One of my go-to coffee spots in the area. The espresso is consistently smooth, and you can really taste the quality--it's worth every penny. I'm here 3-4 times a week on my way to work, and it never disappoints. The space has a great vibe, but what really keeps me coming back is the team. The baristas are genuinely kind and welcoming--shoutout to Julia, Amy, Issa, and Caitlyn for always making my mornings better. If you're nearby, definitely stop in and try the Raw Honey Latte--it's perfectly balanced and not overly sweet. read more

Yummy coffee, yummy pastry, cute interior, plenty of seating, parking, all around great! I tried the rose latte; a french eclair. My partner ordered honey lavender and a cheesecake slice. All were amazing! I saw many people working or having friend gatherings. The place thrives but isnt too loud and still has plenty of seating! Highly recommend for flavor AND atmosphere! read more

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Stumbled upon this place because I was craving matcha. I came here during lunchtime on a saturday, and if I wasn't paying attention , I wouldn't have been able to see this place. The sign was pretty hidden due to a group of trees, but maybe once the sun sets , the sign is lit , so people are able to see the sign. This place is an food hall type of establishment. I believe there was two other eateries in this same building. I came here specifically for a drink and I ordered an iced banana matcha latte. I believe $7.50 for my 12oz beverage was a bit pricey. The flavor was just not there for me. I basically was drinking a green banana milk. I'm a bit hesitant on trying this place out for the second time, when I know there are plenty of other great matcha places. Hopefully today was just an off day. read more

Good space. A bit overpriced. Coffee is okay. Service is hit or miss. Cafe spots don't need to do much for me. Coffee is pretty expensive everywhere, but as long as the space is decent, coffee doesn't suck, and the service is okay - I'm good. I've been here several times because of lack of options in the area. Generally, service has felt pretty snobbish each time. It'd be expected if you were located in some trendy area where hipster mustaches and ironic tattoos are the norm. But you're in fkn South San Francisco. We're normal folks. We don't like that "too cool" to smile vibe. read more

How dare I come to my favorite coffee shop & not write a review ! I've been coming here for years whenever I'm around the area & want some coffee. Our go to is the black latte which is made out of charcoal that gives the drink a deep black/grey color . The taste is very subtle not too sweet and has a light earthy taste . This pairs nicely with all of their delicious pastries ! I just tried their apple pie pastry and omg it was amazing ! It was a mix off croissant , a kouigann aman and an apple pie ! it was so crisp , and light and airy . MINDBLOWN. Today , I asked the barista if they did latte art and wow did she amaze me . It was a masterpiece . I love this spot & it's a nice hidden gem to enjoy coffee and pastries . read more

Spruce Cafe - Black Lattes with apple pastries and a cheese danish - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

The cafe is nestled in a plaza with a 'food court' connected. There is seating indoors, outside seating, and a dog park with benches outside. However, the dog park fencing is super low, so any dog can easily jump over it. The setup is minimal, and the coffee is strong. The pastries look yummy but didn't get to try any this visit. Bought some beans, which they offer to grind up for you - if you want. The beans were pricey, $24, but they are strong beans. The woman who took our order was calm, and helped find the beans - looked like she was the only one working the entire cafe. Would come back here, unsure if they have wifi as it seems like a nice place to work. read more

Spruce Cafe - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

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Food - Yummy sandwiches - Good matcha and coffee - Pastries are yummy as well Location - Has a parking lot in the front - Some indoor seating - Has wifi Service - Very nice and fast! - The baristas make delicious coffee and matcha read more

Spruce Cafe - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

Place was a bit hard to find. It sits next to a Korean restaurant/bar that looked closed. Once you're inside, it looks industrial and cute with lots of white decor. Looked like a pop up shop. It was a bit cold on a December morning. They had the door open and there was no heat. I don't suggest taking off your jacket. We ordered the black latte, an iced matcha latte and a matcha tea. Matcha tea was a large cup with matcha flavor. It was a bit diluted and misses on the nuances that would make it good. The matcha latte was good. The black sesame latte was very good. read more

