Ash Pickett is a Business Administration Senior and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Today I will try to describe my favorite coffee shops in the Central Coast that I’ve loved during my last four years, from someone who spent an absurd amount of time trying them all out after the Kennedy Library closed for construction.
There are so many things that make a great coffee shop: roast, variety of seasonal flavors, grade of matcha, ambiance, food, location, but honestly what matters most to me is the vibe. Is it good? If yes, I’m there.
I’ll try to explain the vibe of each of these places so you can pick and choose which one suits your fancy for whatever you might be searching for.
Honorable Mentions:
The Bunker SLO (art gallery that serves coffee and food from Nautical Bean)
Sasquatch Coffee House
Touch By Angels Cafe
Top Dog Cafe Bar & Restaurant
Deltina
I waited two years for this place to open. I tried it for the first time last year, and the coffee was delightful.
There’s not a ton of seating inside, but in my experience, it only really gets busy during midterms and finals. Otherwise, it’s quite calm, which makes for a nice study environment.
The lack of outdoor seating and natural light wounds me. But they are located right next to the freeway on and off ramps, so I can’t fault them too much.
My recommendation: Iced lavender latte
Kreuzberg
A classic. Kreuzberg has Scantron Trivia every Thursday night that you can attend after perusing the farmer’s market. You can even throw parties here, complete with karaoke and a silent disco.
I love the plants and the dark-academia-esque color scheme, if you will. There are outlets everywhere, making it easy to plug in and lock in. Bonus points if you can get a group of friends and study in one of those big glass bubbles overlooking the sidewalk.
My recommendation: Breakfast burrito
Black Horse Espresso
I’ve heard SLO locals love this place for its roasts. It’s a great spot to meet someone for a professional coffee chat because there are usually open tables and the pastries are delicious.
There are also two locations: one downtown and one on Broad Street. I’m here to tell you that the one on Broad Street has free parking that always has spots and usually isn’t overly busy. I highly recommend going to Black Horse on Broad during finals week when freshmen without a car won’t be able to take over.
My recommendation: Blackberry oat scone
Front Porch
Time and time again, Front Porch has saved me and countless other students from the solemn fate of a caffeine withdrawal during a long day on campus. That’s a large reason I put it higher on the list.
This place rules. Free coffee funded by generous donors, free dinner on Wednesday nights during the school year and even a quarterly camping trip for students. They’ve built an amazing community around Front Porch.
Is it impossible to find a seat here? Likely. Is it worth stopping by anyway for the community and the free drink? Certainly.
My recommendation: Hot oat latte in a unique Front Porch mug
Nautical Bean
Nautical Bean pre-sweetens their matcha so it tastes like a cupcake, which is a little bit of a crime, but I can forgive that because their coffee is amazing.
I hold many memories close to my heart that took place in this trendy, upbeat coffee shop. It has very distinctive decor: vintage lunch boxes, skateboards, music posters.
This is the place to take your friends when they’re visiting town for the first time and you want to show them that you live in a real college town. There’s also a seating area where no laptops are allowed, just good old-fashioned conversation. Gotta love it.
My recommendation: Rainforest Latte – a mixed drink including yerba mate tea, chai, and soy milk
Joebella
Has anybody heard of this place? Because they should hear about it. This semi-recently-opened coffee shop makes the only matcha I’ve enjoyed in San Luis Obispo as of late.
The decorations on the inside are cozy and sweet, they have snacks and wifi and there’s outdoor seating. I also love that they have large, garage-like doors that are windowed so that natural light fuels the shop. It makes me feel at peace to sit inside.
My recommendation: Matcha latte, no sweetener
Steaming Bean (Pismo)
You might think I only go to San Luis Obispo coffee shops, but as a wise person once told me: for great coffee, one must travel far and wide.
Steaming Bean in Pismo is that girl. There’s parking, there’s seating, there’s an outdoor balcony and there’s a delectable menu of great breakfast and lunch foods to choose from.
How about sunrise tidepooling at Shell Beach, then breakfast after? Or a study session followed by some oceanside tennis? Sign me up.
My recommendation: Vanilla Bean latte
Scout (Morro Bay)
The Morro Bay distinction here is important. This Scout is the best Scout, and I’ve scouted it out multiple times to tell you that.
There are always open tables. I especially enjoy the outdoor seating when the weather permits. This Scout sits on the same street as the thrift shops, so you can take a study break and shop. You’re close to the water and the iconic Morro Bay sea otters.
It’s all the same pastry and drink offerings as the San Luis Obispo Scout Coffees, but for some reason, they taste just a teeny bit better up north.
There’s also a strange vault door on the inside for any fans of the Ocean’s movies to get a photo op.
My recommendation: Honey tea bowl – chamomile tea with milk and honey
Field Day
I don’t care that there’s never parking in the lot and there’s always a line out the door. Park a few blocks down and make the trek over. It’s worth it, because Field Day is wonderful.
The coffee itself is incredible — arguably the best I’ve had in SLO — so take your coffee connoisseur friends here and watch as their eyes light up.
The wooden tables inside are so cute and quaint, and the pastries, snacks and sandwiches are delicious, all of which make it easy to lose track of time in your studies. If you make it early enough in the morning, you might even get a chance to try their bagel with cream cheese. It sounds simple, but it’s chef’s kiss, I promise.
Similar to Joebella, Field Day runs on natural light inside the shop and has a large, wooden outdoor seating area as well. I love lounging outside with a coffee, then shopping around the little clothing store next door. This is one of the best places to take your friend for a good conversation and soak in some rays!
My recommendation: Plain bagel with cream cheese
Linnaea’s
Linnaea’s feels like my old friend who wears cool bracelets, paints using an easel and then sends me a playlist with some songs that reminded them of me.
It was the first coffee shop built in San Luis Obispo, and it’s still the best.
This cafe features rotating local art decorating the inside, a bay window with a special four-person table, a garden backyard with a koi pond and ivy-covered walls and a piano open for anyone to play. They host jazz nights, chess clubs and a variety of fun community events.
They’ve been cultivating the ideal coffee shop atmosphere since 1984, so I’m giving my number one spot to Linnaea’s.
My recommendation: The Starving Artist – bowl of vegan chili with homemade sourdough
