MY Coffee Roastery — Restaurant in Berkeley

Tucked along the busy MLK thoroughfare, two coffee aficionados share their labor of love. I walked in to Christine (the barista & owner) serving a latte topped with a two-colored heart-within-a-heart, delivered with a wholesome, "thank you for your support!" As humble newcomers to the specialty coffee scene in Berkeley, their commitment to mastering their craft is authentic and what will certainly sets their shop apart.

What made me excited to visit them was how they've staked their reputation on roasting their own beans. Most small cafes will launch by brewing and serving the beans of reputable roasters, but Peter and Christine are drawing from their years of experience to roast and serve delicate cups of coffee in a cafe of their own design.

"It's like walking through a time machine," said Peter in describing his thoughts behind building the countertops. "[As you walk in] it's modern, but stepping into the back it becomes more historic."

I ordered a washed Ethiopia pour over coffee, and watched our artist at work. Christine's pour over technique was wonderful - delivering a floral coffee with a sweet lingering aftertaste. She explained her coffee with the excitement of a musician telling the story behind a new piece: quick to point out how the coffee she made, with beans aged 20 days past roasting, had a gentler taste than when it was first roasted.

MY Coffee Roastery is elevating the specialty coffee scene here in the East Bay, and they're doing so in the most authentic way possible: by studying every roast, educating the community around their coffee, and making people happy with every...

Should be noted that I am a Southern Californian and our coffee culture is a solid year behind Norcal even at our best spots.

When I think specialty coffee, shops like MY Coffee, nestled in a little walkable area near UC Berkeley, with a steady flow of locals and tourists are exactly what I have in mind.

The drinks: All your classics are here including a phenomenal pour over and espresso offerings. A real kicker here is the unique creations like espresso in coca cola topped with on site grown mint (crazy right?).

Most importantly, the beans: This shop clearly has no qualms trying new and outside the box things and their coffee bean selection continues to reflect that. I had a cherry blossom pour over that was much more akin to an earthy tea than any coffee I tasted, and if that turns you off, their more conventional options are still amazing. A coffee guru once said, the most impressive beans with the highest value are those that veer completely out of coffee tastes and into something else, through origin and drying process alone. If you're the coffee adventurer who wants to try things you won't forget, visit this store. My biggest regret is not buying a bag of beans right then and there, they offer online purchases but their super speciality coffee gets quite pricey with shipping!

If I could give 10 stars I would, thank you for the experience to the wonderful...

I’ve spent the last 2-3 years walking by this place and never coming in. One morning, on my day off from work I decided to come by for coffee and do some homework. They finally have indoor seating for vaccinated individuals. I’m one to spend a few hours at a coffee shop doing homework or writing in my journal.

Their coffee is very good, simple and no frills which I love. I had their pumpkin latte the first time and it was perfect for me, hints of pumpkin but not overly sweet. Their waffle and almond croissant are quite yummy as well! I’m making my way through their pastry menu but I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.

The owner (or who I assume is the owner) is this very sweet woman who definitely knows her regulars. (At first I thought she was Korean but I heard her speaking Mandarin today so oops!) I enjoyed observing those interactions and made the place even more charming then it already is with its storybook aesthetics. I hope I become “regulars” status soon lol.

If you want a place to enjoy some good coffee on a Sunday (or any day) morning, I recommend a try here at least once. So worth it and you get to see cute dogs if you stay long enough!

Tips: the bar seating by the window is the best spot, but I might be sitting there in the mornings (sorry not sorry) and there aren’t a plethora of outlets that I noticed so if you’ve come to do work,...