Spruce Cafe - Black latte, Matcha Tea, Matcha Latte, latte - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

This review is only for the matcha latte. At no fault of the baristas, the matcha quality is not great here. The color is not a vibrant green and the flavor is weak. So if you do come, the coffee is probably better. The cafe itself is cute and a nice place to sit for a while though. read more

Spruce Cafe - Inside - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

When you find yourself just south of San Francisco in very appropriately the city of South San Francisco( the biotech hub), you absolutely must come by Spruce Cafe and enjoy your lattes and donuts in the lovely atmosphere, big and relaxing seating area( both inside and out) with stellar care and service from the fantastic and friendly Kaitlyn and Alicia. We loved our time here and hung out with families from the Philippines and Canada visiting their new grandkids, students busy on their laptops and young couples on coffee dates. Alicia the cashier was a sweetheart. She lived in the area and besides her great pastry and vegan blackberry croissant recommendation she also gave us some restaurant pointers. Kaitlyn was the fantastic barista who took her time( positive) in creating the perfect pumpkin spice latte( photo) and a gorgeous and delicious extra hot honey lavender one. 6 bucks each and worth it. The vibe was just so laid back and warm. This is a big, big space with a beautiful outside patio to enjoy the 70 degrees and sunshine. No rush no fuss just chill, sip and hang out. read more

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Maybe it's just me, but when one of my former coworkers suggested meeting up at Spruce Cafe to get some work done, I never expected it to be such a nice looking place. That's not to say I thought it was going to look shabby or anything, but I figured the decor was going to look a whole lot closer to your average sort of neighborhood coffee shop than anything so modern and semi-IG worthy! Much like their next-door neighbor, The Night Market (which might be owned by the same folks...?), Spruce Cafe is a bit of a hidden gem in a mostly quiet part of South San Francisco. However, that also adds to the charm and convenience, as does having their own parking lot and outdoor seating, which is handy considering there isn't a ton of seating inside. Similarly, the menu also isn't super extensive, but it still offers a lot to choose from. Along with your staple coffees, espressos, lattes, matchas, and teas, you'll also find a mix of cold brews, including some with cremas, and seasonal specials. They also have a handful of sandwiches as well, but most of their food offerings are made up of the pastries and sweet treats in their display cases. -- HOUSE COFFEE Nothing super amazing, but still pretty solid. They use Ritual coffee beans, which is always a plus, and I appreciated that they didn't burn it (no char or bitter tail on it). -- VANILLA COLD BREW ESPRESSO CREMA Ever since the first time I tried this, it has become my go-to order. The drink as a whole isn't too sweet, the cold brew itself is delicious, the vanilla isn't overpowering, and I love how the espresso crema adds so much body/creaminess after it's all mixed together. DELICIOUS! -- CHOCOLATE CROISSANT Sadly, I didn't get a picture of this one, but it wasn't bad. The croissant was a little dry, but it was flakey, not overly buttery and the chocolate tasted pretty good. That said, I do wish it had more chocolate in the center. -- LEMON TART Not sure if they still have this (didn't see it the last time I was here), but this was great. The crust was firm and crisp yet not dried out and it still had a nice crumble to it. Plus, I loved the lemon filling - sweet yet balanced by a nice punch of tartness and acidity. With regards to the wi-fi and service problems mentioned in a few recent reviews, I can't say I've experienced the same (thankfully), but I'm not shocked that they did. The times I came here to do work, the wi-fi was fine for my needs, but it did get slow/choppy at times. As for service, I've definitely seen some of those issues. Most of the workers have generally been friendly and get orders out steadily. However, there was one time where the girl working the register, who later switched to making drinks, was fairly terse with this one couple and wasn't exactly in any rush to make even the simple of drinks. Also, FWIW, the bathrooms, which are shared with The Night Market, has been clean each time I've used it. Despite their aforementioned flaws, I wouldn't hesitate to come back to Spruce Cafe again (I don't come here often to do work, so the wi-fi doesn't matter to me). At the very least, it's awesome to have a place like this around than to not. The one thing I would probably avoid is the Salami Sandwich I was so tempted to try...until I saw that it had just a single layer of meat (add $2 and give me more meat!). Their dessert items, though? I'd definitely like to try more of those! All in all, FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more

