Highest-rated cafes in the San Jose area by diners
Highest-rated cafes in the San Jose area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the San Jose area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of San Jose were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. Aroma
- Rating: 4.5/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3005 Silver Creek Road Ste 150 San Jose, California
- Categories: Desserts, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Acha Coffee & Tea
- Rating: 4.5/5 (58 reviews)
- Address: 3245 Sierra Road San Jose, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Stardust Superfood Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 1725 South Bascom Ave. Ste 1100 Campbell, California
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Acai Bowls
- Read more on Yelp
#27. World Donuts N Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 459 South Capitol Ave. San Jose, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Bagels
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Kenz Coffee Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 445 Hershner Drive Los Gatos, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Living Room Coffee Craft
- Rating: 4.5/5 (499 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1711 Winchester Blvd. Campbell, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#24. The Giving Pies
- Rating: 4.6/5 (290 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 569 West Alma Ave. San Jose, California
- Categories: Desserts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Bayleaf Tea
- Rating: 4.6/5 (352 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 367 Cypress Drive Milpitas, California
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Nirvana Soul Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (279 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 19700 Vallco Pkwy Ste 190 Cupertino, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Mandala Tea House
- Rating: 4.6/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 14107-H Winchester Blvd. Los Gatos, California
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Maple Leaf Donuts
- Rating: 4.6/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2329 South Winchester Blvd. Campbell, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Ume Tea
- Rating: 4.6/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4750 Almaden Expy Ste 136 San Jose, California
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Voyager Craft Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (526 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 87 North San Pedro St. San Jose, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Regal Bagel
- Rating: 4.6/5 (609 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 125 Bernal Road Ste 10 San Jose, California
- Categories: Bagels, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Voyager Craft Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1838 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3985 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Nirvana Soul Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (924 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 315 South 1st St. San Jose, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Waffles
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Bascom Donuts
- Rating: 4.7/5 (180 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3966 South Bascom Ave. San Jose, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Happy Donuts
- Rating: 4.7/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1345 South Winchester Blvd. San Jose, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Friends Coffee & Tea
- Rating: 4.7/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1029 South Bascom Ave. San Jose, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Special Education, Arts & Crafts
- Read more on Yelp
#11. T-Square Coffee & Tea
- Rating: 4.7/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1102 Bird Ave. Ste 20 San Jose, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#10. AM Craft
- Rating: 4.7/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 481 East San Carlos St. San Jose, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Maple Leaf Donuts
- Rating: 4.7/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6469 Almaden Expy Ste 70 San Jose, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Dumont Creamery & Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 28 North Almaden Ave. Ste 40 San Jose, California
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Coffee & Tea, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Best Artisan Empanadas
- Rating: 4.7/5 (223 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 533 East Campbell Ave. Campbell, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Empanadas, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Whisk Cake Creations
- Rating: 4.7/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1216 Lincoln Ave. Alameda, California
- Categories: Bakeries, Custom Cakes, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Casa Guzmania
- Rating: 4.7/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 350 South Market St. San Jose, California
- Categories: Empanadas, Mexican, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Besteas Cafe
- Rating: 4.8/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1075 South White Road Ste 70 San Jose, California
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Nha Cafe
- Rating: 4.8/5 (190 reviews)
- Address: San Jose, California
- Categories: Vietnamese, Coffee & Tea, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Cafe Docanto
- Rating: 4.8/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7 North 33rd St. San Jose, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Portuguese
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Cowboy Coffee
- Rating: 4.9/5 (111 reviews)
- Address: 1145 East Arques Ave. Sunnyvale, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
