Cafe Docanto had been on my "Want to Visit" list for years after seeing the mouthwatering photos on Yelp. Finally visited and so very glad we did!! * Location: Cafe is just off Alum Rock Ave in the heart of Little Portugal. Cafe has a small parking lot, plenty of street parking as well. * Interior: Snug, warm, & welcoming.! Cafe layout is efficient & practical with ordering counter/food prep area, tables for guests (some outdoor seating available as well), and TV views for local news & futbol. * Menu is concise but tasty (coffee, tea, sandwiches, sweets, soft drinks, beer, wine) * Owner is incredibly kind, made us feel at home, & described his magic to pulling espresso just right. * Food & Drink: Simple& incredibly tasty! We tried 1 ham & cheese sandwich (toasted & warm), 1 tuna sandwich, 2 espressos. Everything was even better than we'd hoped for and the mouthwatering photos we saw pre-visit were 100% accurate. Tips: 1. Cafe is cash & Venmo only; 2. Leave room to try the desserts!! Can't wait to go back & try more! read more

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Truly a hidden gem of a place. Upon entering, we were greeted by the owner and told about some of the menu. The prices range from $4-$7 and that is very cheap. The whole vibe of the place is relaxed and like a European cafe. The coffee even tasted like European espresso. It was perfect. They do take card. I ordered the linguica sandwich with tomatoes and onions and let me tell you, extremely well balanced sandwich. A little acid from the juicy tomato (not watery) salt and spices from the linguica, butter, and a light fluffy but crispy roll was amazing. He delivered the food to our table one by one and I wouldn't say he was hustling but was working effectively while chatting with what seemed to be regular customers. Extremely friendly and relaxed. I think that it's nice that it's a "pay when you're ready" kind of place rather than a "pay upfront". It adds a lot to the laid back atmosphere. If we are in the area, we'll 100% come back as there's not many places that have the European cafe vibe in the Bay Area. read more

Cafe Docanto - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

I'm not Portuguese, but this place feels the real deal to me. I've been to Portugal a few times, so I'll count that. The coffee is great, the sandwiches are delicious and everything is priced fairly. Just remember to bring cash. I'm always happy to support a family owned spot that delivers quality over any overpriced place serving mediocre food. This is an easy five stars. read more

Cafe Docanto - Simple, yet so good. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Another gem found in San Jose by the Portuguese area. Definitely serving good european coffee. Parking can be a little bit hard. On this visit we had the Mocha and the latte as well as 3 of the Pastei de nata. We will try their sandwiches next time. Service is good, no complaints at all. No expectations either but glad they're serving good coffee close to my daughter's place. Looking forward to their re opening soon. read more

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Our ( my husband and I) second time to Cafe Docanto. The cappuccino and latte were really good. I really enjoyed my ham and cheese sandwich. The bread was perfectly crunchy. My husband really liked his bread and butter. Service was good! Felt like a nice neighborhood coffeeshop. read more

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This cafe is like setting into a cafe in Portugal itself. My family is from the Azores so I love finding spots like this that remind me of home. I got the espresso for myself and ordered a papo seco with ham and cheese from Sao Jorge for my dad. Such a great place to come and have a nice chat. read more

A telltale sign that a café is a community staple is if there are bunch of older men gathered there, chatting and hanging out on a random morning, and are in good spirits with the owners. Café Docanto truly is loved by the community in this regard. You additionally can't go wrong with delicious Portuguese style coffee, pastries, and sandwiches. The coffee comes out piping hot and the owner is very friendly. Sandwiches are made to order as well. He even gave us a slice of cheese to sample and asked us how our food was. We got the: 1) White Mocha + Hazelnut: -Okay, I know, this is a basic drink, but it was nicely sweet and the bitter taste of coffee wasn't there at all and that's exactly what I needed for a morning pick up. 2) Carioca (diluted espresso): -A MUST if you want to order coffee as if you were in Portugal. -It doesn't get you zuted as full on espresso since it's diluted and made with coffee beans that have had water pressed through it before. Despite this, there was still a good flavor and no grounds whatsoever. -Extremely piping hot though, so be careful. 3) Sao Jorge Cheese Sandwich: -Toasted and the cheese was melted and gooey. -Served with Paposeco Portuguese roll. The crust was nicely crisp without being too thick and the bready, dough innards were light and airy. Not dry either. Good stuff. -Way better than an American grilled cheese ever can be (and not oily or greasy at all!). 4) A cinnamon/cardamom pastry (not too sure the official name): -They toasted this for us too and I just wanted to grab a random pastry. -The "stripes" are cinnamon/cardamom and the other pastry parts are nice and doughy. -Not bad. Great place! Hopefully I can get some of their tarts one day. read more

