MANILA BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD .“

“This place is truly a little hidden gem, it is such a nice environment to get a drink or a snack. The plants are everywhere and make the place feel so whimsy and cozy.
We got the churro mochi muffin which was unexpectedly amazing. I loved the texture and it’s truly the best balance between a muffin and a mochi.“

“Both hands up for this wonderful coffee place I happened to stumble upon, right outside the skirts of Downtown Berkeley. They're located right on the intersection of MLK and University, right behind the Indian restaurant.

This coffee place is honestly a little bit small, so please proceed with caution at all costs. But it really makes you feel cozy at home. They do have upstairs seating, but rather really limited. It will be full at times, and at times, not at all. It depends on the time that you go.

They have a wide assortment of sweet and savory pastries available as well. I got their ham & cheese scone, as well as their speciality drink, their banana cream iced coffee. I love how balanced their iced coffee is with the banana cream, which surprisingly, is made with ACTUAL banana puree made from actual bananas.

The barista who made my drink was very nice and very chill, and served it rather quick. That's what's up!

If you're looking for a locally-owned coffee shop right here in Berkeley, look no further than Bench Coffee! Trust me, it will be a trip worth it :)“

“Friendly and helpful baristas with a lot of interesting drinks. I had the station 8, which is a golden chai. I didn't feel like it had too much caffeine. It's hard to find drinks like that for someone that is caffeine sensitive. It looked like there were a lot of interesting snacks offered too“

“I barely go here now since they have limits on the wifi usage but I miss when it was a more optimal study place, especially given its proximity to campus. Love their chai but barely get it now since I go to one of the Yemeni cafes nearby instead which are more ideal to post up at and I don’t feel like a burden there.“

“Cute little corner cafe on Fairmont and Kearney St. Friendly and welcoming staff (I believe they’re husband and wife? Could be wrong) I had their turkey sandwich months ago and it was delicious! Tried their cookies and cream rice krispy and it was to perfection. Not too sweet“

“Sway worked closely with us to host a successful event at the Codi space in San Francisco. The central location in Embarcadero 3 provided easy access for our guests, and the unique ambiance of Codi Space, with its high ceilings and surrounding windows, created a memorable experience.

Our event hosted 65 people, and we had plenty of space to eat, drink, talk, and listen to the presentation. There are nice wooden tables in a variety of sizes and around 80 chairs that are yours to use and can be moved around to your liking. Adam, the owner of Sway, offered top-notch customer service, responding quickly to our many questions.

An added bonus was that Sway provided an employee, Ishaan, to be onsite to assist with the setup and kickoff, ensuring a smooth and stress-free start to our event. We had access to the space all day and night. They represent many locations in the Bay Area, which will be helpful in the future.

We look forward to hosting another event with you.

Thank you for your help Adam and crew!

Cheers to you,

Meg Lynch Wiskind
Petaluma“

“Just discovered this place. The foos was great and so was the service“

“Wow, the hojicha latte was so good here. We also got a matcha latte which tasted a little too milky so I wonder what's up with that. The bahn mi is big and very filling for the price, cilantro especially fresh, the shredded chicken has a good flavor (although a little dry) and the pork is okay. Pandan waffle had coconut flakes in it which i personally dont care for but still pretty good. Standout was the popcorn chicken which also had fried garlic and basil that was a really great addition. Everything we got was really freshly made, our $78 order was out very quickly still (under 10 minutes). You order on a kiosk yourself or you can talk to the cashier which is nice.

They have both a lot of workers and customers, so you can tell the food and drinks are good.

Definitely would come back! All tables have only 2 chairs so expect to do takeout if you have a big group. Also some people come to study here.“

“This is one of my favorite spots to get matcha! Their Earl Grey Einspanner is delicious. I’m not a coffee lover but I’ve heard their coffee is great too. They have some inside seating which can fill up quickly when school is in session. Overall, I love this place and definitely recommend!“

“And a wonderful Yoly who is very welcoming, has a great laugh and makes good food and coffee👏😘👍“

“This is a beautiful coffee shop set in the building at the park. Great to grab a coffee and sit at the window or out on the patio area. Highly recommend it for anyone stopping by and definitely a hidden gem.

I got a vanilla latte which was great and well balanced as well as the coffee cake which was pretty good!“

“Great service Clean Food was amazing“

“It's a wonderful place. I didn't like the dish that I ordered, but the chef came out and asked who was the taste of my dish and I told her I didn't like, and she offered to me another dish, she brought me a vegetarian dish, 😅 It was so delicious. I love it, ❤ great place.“

“Great local and family owned coffee shop. It's small but we appreciated the space and the wonderful service very friendly and she made our breakfast sandwiches to order. They take cash, Venmo, and Zelle just a heads up but that wasn't an issue for us. Would highly recommend to anyone.“

“I'm a recent customer here, about 6 weeks, but in that time I've tried to make this coffee shop one to visit often. The selections for food items seem interesting, but I'm a chai latte kinda guy, and this the staff does well. It's a neat, clean, and well ordered establishment, and the staff is friendly, and accommodating. A good place to frequent.“

“I love this place! I have been going here since it opened and it has always been wonderful. Everyone is always so kind and welcoming, and the food is great. They are also very fast, which means my family can always get food when we are in a rush.“

“By far the most creative and exquisite coffee drinks! Plus Pepples vegan donuts!! Danger Will Robinson...addictive And live music on Sundays.“

“Nice corner cafe serving a wide variety of empanadas, sandwiches, and a few other baked goods. They offer a long menu of beverage options, including coffee, tea, smoothies, chocolate drinks, etc. I tried the mushroom empanada and harvest greens smoothie, which were good, but nothing special.

