Coming from Seattle which is a coffee shop haven (if you’re visiting Seattle, check out this post with my favorites), I had some high expectations for Silicon Valley. Below is our ever-growing list of San Jose’s Most Instagrammable Coffee Shops.
Last updated on 1/26/2020
K Cafe Patisserie & Tea House
K-Café is our number 1 pick for “Most Instagrammable spot in San Jose.” It isn’t technically a coffee shop (their hours are 1 – 10 PM), but they do have coffee so we decided they qualified. This spot is perfect for a girls’ afternoon out or a post-dinner date dessert stop.
- The Location: 923 South Bascom Avenue, San Jose, California 95128
- The Vibe: Los Angeles aesthetic
- What to order: Shrimp toast, royal mousse pastry
- Overall opinion: 10/10. Not only is K-Café beautiful, it is delicious (and we can’t say that about most aesthetic spots). The pastries are just sweet enough, but not too sweet. The menu is unique, but still has some cafe classics.
Voyager Coffee
I visited Voyager on a Saturday morning around 10 AM. It’s randomly located in a strip mall, but the line out the door seemed like a complete testament to peoples’ belief in the place. You go there to GO to Voyager. I ordered a latte and croissant to keep it simple for my first time. But the avocado toast and matcha lattes were basically on every other table. By 11:30, the pastry case was almost empty and all the tables were full. Note: I’d recommend going earlier in the morning or during the week.
- The Location: 3985 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95051 (A strip mall in Santa Clara)
- The Vibe: wooden modern decor
- What to Order: Avocado toast, matcha lattes…. any pastry.
- Overall Opinion: A coffee snob once told me, in good coffee, you don’t need sugar. Well I didn’t need sugar.
Blue Bottle Palo Alto
Everyone I’ve met in the Bay Area has raved about Blue Bottle. The hype was 100% deserved because the coffee was in the top 5 best coffees I’ve ever tasted.
- The Location: 456 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (Downtown Palo Alto)
- The Vibe: Cozy-antique
- What to Order: Anything (but especially the lattes and cappuccinos)
- Overall Opinion: This is my new favorite coffee shop in the Bay. Great for catching up with a friend, studying or just to enjoy the ambiance with your coffee.
Voltaire Coffee
Voltaire Coffee is all over the ‘gram for two reasons basically – this table and their colorful latte art (you can ask at the café which ones come in colorful versions). The coffee was smooth, and I loved that they served the iced coffee in a mason jar.
- The Location: 360 S Market St, Ste 80, San Jose, CA 95113 (Downtown San Jose)
- The Vibe: Families coming for a little pick me up, students studying, friends catching up.
- What to Order: Avocado toast (yes they have food!), nutella latte. **Special note: you have to ask for added artwork**
- Overall Opinion: I’d call Voltaire a classic dark wood coffee shop except for the table in the corner by the window that calls to everyone’s attention. Come early to stake out this spot. Or if you were me, run to the table as soon as it’s available. This is a great spot if you want to come and get some work done with lots of natural lighting. Coffee was good, and I hear great things about the food and “special” drinks.
Academic Coffee
- The Location: 499 S 2nd St, San Jose, CA 95113 (downtown San Jose)
- The Vibe: minimalist
- What to Order: decadent pastries (they have original flavors like mochi and matcha-infused). Also a seasonal menu for select drinks.
- Overall Opinion: Academic Coffee is a cute little spot perfect for catching up with a friend and to enjoy all the sunlight coming in from the wall to wall windows. I would use this spot not for the traditional latte, but to try the seasonal drinks and original pastries.
Hannah Coffee & Sweets
Hannah‘s is the neighborhood coffee shop – bustling with locals having coffee, desserts & breakfast. While lacking the trendy aesthetic, it makes up for it with it’s cute latte art and great food.
- The Location: 754 The Alameda #80, San Jose, CA 95126
- The Vibe: Neighborhood coffee shop
- What to Order: cupcakes & lattes. Also, based on the amount of people having sandwiches and breakfast, those are probably good too.
- Overall Opinion: If I lived in the neighborhood, this might be my go to spot. I liked that they had a somewhat extensive menu. The latte art and mugs were cute, but the coffee itself wasn’t amazing. (Basically, I wouldn’t come here just for the coffee).
Crema Coffee Roasting Co.
- The Location: 950 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126 – The Alameda (Note: there are a couple other locations in San Jose)
- The Vibe: French Riviera meets quaint craftsmen home.
- What to Order: Sandwiches, iced drinks, & lattes
- Overall Opinion: Let’s start with parking – there is street parking and free 3 hour parking next door. Crema is a great spot to get some studying or work done, as well as have a nice morning on the patio. While the coffee wasn’t the strongest, you definitely get a lot of coffee for the price.
Forager
Forager feels like the heart of the San Jose community. It brings together artists, techies, students, foodies, and more all under the roof of this Brooklyn industrial style warehouse. M-F they serve breakfast from open to 11AM. Later in the day they also serve lunch and dinner. Oh, and they also are an art space and host events occasionally.
- The Location: 420 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95172 (downtown San Jose)
- The Vibe: Brooklyn Industrial Warehouse
- What to Order: Anything for anyone. I loved the iced latte, but yelpers say that you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
- Overall Opinion: This may just be my new favorite coffee shop in San Jose. I loved the interior ambiance, as well as the small bar/ patio perfect for a sunny day. Great for a meet up for a large group of friends, to get some work done or just hang out!
Mademoiselle Collette
- The Location: 499 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (downtown Palo Alto)
- The Vibe: French patisserie
- What to Order: According to others, you can’t go wrong with anything in the pastry case!
- Overall Opinion: One of their two locations, the Mademoiselle Collette in downtown Palo Alto is reminiscent of a French patisserie. I’ve heard that the other location in Menlo Park is more of a sit down restaurant. I arrived around 2PM on a Saturday and the entire pastry case was wiped clean which was extremely disappointing. Coffee tasted nice and it was a beautiful ambiance. Pro tip: arrive early to get a pastry!
Cafe Frascati
Cafe Frascati reminds me of one of those old Italian cafés that immigrants would open. Reminiscent of the “olden days,” the dark wood and photos provides some fresh charm to the usual coffee shops.
- The Location: 315 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113 (downtown San Jose)
- The Vibe: Vintage Italian
- What to Order: an Italian dessert & coffee
- Overall Opinion: I would definitely come back. I enjoyed that there was a patio for sunny days or a cozy interior for those colder “get work done” days. While I wouldn’t go there necessarily for the latte art aesthetic (or for the #gram) I would go for a good cup of joe and a treat.
Big Mug Coffee Roaster
Big Mug Coffee Roaster is a hidden little spot within a strip mall in Santa Clara. Upon walking in you feel like you’ve stepped into a trendy New York City coffee shop!
- The Location: 3014 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California 95051
- The Vibe: New York City coffee shop
- What to Order: Any of their unique drinks
- Overall Opinion: This is an ideal spot for a work or study session, or if you’re just meeting up with friends. They have a pretty big menu of food and drinks.
