Welcome to Oakland, California, your unexpected coffee destination. Did you know in 2018 Oakland was voted the third best city for coffee fanatics? It has ranked in the top 20 ever since, coming in at number 11 in 2024. This is no surprise to the locals as there are well over 2300 coffee shops and 17-plus roasters. Studies say that for every 2500 people in Oakland, there is a coffee shop. In this article, I’m going to highlight my top five coffee shops in Oakland and why I rank them so highly.
101 Clinton Ln, Oakland, CA 94606
Zocalo is a new (to Oakland) shop located in the Brooklyn Basin. There’s lots of construction happening to transform this area of Oakland so it can be a little tricky to find at first, but if you take the Embarcadero to 9th St then you should be able to find it super easy. Zocalo is owned and operated by a wonderful woman and her family. They roast and bag the coffee themselves at a local roaster in San Leandro which is home to their original location on Bancroft Avenue. The San Leandro location also hosts lots of fun nights like open mic night, game night, trivia night, and music night. I’m hoping the Brooklyn Basin location will follow suit!
Zocalo has a gorgeous interior full of natural light and is a perfect spot to hang out with friends or spend a few hours getting work done. When I visit Zocalo I almost always get their mocha because it is by far my favorite but when I take kids they love their Italian sodas and baked goods. I’ve also had a few working lunches here and their food is top-notch. Zocalo is coming in at the top 5 because while it may not have been here as long as some of the others, it certainly made its mark and is here to stick around.
4100 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619
17 years ago founder Richard Santana started roasting his coffee beans using a hot air popcorn machine and I’m so glad he did! From a single popcorn machine comes an entire environmentally friendly small back coffee roaster right here in Oakland!
Cafe Santana is a place that you don’t want to just pop in for (although you certainly can!). The actual location is an inviting shop with plenty of seating to relax and enjoy your coffee and food. It’s also so cool to see the coffee roaster from the front counter. I was in awe of how authentic and homemade everything was. The smells were divine and the service was always quick and pleasant.
I ordered the Mexican mocha, which I had never had before, and now I’m hooked. I also got a ham and cheese empanada thinking they were pre-made, but imagine my surprise and delight when I was handed a hot and perfectly golden empanada! I picked Cafe Santana as number 4 because not only do I love their coffee and food, but it feels a little like home. That last part is sort of difficult to explain but going there feels like getting a cup of coffee at a friend’s house, it’s an old-school meeting place and when city life feels a little too isolating Cafe Santana brings some warmth.
260 Oak St, Oakland, CA 94607
Founded by Yugoslavian immigrants in 1924 @peerlesscoffee was one of the first craft roasters in the Bay Area. They are a third-generation business, for context, they’re as old as the Winter Olympics and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade!
Peerless is not just a normal coffee purveyor, they are also innovators. They recently became recognized as one of the first hospitality craft roasters to perfect nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee on tap and won roaster of the year in 2019. They are a green-certified business committed to fair trade and farm-direct relationships.
You can order coffee beans from their online store peerlesscoffee.com but their retail shop is located at 260 Oak St. If you’re in Oakland stop by, I was so surprised at how cozy this cafe feels and they have an extensive coffee & tea museum (though I didn’t get a chance to see it yet!). They have lots of great coffees but when I visited I got the tuxedo mocha which was a mix of white and milk chocolate. I recommend asking the barista what you should order and trusting them! Peerless is my number 3 because when I first moved to Oakland I lived just down the street from in and fell in love with their coffee, and that was before I learned their history! They are consistent and honestly, just incredibly nice people who love making good coffee.
2523 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612
The Crown is owned and operated by Royal Coffee. The Crown is a coffee lab and tasting room that allows customers to experience the full spectrum of coffee. They have classes, events, and tasting of cuppings, as well as cutting-edge original workshops, a full suite of SCA pathways, CQI courses, and guest curricula by industry thought leaders. Basically, they know their coffee and offer incredible and unique drinks.
The coffee shop itself is reminiscent of the emerald city with its gorgeous green walls that shine in the natural sunlight and Art Deco vibes that complement the many Art Deco buildings in downtown Oakland. When I visited they were offering a strawberry shortcake coffee that was topped with freeze-dried strawberry and it felt like an experience drinking it. I recommend trying whatever new creation they have when you visit, I imagine it will always be worth the risk. I picked The Crown as my number 2 because I love that it is so much more than a coffee house and if you are interested in the art of making, drinking, or just enjoying coffee The Crown has something for you.