Spruce Cafe - Lemon Tart - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

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My husband found Spruce Cafe on Christmas Day when we were looking for a spot that was actually open, and it turned out to be a solid choice for a quick coffee stop. I ordered the matcha rose latte and really liked it--it leaned more toward matcha than rose, which I preferred since it wasn't overly floral. I'd definitely come back to try some of the other drinks on the menu. My husband, who's usually pretty picky about his coffee, got his usual and enjoyed it too, which is always a good sign. The cafe does get pretty busy, so it took a bit of time for our orders to be ready, but that's understandable. One small downside was that the bathroom could have used a little cleanup that day--hopefully that was just a one-off. Overall, this will probably be our go-to coffee spot whenever we're visiting family since it's close to the hotel we always stay at. A great option if you're in the area and don't mind a short wait. read more

Great space. I left the Christmas tree decorations. They feature ritual coffee, which is so delicious. They had lots of food options. We got the bacon cheese croissant and it was so good. I had a regular coffee and a decaf coffee with milk and they were delicious. The people that work there were very nice. Good service parking was easy. read more

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Pretty decent cafe in a secluded location. Came here to study and got the seasonal banana matcha latte recommended by the barista. The drink was ok, matcha could've been stronger since banana usually overpowers the matcha. Also they had tiny tables which were a bit rocky so not the best to work but that's ok for the time I was there. read more

Spruce Cafe - Banana matcha latte - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

I got the banana matcha latte and it was delicious! The matcha wasn't crazy earthy and although the banana flavor was subtle, you could definitely tell that there s a large banana presence in the matcha. The drink was made not too sweet and it was the perfect drink to have when you're catching up with friends, or doing work, or just hanging out and reading a book. There were many pastries as well but a majority of them were sold out. I can see why this place is so popular because a bunch of people started piling in after we ordered. Overall, soli spot! read more

My friend and I were looking for some tasty pastries and good coffee. After a quick Yelp search, we came across this cafe. We were amazed by the coffee variety that they had! I got the rose latte, eclair, and pistachio pastry. It was raining outside and we wanted to do a take out and eat in the car, so we requested a to-go box. The server was super sweet about it. The coffee itself was delicious. They topped the coffee with real rose petals! The eclair was chocolatey and yummy. The pistachio cake slice was the best of the lot! It was made with real pistachios and the flavor was right on. The texture of the pastry was perfect. It was one of the most tasty pastries that I have had in a while. If you are in the area - definitely check out this place! read more

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Stopped by because it was nearby, but overall it was just okay. Drink: I ordered the vanilla cold brew crema. It looked good, but the taste didn't match- refreshing at first, but followed by a weird muggy, tangy aftertaste. Not something I'd order again. Seating: At first glance, the interior looks nice, but it's actually pretty basic- standard seating, artificial lighting, and the space felt a bit warm and stuffy. Bathroom: kinda clean Service: Disappointing. The staff didn't seem friendly or welcoming. The person at the counter didn't greet me, just took the order without much interaction. When I said thank you as I was leaving, I was ignored, which left a bad impression. It felt like they were just there to do the job, nothing more. On a good note: The weather was nice, so I was able to sit outside and enjoy that. And there was free WiFi (only when sitting inside) and it has free parking with a design lot Overall: I was just visiting the area and decided to give it a try, but I wouldn't return. There are probably better spots nearby read more

