50 Best Coffee Shops near Kensington

“OMG I could spend wayyyyyyy too much money in this place...and love every second of it! They have everything from a great selection of quality coffee, tea and fresh cheese to delicious bánh mi to beautiful gifts like handmade mugs and plates. And everything in between. It's located in the cutest little hillside town. Ambiance is lovely. Kinda makes you slow down and enjoy the little things in life. I'll definitely be back!“

“Very tasty bread no matter what location you pic it up plus the pastry are awesome too.
This location seems to make hot sandwiches too seems very popular.small shop with with not a whole Lotta selection. I’ll have to try a hot sandwiches next time. I’m in the neighborhood.“

“Love the coffee, atmosphere, customer service, etc. The cafe is always clean and they’re always polite and very accommodating to my extra pumps and caramel My only hope is that one day they’ll get more butter croissants! But don’t get me wrong, they’re trying! They’re ordering extra but they’re in such high demand that they’re going faster than any other danish. So in that case, I guess my hope would be that they’ll one day be able to get enough supply to keep up with the demand! I’ll still forever choose this cafe ?“

“the place is very nice plus the view across the street is like a gigantic mirror ! you should see it for yourself !!! it really is something to look at while having your coffee.... it is spectacular !!!! and of course, the staff were super sweet !“

“I tried the house made honeycomb bread with a Jubani and the balance between the two was perfect. The Jubani has a lighter taste that feels closer to tea with the multiple layers of spice flavors. The honeycomb bread is a must try, and pulls apart into bite-sized pieces, which makes eating it while sipping very pleasant. Looking forward to staying to enjoy a tea or coffee pot with friends soon!

Dietary restrictions: I saw several vegan options in the food case. Lookin forward to tasting more since they are in our neighborhood.“

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

“The coffee speaks for itself. Raised the mug to my lips while still half asleep and it stopped me in my tracks. Immediately in the top 5 (black coffee) experiences of my life. Woah. I often find myself feeling like “I could’ve made a better mug at home with the aeropress”, but not here. I will definitely be back.“

“Very kind staff with quick service. True to their word avocado toast was delicious“

“Wow! Home is definitely one of my favorite coffee shop! is such a cute, cozy cafe that really almost feels like home...!!!“

“Amazing and authentic coffee and pastries with Yemenese twists in a warm and inviting environment.“

“I've been here twice now and I cannot recommend it enough-- especially if you're looking for somewhere to sit and work/read.

My partner and I have split different milk cake flavors each time we've been here (my favorite is the saffron); you can't go wrong with any of them.

Wheelchair accessibility: Very crowded inside, so not a lot of room for wheelchairs/mobility devices other than a cane.“

“Visiting from NJ and decided to walk from my hotel for coffee vs. hotel's coffee. Was greeted warmly by the young lady behind the counter. The music and decor is lovely. I had the rosemilk cake, the Heyma latte, and the Yemeni tea. I didn't want to leave! Also, as a Muslim, it was nice to see representation in the art. Wonderful!“

“Nice cafe, beautiful interiors, friendly staff and some nice pastry options. I don’t think it is baked freshly here, we had some stale pastries here, but there are other options that also look nice. I think they cook them from frozen. The crepe we ordered was a white strange dough and we expected a normal crepe dough. Nice location and some nice seating options. The service is also fast. Food can be fresher and better.“

“Sandwiches are fantastic! Generous portions of fresh ingredients made to order. Fully stocked pastry case with classic and specialty treats! Friendly staff, great vibe,, totally affordable menu. LOVE!“

“Unpretentious place with friendly service!
This sandwich comes with an aioli sauce that is sensational. Spinach, cheese, turkey... One of the best I ate on the trip and it doesn't cost a kidney, like almost everything in San Francisco.
The latte with almond milk was delicious too!“

“I usually swing in for a drip coffee, always greeted with a smile by the staff, and the overall atmosphere is chill and welcoming.
When the weekend comes, they always request Jaffa coffee, for a juice and pastry.
Really great spot to visit when in Berkeley.