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This is my favorite coffee shop in San Jose! The drinks are amazing and my go to choice is the Garoto, which is an espresso with steamed milk. I frequently order a prosciutto with cheese sandwich, but their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are yummy :) A special note, is the cheese is Sao Jorge and imported from Portugal. If you love a cozy atmosphere and service as if you were amongst friends & family, then this place is for you! read more

Cafe Docanto - Prosciutto & Cheese Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

This place owns! Definition of a sleeper. I was swayed by a previous review/essay on how this place was miles above every Seattlian espresso spot and, as a coffee/espresso lover (read: snob) I knew I had to try. Lo and behold: a dinky, quaint cafe with Portuguese media on televisions and a single kind man behind the counter. Perfect espresso pulls every time. If you like espresso, you owe it to yourself to get a shot from this man. They're solid pulls! The milk drinks were nice as well, and he offered us Portuguese cheese to pair with our coffees and pasteis de nata - also fantastic. This is now my go-to spot for espresso drinks in South Bay. Unfortunately the other ones have sold out in favor of breakfast burritos and other garbage (those who know...know!) read more

Cafe Docanto - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Ordered a decaf latte and it was smooth and delicious. The owner was great, tried their sandwich which was very good. read more

Cafe Docanto - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Stopped in before hitting the road back to Artesia Ive been here once before with a local friend and the Portuguese Cheese and Butter sandwiches are craveworthy. And thats what happened. I wasnt going to leave San Jose without one of those delicious sandwiches. This time I got the linguica too and we split each between the two of us. Next time im getting myself a whole cheese one because it was delicious. Also their galao aka latte is delicious too. Already cant wait to come back again. Until next time! read more

The coffe is good, the ambience is not to bad, prices are affordable, the service not to great but , I will say fair.

We were in town for the Super Bowl and this was our chosen coffee shop. The vibe was right up our alley. Local Portuguese type place. From what was on TV to the locals going about their conversation. Even though it's a very local place they made us strangers feel very welcome. The coffee was good and the pasteis de nata were better than the ones we tried in Portugal. Good, authentic place. We'll be back. Muito obrigado! read more

I've heard so many great things about this place but I unfortunately did not have the experience many people had/have. I came in and there were a few men having a coffee hanging out. I was not sure of the process not knowing I was supposed to order and pay after. I stood at the counter and waited until the owner acknowledged me. I ordered a sandwich and got to pastel de nata. The sandwich was alright, but the nata's were divine. for $2.50, they were a decent size with the right amount of sweetness. read more

Treasure found!!! Prosciutto and Cheese sandwich warm 5 stars - They use Sao Jorge cheese which was the highlight of the sandwich.  It had a full flavor, tasted nutty to me.   I looked it up online which says this cheese must be produced on the island of Sao Jorge; I bet the cows are happy there cuz they get to eat grass.  Queijada (Portuguese Milk Tarts) 5 stars - very different from my Chinese egg custard even though the ingredients are similar.  Bit of crusty on the outside while soft and gooey on the inside, I thought it might have mochi within but it does not.  It pairs so well with their excellent coffee. Garoto is espresso with milk foam 5 stars - smooth, not bitter, not tangy, this is good coffee. Note - They open at 6am so on my early fishing days I can come here for a shot of breakfast and a togo sandwich for later.  Definitely treasure found! read more

Cafe Docanto - Queijada (milk tart) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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pasta tastes homemade and sauces have flavor. coffee is decent. service is friendly and attentive. place feels neighborhood. good spot if youre craving italian without leaving san jose. read more

This is one cafe that everyone is welcome and so inviting the owner is a middle aged gentleman and he runs the place by himself for for nearly 20 years. It's located in an area known as Little Portugal whereas majority of his customers are Portuguese speaking in this tightly knit community, but don't be intimated they will greet you with a smile and the owner has a heart of gold and I can see why from his loyal customers. First on the menu mocha coffee with whipped cream for a mere $4.50 regular size cup and the popular sandwich prosciutto and cheese sandwich serve on a Portuguese bread (papo secor) price at $6.00 and I felt relaxed as they had the TV on which was broadcast in Portuguese. I can't believe I never had this sandwich before and he gave me a piece of cheese what it taste like a very light yet sweet in flavor a combination of romano and provolene cheese. Best of all was the prosciutto a dry-cured sliced of ham simply delicious would come for more. Interior is quite small for dine-in yet there's an outdoor seating which is a nice comfort. By the way they do have egg tarts though small in numbers will have that the next time around ample parking for its customers. The only downsize are his hours which is 6 to 1 pm except on Sunday is from 7 to 12. read more

