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    Vela Coffee

    4.8 (52 reviews)
    Closed • 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Vela Coffee Photos

    Business Info

    VELA COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Vela Coffee

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    I'm from Los Angeles and I love this cafe ! Had to come back when I came to SA, so fye ! Get their fresh baklava and their house made syrups, sister loved their vanilla matcha with foam. Quick and super helpful- tbh surprised a good coffee shop wasn't full. Its chill and a good vibe-

    The syrup menu for the day
    Robert K.

    Your average modern coffee shop. Brightly lit with millennial aesthetic. White with accents of brown and gold. Comfortable but limited seating. I can imagine during peak hours there's not many places to sit if you're with more than one other. But the bulk of my review always hinges on the coffee. And this was good. Iced americano with a splash of cream. These tend to be either way to milky or way to bitter. This was neither. Excellent. I'll Have to try it black to get a sense of the quality of the coffee roast itself.

    Pistachio Cold Brew
    Daryan C.

    If you love pistachio this is the way to go! Unfortunately by the time you read this review they will have changed their delicious menu. If you get a chance to try it tell me how amazing it is! Pistachio notes come thru perfectly while complementing their smooth black coffee. Definitely coming back. Barista was amazing guiding me right where I needed to be. This is also an amazing place to sit and do work or study.

    Vegetarian Quiche
    Cynthia T.

    I had some business to attend to downtown so I decided to break my "no coffee after 12 pm" rule and check out Vela Coffee. It's a very cute shop with minimalist decor. Think - doctor's office, but a smidge more botanical. Also you'd think you were in Austin in 2016 with how many male patrons had fully grown out beards. Anyhoo, I ordered a cortado, latte with brown sugar syrup, and a vegetarian quiche. Scratch Kitchen gets around, don't they? Not that I'm complaining. They make the best quiche in town and this one was no exception. The cortado looked nice and creamy, devoid of yeasty looking foamy bubbles. The 1st sip was very pleasant. Light, toasty flavor and good crema. It didn't feel watery/watered down. The brown sugar latte was a delight. It may have been my imagination but I thought I tasted rum. It was definitely my imagination. But it was the perfect sipping beverage for the kind of day. Cold, but sunny. This was THE drink to warm you right up. The folks running this place are very nice, and there are quite a few of them flitting to and fro, so you won't be waiting too long for your order. While I wouldn't go out of my way to drive from my home to this spot, if I ever find myself in this neck of the woods, I know Vela's a solid pick.

    Megan D.

    8/10 Hojicha Matcha Latte with Brown Sugar - It wasn't quite sweet enough for me, so I asked for extra brown sugar to add. Just a heads up, I usually prefer my drinks on the sweeter side. Overall, it wasn't bad, not the best I've had, but definitely not the worst either. 3/10 Cost - $7.31 in total. This drink felt way overpriced for how small it was.

    Katherine R.

    It was okay. The matcha tasted bitter. But the vibe is nice in there plenty of seating options and walkable. I would like to go back to try the coffee. The service was great as well and staff was very attentive!

    Angelica A.

    Cute and cozy little cafe in downtown. I've been here twice and have tried their matcha and chai. Both were tasty and made with care. The staff is always kind.

    americano, cappuccino
    Teri K.

    found this great coffee shop while visiting San Antonio. They brew proud Mary Coffey. Tried the cappuccino, Americano and almond milk latte. All were very delicious. Small selection of Mediterranean suites as well. Friendly baristas

    Feb26 menu
    Mat M.

    Vela is a hidden gem of coffee in downtown San Antonio. The service is amazing, friendly, prompt, and skilled in crafting delicious espresso drinks. I visited twice and the foam on my latte and chai were perfectly smooth. I loved that Vela offers Turkish coffee in addition to the typical fare, so fun to try yet another unique coffee brewing method. Also distinctive was the offering of house made syrups and alt-milks. I'd recommend Vela to anyone visiting the San Antonio area who loves good, quality coffee.

    Maya B.

    Decided to go here to do some work on the computer and enjoy a nice coffee. I parked on Broadway and paid the metered parking. There were a couple other guests there, but it wasn't too busy overall. I was greeted immediately and ordered a shaken espresso. Initially, I wasn't going to get any syrup added, but the barista informed me that it probably wouldn't foam the same, so I added brown sugar (half sweet). The beverage was quite delicious. I really enjoyed the vibe there. They played nice relaxing music without being too distracting. Loved being able to support a local business.

    Lauren G.

    Been seeing this place online. Was finally In The area to try it.It seems to have some Turkish influence on top of all the great things from a trendy coffee shop.The coffee itself had great flavor. If you stay to drink coffee they will put it in a glass or ceramic for you.

    Quad shot latte- pretty good price for 4 shots!
    Alyse H.

    I think the quality of the espresso used at Vela is very high. I have gotten an iced americano and a quad shot latte from this location, and both drinks were delicious. They weren't overly iced and the coffee was delicious. This is always my first stop for coffee in downtown San Antonio.

    Mocha oat milk latte extra shot
    Roland G.

