It's A Grind Coffee House

I won't be back to Starbucks this place makes them perfect well the really nice lady I think she might be the owner, makes em great but others need work, its not strong in coffee flavoring for bpended iced mochas, not enough coffee by anyone else for flavor but the lady, she makes them amazingly please retrain for the remaining staff.

My order is always prepared as requested. I love the huge, soft croissant for the breakfast sandwich. The coffee is really good.

It is a pleasure to both review and rate this new establishment. I waited for it to open for some time, but it finally has and I went there this morning for the first time.

Let me first mention that I am a ridiculous coffee geek. I won't bore you with my knowledge, but it is extreme. In fact, knowing how good a coffee can be by way of how it is made has led me to making some less and glorious reviews of other coffee houses, such as the Starbucks in South Shore Center (they're really never going to have it together) and others whom I got a one hit wonder out of because I was able to rapport and walk through a barista on how to make a proper pourover. But then the barista leaves and it is lost upon other staff how to excel, so I had to downgrade badly brewed coffee subsequently.

However, I am thrilled to announce that San Leandro's It's A Grind, run by Hersh Walia, is going to beat both our local Starbucks and Peet's because they understand the science behind brewing great coffee, whereas Starbucks does but cannot make it work on the individual barista level.

That's bad for what makes it into your cup.

Now if you have had a Starbucks clover machine coffee and really like it compared to drip Starbucks, you are going to love the Curtis pourover machine at It's A Grind San Leandro and happily divorce the Starbucks Clover brewing method, as well as their sloppy, variegated pourover process as well for science noncompliance.

I won't bore you with why, but I will give you a hint in one word. Science. Its A Grind respects and utilized brewing science, whereas Starbucks and Peet's (Owned by Starbucks for some years now, if you didn't know - that's right, your Lone Comic Local Guide does the homework and downfield research for you so you can trust and rely on my reviews) probably respect the science but don't use the theory accurately and it is entirely evident in the finished product cup in terms of flavor disappointment.

But that is all part of the decades old 'cream and sugar, syrup and flavoring' scandal the industry has perpetrated upon the public for a long time at great cost to you and great profit to them.

The mantra of Specialty Coffee is "It's what comes out in the cup that counts." In case you don't know it, coffee farmers have a saying, "I spend nine months giving my love, sweat, soul and heart to coffee growing just to see a barista ruin my life's work in five minutes."

I have seen this time and time and time again at dozens of Starbucks bay wide. Only three times have I had an experience worth rating highly, and two of them were one hit wonders I later had to downgrade.

That won't happen at Its A Grind San Leandro. They respect the science because they are intelligent enough to know what it does for flavor, and hence flavor, so goes your coffee experience.

In case you don't know, proper coffee science in specialty coffee has gone from five percent of the market to 40% in six years. Globally. Starbucks has closed 1500 stores in Europe and closed that continents headquarters. We are witnessing a brand in decline and I am over the moon about that because they were so overrated it made me sick.

Go to Its A Grind Sand Leandro. Get a pourover. Be patient. Good coffee takes time, but great coffee takes a little longer. And when you get it, just add milk. Why? Because big coffee doesn't want you to know a little secret. When coffee is brewed with science at the heart of the process, it has creamy and sweet characteristics built into the flavor profile.

And if you really want to science out with me, and I know you do -- use whole milk, not half and half, so that the "protein bridge" is joined.

What does that mean? The protein in coffee and the protein in whole milk (not half and half or non fat or two percent, mind you) are identical.

UPDATE:

This place has really gone marginal since it opened. The pourover machine is constantly broken, breaking the consumer law of consistency, and the offerings made instead of this are marginally prepared and served. Welcome to Starbucks redux.

So glad this place is here, instead of a Starbucks! It has a roomy, air conditioned inside and outside seating with shade. Very nice variety of snack options and cute mugs to buy too. Please support this local business!

Good coffee, friendly staff. I just wish they were open at 6 am when they say they are. Or change their hours to 6:30 or 7 am. I arrived at 6:10 am and have been waiting for them to open the doors. Lights and music are on... :(

Meh coffee in a meh lot next to Burlington coat factory and home depot. Ordered the house coffee and it was flat and tepid by time I got into my car. The Mexican coffee was hot but gritty tasting.

Amazing Breakfast quesadilla I loved it honestly I would recommend anyone to come here to eat and get relaxing they got a beautiful spot

I wasn’t impressed with the mocha,the pastries, nor the ambiance. The place looks dead. However the outside parking lot is busy.

Our drinks were good( iced chai tea latte & iced white mocha) but not a fan of the pre packaged Microwaved food or the stale donut :( , but the breakfast quesadilla was ok. Staff was nice. Also, thank goodness it was on the napkin but there was a strand of hair inside our container although I did see hair nets being worn.

Biggest plus it's not Starbucks or Peets. Service is good and produced by friendly folks. Located in friendly San Leandro. Good snacks to go with their coffee brews.