Berraco Coffee — Restaurant in Cupertino

So I came for the first time on April 30th, the day after opening day. They were packed, a line out the door, no parking, etc. Fully staffed with 2 dedicated baristas doing pourovers and a couple more acting as cashiers.

Their specialty was Colombian coffee. I was told by the barista, who called himself Bogota, that they imported coffee that was already roasted, so by the time it was served, the coffee may be as old as two weeks. I remember that they were offering many types of preparation such as siphon, Kyoto-style iced coffee and Chemex, so I asked for siphon. They did not have siphon available so I had to settle for Chemex. The Bourbon roast was flavorful. It tasted a bit like the barrel aged roasts by Modern Times. They also offered a couple chocolate-covered espresso beans to pair with the coffee.

So a few months later, after revisiting Berraco a couple times, I decided to have a weekly work meeting there. I saw Bogota one more time a week after the opening, then never again. That morning, I arrived and it was almost empty with only one person is working the register. I ordered a pour over and a couple empanadas. I got my pour over, made by the same girl working the register, just as my coworker arrived, after waiting 20 minutes. It took another 20 minutes before he got his pour over. All the while, music was blaring from a PA speaker sitting on the floor near the Stevens Creek entrance. Frankly, I felt sorry for the girl, having to do the job of 2-3 people. The place is understaffed, no doubt. Needless to say, we moved our weekly meeting elsewhere after that. Berraco seems like a lot of good ideas but not enough staffing to see those ideas come to fruition and...

Quality has gone down since I last came here. For context, this is about my eighth time coming Berraco coffee. When it first opened, I was excited to see a new coffee shop occupy the space. It seems like there's been several here that have tried and went by the wayside since the early 2010s.

My first experience with both the Arrepa Burraco and Frap Nevado were 10/10. However on my most recent visit, there's been a noticeable degredation in the quality of both products, and customer service.

My frap Navado lacked the caramel syrup, when poorly blended with noticable chunks of ice, and didn't have the chocolate confectionary beans on top. This was also the longest I've waited for service here, and when it was served, it wasn't brought on the side of the counter nearest I was sitting, I had to walk all the way around to pick it up.

The manager is usually jovial and welcomes me in, but today probably because he was training someone new I assume, or was in a different head space, he didn't recognize me. I even took off my new glasses, and there was no recognition.

And lastly, the Arepa Berraco has always been a bit overcooked. The meat is hard and crusty.

This recent experience has me swayed from coming back. I'll likely give them another chance, but my most recent visit felt very off and I felt compelled to write a review. I hope these guys can figure out some...

I chanced upon Berraco Coffee purely because its signage, declaring it as a specialty coffee destination, caught my eye — and I’m glad it did! A self-professed coffee enthusiast, I have a particular fondness for medium roast varieties, and I was pleased to find that Berraco Coffee delivered just that.

My first visit to this café was indeed a promising one. The ambiance was inviting and the coffee, with its wonderfully balanced roast, immediately appealed to my palate. It was apparent that the beans were treated with care, from sourcing to brewing, ensuring that the cup I held in my hands was a true representation of what specialty coffee should be.

Although it’s just my initial foray into what Berraco Coffee has to offer, I’m assigning a provisional 5-star rating to express my current satisfaction and the potential I see in this place. However, to form a comprehensive and fair opinion, a second visit is certainly on the horizon. I am keen to explore more of their offerings, get acquainted with their staff, and immerse myself further into the atmosphere of the café before cementing my final thoughts.

Stay tuned for visit number two, Berraco Coffee! Your first impression has left me eager to...