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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
538 Ramona StMon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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After attending my first Bay Area Yelp Elite party in Palo Alto, my buddy met up with my fries and I and took us around to some of the hot spots around the area. He insisted to take us to one of the best cafes in the area for their famous Venezuelan hot chocolate, and needing some caffeine in my system, decided to drop into Coupa Cafe.
Even late at night, the place was completely packed with Stanford students and it was clear that it was a hugely popular place to hang out. I ordered their popular Abuela hot chocolate. It was very tasty and had just a hint of bitterness that comes with good dark chocolate. It was clear why it was so popular and the venue for enjoying it over good tech conversation with great friends was awesome.
Judging from the packed house alone, it's easy to see why the Coupa Cafe is one of the most popular off campus places for Stanford students to hang out, study, or even nap. There's a special energy there that somehow makes you feel smarter just being amongst it. If I were a student there, the Coupa Cafe is definitely where you would find me!
Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Price: $
Atmosphere: 9/10
People thought this was:
Was just here with a friend. We only had drinks, but boy were they good (albeit a little on the pricey side, especially since my "medium" looked pretty darn small). My buddy had a coffee with a charming bit of art on top, and I had a very foamy and delicious cappuccino; you know you have a winning cappuccino when you take a sip and you wouldn't even think of adding sugar to it, it's that tasty.
Next time I'll try the savory food or chocolates. They look yummy!
Oh, and the place was surprisingly crowded, even at 10pm on a Tue night. Parking was no prob, though, since it was right across from a parking garage (free! I love Palo Alto for that :)
People thought this was:
Good iced mocha. Strong on the mocha.
Smallest iced mocha is a medium.
Free internet access.
Nice lookin pastries.
Nice atmosphere.
Often crowded.
People thought this was:
Whats a guy to do when hes craving breakfast in downtown Palo Alto at 8 am on a Sunday morning?!
I was in Palo Alto on a Sunday waiting for the football game to start, but I couldn't fight off my hunger to wait until kickoff to get some grub. Unfortunately, in Palo Alto, everything is closed in the early morning on Sundays. So here I was, walking the streets looking for some yummy breakfast crepes to munch on. After being turned away by a few CLOSED signs, I finally ran into Coupa Cafe!
Walking in, it had a very cozy atmosphere and the decoration seemed vintage. The cafe had a certain glow to it as if there was a hidden fireplace somewhere. I ordered a chicken pesto crepe and a strawberry nutella crepe and plopped myself down on the comfy couches. The food came out quickly and I felt like I had accomplished my mission!
The savory chicken pesto crepe was simple and delicious. It came with a generous amount of cheese, chicken breast and yummy pesto. I followed it with a nutella and strawberry sweet crepe which really hit the spot for desert.
Overall, I think this is a totally cozy place to hang out and enjoy good food and a coffee. There is also free wifi, but unfortunately it is not available on the weekends, which is the only negative that I can think of, also there is a shortage of power outlets for anyone who wants to plug in their laptops.
I recommend Coupa Cafe for a nice brunch of breakfast or to hang out and study.
I like this Cafe very much. It is very cozy. It gives me a very homey feeling. It is narrow and deep and when you walk to the end, there is a sofa that let you lie down. There are several outdoor tables as well.
I like this cafe not only it feels like home but it supports local organic farmers and sustainable agriculture. They use sustainable eco-friendly food service packaging composed of biodegradable products manufactured from renewable resources. They work directly with farms so to support the fair trade for the farmers. That includes getting coffee beans directly from the farmers.
I tried their coffee and their free wi-fi. Coffee is really good. They offer a wide varities of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Vegan options are available on the menu but is limited. However, they will make you anything you name it and they have it. Very friendly and helpful staffs.
Definitely worth a try and this will be one of the cafe that I will always visit.
Waidy
People thought this was:
Ok, so maybe I'm not just not that experienced, but in the passed when I have ordered a Chai Latte I was not asked the question,
"Would you like that spicy or not?"
