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Almaden Roasting Company
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
6055 Meridian AveSte 20
San Jose, CA 95120
(408) 323-9294
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 6 am - 6 pm
Sat-Sun 6 am - 5 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Almaden Roasting Company
Review Highlights
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"Good coffee, great sandwiches, and a cool atmosphere." In 3 reviews -
"...decor, great coffee selection, and an awesome wine/beer bar." In 4 reviews -
"very mellow, leather couch, quiet." In 3 reviews
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27 reviews in English
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Review from Manfred A.
San Jose, CA
12/25/2011
Excellent service, nice peaceful ambiance, not like most coffee shops that have turned the music volume high like a dance club. One can rest, enjoy a cup of coffee, have discussion, in a restful atmosphere.
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Review from gloria l.
Davis, CA
I used to come here to study as I like supporting local businesses, but I just don't think I'd like to anymore.
The coffee is bland... it really is. The breakfast sandwiches are good but overpriced (I think). The employees (specifically the high school students) need to learn about customer service as they don't know how to greet or say goodbye.
I'm sorry.. but I can't be loyal to this place anymore as much as I'd like to be. -
Review from Patricia A.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011
A
D
O
R
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This place I do. I like to walk, no infact I should be in marathons or something but instead I just do these insane 4, 6, 8 mile walks on the weekends because I need to get out of the house so I traipse over to Almaden Roasting company on a cold Sunny Sunday afternoon and find myself happily warm and invited in. There is a defunct wine bar awaiting a liquor license but overall I could see myself here every day with a dog...now I have to get said dog...
Really good coffee and tasty croissants...
I sit and read and read and sit and listen to the music and the chatter and sip my drink and relax as the sun waxes the window pane -
Review from Claire K.
San Jose, CA
3/12/2012
this place feels like you're in someone's house...everybody knows each other, they carry on loud conversations..coffee is ok...Owner a bit on the unfriendly side, staff, not so friendly either.. I ordered an egg salad sandwich..what??/ eggshell in it!!! not going back...
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Review from Brad M.
Campbell, CA
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good coffee, great sandwiches, and a cool atmosphere...very mellow, leather couch, quiet. And being in Almaden, of course they have wine tasting. It's a cool neighborhood espresso cafe if you want something other than the big chains.
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Review from Laurie G.
San Jose, CA
10/18/2010
Ouch! Coffee makes my stomach burn for hours after. Maybe I am a novice coffee drinker but I feel an ulcer coming on.
My Chai was good, menu easy to read, great seating- inside and out- and typical nice coffee atmosphere. Patrons are really friendly. Too bad my stomach has veto on this one. -
Review from Jo R.
San Jose, CA
1/8/2012
Expensive for a place with lousy coffee. Also, it takes them forever to serve our food every time we go there. The owner is also arrogant.
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Review from jill s.
San Jose, CA
7/16/2010
To be clear, I'm ONLY rating this on their coffee. I swung by on a Thursday morning, 10am on July 15th.
What I like about the place: Clean, beautifully decorated, very friendly workers, a local business which I always am a fan of! and within walking distance to my house.
BUT I was especially bummed since the coffee was really bad. I asked for a latte and what I got was a 12 oz brewed coffee with a swipe of foam on top. The coffee was stale. (of course a little hard to taste with all that milk.) If I had more time I would have given the girl a little training session on how to pull a proper shot.
I'm a hard person to please on that front since I roast my own beans & own all the commerical gear at home. But this company advertises as "Roasting", which is incorrect. It is NOT a roasting company so I was disappointed in that regard.
.
Owner, if you are reading this--you should really try some local, roasted beans. A great place to try is Barefoot Roasters. Better yet--buy a small roaster and order your green beans direct from "Sweet Maries" located in Oakland. I'm in no way affliated with them, I'm just a "Coffeegeek" so I know where to get my beans. Also, any beans older than 2 weeks are stale. Your baristas need to time their shots..than again, didn't catch if they use automatic espresso machine (or a proper burr grinder) so if you do, perhaps the settings were wrong? -
Review from Lisa T.
