50 Best Coffee Shops in Oakland

“Motivat did the barista services for a private event I attended. The coffee was delicious, full bodied with tons of flavor. Later on I had a Chai Latte, creamy and very flavorful. Customer service was top notch, friendly and efficient. Really impressed with how professional this company is. Highly recommend this business!“

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

“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 !“

“Incredible chai and excellent service. Chatted with the person behind the counter for a bit and he was so nice and gave me a bit of the history as to why there are more and more yemeni cafes popping up (I lived here many years ago and was back to visit). He recommended the chai over the house latte and it was a solid one. They make it on the spot so it’s literally boiling hot. I had it to-go and part of me thought the cup was going to melt and hello microplastic! If any that’s the only thing for me, not a criticism per se, but it took 20 mins for it to cool down enough to take a sip. Delicious though! Lots of people working with their laptops, and some mingling. Seems like it is a neighborhood hub.“

“I’m highly recommend it ..I’m here every day“

“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 👌🏾😋“

“Lovely cafe and excellent chocolate shop. I love coming here with my friends or to buy fancy gifts. I love that working on your computer while at the cafe is restricted to weekdays only to encourage a more social atmosphere over the weekend. There is some but limited indoor and outdoor seating. My only complaint is that the prices aren't listed on the chocolates for sale.“

“We were in the area for a basketball tournament and stopped by. If maps takes you to the side where the apartment leasing office is just follow the sent of amazing coffee around the corner! The owner was super kind and friendly and I personally loved the energy in the cafe. You can tell community is at the core. Definitely check them out!“

“What a truly wonderful experience. My husband and I stumbled upon Im Moment Kaffee by total coincidence on our way to a Ballers game, and it is a total gem. The owner is such a warm, kind soul—she was so incredibly patient and sweet while my toddler ordered. The atmosphere is amazing, filled with great music and a welcoming vibe. You can taste the care in their food and drinks; the breakfast sandwiches are made in-house, and the coffee is incredible and deeply rooted in culture. They even went above and beyond to make me an off-menu iced cardamom latte, which was absolute perfection.“

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

“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.“

“This place has been open for a whole year and I'm just now visiting! I ordered the bananas foster latte, hot per Lena's recommendation and it was so good. They have a bunch more yummy flavors and I look forward to coming back to try more. They have food options here as well, a beautiful spacious interior with plenty of seating, and lots of community flyers and events up. Really nice place to work or just kick it. RnB music bumping too. Thank you Soul Blends!“

“I love this cute and charming little coffee shop! Reasonably priced and delicious drinks with great service from Sherry, Alex, and the rest of the staff. They serve Cat & Cloud coffee and pastries from The Midwife and the Baker and Good Luck Bakery. Stop by next time you’re in the neighborhood!“

“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.“

“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!!!“

“Great service Clean Food was amazing“

“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)“

“This place is always great when I run out of time to eat and gotta get on the road.
They're always fast and their food and drinks are good.
Now it's pretty simple stuff, but it gets the job done and it means I'm supporting a local business, so I feel good about it.
The staff are always nice and fast, I love them!“

“♿️Cafe has a wheelchair accessible seating, entrance and toilet. Seating available outside in front of the cafe, in the cafe and in the back patio .

Wonderful family run cafe. Popular with many Glenview elementary families in the mornings before school. Excellent selection of coffees, teas and breakfast pastries and bagels. Great to sit inside or outside. And nice spot to get some work done. Customer service is personal and so kind. As we are regulars, they recognize our son, and they always say hello to him.

Parking: Street parking on Park Blvd varies. Sometimes easy to get a spot in the morning if needed, sometimes a bit challenging later in the day.

Kid-friendliness: Very welcoming

Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair accessible entrance, seating and restroom“

“So excited to have another coffee shop in the area that isn’t Starbucks. I got the seasonal pumpkin spice iced latte and it’s delicious—i was worried it might be too sweet but it’s perfectly balanced and strong!!!! excited to have this in the neighborhood :)“

“Cute as a button store with incredible pastries and delicious coffee.

The staff here are very friendly and kind. I got a sesame latte with the pistachio croissant. Each coffee seems to be made to order which means my drink was perfect. I dont have much of a refined pallette to tell you what notes i tasted- but i can tell you it was so smooth and had a lovely flavour to it that wasnt too over powering.

The staff also seem happy to help customers choose what roast would be best and also seem skilled in recommending beans!