I'm sorry, what? A spicy Chai? Well....I have no idea what that means....but I do love my spice in other things such as Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls, or Spicy Bloody Marys, so I just went for it!
"Spicy, please!"
"Tiger spice or regular?"
I'm sorry, what?! Ok at this point I have no idea what I'm doing so I just went for it.
"Tiger, please!"
Oh. My. God. Like, no joke. The BEST Chai I have EVER had in my life.
And there's free wifi and comfy bed/couches in the back.
Love.
People thought this was:
Is chocolate really orgasmic?
I've been here 2 times and the hot drinks were still the same in texture and taste. Just imagine a thick ooze of lukewarm bittersweet dark chocolate. Does that sound good? Maybe the chocolate/mocha is from a different country, the exclusive representative in northern California of Chuao Chocolatier, and offers their Chocolates made from Venezuelan cacao, but personally I'm not used to it. I asked if they carried anything like a Bianca Mocha, but the cashier said everything is dark. So I went with the mocha, again.
The place gets packed at all times of the day. I've looked around while waiting for my drink order, and everything looks tasty. The next time I go, I'll buy food and hold the drinks except for water. Til then...
People thought this was:
This cafe is exactly what a cafe should be. It's quaint, great location, friendly customer service and most of all, the coffee drinks are soooooooo yummy. McL likes the spicy mocha. Raved about it all night in fact. My first drink here was an almond iced latte. They went a little too heavy on the almond syrup, but other than that, the drink was really yummy.
I hear that have a very huge food menu too. I noticed sandwiches and salads in the cold case, but didn't think to take a look at a menu. Apparently, they have a huge selection of Venezuelan dishes. I'll definitely have to come back for lunch.
If you work in downtown Palo Alto, this place is a must try. Forget Starbucks. Heck. Forget Peet's. Give Coupa Cafe a try. I'm sure you'll love it.
People thought this was:
This place already has so many reviews so I'll keep this short. Met up with some girlfriends for brunch. I had the Serrano ham panini -- nicely toasted and filling was ample and generous. The others had panini also, one with turkey and the other with mozarella and tomatoes.
Place is really packed, both outside and inside. Free wifi is the culprit!
People thought this was:
Coupa Cafe is one of my favorite places to get work done on the laptop for a lot of reasons.
Firstly, there's free WiFi that doesn't require any cumbersome log in process.
Secondly, everything I've had at Coupa is tasty. There are pastries, fruit, salads, and more. Oh, and I just tried some of the chocolates for the first time last Friday and was pleasantly surprised. I'm not a huge chocolate fan but the friend I went with is, and she is now a bonafide Coupa fan.
Thirdly, Coupa always seems to attract a good mix of people. On any given day you'll find Stanford students working on their MacBooks, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs working on spreadsheets and presentations, couples enjoying a little conversation, etc. I've always felt really comfortable at Coupa.
Lastly, I could go on here.. The people who work there are friendly, the place always seems to be clean, the food and drink is quality (really can't go wrong not matter what you get..), and it's open until 11PM every day of the week.
If I had one gripe, it would probably be that there is only one bathroom. Lots of people drinking coffee ultimately leads to lines for the loo. And every time I have to pee it seems like there's someone in front of me :-P
Other than that I love this place and will continue to make it one of my go-to coffee shop work spots as long as I'm around the Palo Alto area.
God, I miss this place.
This is the cozy cafe that made me a cafe writer--great atmosphere, free WiFi, lots of Stanford kids studying. Used to come here every morning senior year.
The food and coffee are great, especially their luxurious tiger spice chai, and they have lots of goodies in their glass display, like little chocolates, pastries, and baklava.
Wish they operated a real cafe like this in LA, not a Beverly Hills lunch spot.
Arepas, Arepas, and Spicy Hot Chocolate.