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Delicious Portuguese coffee and pastry. Love this local coffee spot. The owner is super nice and welcoming. It seems like a community center where everyone knows each other, greets warmly, and even offers to share seats. They also gave us a free sweet treat! The relaxed atmosphere here feels so European, makes us feel if we are in Portugal and sparking that nostalgic feeling. Great spot to chill with excellent coffee and food. Definitely will coming back. And the best part is they open at 6am early in the morning, so for any of your early morning trips for a coffee and sandwich this will be a great spot to stop by. Cash or Venmo only. Free parking right next to the shop. read more

Quaint little cafe that I drop in before going to church. Cash and Venmo only but the coffee is very good and quite affordable specially for its quality. The lady serving coffee is also very nice. Highly highly recommended! read more

Cafe Docanto - Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Fantastic coffee. Reasonable prices. The place reminds me of being in Portugal, especially with the Portuguese news and soccer on TV. There is a homey feel to the place with regulars coming to chat and the owner and his family always remembering how exactly I like your coffee and which snack I like. I never get this kind of small town service in other cafes. I sometimes come all the way from the other side of town (20-25 minute drive) just for the coffee. It's that good! read more

I stopped by Cafe Docanto on a Saturday morning around 11am. The place was quite lively with men watching International sports on the TVs. I could see this place being a fun spot for the Portuguese community to gather. I was helped by the jolliest and funniest man. I'm willing to bet that the café was his. It was my first time at the shop, so he made sure to explain what a lot of things were. I also ordered a latte, which was solid, and I ended up getting the cheese sandwich. As simple as it was - just São Jorge cheese on a baguette - it hit the spot. The owner suggested that I got the sandwich with cold cheese, because that's how they eat it. I stubbornly got it toasted though Still great! read more

One of the best small coffee shops in Little Portugal. They have been here for over 40 years and I'm not sure why I don't come more often. I ordered a galao and it was delicious...just a simple latte. My daughters order an iced vanilla latte, iced mocha and a linguisa sandwich. They both said let's go again! They loved the drink and my daughter said it was one of the best linguisa sandwiches she has had. This is a small coffee shop not too many drinks to choose from which makes your decision so much easier and faster. It's like you're in a little coffee shop on the islands of the Azores. The owner was nice and talkative. I will definitely be back again. read more

Cafe Docanto - Galao (espresso and steamed milk) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Absolutely good espresso coffee. It's like mom and pop place with most of the customers neighbors and friends, I really like that vibe. The sandwich seems delicious maybe I should get one next time. One thing to notice is that they only accept cash, so please remember to bring some cash. read more

Cafe Docanto - Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Came on a Fri morning and was greeted by the friendly owner. Ordered the latte, it was simple, nothing special and very affordable. There are some small round tables inside and a couple outside. It was fairly busy at 9am. Ambiance was good, clean establishment. Parking in the back or street parking in the front. read more

Cafe Docanto - a counter with a variety of food items - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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The coffee is AMAZING! You can actually drink the galão or the cappuccino without sugar because it is aromatic- it tastes nutty rather than bitter. I am not usually one to drink coffee without sugar so this is a pleasant surprise. The owner seems gruff but is an absolute softie. He saw that I came with my little dog (I ordered to go) and he brought my dog some cheese. My mom and I will be back here next time we will drive through San Jose for a roadtrip. read more

The real deal. Everyone in here is speaking Portuguese. The friendly owner is from the beautiful Azores. Portuguese is on the TV. Not much left of San Jose's Little Portugal, but this is a great little place for coffee or a snack. I had the garoto (basically a Portuguese cappuccino), and pasteis de nata (a small custard tart). The prices are only pennies more than 8 years ago (house wine $2 -- what?). You don't pay until you go. Note: cash only. A good stop on a road trip. Worth seeking out. read more

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Homely little cafe for the locals. Wonderful service like you're an everyday regular. Will be back for then great coffee

