50 Best Coffee Shops near Emerald Hills

“I missed the drop off day for donating for the animals in need. Stopped by there this morning with a donation. Loved the greeting with a smile that I received when I walked in by the young man behind the counter. he was totally surprised when I handed him an envelope and explained that I had missed the drop off date. Now I know why this Cafe receives 5 stars, very friendly atmosphere. I will be back!!“

“The ambience is Japanese minimalist. Baristas are friendly. But more importantly the coffee is just perfect. My fave coffee spot in San Mateo. There's always a line though and if you want to sit in, good luck. It's a small place with not a lot of seating.“

“We had food, coffee, and dessert, and enjoyed it all. A nice selection of games, including some more basic games for free. A cozy wood vibe, with beautiful board game art featured on the walls. Their music was fun, too! Wish I could take this cafe to my city!“

“I attended a Chemex Kenz coffee tasting and love their Hambala. Their love and passion for coffee translates in the quality of their beans. I’m glad I can also enjoy their brew at Sue’s Cafe in Downtown Saratoga.“

“10/10, must visit. This is perhaps the most charming little coffee shop EVER. The owners, a cute older couple, have been here for 30 YEARS and built a reputation through their low prices, sweet charm and friendly service. They are cash only, and I was not prepared...fifty cents short of two lattes and a bagel. Esther was having none of it, and not only accepted my $13, she gave us ANOTHER bagel, AND two cookies as little treats!? These places don't exist anymore. Come here and support them.“

“I came here to say that this hole in the wall exceeded my expectations.

I ordered the breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese and bacon. ? I had it with their homemade style biscuit and it held its shape; not too buttery.

Eating the eggs was like eating fluffy clouds. The texture of the breakfast sandwich dissolved into my mouth and it helped that the Pumpkin Pie oat latte wasn’t acidic or too bitter or lacked espresso so sip, don’t gulp because you want to take your time.

The ratio of coffee to Oatmilk was equally proportional. One can actually taste every sip, reminiscent of a fond fall memory in your mouth. ??

Sadly..there are no pictures but in many ways I felt like I was truly present enjoying the experience. I can tell the workers also cared about their work; all were friendly and kept the place nice and clean.

Thank youuuu!!! I’m coming back and I live in Berkeley where all their cafes are hard to beat. But this takes the prize in San Carlos.“

“A hidden gem! The coffee is good, but I keep coming back for the bacon, egg croissant. One of the few places with bacon in every bite and not just two anemic pieces. The price of the sandwich is approaching McDonald's, but the quality is 1000% better! Such a great deal for breakfast!“

“Great walkable neighborhood“

“Great coffee! So many cool choices. Unfortunately the lady who served me yesterday was somewhat standoff-ish and even though there was nobody behind me she made me feel like I need to decide quickly. That wasn’t cool. Apart from that, the coffee was tasty and with the addition of their house made pistachio butter. I thought that was unique and tasted superb.“

“Love everything about this place - food, atmosphere, books, decor, performances. What a blessing for our community!“

“Best coffee in San Carlos... by a considerable distance.“

“Fantastic community based organization at a beautiful. Welcoming site!“

“Great tea, and great English tea and sandwiches. Best tea blends I’ve encountered outside China and amazing nibbles especially the chocolate chip cookies All my tea I brew at home comes from here highly recommended“

“was an amazing vibes lovely crew coffee was so good!“

“Love the layout and ambience. The coffee was great. With @mike and @gordon“

“The veggie frittata sandwich on gluten free waffle bread was excellent. Small and a little pricey at $14. Lattes are $7. Habibi one was great.

In a business park but nice. No parking. Clean. Long wait to order at 8 am, 15 minutes then wait for food. tho it didn’t seem that crowded. Staff seemed busy and focused on tasks, not especially friendly. Flat affect from all of them. Not sure why. But still tasted good!“

“Best coffee in the Bay Area according to me.“

“You can tell when you walk in that this is a well-established fixture in Palo Alto. The breakfast menu is limited, but the food is made fresh and the ingredients were whole and healthy. And the coffee is very good, which makes sense since they advertise coffee from around the world and have a big roaster sitting off to the side.

The veggie omelet had a good number of veggies and was accompanied by a bagel and a cup of fruit. Although I was hungry I couldn't finish it all. They are generous with the coffee, and I also needed a to go cup for that. The seasoning on the omelet was pretty tame, but they provide salt and pepper, along with Tapatio got sauce to spice it up for those who like a little more flavor.

The counter service was courteous, and attentive, and our orders were correct.“

“Best coffee I’ve ever had!“

“I tend to forget to take pictures sometimes. But by far, my favorite bagel spot in the bay. Warm toasty bagels. Delicious sandwiches. Always great customer service. You want a nice thicccccck bagel sandwich you go to docs. The rolled hotdogs and hotlinks are delicious, too!“

“I’ve been to many coffee shops, but none come close to the warmth and energy of the baristas at Philz. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with genuine smiles and an uplifting atmosphere that sets the tone for your whole day. The baristas here don’t just make coffee — they go out of their way to ensure your drink is exactly how you like it, often exceeding expectations.

