Academic Coffee

Their matcha with banana cream is the best here. I'm glas to have tried, it doesn't have that fake banana taste. Matcha taste perfect 10/10. My partner got a Hojicha latte and he said he wasn't a fan, but I think he didn't get enough sweetness added into his.Service was good, cashier and baristas are friendly. Drinks came out within less than 10 minutes, there was a line of people too. I went around 10:45am.There's seating, but they were all occupied. People catching up with friends or doing work. Cute coffee shop :)

pros:-the BEST matcha latte with banana cream and biscoff crumbs (cold); they also offer a hot version -friendly service-clean bathroom-lots of seating-huge selection of great drinks and pastries cons:-none

Final Thoughts: 3.11/5Apparently there's a hype for this place, which is kind of interesting because I found my drink to be...normal...subpar...average...?? Experience overall was fine though. With any hype, I do have fairly high expectations, but unfortunately, they were not to my standard. Perhaps it was the drink I chose or the timing my friends and I went. That shouldn't be an excuse though. Their pastries do somewhat intrigue me, so maybe I will consider coming back for them at an earlier time. Drink: Pandan Latte: 2.4/5 First time trying pandan in a coffee drink I believe. The flavors work well together, so I didn't feel like both flavors were fighting against each other on my palate. This beverage appeared to just be milk though or mainly milk. It lacked a lot of flavor in general and I felt like it was missing a lot of elements. The flavor of pandan was only in the aftertaste and I had to really let that flavor marinade on my tongue to even get a hint of it in the aftertaste. Coffee flavor was so light and I had a feeling it was going to be like that due to the color of the drink itself being very light. Sweetness of the beverage was pretty good. For these beverages, I like a good balance of bitterness and sweetness, so the sweetness level for this was good for me. For some reason, I thought the consistency for this latte would be a little thicker and creamy. Definitely not the case here. It's very thin since the beverage is just stirred together in the cup without any excessive mixing or whipping. Aroma of the pandan was apparent. For me, it did smell like the leaves themselves mixed with some of the paste. There's this earthy and grassy tone to it, which makes me believe it's the leaves that are used here. Big plus if this is the case. Menu: Some of their flavors aren't something that you would see at your typical coffee shop. This is mostly referring to their specialties, which include flavors like pandan, pilochillo, and elderflower. Personally, I like trying new flavors or seeing different flavors on the menu mixed with your classic ones. Additional comments:Even though I was pretty disappointed with the drink, their pastries look like they could pair well with a drink. Not too many options from what I observed on other reviews, but a fair amount of pastries, donuts, and cookies.---------Quality: Fast coffee They have an open counter where we can see what happens behind the scenes and I actually watched my drink being made. Syrup from a bottle, milk, and then a shot of coffee I believe. I'm aware that these are perhaps all of the components to it, but I feel like there's a lack of care that goes into making a drink at this price point. Perhaps I can understand this with a fast food place, but it's not actually something I would like to see at a coffee shop like this. Quality of the ingredients feels somewhat optimal though. Their milk substitutes are actually the branded ones, so that's always a plus. Price: Fair to expensive Fair in a sense that most other coffee spots will charge around the same price for a drink like this, but expensive is a sense that the quality of this coffee feels so suboptimal. Price range for the drinks here are $4 to $6 with a few outliers. There is also an upcharge of $0.50 for milk substitutes. They are an option though. Service: Happy energy They were quick and efficient today. There was a small crowd when we came in, but we were able to get our drinks within about 5 minutes. They appear very nice and I love the energy even for a late afternoon. Ambiance: This place has a vibe to it. Very rustic and earthy, which is calming. There's not much space inside. From what I recall, there's only seats that line the wall of the interior. Some standing space is available, but again, the café is quite small itself. Counter and display case create a border that blocks off most of the space, which makes sense. More of a grab and go shop for me rather than a place I would come to have a coffee date or study at. Parking plays a factor in this too. Location/Parking: Downtown SJ...enough said...If y'all know downtown San Jose area, then you know that it is not the most ideal spot for driving or parking. Never my preferred choice if I can help it. The shop stands in between 1st and 2nd street. Parking spots are available in front of the shop. Please read the signs for parking and pay accordingly. Most of the spots were available to us on a Friday during the late afternoon time. We were in and out of there within 7 to 10 minutes, so we just needed a few coins. These spots are diagonal and I believe reversing in is the way to go, given the orientation of their lines.

