Volt Coffee, Tea & Taps — Restaurant in Davis

I hate to have to come here and write this because for the last year I have have mostly pleasant experiences here. Not so much this Sunday morning.

Let me start by saying that this place has my favorite espresso drinks in Davis. The Mexican Mocha with oat milk is particularly delicious. The person at the counter (wearing a face mask) who took my order was very friendly and even asked me about my morning plans. I happily added a tip as I tapped my payment.

But then came the baristas...

As i waited counter-side for my drink, they gave me strange side glances while speaking with each other about their own Sunday plans and about school (I'm assuming they are Davis students). Feeling uncomfortable, I backed up a little from the counter and started looking at my phone. After a couple of minutes of them being immersed in conversation while casually making my drink, I could see one them pushing a cup it to the edge of the counter. They didn't call me name, so I walked up to ask it it was the oat milk Mexican mocha. The dark-haired barista scoffed and said "yes it is" as if I had just asked her the dumbest question in the world. She then turned to her barista mate to continue talking about their lab experiences and schoolwork. Trying to take the high ground, I made it a point to say "thank you" again, to which the same dark-haired barista didn't respond and just looked away, seeming indignant that I dared speak to her.

I was just going to leave, but felt so crappy about how they treated me that I turned back and told the cashier what I had just experienced. He seemed mortified (but not super surprised, tbh) and offered to refund my drink. I declined, but did express that I hope they don't get a cent from the tip that I left.

All to say, Volt, train your staff better. Making one of the best espresso drinks in the area does not give them permission to ruin...

Nice little coffee shop on the edge of downtown. Very much catered towards the college students that live in the apartments nearby. Parking lot is quite tight and spaces are limited. No other close parking in the area.

I ordered a shot of espresso and the drip coffee. I asked if they could do it as a pour-over and they indeed could. Nice!

In general, I would say the espresso and pour-over were well-executed, but it was clear the beans were meant to be used in combination with a larger variety of ingredients, i.e. in one of their many flavored lattes. Very unassuming flavors and not very complex. Some interesting notes of caramel/brown sugar in the espresso, and again the shot was pulled well, but beyond that it didn’t interest me much. The pourover was pleasant but again unassuming and safe.

I think this is a great shop for a college student looking to spend an afternoon caffeinated and studying , and the ambiance and reasonable prices reflect that. But for someone looking for a specialty coffee experience, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Service was great...

Best prices for coffee in town, also has indoor and outdoor seating. This is a new coffee shop in town, also has teas, beers/cider, pastries, and food trucks available. The store is brightly lit and super clean. The menu is simple, I ordered a 12oz iced lavender latte ($5.25) and a 12oz iced matcha latte ($5.00), great price for everyone. For the espresso shots my latte, you get to choose either dark or medium roast beans. I opted for the dark roast beans in my lavender latte which gave a bold flavor to my coffee. Matcha needs a bit more flavor, but still good. The orders came out quickly and the staff were friendly. Parking is limited onsite, but plenty of street parking available.

Weekday happy hour ($5) from 4pm-6pm on taps.

With many college students in Davis, there were plenty of chargers making this a great study spot. Definitely looking forward to...