I was looking for arepas due to watching Throw down with Bobby Flay. We end up ordering the duo. So we picked the Venezuelan beef stew and chicken salad. I like the chicken salad one since it has more flavor. You can taste the garlic. The beef stew was very mild in flavor but not bad. I want to come back and try there brunch and other arepas flavors they offer.
I could not pass up ordering the spicy hot chocolate even though I have already drank my hot tea. I must say the spicy hot chocolate is the best thing ever when you are sick. It was not to sweet nor overly spicy but it was good. It had a good amount of heat and the chocolate was rich and creamy. They have pancakes on display which looked hella good too. This is why I must come back to try brunch and have another cup of spicy hot chocolate. Plus its a cute little place to just hang out and people watch.
People thought this was:
Tiger Spiced Chai.... Mmmm. There's definitely some crack in that chai latte because it is extremely addicting. It's really rich and bold. It's a bit on the sweet side, so for those who do not like a huge burst of flavor, I don't suggest getting it.
It's a really crowded place. There's a good amount of seats for probably about 50 people comfortably, inside and outside. They have full menu and serve breakfast all day. I opted for their "Special of the Day", which was a Turkey Brie Sandwich with Onions sauteed in Bacon" and they gave me a Turkey, Slices of Bacon, with Buffalo Mozzarella Sandwich instead. I was disappointed when I bit into the sandwich and found out that it was not brie, but I didn't have the energy to complain that night.
Despite that mistake, it doesn't scare me off and I would definitely come back again. I'm not such a big fan of their staff/order taker. One of the girls there has such a rude personality going on and acts like she's not happy to be there at all.
Parking is very convenient since there is a parking garage across the street that is free to park in.
People thought this was:
Coffee is crap. I have tried 3 cups, and their lattes are just horribly over-pulled and I think their machine needs some serious, constant cleaning.
Now, I go for their ham and cheese croissant. They are delicious.
People thought this was:
This is a review by a vegetarian
Sometimes it takes a place like this that actually makes good drinks to remind oneself that the cocoa at Starbucks, with tablespoons of chocolate syrup at the bottom, is unacceptable for the price.
The premium on foods prepared professionlly should be justified by their being superior to what can be produced at home. The libations here justify that; they don't at Starbucks and really not even at Peet's.
People thought this was:
This cafe is awesome and would be *even better* if everyone else didn't think so too. I generally have to climb over an insurance agent, a 20-something web developer, and 2 execs meeting for coffee before I can find a seat crammed between an awkwardly tilting plant and a stroller.
My favorite cafe in Palo Alto....it's got good coffee, a great vibe, the staff is friendly, lots of space to sit - outside, indoors, and by a huge fireplace, plus it's eco-friendly. If you like to experiment with syrups in your lattes, this place offers a wide range....I like their raspberry latte. Also, I recently tried their picante chocolate...it's dark chocolate, starts off relatively sweet, and just when you wonder why it's called picante, the spice hits you!
1. pricey
2. crowded
3. The chai is so delicious is makes the price and the crowd worth it.
While this place is great for the atmosphere and the pricey delicious food, THEY DON'T HAVE WI-FI ON THE WEEKENDS. Lame.
I had the banana, strawberry, nutella waffles. YUM!
The World According to Noelle
~Allergic Girl's Guide to Life~
"Coupa Cafe- one of my favorite spots in Palo Alto." Noelle W.
Looking for a sweet or savory treat look no further than Coupa Cafe! They have an impressive selection of cold beverages, coffee drinks, sweet and savory snacks. I always get the lemon curd tart which I absolutely adore- its the perfect combination of sweet and tart (as you know I love sweet-tarts, wink-wink you know who you are). Being a creature of habit my usual order is a lemon curd tart and a pellegrino. I often come here by myself, occasionally with family or friends. Its usually super crowded at night and often times difficult to score a table. I was here recently with my friend Carole and we shared a table with a fellow fan of Coupa Cafe!