    On the third day of this coffee shop being open I stopped by! Today I went back and had another great experience. There's no failing when coming here! First off, they use weathered hands beans if I'm correct, super good coffee and unlike most places, they don't burn their espresso or use any weak beans! Super flavorful notes Usually I ask for an extra shot in my latte anywhere else to get more of a caffeine spike, but here I can skip that extra shot as these shots come out super smooth and potent. The owner is nice and the employees are super attentive when he is not around. Very great customer service!! Ambience is chill setting while plenty there of seats for busy hours. Pro tip: sign up for their rewards! The guy in front of me regretted it after not receiving the 10% off you get for signing up! I will be back many more times!

    Pistachio latte

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    15 days ago

    Fabulous coffee in a neat little shop not too far from the Alamo and the River Walk. Had a delicious flat white, will be back tomorrow!

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    8 months ago

    Came for a quick visit. My Americano was very good as was my wife's chai. Plenty of seating.

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    2 months ago

    Cold coffee and chocolate almond croissant was delicious. Located near the Alamo and hotels.

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    Archies Coffee Lounge - The Gold Digger

    Archies Coffee Lounge

    4.2(43 reviews)
    0.0 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    The oat milk vanilla latte was just okay, and the tea I ordered for my husband was also…read moreunderwhelming. It took quite a while to prepare, and I was told it needed time to steep. However, when it was finally served, it appeared completely clear, which left me a bit confused about the preparation process. I originally stopped in for the prerolls, but due to a recent ban or restriction, they were unavailable. Unfortunately, the cashier didn't seem very interested in suggesting alternative products or helping me find a comparable option. Overall, the experience didn't leave much of an impression. Between the average drinks, limited product availability, and lack of engagement from the staff, I don't see myself returning.

    I I really like this place! The code is great, options are plentiful, it's downtown, and....they…read moresell alcohol (cheers)! I stopped by as I was riding through downtown and spotted a parking spot at the entrance. I immediately embraced the vibe as it's a coffee LOUNGE! Both of which I love. They offer traditional coffee drinks and appetizers. I'm n addition, they also offer beer, wine, pastries and cannabis options. In order my usual iced vanilla latte and also order a dandelion/chamomile tea. Service was fast and friendly, like I like it . And the coffee was great! I'll definitely be back when it n the downtown area. I can imagine stopping in more for coffee to accommodate a downtown stroll.

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    Niche Coffee - Storefront

    Niche Coffee

    3.7(37 reviews)
    0.5 mi•Downtown

    They don't have a coffee shop anymore but they will steal your money with an online order without a…read morerefund!!!! They STOLE my money!!!! I placed an order and walked to the coffee shop, only to be informed that they were bought out and didn't even have my order or the right ingredients to make it. Instead of a refund, they offered to make me a regular coffee which I declined. I took a long walk just to go there to pay $12 for coffee that didn't exist and a coffee shop that doesn't exist as of 2 weeks ago! They need to take their ordering down and website if they won't fulfill your order. It's absolutely stealing my money!!!!! I tried emailing, calling and asking for a refund in person and I was denied. What a great way to treat someone visiting here!

    This is a small little coffee shop located inside the Riverwalk Plaza Hotel. My friend stopped in…read morehere for an ice americano SF vanilla coffee & she said it was really good. I didn't end up getting anything as I found their coffee cup sizes to be small & I wanted something a little bit bigger. They didn't have many items for sale. Like 2 danishes on display, limited drinks in their cooler & the menu is small. If you're not a picky coffee drinker & aren't looking for a big food menu then this is your place! It wasn't very busy while my friend & I sat outside of the shop. There are seating areas in the coffee shop to hang out at.

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    Building

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    Street view

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    CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery - Avocado Toast with smoked salmon (two thumbs down)

    CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery

    4.3(428 reviews)
    0.6 mi•Downtown
    •$$

    The outside of this business is so adorable! The inside was equally cozy and cute. The employees…read morewere all so kind and the food came out in a timely manner. I got the breakfast croissant with eggs, cheese, chorizo and spinach and it was soo good. The chorizo wasn't too oily and the entire mixture felt well balanced. It was one of the most buttery croissants I've had in a while. I also had the muddy pumpkin, it was perfectly sweet and not too pumpkin flavored. If I lived there it'd be a regular stop of mine.

    The interior was very cozy but small so we sat outside. The employee was nice but she was swatting…read moreflies in the pastry display which made me not want to order the bakery items. For two iced lattes, a kid's French toast with berries and an avocado toast with an egg we paid $40. The avocado toast was nothing to rave about. It lacked flavor.. The coffee was good but not the best I've had in San Antonio. The French toast was the best thing we had during the visit. The location itself is what brought us to this location as we wanted to have a morning coffee and allow our little one to have fun at the park next to the business. You do have to park in the garage as it is almost impossible to find street parking. But that's common in this area. They also will not validate your parking so be prepared to pay for your expected time here.

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    Entrance/ hallway to ordering counter

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    Vela Coffee - coffee - Updated October 2026

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