Academic Coffee

So close, yet so far. I really wanted to give this the perfect five-star rating that I felt it deserved, but the service level simply wasn't there. I don't even think it was the fault of the employees themselves, it's just a cramped layout given the size and the location.

The entire coffee experience was a recovery effort starting from the order. As I briefly mentioned, this coffee shop has a very small footprint in a very popular area (next to SJSU). Meaning that if you go there at the wrong time you can end up standing in line for close to 20 minutes before you even get a chance to order your coffee. That was the case for me.

Ultimately, I was able to place my standard mocha order for review, but finding a place to wait for my beverage was a reminder how cramped I was. I eventually was able to get my order and immediately headed outside.

Once outside, the whole experience changes, there's plenty of seating and sunshine, reminding me why I stopped by in the first place.

In conclusion, the coffee was great; the pastries were great; the wait sucked. I would say that it could get better, but let's be honest, we all generally like to drink coffee at the same time, so prepare yourself when visiting.

The coffee was rich and creamy. I loved it. Some of their coffee has spicy sauces in them. So please ask the cashier while ordering. I was about to order one and the cashier asked a question to confirm if I know that particular one had a spicy sauce in it. They do not have any indoor seating. There was outdoor seating but it was very busy. That's understandable given how good their coffee is. They also have some pastries if you are lucky.

Usually a regular latte or black coffee is my go to, but I thought pandan latte is interesting so gave it a try. Turned out to be very delicious! We also ordered a cinnamon latte, which was good as well. Will come back to try more next time.
I like the atmosphere of this place. The outdoor seating has a comfy vibe. I got here in the afternoon so it wasn’t crowded at all, just that the pastries were sold out.

Academic coffee is a nice little downtown coffee shop, one of the few I rotate between when I ride my bike downtown on weekends. This place though has a nice thing going for it besides it's good selection of coffee, most weekends Hash n' Dash partners with them to set up shop right outside, so you can get one of their delicious hashery sandwiches with sausage and cheese and egg, and they are pretty damn good and go well with a latte (check out the photos).

There is plenty of seating here, sitting inside which can sometimes be a little crowded because of the line that forms, but outside they have a nice patio and additional parking in a special area beneath a tree alongside the road. This ladder area is also where Hash n Dash is set up and will cook their fair right in front of you.

The coffee shop also has plenty of pastries and they seem to have a pretty healthy selection. The baristas are always friendly and very efficient serving the customers.

I personally enjoy sitting on the patio near the tree and just watching the people chat or walk by, and it is very easy for me to place my bike.

A line forms outside of the space on Sunday mornings so be prepared. They have some unique options such as pandan latte and cinnamon latte. Cute decor and really patient and friendly staff. Takes about five to ten minutes to receive your latte when it's busy, but it's worth the time. There is a large patio area for seating, and there is plenty of parking around.

Our favorite coffee shop in San Jose! Their unique flavors and classic drinks are consistent and very good.

Just grabbed some canned lattes to bring into work in San Francisco because I can’t get there every morning!

I got a cortado and a vanilla cold brew. Both beverages had oat milk since they had run out of dairy. There were also no pastries but I went very close to closing. I liked the cortado more than the cold brew but enjoyed both of them.

Iced vanilla latte was on point. And no seating inside. Only outside seating available. Quiet neighborhood. So not too much road noise.

For a latte or cold brew with an Asian twist, executed well, try the pandan latte or cold brew. The subtle flavor of pandan is delicious with the espresso and oat milk. The vanilla latte is delicious as well.

Recently, I tried their canned coffees as well! The pandan cold brew doesn't really compare to the fresh(?) version. The canned piloncillo cinnamon latte is friggin AWESOME. I would like 10 more of these.

As of this review, indoor seating is back open, so beware of people in lines, people waiting, and people dining. There's no difference in quality for me if you order online vs in-person, but you will save a ton of time on busy days!

Parking is a coin toss - they don't have dedicated parking, but plenty of street parking nearby.

I gave 5 stars for the cortado (oatmilk). This was as smooth as it gets, strong enough taste and satiny delight rolling around the tastebuds. This is my drink and they have the touch here, after all it’s all academic. My first visit, I don’t live in the area. I was a bit disappointed in the lack of pastry or bakery options, the drink made up the difference. Also, the drink was serves in a beautiful espresso cup, with saucer. I read a review about the cafe not being/looking enough like a coffee place. This cafe is an example of randomness and I suggest that people let go and enjoy, an opportunity to experience coffee culture (s). The drink list also offers various, outside the box, options. If necessary for piece of mind and celebration of redundancy, I’m sure there is a Starbucks in the near universe.