What makes Coupa Cafe stand out from the rest of the local places that I frequent are:
1. Arabica coffee beans from Venezuela delivered by FedEx.
2. Exclusive representative in northern California of Chuao Chocolatier, and offers their Chocolates made from Venezuelan cacao produced by Chocolates El Rey in Venezuela.
Coupa Cafe is great for breakfast, lunch, light dinner, dessert, late night snack =)
Noelle's Notes
Great for sweets & savories.
Can be overcrowded at times.
People thought this was:
This place was pretty underwhelming. I went here with my friend today for lunch. Even though it was super crowded, we managed to find a seat, and the food didn't take too long to arrive, which was good. I ordered a ham and cheese crepe which was just okay, not all that delicious. I also ordered a elephant vanilla chai because I read on yelp that the chai was good, but it was too sweet. I basically felt like I was drinking sugar.
My friend ordered the cobb salad which was like $11.50, kind of expensive for a salad but it looked pretty fresh. He ordered a blended carmel macchiato which was also very sweet, but I guess it should have been evident being that it was, well, a blended carmel macchiato, lol.
The tea was pretty cute because the bags were in an interesting shaped container.
Overall, next time I'm in the area and craving crepes/breakfast food, I'd rather go to Bistro Maxine a few doors down.
I don't drink coffee -- as a matter of fact, I really hate coffee most of the time. I drink Coupa's Tiger Spicy Chai and their spicy hot chocolates. Delicious! I also love their crepes, especially the delicious coupa crepe
This is probably the hippest and most relaxing place to hang out in Downtown PA. Located across from Nola's and The Old Pro, CC serves up breakfast, lunch, coffee, pastries, pasta dishes and much more. I met a friend for lunch and we each tried a delicious crepe. I tried the chicken and cheese and it was simply devouring. Looking at other diners, I'll definitely try tasty salad or sandwich combo next time. The Cafe also offers free wifi and a social website where diners can meet up and meet new friends.
The back room of the cafe is very relaxing and the eclectic music playing in the background provides great ambiance. When one enters, they'll notice tons of people on their laptops enjoying a tasty coffee of some kind.
Definitely a good spot for a bite to eat, drink or just to hang out and people watch.
Coffee: bad. Drinkable only with a huge amount of milk in it. If you are not very discerning coffee drinker, well, go for it. I would go elsewhere (Del Doge).
Tea: good. Not huge selection though. It's in those pyramid bags. Much better tea place is next door: Tea Time.
Food: good mostly. Couscous salad was terrible6 too much vinegar. Could not eat more than a spoon. Some other food I tried was better. I just don't remember which one. I think their crepes where decent, but, again, Bistro Maxim next door is way better for crepes.
Deserts: Now we are talking! Most of desert are very good, especially mousses. Chocolates are excellent, best in Palo Alto. Try Honey Truffle.
Place: great location, nice people. I really love the interior, especially sofa and niches on the back. But the place often smells horrible! They don't have AC and by the smell of it, ventilation in the kitchen. :(
Sadly chocolates are not enough to lure me here. I would grab the chocolates to go.
Despite being pretty crowded and pricey, this place is SO awesome. (forewarning: don't expect great service here).
Best chai here!! Plus, spectacular chocolates + decadent desserts. Not to mention, my favorite meal of the day is served here pretty much all day - breakfast.
Crepes, coffee, fresh fruit and pastries, FREE WIFI, and so much more. What more could you ask for, really??
Charming and quaint brunch spot off of University with free wifi and a diverse menu that provides healthy options.
Empanadas, paninis, or a breakfast plate were my top choices for brunch. Until, I saw their arepa combo platter. $11 bucks and your choice of two different kinds of arepas, or Latin American griddle cakes, and a fresh salad.