Kid-friendliness: It’s a very chill vibe, and welcoming.“

“This might just be my absolute favorite middle eastern bakery/ coffee shop. They are so friendly, nice, and welcoming; I didn’t want to leave the place!!
Their honey bite is so darn good! I’m coming right back to buy another one!“

“Come for the handsome barista, stay for the amazing deals on rare vinyl records. Oh, and coffee.“

“I came by while waiting to pick someone up and got a latte.

It was delicious, probably my favorite latte I’ve had in the Bay Area (I got the date one).

I enjoyed it in their living room like space while flipping through some books that they have in their shelf.

Def looking forward to trying their other lattes!

The service I received was excellent. The art was beautiful, including the one in the bathroom. There’s even a bidet!

Looks like there are regulars and that laptop work and camping for hours is welcomed.“

“Excellent coffee and exceptional house made baked goods! Everyone who works there is super friendly and they love dogs, which is important for our family, especially when we're en route to daycare or the park with the pup and kiddo. My only wish is that they had a space with a nice seating area so I could soak up the good vibes for longer.“

“We’ve got two pour over - Ethiopia and Rwanda. Both had a slightly acidic taste and delicious! The pastry, cinnamon bun, was so good. Soft and not overly sweet. Very tasty. It felt like European-style bread. Despite only two seats available, we still enjoyed our coffee on site. Staff was very friendly.“

“Love this neighborhood spot!! The owners and staff are so attentive. There's plenty of options for breakfast and lunch at reasonable prices. They have some outside seating for those who want to get some sun. Easy to find free parking on the side street. The vibe is chill - I often see people lounging, reading, or playing games in there with their friends. Come support this gem!“

“If you go to Dearborn must try Haraz coffee highly recommend“

“The iced jasmine matcha is the best matcha I’ve ever had hands down. It’s not overly sweet. Amazing with a warm butter croissant. My partner loves their espresso. Staff is also so friendly and kind. Super chill and awesome vibe. All around high quality stuff. Would absolutely recommend anyone check out this gem of a place! Parking can be tricky but totally worth it.“

“I stopped in for the first time last week… People working there are super nice. Latte was really good, I don’t know what beans they were using but it was delicious. I had a breakfast sandwich on ciabatta that was HUGE. I saved half for my lunch later!

Dog friendly!“

“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 .“

“Amazing and authentic coffee and pastries with Yemenese twists in a warm and inviting environment.“

“Great coffee! Friendly staff! I’m happy they are my new neighbors, filling a need in Soma West.“

“My favorite cafe in Berkeley! Vibes are immaculate, always busy (for good reason) but you can sit outside in lovely Strawberry Creek Park. Coffee is delicious, and I love the cheddar and scallion scones. I love to come here with a book and hang out in the park. Also there are always cute dogs!

Vegetarian options: Most pastries are vegan. Oat and almond milk available for all drinks.

Dietary restrictions: Oat and almond milk available. Most pastries are vegan and gluten free.

Kid-friendliness: The park outside is very kid friendly; there are usually multiple kids running around.“

“I was over the moon to find such a great selection of quality real artisanal chocolate from so many makers and friendly helpful staff. The mocha was superb too and I must say I am a fussy customer.

Wheelchair accessibility: I have a large electric wheelchair and I could move around easily and reach the goods no problem. Friendly and helpful staff.“

“Genuinely SUCH a great place here. They are, for one, French, and they are the sweetest French guys ever. Not to mention the great service and DELICIOUS food. You have to stop in if you want a pastry, sandwich, or coffee. All great things to say.“

“Hidden in an alley way, this is a great coffee shop with attentive service. It’s a coffee shop in the morning and turns into a bar at night. You can get booze in your coffee as well. Part of the proceeds go towards Ukrainians affected by the recent events. Coffee was delicious- espresso was smooth. Highly recommend the lavender latte!“

