Ugly Mug CoffeeHouse — Restaurant in California

I am, my friends, a weary pilgrim, on a journey marked by both the sublime and the harrowing. It is a journey back to my youth of mercurial loves and self conscious awkwardness.

Who was I then, and who am I today? It is a changing landscape of past and the present day that seems to quiver in the air like a mirage over hot asphalt. I come to visit my parents grave where they rest ashen and mixed in their love. I come to morn the loss of two older siblings, the curse of reaching a certain age.

And I explore. I search out the ethos of the community, I look for the heart of this wildly different, yet essentially the same, season of my youth.

And I wander into the Ugly Mug and it is full of people there for open mic. As I listen to the music, I am struck by a feeling of easy, friendly support. The performers are comfortable there, so much more like old easy friends than simple musicians standing on a stage. I can feel their solid love for the crowd and the place is packed. Every face is engaged and every person seems glad to be there.

This such an interesting group, the sense of acceptance and support is palpable. It is idyllic in such a powerful and earth solid way. I am greeted by a barista so kind and open that I am a little confused. I find the menu a little daunting, a new language, a series of mysteries. I mumble, what I think I want is some kind of mocha, and without missing a beat she says, I can do that for you.

It was such a simple kindness. And it made me feel suddenly welcome. The mocha was strong and good and unapologetic. When taking my cup back to the bussing tray, I meet the proprietor and we talk briefly.

The man radiates kindness and goodwill like a beacon standing in the night. In a moment he made me feel as welcome as I have ever felt anywhere. He tells me I should come back sooner next time, and it makes my heart hurt with yearning for that simple eclectic, friendly establishment, on the corner of Soquel for all the world like the prow of a ship.

I can see that he is a kind of vortex of kindness that is irresistible. This place embodies him. I don’t know that I have ever, in my long travels, wanted so much to come back to a place. If I lived here, I would come often, I would try to share what they share. I would let the fabric of the place absorb me like water into bone dry wood.

It is the balm of Gilead, the spark of community, the oil upon the troubled waters. I could only believe that people have been coming here for years. That they have found a home that shines warm light into the...

The Ugly Mug is a terrific retro coffee shop in the heart of downtown Soquel. Step inside and you’re instantly transported back in time to the type of local coffeehouse that hardly exists anymore. You’ll be greeted warmly by friendly baristas who act as if they own the place. The vibe is definitely old school, which is a genuine relief from the sanitized sameness of the big chain coffee shops.

The well-worn tables and chairs are perfect for relaxing and lingering over a really good cup of coffee and maybe one of their fresh, locally baked pastries. There’s a tiny table and chairs for the kiddos, vintage board games, backgammon sets and vinyl records. This is a place to meet and hang with friends, not to sit alone and work at a laptop. Instead of being criticized for the lack of WiFi access, these guys should be celebrated for taking a risk and encouraging customers to actually talk with their fellow humans.

The Ugly Mug offers standard and specialty espresso drinks, smoothies, and ice cream. There are also a few menu items it would be hard to find elsewhere, like a NY Egg Cream, a classic Root Beer Float, and an Italian Affogato. Instead of your usual latte or cappuccino, try an AlPachino (an ice-blended mocha or vanilla latte) or a Ray o’ Frickin Sunshine (soy cappuccino w/orange zest). I’m just a basic coffee drinker so these don’t appeal me, but I give this place extra points just for their creativity and wicked sense of humor!

Ugly Mug Coffeehouse is located on the corner of Soquel Drive and Porter Street just a few blocks East of Highway 1. There was ample street parking and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating when I stopped by early on a weekday morning. Although I don’t live nearby, I’ll definitely make a detour the next time I’m anywhere in the neighborhood....

This is the best local coffee shop in the area. It's a medium to large ish space, ordering is done at the front counter, although the goodies-self serve coffee(in the namesake ugly mugs no less), ice cream (via mission hill creamery. One of the best local ice creameries in the area), baked goods (both made in house and from Kelly's bakery. Also gluten free cookies, and the usual light breakfast things-bagels, quiche etc), and two beer taps (discretion brewing. By now you should see the trend for locally sourced goodness). The espresso here is especially fine, and the house specialty items are some of the best things on earth. They've a five shot four chocolate mocha thing which is exquisite. There is both free wifi which is more then good enough for most purposes, and fiber fast paid wifi should you need massive bandwidth for some reason. All of this with an artistic funky vibe-there is a paper mache octopus on the ceiling, an aquarium and yes, open poetry nights. All of which is pretty...