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    Riptide Cafe

    4.4 (54 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Riptide Cafe Photos

    RIPTIDE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Riptide Cafe

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    Reviews With Photos

    Hayley H.

    If I could be anywhere right now, I'd choose to be sitting at Riptide's coffee counter overlooking the Pacific Ocean on San Juan Island. Riptide was one of my favorite stops during my recent trip to Friday Harbor. This cafe shares a storefront with the local souvenir shop and it's just steps away from the ferry dock. Because of its dockside location, it has captivating views of the harbor and ocean. I now find myself day dreaming about working from this coffee shop on a daily basis. Riptide had a selection of holiday cookie lattes that instantly caught my eye. I ordered the Jam Thumbprint, a strawberry and almond latte, since it sounded both unique and delicious. I also grabbed a veggie and egg breakfast bagel sandwich. This fresh Asiago bagel was filled with micro greens, egg, avocado, and a juicy tomato. I couldn't have asked for a better mix. This island feels like magic and I think it's largely due to their local business community. Get out there and support!

    Posey on Gluten-Free Bun
    Greta Z.

    Run off the ferry directly to this spot with a gorgeous harbor view from the tables outside. Let your pup have a sip of water from the bowls outside and then order the Posey for the most perfect breakfast or lunch sandwich. I had mine in a gluten-free bun, and it was literally the most delicious gf sandwich I've ever had!

    Katherine Y.

    They had a special summer Shrek-themed menu, which was fun and cute. The coffee wasn't really to my taste, but my friends thought it was fine. The cheese danish, though, was phenomenal. It's a cute spot overall, with a little shop area and outdoor seating.

    Coffee with a view
    Justin M.

    This is the best tasting coffee I found in Friday Harbor. Good smoothies and pastries as well and really can't beat the view. Highly recommend.

    Lattes
    Matt B.

    Breakfast sandwiches were incredible and after watching their barista make a drink we decided to go with it and get some lattes as well (I'm a coffee snob admittedly). They use Stumptown coffee and made a great drink. Loved sitting outside by the docks.

    Desserts on display - mine is the missing one
    Steve A.

    A charming little home shop on a charming little island. I'm glad I picked Friday Harbor to eat, because this is probably the best food you'll get out here. There's a nice selection of different bagels, and what I thought was a nice selection of desserts, until my choice took one out of the display! I guess, especially in early April, it's a small crowd on the island so they're more going for locals and Washington weekenders than what summer tourism may bring. Anyway, the prices were really not bad for being so remote, the sandwich was piled up big and tastes nice and fresh, the dessert was also really tasty and clearly fresh made. (I asked, and while they don't bake things themselves, they get them fresh from the mainland and prepare to order, so things aren't frozen or mass-produced. It's all high quality stuff.) Friendly place, rather small especially if there's a crowd, so plan on grabbing food (and coffee, I suppose most people get coffee there) and walking, but there are a few seats there. The cafe is also a little library (books and other trinkets for sale and/or display - I didn't look too hard at them but I was just looking all over the room at the variety). Kinda felt like places I've seen in Vermont. I love little town establishments, and when they deliver on quality as well as a wonderful community vibe, that's 5 stars all the way. Walk on in!

    Outdoor table on the water. Perfect atmosphere, perfect latte, perfect quick breakfast
    Genna G.

    Friday harbor's only coffee shop on the water is a must visit. It is located inside an adventure outfitters store. Order at the counter and snag a table outside and soak in the most beautiful waterfront atmosphere ever. My latte was perfection and they accommodated all my high maintenance requests ( almond milk, sugar free vanilla). Great breakfast menu too and had gluten free bread for my avocado toast which was a huge plus . Husband loved his peanut butter toast as well. Super reasonably priced ( less than Starbucks). A plus experience and a must for a quick coffee and/ or breakfast when on Friday Harbor

    Cardamom honey latte
    Angela F.

    Super cute cafe by the water. There are some indoor and outdoor seating available. There is a small gift shop joint with the cafe. I tried the honey cardamom latte and it was delicious! The staff was very friendly as well.

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Healthy food options and gluten free bagels! Many tasty smoothly options. Friendly and helpful service.

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    5 years ago

    Great chai latte this morning, perfect balance of sweet and spice. Quick, friendly service!

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    7 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Riptide Cafe

    Crows Nest Coffee Shoppe

    Crows Nest Coffee Shoppe

    4.8
    (24 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    Very tiny and cute coffee shop on the island. The baristas are friendly and nice too…read more I came here twice during our visit to San Juan Island. Their Salish Sea Fog (London Fog) was my favorite, it was fragrant and perfectly sweet. I even got the same tea bag and tried to make it at home. My partner is a mocha lover, and he said their mocha was good.