I first saw arepas on Bobby Flay's showdown and I've been wanting to stick my teeth into one of these badly. Venezuelan arepas aren't as common as Mexican tamales or El Salvadorean pupusas so I was excited to finally see these on a menu.
I chose the Reina Pepiada arepa, which is Venezuelan chicken salad with mayo and fresh avocado and the combo carne mechada - Venezuelan beef stew and queso fresco cheese. http://static.px.yelp....
I'm a fan of the mechada since the shredded beef was super tender, the sauce had a really good flavor, and the queso fresco was so muy buen. Queso fresco is such an underrated cheese.
Nice to finally meet you and put a face to the name miss arepas. I would definitely like to see you again.
People thought this was:
The Chuao Maya spicy hot chocolate is great: it has a lot of flavorful spices, and it's not too hot pepper-wise.
The buttermilk pancakes are meh (see my photo).
I was in town for the day and used Yelp to find a coffee shop/restaurant that I could work at for a few hours. I was not disappointed! This place is yummy. Had an outstanding latte and a fantastic savory crepe. Also a great spot to pull out my laptop and enjoy the day.
The spicy hot cocoa was delicious! I'm not sure how authentic the Venezuelen arepas were, but they were pretty tasty, kind of like pancake sandwiches. The atmosphere is typical Palo Alto - clean, nice decor, nice atmosphere, food's a little overpriced. I was lucky to find street parking right in front of the restaurant.
Where does one go when one craves something that makes one smile the instant it touches one's taste buds? It's a cozy place with well made drinks and tasty food. I love the ambiance there and the location is pretty easy to get to.
If you make it out there, I recommend the "Chuao Maya Spicy Hot Chocolate" The flavor beats our any high priced Girrardelli or Swiss chocolate from some ritzy shop. But fret not, it doesn't taste like pepper and chocolate, I'm sure that would be gross. Just the best damn hot chocolate on Earth with a little bit of a sting as it goes down.
I'm usually not a fan of "frappuchinos" and other iced blended drinks, but I took a chance on a hot day since everything else there has yet to disappoint. It was terrific! It was a really balanced out blend of icy essppresso and chocolate with a bit of sweetness.
Also, it's a great place to sit down and study, they have WIFI there during certain hours of the day.
People thought this was:
Cute place with nice decor and a delicious mango iced tea. Usually fruit infused iced teas are overly sweet. This one left a nice lingering mango after taste. Mmm...
I had the Pesto Pasta - a HUGE portion - and my girlfriend had the cobb salad, equally as large. I'd definitely be down to come back and try some more of their stuff. Looks like they have a South American theme as far as food... but they also have delicious looking desserts and many other savory treats!
Arepas are the best!!!
What a place! Filled with Silicon Valley types and Stanford students studying for exams, Coupa Café captures Palo Alto better than anything I know. Their selection of beverages (hot & cold) and pastries/desserts is impressive, and I've yet to be disappointed with any of them.
Less appreciated, but equally as tasty, is their offering of light fare that includes delicious crepes and sandwiches.
This is a wonderful place to take friends for a get-together, or enjoy dessert on a nice date. It is great as well, though, to simply grab a book or newspaper, seat oneself outside along the sidewalk, and people watch/read. All-in-all, this is probably the best coffee shop/café in Palo Alto, and though it can be a bit pricey and often too busy, it's a must-visit.
I was so disappointed with this place!! Coffee was mediocre. The breakfast arepa was freakin' expensive but tasted like a stale wafer stuffed with scrambled eggs. And it looked so sad and small sitting on the large plate all by itself.
My husband got an omelette stuffed with ham & un-melted cheese! The cheese was barely warm, the omelette looked pale & anemic, and the baguette that came with it was pathetic. I've had better omelettes on a plane. I've had better omelettes in a hospital!
Even though the food was crap, I would have been happier if they at least served us larger portions of it. Instead, we spent $23 for crap food AND child-sized portions.
