Shaina Prasad grew up drinking a lot of tea with her family. One day, her sister introduced her to coffee and she was hooked. She says she’s been a daily coffee drinker since about age 12, “It’s more than just coffee, there’s a whole culture around it.” Prasad describes herself as an introvert and goes to coffee shops to get away and take a break from the rest of life. They’re a home to her. After being a barista at both Peet’s and Philz, Prasad has become an expert in flavor and the coffee shop vibe.
Prasad rated her top five coffee places in Davis on a scale of 1-5 on criteria of taste, variety, price, atmosphere, and customer service.
1. Peet’s
Taste – 5 Peet’s consistency and reliability allow customers to know they’re getting quality coffee every time.
Variety – 4 Their menu features primarily dark roasts with a decent number of options for drinks and food. The real variety comes in the beans available for purchase.
Price – 3
Atmosphere – 4 The standard atmosphere in all Peet’s is welcoming with plenty of open seating.
Customer Service – 3 This can depend on the employee, but generally at Peet’s people are friendly and conscientious with your drinks.
Tip: On your receipt, there will be a quick survey to give your experience a review and you’ll save a dollar on your next purchase there.
2. Mishka’s
Taste – 3 Flavor of drinks is usually pretty good, but quality can depend on the barista.
Variety – 4 Choices for black coffee are somewhat limited, but there are more options for alternative milks and other non-caffeinated drinks than other coffee joints in Davis.
Price – 3
Atmosphere – 3 Mishka’s is busy all the time, which can make it a struggle to find seating. However, they do have a pleasant outside area. The vibe here is less casual than other places in Davis and customers are often very focused on work. Notably, Mishka’s promotes localism by selling art from nearby artists. They’re also open until 11 p.m., which is convenient for students.
Customer Service – 4 The baristas seem like cool people. They aren’t dismissive or rushed.
Tip: Get a stamp card.
3. Temple
Taste – 4 Their baristas are well-trained and deliver consistently high-quality product. If you prefer lighter roasts, Temple may be the ideal coffee shop for you.
Variety – 4 Temple has a lot of pour over options as well as other drinks. Highly recommend the Mexican hot chocolate for non-coffee drinkers. They also offer a wide variety of food options, including stuff for vegans.
Price – 2 Temple is on the more expensive side. They charge $1 for alternative milks and there are no discount deals.
Atmosphere – 3 Often crowded, but the décor is quite comfortable. At night or early in the morning, it can be easier to find a seat. However, their seats don’t have backs, so you may not want to stay too long.
Customer Service – 4 They treat their customers well and ask you “How are you?” before taking your order.
4. Coho
Taste – 3 Good drip and iced coffee. These are the best things to order.
Variety – 4 In addition to a large selection of drinks, there are many healthy food options.
Price – 5 Everything is reasonably priced and coffee is 50 percent off during finals.
Atmosphere – 2 It’s always busy and hard to find seating. Coffee at the Coho is more of a grab-'n'-go convenience.
Customer Service – 3 Student employees at the Coho are almost always friendly.
Honorable Mention: Pachamama
Unfortunately, Pacha closed as of March 1st, but it was Prasad’s favorite, so I wanted to give it an honorable mention.
Taste – 5 Pacha offers both espresso drinks and pour-over options. Pour over is a higher quality method of brewing coffee, which increases its appeal to the hardcore coffee drinker. They also use only organic ingredients and make everything from scratch, allowing for more customization per drink order if desired.
Variety – 5 They had a wide variety of coffee, especially medium and dark roasts. You get to choose whichever blend you want for your pour over a cup of coffee, which is not the case for most other coffee shops in Davis. Pacha was also very creative in its seasonal drink options – this made them stand out from other places.
Price – 5 With the 25 percent off coupon, when you check in on Yelp, Pachamama, seemed to be one of the cheapest options. They were also very vegan-friendly and didn’t charge extra for alternative milks!
Atmosphere – 5 Great study spot and amazing outside seating area! The lounge chairs made for a great Sunday morning coffee catch-up with a friend while the long wooden tables were great for getting some work done.
Customer Service – 5 Baristas put thoughtful care into each cup. Pacha’s detailed training process ensures that customers receive a consistently satisfying experience. The baristas were also very friendly and management ensured all employees primarily existed in the “people first, coffee second” work ethic, which gave them precedence over other coffee shops. Adding a personal touch, especially in the coffee world, goes a long way; it’s also a great business tactic! Making sure someone’s day is going OK is so important. Time and time again, I’ve had Pacha to thank for turning my bad days into good ones.
Tip: You get 25 percent off when you check in on Yelp! They still have a location in Sacramento!