    Tiny coffee shop with no seating but just an entrance and a narrow hall to order and go. The coffee…read morewas delicious and flavorful. I got the Third Eye Coffee and it has 7 mushrooms and it was quite earthy. The honey lavender had really delicious sweet lavender floral taste. The coffee was great but we came across a not great experience with a lady/customer in line. She told us to wait outside since the owner doesn't like when the coffee shop is packed as it made him nervous. We acknowledged what she said. The tone was rude and stated, "well, aren't you going to go?" But we were holding the door for her to go out first since we have manners. If what she said was true, I think it would be better if the owner had a sign of some sort so folks aren't scolded but this lady. I tried to tell myself she doesn't represent the coffee shop but it did make me just want to leave to another shop. When we walked by the coffee shop throughout the day since we walked around town, there were definitely multiple people waiting inside like we did. Sooo...

    Photos
    Madrona latte - IG @bougiefoodieboi
    Madrona latte - IG @bougiefoodieboi
    Salish Sea Fog (Soy Milk)
    Salish Sea Fog (Soy Milk)
    Salish Sea Fog (Soy Milk)

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    Salish Sea Fog (Soy Milk)
    Bakery San Juan

    Bakery San Juan

    4.6
    (210 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $

    Wonderful bakery in Friday Harbor with great pastries. We had the apple danish, pain au chocolat,…read moreberry cheese danish, and the carrot cake muffin. Each pastry was great but the highlight was the berry cheese danish. We also really liked how the apple danish wasn't extremely sweet and the texture of the carrot cake muffin. The bakery also has coffee and pizza available, but we didn't try any of that. Seating wise, there's both indoor and outdoor seating available for guests and water on tap. The ordering process was smooth but we sat, bussed, and served ourself which was fine.

    My wife and I stopped into Bakery San Juan for a couple sweets before investigating lighthouses…read more Bakery is open Mon-Fri from 8am-5pm and closed on Saturday and Sunday. Free parking can be found in the parking lot. Discover is an accepted form of payment. Orders are placed and paid for at the counter. A small outdoor seating area is available as well as indoor seating. Beer and wine can be purchased. Craft coffee drinks can be ordered and enjoyed with ones' pastry order. Bread loaves/rounds can be purchased whole or can be sliced. Some breads are also available in sandwich form (roll/baguette/Rosetta). Menu offers pizza; unfortunately, we were too early for pizza. All pizzas are available as take-and-bakes. Pizza slices are not available until 11am. Sandwiches and salads can also be ordered. My wife and I shared a Cinnamon Roll for $4.75; served warm upon request. We also shared a Cheese Claw for $4; served warm upon request. We ordered a Ham & Cheese Croissant for $5.50 to eat later at our lodging. The minimal interaction with the staff was friendly. Our sweet treats were tasty and reasonably priced. Thank you, Bakery San Juan for fueling our day of fun.

    Photos
    Order area
    Order area
    Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish
    Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish
    Bakery San Juan

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    Bakery San Juan
    San Juan Island Brewing

    San Juan Island Brewing

    4.2
    (458 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    We had lunch here while waiting for the ferry and really enjoyed the nice little patio and good…read morefood. Service was prompt and friendly and they had gf designations on their menu which made my life easy. I had the house salad and the apricots on top were delish. The husband of mine had a pizza which he said was the indulgence he was craving. Our friend had the curry soup of the day, fried cheese curds and a cider tasting. Everything was good. They had some cute stuff in their shop inside and I secured myself a perfect fox hat. Next time we come back to San Juan we'll definitely stop in again.

    This is a really cool, spacious brewery setup over on San Juan Island. It has a great local pub…read moreenergy, making it an easy place to want to gather, grab a drink, and hang out with a group. The food was a bit of a mixed bag. The pizza was definitely not good, honestly, pretty much everything about it fell short. On the plus side, the beet salad was good, and the chicken wings were tasty as well. The overall ambiance here is super fun and lively. However... the service left a lot to be desired because the kitchen was incredibly SLOW. We were dining with kids, and it took a massive 50 minutes just to get our children their food off the kids' menu. Not even our main meals, just the kids' items! Needless to say, by the time the food finally arrived, our kids were completely starving. Management, please make it a point to ensure that when parents order off the kids' menu, those items are prioritized and brought out much earlier so the little ones can eat... While the space itself is great for a drink, the massive kitchen delays make it tough for a family dinner. I'd say it's fine to check out for a beer and some wings, but if you have young kids with you, be prepared for a long wait.

    Photos
    The Bar
    The Bar
    San Juan Island Brewing
    San Juan Island Brewing

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    Riptide Cafe - cafes - Updated June 2026

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