Coffee is Life
Brooke and I both worked as baristas for many years, eventually bringing us together and creating a friendship lasting well beyond our ‘spro-slinging period! Coffee for us isn’t just a caffeinated beverage, but something very special and sentimental. Fortunately for both us and you, the specialty coffee community in Sacramento is amazing and industry-leading, not only focusing on quality sourcing, roasting, and brewing, but highlighting education and community. We wanted to tell you a bit about our favorite shops, because face it, we are all addicted to coffee! We have gained a lot of great skills and knowledge about coffee over the years, allowing us to hunt down some of the best coffee in the Sacramento area to share with you!
Identity Coffee and Westside Cafe
@identitycoffees and @westsidecafe
Walking into their flagship store on 28th Street makes me smile every time! The large open space is minimally filled with a wide array of plants that are flourishing and are accented greatly with the wooden table tops and concrete floor. The skylights and large windows add a lot of natural light to the space, making it a great place to sit and catch up with a friend. The space at Identity allows for more than just coffee, it also serves as a space for the Midtown Bizarre, a Maker Pop Up shop, every second Saturday of each month. Just recently, they have expanded to West Sacramento with the name Westside Cafe. They have created a larger menu with breakfast and lunch options, as well as beer and wine! Their signature espresso, which they roast themselves, has tasty notes of sugar, berry, and cream. Stop by and enjoy some food, coffee, or alcohol!
The Mill
@themillsacramento and @bouquetcoffeeroasters
One of the most tranquil and cute cafes that I have been to, The Mill gives off a homey vibe that makes any artist, student, or working professional want to sit back, relax, and get stuff done! The minimalist decor with wooden accents creates a very open and inviting feel. In the summer, enjoy sitting out on their back patio surrounded by the beautiful plants and string lights while sipping on a wildflower latte and nibbling on a house-made waffle! With all this great stuff it feels like heaven that their new roasting headquarters is coming to East Sacramento. Their roastery, that goes by the name Bouquet Coffee, highlights small-lot coffee and carefully selects varieties and roasts them to highlight their individual flavors and sweetness. If you have not been to The Mill yet, definitely treat yourself to some coffee and a tasty waffle.
Highlighted in the New York Times article, “36 Hours in Sacramento,” Temple Coffee has created a strongly branded name in the coffee community. With 5 stores total and maybe more to come, Temple makes getting your coffee fix easy! Both Brooke and I met working at their location in Davis, and can attest to the excellent training and knowledge you gain being a barista at Temple. Each store has its own aesthetic that has some common cohesion across each location, but also feels like you are entering a new place each time which gives each store some individuality. Like the other companies listed, Temple focuses on roasting the beans in a way that enhances the individuality of the coffee, as well as bring out the sweetness and uniqueness of each varietal. The Dharma espresso is a staple among each of Temple’s cafés and bring some great notes of mulling spices, chocolate, and cherries. The Davis and K Street locations also offer Kyoto which is a Japanese-style cold brew! Stop by and chat with one of the baristas about their favorite coffee, or check out one of the weekly cuppings that takes place every Friday at the S Street location!
Camellia Coffee Roasters
@camelliacoffeeroasters
Nestled in the WAL Public Market, Camellia Coffee boasts iconic pink tile and a fluorescent sign, creating a cute and picturesque space that invites anyone to sit down and enjoy a great cup of coffee. Along with their yummy coffee, they also offer drool-worthy sweet and savory hand pies reminiscent of empanadas. You can also find tasty breakfast sandwiches here until 1pm daily! Camellia was recently the talk of the town because of the collab they did with Ramen Kodaiko at their pop up in the WAL Public Market. There was a line out the door to get their ramen and more specifically the Red Eye Tsukemen: tonkatsu gyokai dipping broth, red eye gravy, Camellia coffee-rubbed pork, 65 degree egg, lotus root, and katsuo powder. This collab was definitely one for the ages! Though they are one of the newer shops to hit the Sacramento coffee scene, their espresso is the bees knees! It has wonderful notes of berries and caramel that linger on the palate. Stop in and pair your coffee, matcha, or tea with a yummy sandwich or hand pie!
Coffee education is important, and Insight makes it their mission to show customers that coffee can taste great on its own without additives. They do this by focusing on where they source the coffee, how they roast it, and which brewing methods can enhance the natural attributes of the coffee. Insight maintains a beautiful feel throughout each of their cafés, drawing on natural and industrial aesthetic to create some commonalities with each of their four cafés. Insight also offers classes to share their coffee knowledge, allowing others to learn which coffees they like, as well as how to brew their favorites! They offer classes every Saturday at 12 pm for the Southside Café and the Fremont Café, and classes every Sunday at 12 pm for the Pavilions Café and Milagro Café. They alternate each week between Origin and Brewing classes. They also have a variety of videos on YouTube on how to brew with different devices at home. Stop in and check out their delicious coffee and hit up a class to expand your coffee knowledge!
Chocolate Fish
@chocfishcoffee
The name Chocolate Fish creates a lasting impression even before stepping foot into one of their cafés, and as soon as you do, you’ll never forget! The East Sacramento location is their flagship store with the roasting facility inside. If you’ve never done so, stop in and enjoy your coffee while you watch the masters at work. Their clean and minimal café design flows well with each of their spaces and their own branded cups only enhances the coffee experience. Chocolate Fish retains a certain aesthetic throughout each of their three cafés, but their newest one on Freeport Boulevard contains ornate tile on the bar that adds pops of color, and the walls have beautiful murals highlighting different regions. Their espresso boasts chocolate flavors with hints of caramel and subtle notes of orange acidity and has won awards with a Silver in the category of Espresso with Milk, and a Bronze medal in the Espresso category in 2016 and 2017 from Golden Bean North America. Stop in and get yourself an amazing beverage and watch the roasters do their thing!
Sacramento is my home and I want to share all the amazing things it has to offer with you! Restaurants, events, lifestyle, and more. Interested in Sacramento Real Estate? As a local Realtor, I have an appreciation for that too!