409 14th street
Oakland, California 94612
When Bay Area native Brianna Vasquez started Brewja Coffee she wanted to create a memo that reflected her culture. She wanted a place that people in her community and beyond could relate to. I love how original the flavors are and the quality of everything they do from the coffee to the toast. Most foods are made in-house but the empanadas are made by another Bay Area native fresh but off-site.
I ordered the s’mores latte which has a homemade marshmallow(!!) and they toast it for you right there. It had such a nice flavor profile as the marshmallow interacted with the coffee and it was the perfect summer coffee. I chose Brewja as my number one because I LOVE IT SO MUCH! All the food is so fresh and delicious and unique and fun. The drinks are so freaking delicious every single time, and I try a different one every time I go. I love that there are so many unexpected Latin flavors and they are not afraid to try something new. The people who work there are always incredibly friendly and helpful and you can tell they are proud to work at such a good coffee shop. I cannot recommend Brewja coffee enough, just trust me and try it, and then go three more times.
Honorable Mentions:
There are SO MANY coffee shops in Oakland to try so it was difficult to narrow it down to the top five, so here are some honorable mentions:
Blue Bottle: 21 years ago James Freeman had a dream turned reality when he founded Blue Bottle Coffee in Oakland’s Temescal district. From day one he had a vision of quality coffee with the name Blue Bottle even coming from one of Europe’s first cafes The Blue Bottle Coffee House. From Blue Bottles’ humble beginnings, an empire rapidly grew. Since then Nestle has become a major stakeholder in the company and they have grown to a worldwide operation including setting up shop in Tokyo and Hong Kong.
You can find Blue Bottle coffee beans and (my favorite) premade cartons of coffee in various stores like Target and other grocery stores. But, you would be remiss to not visit one of their stores. My favorite is to go on Friday to their 9th Street location as there’s also a great farmers market right outside. There is also a shop underneath Rockefeller Center in NYC which pairs well with ice skating.
Ultimate Grounds Et Al: Ultimate Grounds Et Al is a locally family-owned coffee shop that those who know, know, and those who don’t know are missing out on. They serve an assortment of coffees and teas and they are all made fresh and with such a high quality.
Ultimate Grounds has fresh pastries daily delivered from SF but their full menu is made in-house and you can taste that homemade love in every bite.
Ain’t Normal: Ain’t Normal Coffee is aptly named as it really ain’t your normal type of coffee shop. Not only can you enjoy a drink before work, but you should stop by after work as well, hell even a lunch break would be nice with their food!
Ain’t Normal also has all the makings, equipment, and inspiration you need to upgrade your coffee setup at home. You can get hyper-local coffee beans, filters, mugs, and coffee equipment, and they even have a coffee subscription. But coffee is not the only thing that shines, they have an extensive and hand-selected wine library as well as beer. Don’t even get me started on the food. Everything at this place Ain’t Normal and that’s what makes it incredible.
Bicycle Coffee: Bicycle Coffee got its name because it used to deliver coffee beans via bicycle. Bicycle Coffee is on my top 10 coffee list because I LOVE their brown sugar boba coffee. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about having boba in coffee but I became quickly obsessed. They use real tapioca pearls and not those weird popping boba and the brown sugar really vibes well with the coffee. You used to only be able to get it on the weekends but I am happy to say they have expanded it to be a daily offering.
Snow White Coffee: Snow White Coffee Bar is hard to miss from the road but it’s such a warm and welcoming space. They don’t make super fancy drinks but that doesn’t stop their coffee from being delicious. They serve high-quality fresh coffee, have plenty of outdoor seating, and have an incredibly friendly staff.
Lane-E Kefa: Lane-E Kefa is located right next to the Lake Merritt Bart Station. They are exactly what I think of when I think of hidden gems. Every time I’ve gone I’ve gotten great food and great drinks, and it’s a nice quiet space to enjoy a slow morning. Their breakfast sandwiches are comically huge so bring an appetite. But if you’re in a rush you should get a drink and sandwich to go to fill you up on your morning commute!
Oakland Coffee Map
Be sure to check out this free interactive Oakland Coffee map and start your coffee journey in The Town!