My favorite coffee shop in San Jose. I look forward to going every time. All their drinks are…read moreexcellent. I started with the vanilla bean latte with oat milk. Good hot or iced. Occasionally burnt espresso but I love them too much to mind. I am a matcha snob to say the LEAST. Hands down best coffee shop matcha in the Bay Area. The classic iced matcha latte with honey is grassy and earthy and creamy and a little sweet. The iced banana pudding matcha latte had people lined up around the corner for months when it came out. It is deliciously worth the wait. Best banana cold foam in my opinion because it's made with actual bananas instead of flavoring so it's much more mellow. The double matcha they had for awhile is also awesome. Banana cold foam also goes great on an espresso latte. Now they let you add whichever cold foam you like to whatever drink which is great. Basically you can't go wrong. They are always changing up the menu for the new season and have lots of unique drinks on their menu. Not much seating inside at this location. The winchester Blvd one has more if that's what you're looking for. Their pastries are also all yummy and they sell their matcha powder for $60 for 100g which is a GREAT price for a great matcha. I would've gate kept this place but everyone already knows about it so I HAVE to show them the love they deserve!!

I heard that Academic had a new seasonal melon matcha and decided to try it. They told me it was…read moreonly around until the end of July and that it's honeydew flavored. I got the melon matcha with whole milk and the matcha cream top. I think I like their guava matcha more than the honeydew, but it was still good. It had a distinct honeydew flavor and the matcha itself was smooth. A friend of mine tried it and said it tasted like a lip smackers, which I think is a good way to describe it. I came on a Friday morning and it wasn't too busy. All the seats inside were taken but there were open tables outside. There's metered parking along Second and William street and it wasn't hard to find a spot. I love coming to academic and trying their new drinks, so I'll definitely be back.

I'm a traditional hot coffee drinker (cappuccinos are usually my go-to), so I was excited to try…read moreCoffee & Water Lab. We ordered a Cortado and the Honey Sea Salt Latte -- both were excellent. The espresso was rich, smooth, and perfectly pulled, which really showed in both drinks. The honey sea salt latte had a really nice balance of sweet and savory that wasn't overly sweet. We also got a croissant, which was flaky and delicious. They clearly have strong breakfast options overall -- the cheesy toast pictured on their page looked amazing too. Everything felt fresh and thoughtfully prepared. This is a great spot for quality coffee and solid breakfast food. We'll definitely be back to work our way through more of their flavored drinks and breakfast toasts. Highly recommend!

Stopped by for a quick coffee break. Since it was hot, I decided to get a iced latte…read more They have one of the better pandam flavored syrups. For first timers,they will ask you what type of roast you prefer. Light, medium,or dark roast. Depending on the drink, I usually go with dark roast. I like how you can customize your flavor.

Sometimes, I get to feel like I'm cool with Gen Z because I'm lucky to have a niece and nephew that…read moretell me where to get the latest and greatest. In this case, one of these spots is Arisan. Since Matcha has exploded in popularity to my annoyance, (I say this because I was into Matcha before it started trending), I had to try. Once inside, everything looks aesthetically pleasing with seating on either side up against the walls. The layout is clean and non cluttered which I can appreciate from a design standpoint. The menu is clearly displayed on the countertop and it's nice to see that you still have an actual person to take your order. No iPad ordering here. Please keep it that way! I also loved the high ceilings and bright light from the floor to ceiling windows in the front. As you look to the right, you can also see all the Arisan branded products including canvas tote bags and loose leaf tea canisters lining the wall shelves. Nice touch. Now let's get to the good stuff. They specifically told me about one drink that was so unique and refreshing. Which drink was it? **Matcha Cloud Coconut Water $8.95- 100% fresh young coconut water + Matcha cream: This drink was so unique because the coconut water was so distinct and refreshing. The Matcha cream sat on top before slowly trickling down to mix in with the coconut water. I would have never thought to put these 2 flavors together. It was delicious especially on a day where it was 97 degrees here in SJ.

Hate leaving bad reviews and in fairness to this place, I've experienced this reaction at other…read morematcha places too. I'd say 1 out of 3 places is not a problem... Looking at their menu online, I do not see an option to simply have Matcha over ice with water. So at the counter, I ask the gentleman who was super polite and professional for matcha and water and he started suggesting alternatives with creme or other sweeteners etc. I said "hey I'm just trying to be healthy and not have any sugar, can I just get matcha and water and you can charge me whatever you like" the worker was completely baffled, turns around and asks, who I think was a boss, behind him, "can we just do matcha and water?" The manager with eyes of confusion is literally facing me but won't acknowledge me as I politely say "just looking for straight matcha and water, you can charge me whatever" the manager who never makes eye contact, ignores me like I'm invisible then tells his worker "oh no we can't do that" ...the polite worker turns back to me like I couldn't hear it and true to form like a Dilbert cartoon, smiles and says "oh I'm sorry we can't do that"... so I just said, okay and walked out... I get that I'm rare. I get that 95% of people want matcha with milk, cream, sugar, this/that but am I in an alternate universe??? Why is this so difficult?! I've beem too many places who serve Matcha-canos, matcha over ice with sparking water, flat water... I didn't even get to the stage of asking them to put it in my yeti rather than a plastic cup! There has to be more people like me who simply want Matcha and its health benefits without sweeteners and other stuff?!