This cafe has a casual ambience with a low key vibe. There's a mishmash of tables & decor.

There's a large screen TV mounted on the wall that was playing a world cup soccer match fairly loudly, which most of the customers were watching. I'm not sure how often they have sports games playing, but when they do it's not a great spot for having a conversation or focusing on work or reading.“

“My wife and I stumbled into Drift for the first time last Sunday while spending the weekend in Wilmington for a comedy show I did. Absolute great coffee and a fantastic brunch. Bought a bag of beans for home, and the coffee I’ve had the last two days is out of this world. The coffee is rich and flavorful. I can’t wait to get back to Wilmington so I can go to Drift. Java Junkie approved! Thanks, Beau Johnson Java Junkie Comedy @bjohnsoncomedy“

“Hal’s is IMO the best cafe in Albany - all the baristas not only serve beautiful, delicious oat cappuccinos but they also create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes u want to stick around. If you’re lucky they’ll be brewing a fresh batch of chai and your nose will wonder if you’ve died and gone to heaven.“

“massive sandwich with a big pile of salad on the side!!! the heat came out warm & tangy with a good kick to it but not so spicy that it was uncomfortable to eat. portions were big enough that i could have shared my meal with another person.
i also got a cup of famously stretchy booza, which seems to be very hard to find in the bay area. they have a couple of flavours but i went with mastic which had subtle floral taste. you can add toppings like petals, pistachios, & kadayif- i got everything but the kadayif was stale unfortunately.
the guy who took my order was also a little unfriendly & it almost felt like i was inconveniencing him for ordering. anyways this is a cool place for either a sweet treat or a meal. definitely will be back to try some of their drinks & the knafeh…“

“Best of the best. Tons of choices, exquisite French patisseries, true North African specialties… there is so much to choose from. High quality and scrumptious! We will be back!!!“

“Great, unique drinks and friendly staff. Fantastic place to sit alone or converse with locals. Very warm and friendly atmosphere!“

“Hizcafe is a wonderful spot in Hercules, perfectly located by the waterfront with beautiful bay views and a welcoming outdoor atmosphere. The shaded patio is dog-friendly and ideal for relaxing with a drink while enjoying the scenic surroundings.
The drink menu is excellent, offering a range of rich and robust coffee options—from classic espresso drinks to indulgent lattes and macchiatos. Tea lovers will find a nice selection of teas, and there are also refreshing cold beverages available. Every drink is crafted with care, making Hizcafe a great place to start your day or unwind in the afternoon.
While there’s no indoor seating, WiFi, or restrooms, the friendly staff and peaceful outdoor setting make Hizcafe a standout choice for anyone seeking quality drinks and a relaxing environment by the water.“

“There were three in my party. We ducked in here to take a break from the cold rain. We ordered a chai, a golden/turmeric chai, and a caffé latté, all with oat milk. It’s our first try of oat milk. We all liked it a lot. The foam on my golden chai was lovely. I’d reorder it anytime. I tried my mate’s latté with oat milk, I can recommend it. The pastries we ordered were all worth the consumption. I’m so glad there was one pretzel cheese bun left. It was delicious even though it wasn’t warm. I highly recommend them. We also ordered a quiche, a chocolate croissant, and an almond pastry. They were all superb. The almond pastry which was super light and flaky tasted like baklava more so than an almond filling. I liked the vibe here. So often I want to grab my order and split, not here. I felt fine taking refuge from the outside environs. The staff were sweet regardless of their spoken English being nearly impossible to understand. It was cool assuming they were part of the refugee program. It felt good being a patron there and the inspired conversation it led to. I am sure my party was surprised I was already knowledgeable about the topic on current refugees. That made our café and conversation time only that much more enjoyable.“

“It was a long day that was about to turn into a long night. My expectations for a drive-through cafe were honestly not very high. But an excursion to Lucia might have been just what I needed. I got a salmon combo bagel that tasted like it just came out of a New York bagel shop. The light frappes are nice and that they are not too sweet but a lovely summer treat.“

“Thank you Third Culture for satisfying my gluten-free cravings, for your wonderful service and staff, and for your commitment to your community. Wenter and Sam rock!“

“Excellent food and customer service from the staff and owners Dave and Carol. Best red chicken curry and chili!“

“Awesome place to shop! My “go to” produce market for incredibly fresh produce, fruits and dry goods. Great meat and fish market. Superb bakery. Excellent wine shop, And Market Hall pasta shop/main market is simply amazing in SO many ways. Plus, super easy parking and good hours ... important to me and a for real plus. Love this place!!!“

“I found this gem on my way to Vallejo and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! This has an Oakland vibe, the smoothie was all organic, the açai bowl was fresh, and I could tell they probably source their ingredients locally. I loved the music as well! Finally, the shop itself had a cozy vibe. Love this place and will be back!“

“Wow. I could not believe espresso would go perfectly with avocado!!! This is a must try. I feel healthy and wired at the same time!!!! 2x espresso, avocado juice, coconut milk. Again, WOW.“

“Fabulous assortment of specialty coffees and a delicious food menu. My favorite go-to is the quiche!“