Hey, Stanford frosh! Missing the high-quality coffee shops of your hometown? Aren't sure where to get your caffeine fix beyond CoHo, the Starbucks at Tresidder, or your nearest dining hall?
Again, you're in luck! The Stanford Foodie is back, and I'm happy to announce that I'll be sharing Bay Area food and drink recommendations via The Odyssey on a biweekly basis. This week's edition focuses on something I hold very near and dear to my heart: coffee.
My family is originally from Colombia, a country that just so happens to have the third highest average annual coffee production rate in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Colombia has entire theme parks devoted to coffee, two of which I've been too, and breakfast would be severely incomplete without a cup of café Colombiano. Coffee has been a huge part of my upbringing, so much so that one of my chores back at home was making my parents' morning cappuccinos, and my Nespresso machine is one of my closest companions. Most importantly, I know quite a few top-tier coffee shops not too far from Stanford campus, and highly recommend that my fellow caffeine addicts try them out.
ON-CAMPUS
1. Coupa Cafe
Locations: Green Library, Y2E2, Huang Engineering Center, GSB, Stanford Golf Course (also in Downtown Palo Alto)
Yelp Price Range: $$
You've probably already heard of Coupa, but if you haven't gotten around to trying it, I highly recommend you do. While it's definitely pricey for coffee, it's undoubtedly the best coffee shop on Stanford campus. Not only do they offer fantastic espresso drinks, but they also have Latin American options such as spicy hot chocolate.
PALO ALTO
2. Philz Coffee
Photo Credit
Location: Downtown and Midtown Palo Alto (also in Redwood City, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, San Mateo, Los Gatos, San Francisco, San Jose, and Facebook HQ)
Yelp Price Range: $
Philz is the place for drip coffee and iced coffee lovers in the Bay Area. Its downtown Palo Alto location is only a 10-minute bike ride from campus, making it super easy to get there and sip on a delicious drink while writing a paper or working on p-sets. Ordering at Philz can be a little confusing at first: Customers line up and order from one of the barista stations, pay for their orders at a separate register (at which pastries are also available), and finally, get their drink from the same station at which they ordered. While nearly everything Philz has to offer is incredible, I always get the Ecstatic Iced Coffee. It's simple and refreshing, and be sure to ask for it "sweet and creamy" if you like cream and sugar. And if you're a fan of mint in your coffee, you might want to try the Mint Mojito Iced Coffee (pictured above)--it's one of their specialties.
3. Blue Bottle Coffee
Photo Credit
Location: Downtown Palo Alto (also in San Francisco and Oakland)
Yelp Price Range: $$
Although Blue Bottle got their start in Oakland and San Francisco, they recently set up shop in downtown Palo Alto's HanaHaus on University Avenue, which--believe me--is great news for us Stanford students. Blue Bottle is my favorite place to get espresso drinks. Their lattes and cappuccinos are always spot-on, as is their New Orleans Iced Coffee, which is also highly recommended. Don't forget to pair your beverage with one of their tasty pastries, ranging from buttery shortbread to french macarons, and consider bringing a bag of Blue Bottle's spiced granola back to your dorm for those mornings when you don't have time for breakfast.
MENLO PARK
4. Cafe Borrone
Photo Credit
Location: Menlo Park
Yelp Price Range: $$
This won't be the last time you hear about Cafe Borrone. The European-style cafe right by downtown Menlo Park has been one of my family's favorite restaurants since I can remember. Their coffee drinks are all incredible. For those who prefer something simple, I recommend the cappuccino con panna (meaning "with whipped cream" in Italian). Borrone is also famous for their almost-addictive frosted mocha, but my personal favorite item on the menu is the Mexican mocha. Expect to learn more about Cafe Borrone when I compile a list of the Bay Area's top brunch spots.
MOUNTAIN VIEW
5. Red Rock Coffee
Location: Downtown Mountain View
Yelp Price Range: $
Red Rock is admittedly less about the coffee than it is about the experience. It's a community-oriented, not-for-profit cafe in downtown Mountain View that puts a lot of effort into supporting local artists and organizations. Red Rock is full of cool art and decor, and there's almost always some sort of live music happening on the second floor. Make sure to attend one of their weekly open mic nights (Mondays at 7pm) and enjoy a cup of coffee while enjoying the performances. In terms of drinks, Red Rock is famous for their Chai Latte, and I'm a huge fan of their Iced Mocha.
SANTA CRUZ
6. Verve Coffee Roasters
Location: Santa Cruz (downtown, Seabright, and 41st)
Yelp Price Range: $$
Verve is my go-to coffee shop by the beach. I've only ever had their espresso drinks, so all I can say is that their cappuccinos and lattes are amazing. However, the abundance of extremely positive reviews they have on Yelp indicates that it's tough to go wrong at Verve. Moreover, the convenient Santa Cruz location makes it the perfect place to get a warm beverage after a gray California beach day.
THE CITY
7. Four Barrel Coffee
Location: San Francisco (Valencia, Portola, The Mill)
Yelp Price Range: $
Along with Philz and Blue Bottle, which also have various locations in the city, Four Barrel is one of the best San Francisco coffee shops I've tried so far. Not only is the coffee great (I really enjoyed the latte), but so is the iconically-hipster SF vibe. Don't believe me? Check out the guy pouring coffee below.