What truly stands out is how consistently kind, cheerful, and attentive they are. It’s rare to find a team that takes this much pride in creating not only a great cup of coffee but also a positive customer experience. A special thank you to all of the Philz baristas for smiling and making every visit a little brighter. You make great coffee — but even better, you make people feel good.“

“Amazing food, excellent place to attend an event and meet new people.“

“Great nice clean place friendly crew as I write this I'm back here again ... Good Day cheers“

“location, coffee and sandwiches“

“Best coffee !!!!!!!!!!!!!“

“Nice place and nice coffee“

“Being from out of town I hadn’t heard oh Philz. I stopped by to hang out with some coffee for a little while before a meeting. I was surprised by their comprehensive coffee list and landed on a delicious blend to sip on. Service was fast and friendly. There were a dozen or so customers working away on their laptops with plenty of table space to spare. If this place existed near me I wouldn’t go to another cafe for coffee!“

“Good food and good hot chocolate“

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“Simply the best coffee! And teas. Great bites. Quick healthy meals. Service is friendly. Quality people and product. Consistent. It’s a favorite for a reason!! Check it out. (If you haven’t already!!)“

“Nice staff. Great menu and lovely outside patio for dining“

“Food is absolutely amazing. The breakfast sandwich is to die for, and their Kouign-amann is the best I've ever had. The store is adorable and doesn't have hipsters on laptops camping out in it. Service is quick and very kind. Best bakery I've ever been to.“

“Charming Italian cafe near downtown San Mateo. Tucked away next to a bus stop on the busy El Camino Real, it’s a nice reprieve from the street traffic where you can enjoy a good cup of coffee with solid Italian food. Street parking is very hard to find, but there’s a paid parking lot across the street.“

“Great food an Service. Friendly staff and generous portions.“

“The owner runs a great business and the staff is wonderful. Thank you.I double checked and you are correct. I have the wrong location. It’s the new store front under construction at the corner on the left side of the arch. I was upset and didn’t clarify I had the right business. A mistake I hope I can rectify with a new 5 star review“

“Lots of bright, natural lighting. Big open space with lots of seating with access to power outlets. Clean. Three individual all-gender bathrooms. Friendly staff. Drinks come out perfect every time. Good place to work. Some people take personal and work calls though, so I recommend bringing noise canceling headphones if that bothers you.“

“Raises the Tea bar considerably!“

“Fritters are great for a treat“

“I literally start drinking coffee in 2025 and I have become addicted, to not just coffee but to Peet’s Millbrae is one of my favorite locations because they clean their machines and the taste is always perfect to me. And I failed to mention that Avelina & Vivian. But I wanted to highlight how amazing this is and the company is as a whole. what is a disability in the world and every morning is what I have that first set of coffee from Peet’s and I know I’m gonna have a good day!“

“I love the love sign in the Golden latte! #Nice!“

“Best coffee in San Carlos... by a considerable distance.“

“I tasted the quality in the ingredients. The texture of my chicken sandwich was perfect and the sweet potato fries were crispy. The kids mac and cheese was freshly made and perfect portion. The service was above and beyond. This is my family’s new spot!“

“Very good place for morning coffee“

“Ordered on Doordash and my croque monsieur was just about ready when we arrived. It gave me time to order an americano and matcha latte. Spent about $30 for everything. The sandwich is packed generously with ham and the cheese was done to perfection as a crust on top. My husband and I demolished it before we got to Ikea. Coffee is well done. The cafe itself is decorated well and a great spot to do some work or chat. The lady/owner? Was very nice and patient while trying to decide on my drinks.“

“Super nice team working Saturday , glad we got in just before closing! Nice if you were open just abit later!“

“I love this location! Israh, Diego, Edson, Ellen, Joseph, Jen and Vicki are all so friendly and welcoming—it makes the whole experience feel so personal. I love that they greet their regulars by name, and they literally know my order based on the time of day, which is a nice touch.

The coffee is always delicious, and my drink has never been wrong. The vibe is cozy, the store is clean, and the service is fast without ever feeling rushed. Whether I’m grabbing a quick coffee to go or working on my laptop for a bit, it’s always such a great experience.“

“Easily the best sandwich of my lifetime. I paused after every bite, saying “Damn, this is amazing”. The bread had that perfect crust and taste. While I’m at it, it’s also hard for me to remember a better tasting chocolate chip cookie.“

“I’m obsessed with this place. The food is so so amazing. I love that they have a display of the food so you can see what you order. I’ve tried salads, omelettes and pancakes all 10/10. The iced coffee is really good and the fresh juices you can taste the real ingredients. The staff is young and friendly. Best vibe sitting outside by the sun. I look forward to coming back here when i’m in the area“

“The bacon scallion scones are delicious!“

“Dunkin in Redwood City does it right! Totally like an original DDs. I lived over 20 years in Boston where DDs is on every third corner lol. I always loved the consistency in taste and the great prices for coffee and bagels with cream cheese. Now I love also their iced green tea. What a delight. The first DDs in our area in San Carlos just didn’t get it right. I was thrilled with this one in Redwood City. Wonderful service and great donuts and bagels.“