I love the small neighborhood cozy vibe that this cafe gives! It's nice being able to sip on coffee sitting outdoors, too. Portuguese patrons frequent this cafe and the owner is very friendly if you happen to strike up a conversation with him. As mentioned by other reviews here, the coffee is delicious and I didn't even need to any sugar to my (decaf) cafe latte because it tasted good as is. But let me rant about their pasteis de nata (custard tart)! The outer layer of the tart is soft flakey and buttery. And as you bite into the tart there is a nice creamy slightly chewy (almost like tapioca) texture to the custard. It's so good and not too sweet which is a plus for me! I've not tried these custard tarts from Portugal so I don't have the comparison but these taste very good! read more

Cafe Docanto - Cafe latte and espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Strongest coffee in the Eastside, hands down. Lively and lovely atmosphere with the local Portuguese community, the gentleman who runs the cafe is very sweet and friendly. read more

Fast, friendly service and delicious food. We like to stop on our way to San José. Very reasonable prices

Great hole in the wall place. Their sandwiches are to die for! I got the Prosciutto and Cheese, crispy toasted bread freshly sliced prosciutto. The Linguicia is on my list for next time. Cash only but they do also take Venmo! read more

I've honestly had this place bookmarked for years, and sad to didn't go sooner! The coffee here was tasty and their linguica sándwich came with authentic Portuguese bread full of flavor. Don't expect quick service here though. You'll get a very European vibe, with all the local Portuguese señores gathering outside, drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette. read more

Great coffee Best price in town everything is good there Portuguese Style they close early

I'm half Portuguese and my better half is Azorean. This place is the real deal and the staff is great. I drove down from Vacaville and am thankful we did. Will definitely visit again, 5 stars well deserved. read more

The owner is wonderful. He is very kind. This is a pace of community and laughter, a community watering hole is you will. I was warmly greeted by the owner. Coffee is good sandwiches are basic but the cheese! I don't know what it was but it was so delicious. I had a decaf and ham and cheese sandwich with egg. I would go back here. I sat for a hour and half doing sudoku puzzles. Customers also super friendly. They know each other by name! read more

It's a hole in the wall join with Great customer service. The coffee was good. The Portuguese tart was great. Would come back here again.

A quaint small coffee shop in the Little Portugal neighborhood, Cafe Docanto is one of those shops that you probably won't notice if you drove by on the main road. If you do make a stop here, prepare for some good coffee made, from cappuchinos to Portuguese Garotos. Cost here is cheap as well and the owner is friendly. If you're ever in the area, please make a stop here and enjoy the coffee in house. read more

cute mom and pop shop run solely by the owner, the wait might be a little slow but amazing service regardless! the latte is made with one instead of the usual two shots of espresso; if you like a light latte, this is the spot. read more

The proprietor takes great pride in ownership and brought us free samples of things. The coffee is really good and so were the simple, tasty sandwiches on fresh bread. Genuine Portuguese establishment frequently by the Portuguese community.. The bathroom is super clean. It was a great place for us to stop on our drive down 101 for coffee and a quick bite. read more

Cash only business and while there is a parking lot I got really lucky to get to park right next to the dumpster, being the only spot remaining. The side street sign near residential says no parking anytime and the busier main street has a bus stop on the corner, so good luck. I walk in and get a head nod from the guy behind the counter. No one is super friendly but no one gave me attitude either. All the patrons are speaking Portuguese and everyone is glued to the TV watching a fútbol game. A caveat for me is that I am not huge coffee drinker and do love my frappes / frappucinos, and other sweet coffee drinks; so the hot Irish cream latte is delicious with high-quality coffee and still sweet enough that I enjoy the sip. I usually get the ice blended option but it's late November so I can work with the hot cafe this time. The Prosciutto and cheese on Portuguese roll comes cold or hot, so mine was warmed in a toaster oven. The counter is super tall so I couldn't see what was going on but the server knew I was a newbie so he kept me updated on my food as I waited. The sandwich took awhile but afterward was the right element of toasty warm with still soft bread. I might go again but I would have to (1) have cash on hand, (2) be in the area, and (3) be short on time but still have some to kill so only waiting for a toaster oven and not a starbucks line (lol) is viable. If you're down to try something new then go here. Lots of personality, and I guess there was a bad play made as one of the patrons kicked a chair in frustration. Don't piss these people off LOL CASH ONLY read more

Cafe Docanto - Prosciutto and cheese on Portuguese roll and an Irish cream latte to go - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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