Overall i had a lovely experience that was worth the wait. I cannot wait to come back and try everything on the menu with friends.“

“Just moved in a block away and feel SO blessed that Delah is my neighborhood coffee house. 🫶

The shop is beautiful, has a BOMB(!!!) cakes & sweets case, and both times I’ve gone in everyone was so kind — and also helpful in picking out a delish treat. 🍰“

“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!“

“Ten of us in Oakland for a wedding just descended on this suggested cafe for breakfast. A family member who’d lived in Oakland recommended it. She was right to. Our server was absolutely fantastic. She was prompt, had a wonderful attitude and a genuine personality. Our breakfast orders were varied, came out accurate and all of us enjoyed a great 40 mins or so. Parking was easy and pretty much right out front. Definitely recommend the Coffee Mill for a no frills authentic breakfast experience where you feel welcome.“

“Great pastries and coffee!“

“Got the salmon scramble with sriracha <3 was so good and the place is very clean and the staff are so welcoming“

“Came in for caffeine, stayed for the vibes! The staff are all super kind and helpful, and have opinions to share if you’re stumped on what to get! I got a Kashmiri Chai with a shot of espresso, and it was fantastic. The shop has some seating, but there’s a cute gallery area to sit in just behind the shop as well. They don’t have too many food options, more so bakery options, but you have to get here early to get one - they are popular and you don’t get much of a selection if you come at 1pm like I did! Overall, great place and I will for sure be returning!“

“This is one of our favorite weekend brunch spots. The owner could not be sweeter, and the food is always fresh and delicious. I'm vegan, so I always get the vegetarian combo plate, but I never bore of it. Feels like home cooking, with the freshest of ingredients. And the injera is delicious, too. Our favorite Ethiopian spot in the East Bay...and we have a lot of great Ethiopian restaurants!“

“OMG!!! Time stopped as I bit into a donut savant cronut for the very first time. I live in N. Sacramento but I am fantasizing about the next trip to #oakland. You people are truly doing god’s work here. Carry on😋😘🙏🏿❤️“

“My favorite Easy Bay cafes for working during lockdown - #1, Hudson Bay One of the things I miss the most during lockdown is having a place to get coffee and work for a while – yes, I know I’m not alone there ;) So I’m going to share my very favorite places to work during lockdown – i.e., cafes that have a fair amount of outdoor seating (and preferably decent Wi-Fi coverage too). The Hudson Bay café was a fairly regular haunt for me during normal times, and during lockdown it’s running pretty well with lots of safety precautions: Perspex screens, sanitizer, and a window counter if you don’t want to walk inside. Staff members were super-friendly as usual and there’s always good music playing (it’s faint outside, so I could just barely hear The Smiths and The Weeknd drifting out through the side door). One thing to note is that the prices are very reasonable – my veggie burrito cost an amazing $7 (or maybe $7.50) – and it had guac in there too! And it was big! I also had an oat milk latte and a slice of pound cake and the whole tab was around $14. For comparison, I paid the same amount at another place this week for a coffee, cookie and plain croissant. Lockdown Stats: • Seating: There are about 6 tables outside and chances are reasonable that you’ll get a spot. If you’re stuck without a seat you can hang out on a bench outside the library across the street. • Bathroom: Another good thing about going to Hudson Bay to drink a lot of coffee – the bathroom is open! It’s surprising how many cafés have no bathroom availability after selling you a big old cup of diuretic! • Hours: Note that they close at 5 pm at the moment, not 6, but they’ll let you linger till maybe 5:30. • Weather: Hudson St. faces southwest, so it’s often pretty warm, even around closing time! • Budget: As mentioned above, Hudson Bay is one of the cheapest places around (esp. on College Ave.) to get lunch. I’m also giving the Hudson Bay Café 4/5 “green stars” for social and environmental impact, based on this: • Very longstanding independent café and community gathering spot. • Coffee beans come from McLaughlin roasters in Emeryville - another East Bay staple. • Some of McLaughlin’s coffee varieties are organic and most are bought directly from cooperatives or family farms that support communities. • It kind of goes without saying that plant-based milks are available – and raw turbinado sugar too. • The menu is a bit more traditional but there are a few veggie and vegan options. I think they’ll also make veggie/vegan mods to a menu item, if you ask, since everything is cooked to order. • There’s not a lot of info available about Hudson Bay’s sourcing of ingredients – my feeling is that the owners want to keep things as unpretentious as possible. Since it’s lockdown I’m not going to bust their balls over it :D • Waste is minimized pretty well, even during lockdown when most places are loading on the plastic. Interested in writing green star reviews? If so, please check out the Green Stars Project.“

“Great selection very fast shipping secure packaging and nice people“

“This coffee place is definitely a place where you wanna go, when there's not that much people. I love the modern and hip vibe of the building in itself -- the decor inside the place a really cozy yet light environment.

I love how active they are about giving back to the community. That to me shows a lot. They're also proudly Latina and women-owned too, so that in itself shows a lot.I walked in and got an horchata latte -- and needless to say, they were one of the best ones I've ever gotten. It tasted really silky, not too sweet, and the cinnamon taste wasn't overbearing. One thing to note - they are closed on Tuesdays, which is odd. I will not question that.