Campbell, CA
7/24/2010
I wish the owners would seve better coffee & train their staff.
My latte was so bad. As one other reviewer noted, 7-11 has better coffee.
Staff is friendly which is a huge plus, but doesn't make up for sub-standard stuff. -
Review from Janet O.
**********COFFEE SHOP with BEER AND WINE and Free WiFi*************
If you haven't been here you should.
This is a very unique coffee shop. They have a Happy Hour here because they serve WINES as well. HH is only on Thursday from 5-7 with FREE SNACKS!
What a perfect place to get all sh** faced and you can grab your coffee to sober you up after :)
I tried their Mocha Cafe with skim milk size small at @ $2.95. I like it! Unfortunately their Turkey Sandwich that I ordered came out dry and with a puny amount of Turkey meat $6.25. It was all the foofie stuff that was a lot. I didn't eat the other half. I want my meat that's why I ordered turkey.
The inside is huge and very clean. Nice tiled floor. Nice little round coffee tables and one big comfy leather couch you can sink in.
They do sell a variety of drink like smoothies and Odwallas. A variety of coffee sits on the aisle right across from the wine cooler.
Checked out the bathroom. Nice and spacious and very clean. Impressive!
The staff are friendly but professional.
Lots of parking space and nice sitting area outside as well.Listed in: Coffee Shop Hunt
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Review from Jan P.
9/26/2008
This could potentially be a cool place to chill, but unfortunately, another reviewer was correct: you can smell bathroom cleaning agents from the front door upon entrance! That, and the coffee, according to my connoisseur boyfriend, was only so-so...still not as good as 7-11's.
I can also make better rice crispy treats at home. -
Review from Ailsa B.
San Jose, CA
1/16/2008
I really want to give this place 5 stars - it has a great ambiance, it's a great place to meet up with friends for casual chats over coffee, and the coffee (and service) are great. Friendly people, never a line, music's not too loud ... but it closes SO early!
I normally stop by in the mornings if I'm looking for something a little stronger than a normal coffee, but after a recent trip to France I suggested to a friend we meet there after work. I brought my laptop to show her pictures, and since she was running late I used the free wifi to cruise the web a bit ... and we chatted for about an hour. Then the place closed (7pm on a Friday night!) and we had to go find somewhere else to finish catching up.
So this coming Friday a bunch of friends and I are meeting up for coffee and knitting ... but instead of supporting this great little independent place, it will be at a somewhat out of the way Starbucks one of the ladies knows about that has couches, is knitter-friendly, and that won't kick us out 'fore 11pm.
Edit 2/26/2008: Reduced to 3-stars. I went back in here this weekend with my friend after we attended a meditation class together. This is the third time I have been in here in the last two months - and EVERY time they're in the middle of mopping the floor with pinesol. Now, I'm all for a food establishment being clean - but coffee and pinesol smell? Not so good a mix. And it's not like we're there at closing (ok the first time we stayed 'til we were kicked out) but the second time we were there over an hour before closing and they were already mopping. NOT appetizing or comfortable.
Note to the owner: Pay the extra 1/2-hour of wages and have your crew mop the floors after all the customers have left! -
Review from Cody G.
San Jose, CA
4/6/2007
Very very cute place. Great decor, great coffee selection, and an awesome wine/beer bar. Free wifi! This place would be a 5 BUT it closes at 5 PM.
Boooooooooooo.
But I still love this place.
EDIT (2/21/08):
Last time I was in San Jose, they'd extended their hours. But it still closes early, if I remember correctly. -
Review from Thomas W.
San Jose, CA
7/21/2007
I completely agree with Cody. I love those smoothie/milkshakes they have. Fantastic.
And you can't beat free Wifi! :) -
Review from Bill T.
San Jose, CA
7/9/2010
Ordered my medium carmel macchiato with soy and it was a little on the expensive side for a small coffee shop - not a problem.