Spruce Cafe - Vanilla cold brew crema (not good, I would not recommend- has a strange tangy aftertaste) - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

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Spruce Cafe is neighborhood gem with simple charm and flavorful drinks. Shout out Andrea, Caitlin, Julia, and Noah for showing up and holding down the fort. Thank you for helping me wake up with your coffee and continuing to serve with kindness and respect--even on mornings you're still waking up yourselves. Closing out this review by declaring they make THE BEST Vanilla Cold Brew Crema--it's a must try for iced coffee lovers! read more

Several visits and still coming back for more! My bf and I like the iced Havana latte with oat milk, it's so creamy with a a little sweet but you can still taste the coffee. On Sunday I got the lemon tart and it had a buttery crust and tart Lemon flavor - delicious! The service can be a little slow but that is because they craft each beverage with care. Highly recommend read more

The location is a bit random in a warehouse-y neighborhood but seating and parking was very spacious! I tried a pumpkin pie latte which was delicious. The barista did a great job with pulling the espresso and the milk was foamed perfectly. I was a little disappointed that they didn't really have food options other than pastries. They weren't anything special - even warmed, the savory turnover I had was kind of stale with all the cheese melted out and hardened, and the sweet pastries were just ok. I would come back to try another flavor of coffee because the drinks were a hit here! read more

Spruce Cafe - Creme Brulee Bar and Mango passion fruit eclair - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

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If you come here, please do not get their matcha latte. It was actually straight up bad. It tasted like burnt grass and I couldn't bring myself to drink more after like 5 sips. I can't speak for their other drinks since it seems like their reviews for those are good. It's a decent place to study. read more

Spruce Cafe - Matcha latte - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

My Yelp bestie and I stopped here for a quick breakfast before our flight home after our conference. This spot is a great local spot to visit right before a flight because it is about 10 minutes away from SFO airport. There was a lot of seating available inside and outside, as well as a huge parking lot. It's a pretty big space. We didn't feel too weird bringing in our suitcases. I ordered their spring special latte, which was something with cinnamon and brown sugar. I also got a spinach/cheese croissant that was absolutely delicious. My latte was very ok. My friend ordered some breakfast sandwich, and it wasn't what we were expecting. She did really like her iced latte though. We also really liked the snickerdoodle cookie we ordered. I'm glad we stopped by and tried something new. The baristas were kind and helpful. read more

Uniqueness: Bumblebee Drink = Espresso + Orange Juice?? Wait Time: [x][x][x][x][ ] Drink Quality: [x][x][x][x][x] Service: [x][x][x][ ][ ] Setting: [x][x][ ][ ][ ] Cost: [x][x][x][x][ ] Recommendation? Get the charcoal latte for something unique & blacken your teeth for a bit! I've been here twice and the drinks here have so far been an excellent choice to stop by. I've had their charcoal latte and as well as their honey latte, both of which were excellent to start my day in the city. There's plenty more to choose from if I'm in the area but an unfortunate negative I've had both times were the service here was a miss. It seemed like the staff weren't friendly upon arrival and just wanted customers to move along. And one of the other negative issue was there were flies flying around both times I went, some of which were flying around the baked goods... I haven't tried any pastries nor will I want to if I come back here, then again there's the HK shop next door if I wanted to get some food as well. I have to say my review as a whole is 3/5 because although coffee was excellent, service and setting were not so enticing. If I'm ever in the area, I'll maybe try some more--more coffee only that is. read more

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I remember this place having good coffee and baked goods when I used to work in the neighborhood. However Last time I walked in at 5 mins till 5 I was greeted with a dirty look and a stern warning that they were closing soon and there was no coffee. That's no way to welcome in a customer so I turned around and left. read more

