Cole Coffee Bean + Retail Shop — Restaurant in Oakland

Cole Coffee has long held a popular spot on the Oakland café circuit, thanks in part to its prime location near Safeway and a steady stream of foot traffic from nearby markets and restaurants. But as someone who’s spent decades tasting espresso around the world—from Milan and Tokyo to New York, London, and Seattle—I’ve found the coffee here falls well short of its reputation. Over multiple visits, the espresso has been consistently over-extracted and served in volumes far exceeding what a double should be, producing a brew that tastes more like scorched drip than a focused, well-pulled shot. The flavor profile is thin and bitter, likely the result of both equipment calibration and technique—areas where small, thoughtful adjustments could yield real improvements. The service, while efficient, often feels abrupt compared to the warmth offered at nearby spots. The coffee fall well below the standard set by Philz, Souvenir, Ain’t Normal, and even Cafenated, all within a stone’s throw. Cole has the bones of a great neighborhood café, but the execution—on both flavor and hospitality—could benefit from a...

My wife likes a non-dairy macchiato, I usually drink an Americano. The espresso is usually pretty good. Unfortunately it's so dependent on the barista. One day we get delicious drinks, another day they're on the bitter side. Also, the almond croissant left us disappointed. For one, they are half the size as we get from other cafés for only about $1 more. But that could be looked over except for the almost complete lack of marzipan! The plus side of the croissant? It's the only almond croissant in the area that isn't covered in powdered sugar. While we won't order another croissant, we'll be back for more coffee as the place has a great feel and the...

A customer of Cole's for a decade switching from Pete's after they went corporate, and not a 'reviewer' but doing this now to support an outstanding independent local business in these very tough times. First, the beans are excellent, so good I order them shipped to me when away for any length of time (excellent shipping service to boot). We've settled on one particular bean for the moment but tried others: in summary it was good, better, best. Owner/manager Michael is still behind the counter nearly 15 years in. Great corner location in a unique neighborhood, friendly staff and congenial...