Do you live for delicious coffee? Are you a 'breathe, sleep, drink every morning' coffee connoisseur?
Do you hate the "hipster" and "scene" but secretly wish you could be inducted into that secret, exclusive society?
Are you adventurous and daring? Just plain ol' crazy? Are you able to tolerate going to Berkeley and finding parking?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, look no further. Bookmark Artis Coffee and put it on your bucket list!
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Artis Coffee is a top notch coffee shop in Berkeley that exists to please coffee lovers. My experience with them was nothing short of mesmerizing and miraculous (coming from an ex-barista); Yelp was correct about this one, 5 Stars it is!
------------[[TL;DR??]]------------
Check out ARTIS! Total hipster chill vibe without the obnoxious attitude. A great second home to all :) Recommended: Mocha or Flat White or their pour over drip. 25% Discount with checkin and 5 Stars Rewards accepted.
------------[[COFFEE QUALITY]]------------
Superb, Fantabolous, Stunning A+++
Drinks come in various sizes from shots to 16oz. Their menu is limited to:
Espresso & Specialty; Brewed Coffee; Teas; Kids
Additions: Soy Milk, Almond Milk, Housemade Vanilla, etc. (various prices)
They have the Lattes, Chai, Hot Chocolate, etc. but I opted for their Mocha. Additionally, I asked for Housemade Vanilla ($.50) so my Mocha was 75% chocolate syrup and 25% vanilla. It was delicious! The mocha was made perfectly creamy and not too sweet. The espresso shots mixed in were very well-blended and aromatic (not burnt-- good). Their milk is all ORGANIC wahoo!
One of their specialties is the FLAT WHITE, which comes in 8 oz.
"FLAT WHITE [def.]: A flat white is a coffee beverage...prepared by pouring MICROFOAM (steamed milk with small, fine bubbles and a glossy or velvety consistency) over a DOUBLE SHOT of ESPRESSO. It is similar to the cappuccino or latte although smaller in volume, therefore having a higher proportion of coffee to milk (closer to a cortado), and milk that is more velvety in consistency." -Wikipedia
Sounds deliciously tempting, next time Artis!
ALSO all, if not most, of their baked goods are organic, grain-free, gluten-free, paleo or vegan. My Cavemen muffin (mix of almonds, coconut, lemons, sunflower/pumpkin/chia seeds) was so natural and flavorful. I am not a fruity gal, but this muffin was exceptionally tasty. I think a few bites provided me a whole day's worth of fiber and Vitamin C haha.
------------[[SERVICE]]------------
When I arrived, it wasn't busy so I took my time to inquire about their menu choices and decided on the mocha. The friendly female staff, NIKOLA, was very amicable and answered all of my questions with no condescension :) The barista, IAN, was a total hottie haha and he was so attentive too. He asked if I was fine with organic whole milk to which I asked for low fat. Fine customer service! I would love for my coffee to be made by friendly ladies and fine men all the time. My kind of establishment hey ho!
I can see the owner pays attention to Yelp reviews, so OWNER ELVIS, you're doing something right with hiring and training your staff! Keep up the excellent work and keep 'em happy. Thanks!
25% DISCOUNT with Yelp Check In! I used that discount to tip them :)
FIVE STARS REWARDS accepted here.
Fast WIFI, dope.
Price-wise, it's about $3+ to $4.50, which is comparable to Starbucks anyway so you might as well support your local, organic coffee shop. Hollah!
------------[[LOCATION/AMBIANCE]]------------
Located on 4th Street, Artis is AWAY from downtown Berkeley (DTB)-- hallelujah! If there's anything more tiresome, it's fighting traffic and impolite pedestrians in DTB. Artis is located in a pleasant region of Berkeley, surrounded by other retail shops and wonderful restaurants. There are street parking and private lots but it's like a battlefield to be able to find parking especially during peak hours and weekend.
Ever feel crowded in or stuffy inside a cafe? That problem doesn't exist at Artis! As other have noted, Artis Coffee is structured to be a second home where your creative juices can run wild. The high ceiling, wide windows, and bright lights encourage a sense of openness. There are two communal long tables that seat four people, and about twelve small tables that seat two people. It definitely can get crowded, so come early. All of their furniture and interior are simply colored white and brown with earthy tones - wooden tables, chairs, and signs.
It is adorable how they have different "bar signs"--
Coffee Bar (cashier and where you place your orders)
Live Roast Bar (where they roast their own worldly beans)
Hand Crafted Bar (where they do pour overs)
Product Demos
Milk and Sugar Bar
Lastly, they play indie music - folk, rock, Americana, etc. Don't hate, appreciate. It's an acquired taste in music I swear, and the music isn't glaringly loud. read more