“This coffee shop is incredible. The people are always so friendly. The Kashmiri chai is ahhhmazing. The plants surround you in your own little world of bliss as you sip it. And people bring their puppies so you can just chill, pet dogs, and live your best life. Honestly, it's my favorite place. Come share it with me and support this wonderful business.“

“Smooth, rich, delicious!!“

“This coffee changed my life. Oh my, so delicious. I got a sweetened latte. The barista said the simple syrup was like butterscotch. Can confirm. And my partner got the orange cream latte. So tasty! The barista was very friendly with a sense of humor. And to top it all off, they were playing old Motown hits and the space was very minimalistic. Go there, NOW! ?“

“Super cute little place. Lovely Gibraltar coffee, and an exceedingly buttery croissant. The egg + caprese combination is a bit radical, but that's the fusion haha. Also a really cute old space, has some real 1920s vibe.

Vegetarian options: There's a good selection of vegetarian options“

“Adam and Queena were invaluable partners in planning my daughter's bat mitzvah! They were very friendly and flexible with our ever-changing budget and introduced us to some great vendors we would have never engaged on our own. They also suggested changes to the layout of the event so that it had a great flow. Beyond all of the preparation, Adam's help with the day-of supervision of the set up and coordination of all with all of the vendors ensured the event went off without a hitch. It was beautiful and exactly how we envisioned it! Thanks Sway!!“

“atmosphere with quality coffee and community centered owner. great for study space with lots of natural light“

“A little gem in Hercules, tucked in a little cozy corner in the neighborhood. It is within walking distance of the water. It is very cozy so seating can be limited when busy. They serve coffee, a little breakfast and sandwiches. We had some chicken empanadas, but they also have other flavors. We also had some corn tamales, which is sweet masa. A great place to stop on your walk or meet a friend. It's really cute.

Kid-friendliness: Kids are welcomed and they serve fruit smoothies.“

“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!!!“

“This place instantly made us feel good and welcomed. You can see and taste the care for every detail, from the fluffy egg and delicious ham cheese crossiant to the coffee ice cubes so your iced coffee won't be watered down. This place is superb and wish more took pride in their work and making people feel at home no matter where their from. Thank you so much for the wonderful experience!“

“Amazing place for breakfast and coffee! I highly recommend it.“

“Great coffee with an in house roast (a little too dark for my taste but I guess you can choose different beans if you ask?). You can see them roast the beans in the back and the entire cafe smells like fresh roasted coffee! Would highly recommend!“

“This is a grab and go place. staff is really helpful . the coffee was actually really good, I order a cappuccino and it was made very fast. no long lines, your in and out in 3 mins. I also orders a pastry that was very fresh. For a quick morning breakfast I would definitely recommend this place.“

“Special.
The coffee is chosen and roasted special, by a wonderful person, and served by wonderful people, in a wonderful space.
This is not your average cafe. This is beyond. And it is … wonderful.
… and, you can enjoy it, while knowing that you are supporting the better side of our world.“

“The delightfully friendly staff serve up truly delicious caffeinated concoctions...a wonderful way to start the day.“

“This place is pure magic. I’ve been coming to Alem’s for a few years and finally tried branched out from the Ful to try the Fata. Needless to say it was incredibly and I should have branched out sooner! I don’t understand how food can taste so good. The folks behind the counter are the best and always earnestly want to know if you liked it. Come here after the farmers market on Sunday! You won’t regret it!“

“Great service Clean Food was amazing“

“If you’re looking for 3rd place type cafe, this is it!

It’s in a busy, but calm neighborhood with the most charismatic woman owner. I watched her hang out with neighborhood customers for ages.

The light roast, drip coffee is perfectly made (a little acidic, cherry notes).

Please come give this lady your business, you’ll be happy you did.

P.s. they serve cafe staples proper espresso drinks, pastries, good coffee and I think I see a basque cheesecake in the display!?“

“The BEST coffee I've ever had outside of Italy. A variety of rich, complex, nuanced roasts, plus a strong freshly brewed cup in-store. I have loved and been loyal to them since 1988 (formerly Royal, where the kind owner Michael was a baristo)“