(Service was reasonable...girl at the counter was very nice)
People thought this was:
It would be an injustice for it to remain at a mere 4 stars. My recent discovery of the elephant vanilla chai, which is ecstasy in a cup, as well as the amazingly yummy breakfast and lunch items, has finally settled it.
My previous review did not really emphasize how frickin' awesome their cappuccinos are. Every time I… Read more »
Pro: A cafe that finally offers food other than sandwiches!! (And some Venezuelan dishes might I add.)
Con: The food is just okay.
Finally there's a cafe that's open past 3p.m. where you can hang out at until night. When you walk in, you can see that they have exotic chocolates in the display. I didn't get to try them specifically but I did have an Iced Chocolate, spicy maya ($3.50) which I thought was yummy!! Unlike other hot/iced chocolates, it's not heavy at all. The spicy maya gives it a nice kick but I barely noticed.
For food I tried a Smoked Salmon Crepe ($8.75) and Combo Arepa ($7.50). Crepes are made in a square-shape with a window showing the ingredients (see pictures). It's definitely different and I don't know what the point is because the ingredients aren't evenly spread out anyway. The smoked salmon was very salty. For the price, it wasn't generously stuffed or had any special quality to it. The Combo Arepa had shredded beef and white cheese (or you can choose yellow) and comes with a side salad. My bf kept saying this tasted microwaved which it kind of did. The filling was also mediocre; the meat was a little dry but was masked slightly under the cheese and the cheese was okay too.
I think overall this place has a lot going for it. They have a huge menu that includes a bunch of appetizers, quiches, and paninis. And if you're strolling through downtown Palo Alto and don't necessarily want to go somewhere noisy, you can stop by here and it's super mellow. Great for a light meal, conversation, and relaxation.
People thought this was:
The cutest, cleanest, lay back cafe where you can do the laptop thing, nice food items like pastries, sandwiches and the spicy mocha coffee is the bomb. All their espresso mix drink is the hottest you will ever have, guaranteed. This place just makes you in a good mood.
People thought this was:
Coupa was one of my favorite places to chill and "study" when I was an undergrad. The drinks are yummy esp the hot chocolates and chais. I highly recommend those. They have free wifi, although it's a little flaky, but it's free! Check it out and I'm sure you'll be a fan.
Crowded, overpriced, and very tasty. If you can get a table, go for the Spicy Maya hot chocolate--yum! A good place to take a friend or a casual date, or even to people-watch solo if you've got a lot of time on your hands. But it's usually so packed with people that you have to squeeze through crowds to get in line, let alone to get a table.
Other pros: cool pictures of Venezuela on the wall; surprisingly nice bathroom; lovely decor; a diverse menu with some really interesting offerings, from snacks to full-blown meals (try the crepes--really good).
Other cons: music (an instrumental version of "Killing Me Softly?" Really??); they're often out of whatever food I order that day and don't seem to find this troubling.
In my opinion, not usually worth the crowds, but opinions on this place are very mixed, and some people swear by it, so it's definitely worth a visit if you've never been!
People thought this was:
YAYS:
-large patted seats (2) at the very back of the store with tons of pillows where you can recline and read or do whatever you wish to relax for as long as you want...
-good place to people watch and perhaps strike up a conversation with interesting looking strangers
-delicious spicy maya mocha
-plays a varieties of different cool music...jazz, latin, oldies, and more...
-free wifi (thoough my friend told me it's turned off on weekends to fend off cheap Stanford students occupying spots for too long, lol)
-3 hr free public parking right across from the store....so convenient
NAYS:
-crowded, may not be able to find seats since it's packed with Stanford students who occupy for a long time like me =P
-expensive coffee, about $4 for a small spicy maya mocha about the size of a small tea cup (but worth trying once!)
People thought this was:
Bike to Brunch on Sunday…
E. Palo Alto, CA
Your first visit
Menlo Park, CA
Stanford, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Palo Alto, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Menlo Park, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
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