I then was handed my drink and it was very light. I mean the drink was not HEAVY at all - it was only half full of drink, half full of foam - I have had the drink there in the past - and it was made successfully - but not this time. I don't like confrontations and left the establishment - friends said I should go back and complain, but I have two takes on this:
1. you never complain to a restaurant/server (bad Karma)
2. if the restaurant valued me as a customer, they would have invested the time and effort on the first pass to give me a good experience.
I am cynical that way. -
Review from Theresa W.
San Jose, CA
4/21/2011
Great place to hang out and chat with a friend or enjoy the weather at one of the outside tables. Great sandwiches, coffee decent. My 4 year old daughter loves the to-go milk n smoothies selection, plus they have a few toys and kid books so you can enjoy your drink or meal while your kids entertain themselves.
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Review from Leo B.
San Jose, CA
11/12/2008 1 photo
This is my first visit, so I am trying to keep an open mind.
The latté is fine, but served in a Styrofoam cup... bummer.
The WiFi is fine, but there appears to be only one outlet which serves two (out of 11) tables. I was unable to get my VPN (F5) to maintain a stable connection, so I couldn't do my work stuff there; not sure if they block traffic from other VPN clients.
The music is good and just loud enough to drown out some girlfriends on the couch.
Overall, it is fine place (not my perfect spot) and the crowd is on the older side.
Leo -
Review from caitie C.
San Jose, CA
2/5/2011
What a comfy cute little place! The bagel was delish and hot chocolate was chocolatey! I think i'll stop in more often!
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Review from Dustin M.
Santa Clara, CA
1/16/2011
I go in here all the time for more than just coffee. ARC has great pastries, delicious sandwiches, and breakfast burritos, along with a friendly and accommodating staff. This is a great coffee shop to just stop in at on the weekends with a book and let the world go by.
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Review from Steven C.
10/16/2007
Nice quiet place, crowd here is usually seniors and what not besides a few graduates hanging around. Friendly considerate worker during the daytime, plenty of space to sit as well. They have beer. too...
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Review from Paul S.
San Jose, CA
10/2/2008
Do I hear an echo? "Too many cleaning products.... -oducts... -oducts....." Good coffee, good smoothies, and ok pastries. What kills me here is the lack of any kind of standardization. Drinks don't taste remotely the same from barista to barista. Lets at least get close people.
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Review from Becca C.
San Jose, CA
4/4/2011
Best coffee shop! Always great service! Yummy food too! Only wish they were open longer cause I would definately come after work to get coffee!!
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Review from Audrey M.
San Jose, CA
12/22/2009
Great place to have coffee and get work done, my only complaint, they need to fix their WIFI - it does not always work!
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Review from Ruben B.
San Jose, CA
3/5/2010
Great selection of coffee blends! It gets packed in the morning, so I don't recommend this place for freelance laptop people. Great place to run in and get your coffee for the morning! They also have great breakfast sandwiches and entries.
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Review from Katherine N.
San Jose, CA
3/12/2010
5 stars for their Chai Tea!! It's what gets me out of bed....nonfat no foam...I LOVE IT! It's even good iced
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Review from laurie c.
San Jose, CA
2/5/2011
i love the matcha frappe! reminds me of machu pichu. it is awesome.
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Review from J L.
San Jose, CA
3/25/2010
Went there to meet a friend at 4pm on a Thursday. Only one other person in there. My friend showed up and we talked for about 10 minutes when a worker told us her boss had a policy and we needed to buy something. Since we had only been there a few minutes and both had been customers in the past, we were taken aback. The young girl was apologetic but again said the boss was asking her to follow this procedure. I generally understood although we were certainly not taking space from others and the negative impact of the requirement was not the best way to promote good will. WHen I went to get a bottle of water with my credit card (no cash on me) I was then told by the same girl that there was a $5 minimum on credit card payments. I told her that was illegal and didn't want to argue but explained to her that Iwould advise her manager. I was then FORCED to buy a piece of cake to meet the minimum. Bottom line...the management policies have no concept of customer service and the right way to do business. My friend and I will no longer go to this store and they have created lots more bad feelings and negative referals than the good intentions they thought their money conscious (CHEAP?) policies were based. I suggest they clean these issues up immediately. Poor customer relations in these times are not wise.
