Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Villa Rivera Café

    4.7 (18 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Villa Rivera Café Photos

    VILLA RIVERA CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Villa Rivera Café

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Fresh Wraps and sandwiches daily
    Teo R.

    VillaRivera Café is a wonderful spot for coffee and community -- perfect whether you're stopping in for a quick snack, a relaxing lunch, or a great cup of Acme coffee. This seaside local business has a welcoming atmosphere, and the staff are always pleasant and inviting. A true gem worth supporting!

    Veronica A.

    First review of the year and happy to hop on again! Having moved up north I have MANY places to explore and it is a bit overwhelming but in a very good way. I wanted to highlight this amazing cafe located in Salinas, CA. I love their drinks and their pastries and their amazing service. Everyone is so kind here! There is plenty of seating and it is very much a chill atmosphere. While pictured here is a their peanut butter toast on some local sourdough, their chipotle chicken pizza is the absolute best and a must try, please trust me in this. Two things to note: the cafe is located near the courthouse so it can get pretty busy during lunch hours, they close around 3 so keep that in mind if you do plan to visit. The parking is a bit tricky as there is not much street parking available. Be ready for a 5-10 minute walk to your car. This has definitely become by go to cafe if I am in the area!

    They also have a salad bar
    Cristina S.

    Great service and AWESOME local ACME coffee. Enjoyed the Mexican Micah with oat and their yummy avocado toast with local crafted bread ! It was a fun little spot hidden near the court house. They decorated it and it has a warm inviting tone:) Everyone was warm and welcoming. Happy to give a shout out and support this local biz!

    Iced coconut mocha.
    Selene C.

    This place is a nice cafe! The ambiance is very tranquil. The coffee drinks are unique. Some of them are Mexican inspired. The Mexican mocha was good. My favorite one though was the coconut mocha. It was refreshing to try this different mocha. Loved it! They also had cute little mini conchas. They had a filling inside. Definitely will come back. I'm excited to try all the other drinks they have! The size is good. Pretty big. You get your moneys worth. Definitely one of the best coffee places in Salinas.

    Scone and mocha chai
    Chrissy E.

    Owners are so friendly, food and drinks are AMAZING. You must try this spot. Ask for the mocha chai - best chai I've ever had, they use local ingredients and support other local businesses. Scone was great too. Highly recommend!!

    Not sure what i was expecting but it definitely wasn't maruchan for 9$ :/ drinks were good though

    Luis A.

    Came to VILLA RIVERA CAFE GRAND OPENING! Please support these two amazing women entrepreneurs Monday-Friday 7am to 3pm! I had an excellent skinny vanilla latte, the best avocado toast & a tasty blueberry muffin! #LovingSalinas

    Register, accepts Apple Pay

    See all

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kellie M.
    173
    22
    10

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Teo R.
    176
    14
    28

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Luis A.
    47
    59
    70

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Villa Rivera C.

    Villa Rivera C.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott J.
    107
    58
    17

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Villa Rivera Café

    You might also consider

    Viva Espresso Organics Coffee - B L A N C O | ig: thesimplefoodlife

    Viva Espresso Organics Coffee

    4.4(333 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    They say they're organic but having just delivered half&half... yes, it's made by Clover but not…read moreorganic... OVERALL: Kind of reminds me of the local Suju's in Fremont (where I'm from), as their local go to coffee in Salinas that's more concentrated in espresso complexity. CUBANITO: Their specialty! Only 8oz with 3 shots of espresso, turbinado sugar, and milk...can modify level of sweetness. However person for which this drink was for states it's still overly sweet. CARAMEL Macchiato: Made me sad that it wasn't authentic as milk should be first then the shots of espresso so there's two layers (that's why I secretly wanted this drink). Then a drizzle of caramel. Tastes like a caramel macchiato, nonetheless. ***overall, their coffee is good with a smooth flavor profile and no bitter undertones or after taste, equating to high quality beans*** SERVICE: They are so sweet, kind, and patient, willing to answer any and all questions. Very splendid seeing a group of Spanish speaking ladies going strong at it! AMBIANCE: Casual, local coffee joint that's mainly enjoyed by the Hispanic community. Bathroom available. WiFi available. Very clean. Very modern decor. Two outdoor tables. Multiple indoor seating options. Located in the Safeway plaza with a multitude of establishments, stores, Jamba Juice, services, etc. Very large private parking lot. In the suburbs. Would I come back? Probably not.

    My daily go to coffee spot! They are on point everyday and I am NEVER disappointed with my coffee…read more Service Is A++ Great ambiance and place to chill. Support local and it should start here.

    Photos
    Viva Espresso Organics Coffee
    Viva Espresso Organics Coffee
    Viva Espresso Organics Coffee - Inside

    See all

    Inside

    First Awakenings

    First Awakenings

    4.2(1k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    I only ordered a fruit bowl, but what I got was a bunch of…read moregrapes, 4 smaller pieces of pineapple, and a diced banana. They threw in a 1 sliced strawberry. $12 dollars

    Sadly I'm going to be the bearer of bad news and say that First Awakenings is highly overrated. I…read moregrew up in Salinas and always remember this place being busy and thought of in high regard by pretty much all the locals. Being back in town, I had to give it a try after 15+ years being away. What a let down honestly. We were seated right away which was appreciated. It was about 10am on a Wednesday and we arrived just before the big rush it seemed. To drink, we ordered waters and orange juice and coffee. A whole coffee carafe was left on our table which was a bit of a surprise and the orange juice as advertised tasted freshly squeezed. Before ordering our food, my husband began asking the waiter about gluten free pancakes or waffles (since such was advertised online in a review from 11yrs ago) and before he could even finish the question the waiter cut him off to explain all the pancake and waffle options. My husband kindly asked again and was told they didn't have any specific gluten free options. That's ok, he ordered their Bacado omelette and instead of toast on the side he asked for a side of fruit. I ordered their Cinnamon Bread French Toast and a side of 1 scrambled egg and 1 sausage. I was told the sausage only comes in 2 or 4, and so I chose 2. When the food arrived, I immediately thought this all looks ok. And the taste was just the same. The omelette was not fluffy like you'd expect a highly rated restaurant omelette to be. The side of fruit came in a condiment cup and had 1 grape as well as 3 pieces of other fruit. The hash browns were sad looking, pretty pale and absolutely no crunch. My husband even added salt which was sad and rare to watch him do. My French toast was ok, kind of soggy and didn't have any caramelization or crunch on the outside whatsoever. It's definitely cinnamon toast vs a cinnamon roll French toast and was nothing special. The sausage was the best part which says a lot. I wouldn't come back here because there's infinitely better options minutes away.

    Photos
    First Awakenings
    First Awakenings
    First Awakenings - Bacon skillet with carnitas added

    See all

    Bacon skillet with carnitas added

    Villa Rivera Café - coffee - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...