They are also a vibe as well -- great hospitality and they treat everybody who comes in like familia. Now THAT is how you run a local and small-owned business and have regular customers like me go back time by time.

I definitely will be back to support this establishment!“

“I realize vegan isn't trending anymore and so I was concerned that this place would be doing poorly. Went for the first time today and I was so happy to see a line of people ordering bright and early, and going for some of the vegan things. not only was it absolutely excellent (best croissant I've had in a long long time, and certainly best vegan croissant), but it was quick, loads of options, and in a great neighborhood for foodies. My husband had a PB chocolate cookie and I took a bite. Also excellent. The pistachio croissant was too decadent for me, but i feel that way about most sweets. the arroz con leche apricot i felt the apricot overpowered the arroz con leche but to his palate, they were perfect. He also has the ham and cheese croissant (not vegan) and said it was his favorite thing. Grateful for this bakery. Maybe will get a loaf of bread in the future.“

“A great place to go work when you have a lot to get done. More outside spots than inside so its better on a sunny day. Its open late which is great. Never issues with the wifi bht limited charging spots.
Drinks are very yummy.
No designated parking so you will have to drive around for a spot.“

“I’m not a coffee maven, but the tea and sweets were excellent. (My friends who appreciate good coffee say that it’s excellent as well.) Good service, even in the face of an exacting clientele.“

“Good croissant sandwiches. Yum Yum“

“Work nearby, stopped twice now for lunch and coffee. Salmon salad and turkey sandwich both excellent. Can’t miss with a cortado. Great service, clean and relaxing inside. Recommend as an easy work lunch or a quick detour from your walk around Lake Merritt.“

“5 Stars because it's right across the street from the IRS. Whether you leave that building happy or sad, both attitudes could use a cold brew and a croissant -- both of which were good.This cafe is exactly what you need, exactly where you need it.Considered dropping it to 4 stars for not providing the opportunity to get drunk if that's what you needed after the an IRS meeting instead.“

“This is truly a neighborhood establishment. The people who work here are super kind and seems to greet and know everyone who walks through the door. The man who works there offered me free refills and added a complimentary espresso shot in my ice coffee. Really warm and sweet vibes here :)“

“Really good coffees and pastries. They need one more person at peak times. Glad it’s gotten popular w all the dog folks.“

“great tasting coffee with robust flavors, very satisfied, going to be a regular customer now that our search for a good coffee is over✌💖🙏✊“

“This is a cafe, not a restaurant, I am not sure why Google is treating it like a restaurant. It is a very nice cafe with great coffee and home made pastries with smoothies and teas, with a very nice atmosphere. Check it out for yourself. Personally, I loved it.“

“The staff is always very friendly. I showed up yesterday exactly at 4:58 pm, and one of the staff members was kind enough to let me in and order. I always have a positive experience whenever I go and the coffee of course is so good and the price is reasonable in my opinion compared to other places“

“Exceptional multiroaster with a great rotating selection and highly skilled baristas.“

“Great pastries and coffee!“

“Vegan Donut Gelato is PHENOMENAL! My wife and I loved our brief stop this week. The donuts are massive and well worth the price. Friendly service and the woman who served us was great. Highly recommended!“

“Super fresh donuts, yummy breakfast, best burger in town. I got raised donuts, they are big and good price. Super friendly customer service. The smoothies are amazing as well. Fresh smoothies. Free parking lots. Quiet and clean. This is my favorite grab and go. I highly recommend this store.“

“Based solely on the experience of purchasing an espresso, the service went well as intended with any type of service from a traditional cafe. While the espresso itself is up to the standard where it doesn’t shine by itself (judging only on my own intuition as someone who casually consumes coffee), the gimmick more than makes up for it in a time where such thing is yet to be the norm or at least be less uncommon. As for the atmosphere, the future spaceship theme is apparent but can give off feelings of uncanniness and may be misinterpreted as dystopian; from there, incorporating some elements that goes easy on the mind. As a bonus, the store manager himself was polite and easygoing with how the cafe came to be.“

“This review is for delivery. I was stuck in a hospital and needed coffee and breakfast. The lavender lattes did not disappoint and neither did the avocado toasts. The avocado toasts came beautifully prepared and was delicious. The lattes taste like lavendar but not overpowering. Would order from them again.“

“I saw the ratings and didn't know what to expect. Brought my family here to avoid the Berkely Parents' Weekend crowds. I was so pleasantly surprised the quality of the food and service. The roti is so fresh - perfectly crispy and chewy. The spices on the food and house coconut dipping sauce offered so much flavor - we were all blown away. Our kids loved the Thai Tea. Accomodates vegan taste buds and all other dietary preferences.“