Highest-rated cafes in the San Luis Obispo area by diners
Highest-rated cafes in the San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo 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!
#29. The Bobastop
- Rating: 3.8/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 578 California Blvd. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
#28. MilkT Society
- Rating: 3.9/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 773 Foothill Blvd. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Hotlix
- Rating: 3.9/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 179 Pomeroy Ave. Pismo Beach, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Candy Stores, Chocolatiers & Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Kreuzberg California
- Rating: 4.1/5 (920 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 685 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Kraken Coffee
- Rating: 4.1/5 (307 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 310 Front St. Avila Beach, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Steaming Bean
- Rating: 4.1/5 (359 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1651 Shell Beach Road Pismo Beach, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Linnaea's Cafe
- Rating: 4.1/5 (536 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1110 Garden St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Black Horse Coffee
- Rating: 4.1/5 (268 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1065 Higuera St. Ste 101 San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Reimer's Candies, Gifts and Ice Cream
- Rating: 4.2/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 324 Front St. Avila Beach, California
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Coffee & Tea, Candy Stores
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Scorpion Bay Coffee
- Rating: 4.2/5 (407 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 610 Dolliver St. Pismo Beach, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Sweetie Cup Tea House
- Rating: 4.2/5 (422 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1118 Chorro St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Nautical Bean
- Rating: 4.2/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2010 Parker St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Scout Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 880 Foothill Blvd. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Libertine Coffee Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1240 Broad St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Nautical Bean
- Rating: 4.3/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 810 Orcutt Road San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Coastal Peaks Coffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (381 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3566 South Higuera St. Ste 100 San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Bagels
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Lokum Turkish Delight & Baklava
- Rating: 4.4/5 (212 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 715 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Turkish, Desserts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#12. SloDoCo Donuts
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1325 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 793 East Foothill Blvd. Ste F San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Surfside Donuts and Coffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (468 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 603 Dolliver St. Pismo Beach, California
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#10. The Nautical Bean Coffee House & Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (535 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 11560 Los Osos Valley Road San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Breezeway Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (201 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 230 Pomeroy Ave. Pismo Beach, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Waffles, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Scout Coffee Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1035 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1130 Garden St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Kaffein Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1242 Monterey St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Field Day Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1185 Monterey St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. SloDoCo Donuts
- Rating: 4.6/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 195 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Donuts, Bakeries, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Lucy's Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 871 Froom Ranch Way Ste 100 San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Kortado Bakery And Coffee
- Rating: 4.8/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 706 Dolliver St. Pismo Beach, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Twenty South
- Rating: 4.9/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3845 South Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Touch By Angels Cafe
- Rating: 4.9/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 1211 Marsh St. San Luis Obispo, California
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Korean
- 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.