Yum! Stopped in for a quick coffee run with a friend. We we're excited to see this on our way into the city. It has a large parking lot, and tons of indoor seating. We got there mid-morning so a lot of pastry options we're already gone, but I got the sausage turnover, and a skinny latte. Both were great, I loved the pastry, it was so buttery and flakey and chewy mmhmm thinking about it now, I want another! Highly recommend heading here if in the area. read more

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I was a little disappointed. I traveled there specifically for an Affogato only to find out they didn't have any ice cream. They made it sound like it was a seasonal thing. If it was, the menu should say that. I ended up getting an ice coffee. It was okay. It had a strange aftertaste. Service was unusually slow, even though we were the only ones in line. Ambiance is nice. It has an industrial feel to the cafe. I did try their lemon tart and s'mores bar, but I wasn't impressed. The crust was soggy. Pastries like that should have a crunchy texture. I may be back, only if they have Affogatos available. read more

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I went to Spruce recently when I was looking for a new coffee shop. I was pleasantly surprised by how aesthetically pleasing this cafe is. You can tell whoever designed the space went in with this in mind. There is ample indoor and outdoor seating. It is a very "Instagram-able " cafe. I think this would be a great place to study or work from. I ordered a dandelion mocha and a kale spinach feta croissant (warmed up). I had read in Yelp reviews that the latte art here was amazing so I had high hopes given that I ordered a hot drink for dine in. When I got my drink the latte art was nothing special so I wonder if you have to specifically request cool latte art or if there are limited baristas that make the unique designs. The drink also wasn't anything special and I'll probably go for a latte next time. I really enjoyed the croissant which was not too oily or greasy. Parking is easy as there is a free parking lot for patrons. read more

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paid $9.45 for a banana matcha with oat milk and banana crema . wouldn't have complained about the price, but the Matcha was horrible. poor quality. i've had coffee from here multiple times and those are fine. i'm kinda annoyed rn nearly $10 for watery grainy bad matcha. got too shy to ask for a refund. sad read more

First visit here with a friend to study and it's such an unpleasant experience that we would not return again. Their crème brûlée bar was okay. Real vanilla beans inside which was good. However, there's not a layer of caramelized crunchy sugar on top which would have made it better and more "crème brûlée" like. It was pretty sweet and I think the amount of sugar within the bar needed to be dialed back. Coffee was fine. The worst part was that for the majority of the time we were there from 2-5pm, we were unable to use the WiFi so we resorted to hotspot. The staff said that their WiFi is usually pretty spotty so it's a known issue that hasn't been addressed. Most of the people that were working there ended up leaving. The music was insanely loud to the point where I felt like I was in a club, not a cafe. Even with audio playing through my noise cancelling AirPods, I could hear bad bunny blasting, making this an unsuitable environment for focusing on studying. Aside from that, there's a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. Staff works consistently on cleaning and preparing food. Bathroom stalls were relatively clean but seat covers weren't refilled and the tp was just left out. Hard to find a good place to study on the weekends around here and while this place had potential, we won't be revisiting due to these issues. read more

Returned on a Saturday afternoon after having lunch nearby. There was plenty of indoor seating but most of the outdoor seating was taken. Our order: Mint Mojito Cold Brew Crema ($6.50): +I wouldn't call it a mint mojito since there wasn't any lime, but it was quite refreshing. My mom rarely drinks coffee and she enjoyed it. +Cold brew was smooth and not too acidic. +Crema was creamy and fluffy, yet light at the same time. +No upcharge for no ice -Served in a to-go cup even though I dined in Latte ($5.50): +Strong coffee balanced with creamy milk +Latte art was well-crafted Pistachio & Ricotta Cake ($6.50): +Cake was soft and light: It felt like I was eating clouds. +Crushed pistachios added crunch. -Top was covered in powdered sugar, which made it too sweet. I don't think it was as sweet last time. -If I closed my eyes, I wouldn't have known this was a cake with pistachio and ricotta. Side notes: 1.) Rewards: Sign up w/phone # to earn "Stars" 2.) Self-serve napkins and utensils 3.) Restrooms available for customers 4.) Free parking lot *Verdict: This visit was much better than last time. I'll be back since their menu changes seasonally! read more