Love the unique flavors Aroma offers…read more Ordering at a kiosk and picking up at the front cashier within just 10 minutes amidst heavy foot traffic. First time around, I went ahead and ordered their pandan matcha. Yum! This masterpiece is served with pandan cold foam and toasted coconut flakes. Ordered it regular sweet, less ice, with oat milk. Very balanced flavor. Loved it. Would definitely try their other flavor offerings. :)

Got their banana matcha with extra cream, less ice. Was super excited as I hadn't had anything…read morematcha in months. After 10 mins I got my drink and it looked nothing like the pictures in comparison. The "extra" banana cream I got ended up being less than what I'm seeing in photos on yelp from other customers. The band of cream was about the size of my pinky. I get that less ice =/= more drink added, that's completely normal. But even with LESS ice, 60% of my cup was ice :(. I finished it in 8 sips. For $8, a dollar a sip. In this economy ?!? I got robbed. Next time I'll stick to Izumi or soyful. My friend got the jasmine matcha, no changes and had plenty to drink still long after I finished mine. I went for the creamy MT from soyful after to drown out my sorrows. Unlikely to come back, this was a disappointing experience. Their other drinks seem good though.

I came to pour decisions to get a coffee and Ashlyn took my order and she was really nice and kind…read moreand made me feel really good after a stressful day and Angel made my coffee and he did it really quick and with a lot of love and thank you guys you guys are the best and will recommend this place to anybody and it's good to know like people like them that they care about customer service have blessing day!!!!

Had a great time getting drinks here with my partner on a slow Sunday morning around 9:30 am. It's…read morea small coffee shop next to 3 other establishments of a Poki Bowl, Botox, and Acai Bowls. There's lots of street parking and lot parking nearby. It's a classy intimate coffee shop with outdoor and indoor seating. They have table tops, bar seating, and a wooden shelf for more seating with outlets. We ordered a banana latte and blueberry matcha. It took about 5-7 minutes for our order to be complete. I loved my banana latte since it had lots of foam, great banana flavor, and was smooth to drink. Great drink and great experience!

I am not too much of a fan of their drinks, but the vibe and service made up for it. The young…read moretech company feel. Sharp and friendly workers. For the iced latte, shouldn't the milk go in after the espresso? Since it was the other way, the espresso was mainly on top and needed to be stirred. Seeing the workers, I know this part is thought out so just asking. Blackberry latte had a hint of blackberry which was nice. Not overwhelming. There is no waiting area after you order. You just kind of stand around somewhere in the store while you dodge people. Will definitely be back to try other items.

The egg sando was delicious! The customer service was very…read moregood. they are quick and responsive. I had an iced vanilla latte as well but not as good. It was weak on the vanilla sweetness side. It is a very computer based cafe. At least no spots when I went in.

Had to swing by to support my girl @wsgoodshell at the recent run it back event! Got to listen to…read moresome sick beats & enjoy a latte!! It was a fun event (even though I didn't run ) Love the matchas and lattes here!! The specialty drinks are so fun and tasty. The last two times I've been, I have not had any issues finding parking, which is nice when you are checking out a downtown spot. The coffee shop has alot of seating & tables to work study/work but also has such a fun vibe if you are looking for a place to catch up with a friend.

This is the most spacious coffee shop I've seen! We came early in the morning so it was pretty…read moreempty but I can see it being a popular spot once the day goes on. They have a great location near San Pedro Square. We found parking in a garage about a block away and the first 90 minutes is free, so you don't have to stress about paying for parking just to grab some coffee. They have a kiosk to order outside but you can also order inside at the counter. The Guava Matcha latte is off of their signature menu and it did not disappoint! Very generous amount of guava but it wasn't overpowering and I could still taste that quality matcha tea. Mix it before enjoying to get the full flavor profile!

Phin Cafe is a must-visit if you love Vietnamese coffee. Their egg coffee was incredible--super…read morecreamy, rich, and packed with a strong coffee flavor without being overly sweet. The café itself is on the smaller side, but there's still enough seating to enjoy your drink, and the interior is clean and inviting. The service was also friendly and efficient. If you're looking for authentic Vietnamese coffee, I highly recommend stopping by Phin Cafe!

I ate a cold-cut combo banh mi here. The bread was fresh and crispy, there was a large serving of…read morevegetables, and I got extra meat, all of which was good, except the headcheese was a little bit hard. Unfortunately, it's a 4-star rather than a 5-star because the sandwich was too dry. It needed a thicker spread of mayo. This cafe is located in a rather dire strip mall, and it is the one shining light of the area. That is commendable.