Spruce Cafe - Clockwise from top left: Mint Mojito Cold Brew Crema, Latte, Pistachio & Ricotta Cake - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

The ambiance and the vibes were cute !! I got the lychee tea and it was really good actually. Right next to it there is a food place and had food there after too! Great seating inside and outside read more

Food: interesting selection of pastries and drinks. They were pretty tasty Service: the staff was friendly enough Ambiance: very spacious dining room. It's a great place to hang out and catch up with friends. It seems to be dog friendly too as we saw a couple of dogs under the tables. read more

Spruce Cafe - New! Lavender Mocha Sausage & Egg Danish - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

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Head's up, vegans: the vegan croissant is discontinued (3/30/2026). Such a bummer. They do offer oat milk and almond milk.

honey lavender latte was creamy, sweet, and well-balanced! i really enjoyed it. ambiance was nice, quite large inside but didn't sit down or do work while there. service was mixed, the barista behind the bar was welcome when greeting us. my only issue was with the cashier when i asked about a menu item. since there wasn't no description on the menu board, i wanted to ask since the bumblebee latte looked intriguing. unfortunately, it seemed like they weren't happy to help me out nor did i feel welcome while ordering. unfortunate as i enjoyed the rest of my experience at this cafe read more

Spruce Cafe - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

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I love going to Spruce and picking up a decaf, yes decaf Latte. Julia is a great barista! Really appreciate her kindness and smile They could spruce things up inside, lol. No pun intended. Dust on ceilings. read more

Spruce Cafe - Latte with whole milk - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California

We went here for our post-lunch caffeine and didn't have to wait long for our drink orders. There are spots to sit both inside and outside so there are a lot of options that can choose from. I ordered the Vanilla Cold Brew with Crema and it was okay. It sweeter than I normally would prefer so I'd give a 3/5. We also ordered the cinnamon brown sugar latte and that was definitely 5/5! It wasn't super sweet and was well balanced. read more

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Spruce Cafe is a really nice neighborhood spot. The matcha latte crema is smooth and well balanced, and the pastries are fresh and tasty. I also loved the kids hot chocolate. It is cute and thoughtfully made, which is a nice touch for families. The space feels cozy and welcoming, making it a great place to stop by and relax. Definitely a place I would come back to. read more

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Had the pleasure of enjoying Spruce Cafe today and I was not disappointed whatsoever ever. The dirty chia and matcha were 10/10 amazing and the cinnamon roll was worth the drive. I will be returning shortly to visit this cute little coffee shop. Great customer service and helpful staff. read more

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A very solid place for coffee and pastries! I have come here a couple times and each time the pasties have really hit the spot. I believe they are homemade and they are delicious! As for drinks I have tried the Honey Lavender Matcha and the Honey Lavender Latte. The latter lacked the lavender flavor but was overall great coffee. The Matcha was really good and I could taste the lavender flavor. Both times that I have been here, I have noticed they are a little short staffed with only 2 workers. They are decently busy in the morning only person makes drinks while the other worker is working with the food. Curious to know if they'll consider adding another barista set up for faster service. Overall a great place to do work, as it is nicely decorated and provides a great environment for working or catching up with friends of other coffee. Will definitely be back! read more

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Cute coffee shop in an unsuspecting area next to a car wash in South SF. Stopped by twice now while in the area and was happy with the iced Raw Honey iced decaf latte. Really tasty, not too sweet, and pairs well with their fresh baked chocolate chip cookie. Staff was friendly and the store was pretty spacious with other people working, studying, and hanging out with friends in their own areas. Looking forward to visiting again in the future and trying some of their seasonal coffee specials. read more

Spruce Cafe - Cafes Near Me - South San Francisco, California