Fav new matcha spot! I had seen the Banana Crème Matcha trending for a while and finally got to try it. Totally worth the hype! The banana crème pairs so well with the matcha. It was smooth, slightly sweet, and perfectly balanced.I went on a Saturday, and even though the line was long, it moved surprisingly fast. The overall vibe was great. It's the perfect spot to catch up with friends or get some work done.Definitely coming back to try more drinks! If you love matcha and want something unique, this is a must-try.

Pleasantly surprised by this shop. I'd been wanting to stop in for a while and finally went early Sunday morning. The shop is quite small inside and minimal seating arrangements. I was able to park directly across and walk in. I was immediately greeted and surprised how many other people were in so early. I ordered the banana cream pie latte and a chocolate croissant. I really liked the banana cream pie latte and the banana and coffee flavor went well together. They use real banana so it's not an artificial flavor cream. I would love to come back and try the banana cream matcha next!

The banana cream matcha is a must try!I've tried many banana cream matcha around the bay and I have to say academic coffee is by far my favorite and is reasonably priced at $7! I also really enjoy their lavender matcha too! They import their matcha from Japan and you can really tell they put a lot of thought and love into their drinks and pastries.The staff and the environment is super welcoming! Academic coffee is the perfect place to study but it does get crowded/noisy so if you don't like that environment then it is not for you.

Stopped by Academic Coffee in San Jose and tried their vanilla cappuccino, which was super smooth, absolutely loved their beans! My husband ordered the strawberry shrub soda, but unfortunately, it wasn't great--quite bitter and not enjoyable.The vibe of the coffee shop is pretty good, and the baristas were friendly and smiling, which added to the experience. However, seating inside is limited, so it might not be the best spot to linger. One downside was that the coffee mug had a chipped rim, which was disappointing for a $5 coffee plus tip would have expected better quality.Overall, a good café with great coffee, but a few details could be improved!

BEST coffee in DTSJ... and there's a lottttt of good coffee..... High quality beans and consistently well-balanced drinks. Great service, friendly baristas. Bright, fun place to meet a friend or read a book. Pandan cold brew is usually my go-to, but I also love the banana cream latte with a fierce passion and hope that it never goes away. I love all things matcha here and!!! can't forget the annual Lunar New Year special drinks.

Great drinks, dog friendly and fast service. :)Hot Banana Cream Matcha Latte with Oat Milk: $8 Perfect sipping temperature and a strong banana flavor. Can't quite taste the matcha because of how strong the banana cream flavor is but gosh I absolutely love love love this drink. The texture is thick and creamy and can easily become a daily indulgence. Service: Fast and friendly!!Ambiance: Indie coffee shop vibes. Lots of natural lighting. Seating availability is a little tight.

I don't know how it took me this long to check out Academic Coffee, but it was worth the wait! I was able to easily find street parking on a Friday (late) morning. The interior was on the smaller side and had fun decor, including a wall mural, framed prints, and their own version of the Duct-Taped Banana "artwork". For drinks, I chose the iced Pandan Latte and my sister got the iced Banana Cream Latte. We also ordered an Everything Bagel Croissant and Maple Old Fashioned Donut to share. Service was friendly and quick, and they had indoor seating available. The Pandan Latte was tasty and had a nice earthy flavor. However, my sister's Banana Cream Latte was even better. I was worried it would be too sweet and not caffeinated enough, but it actually had a great balance - would totally get this next time. Both pastries were also fantastic. The Everything Bagel Croissant had all the flavors of a bagel with the texture of a croissant, and the Maple Old Fashioned Donut was a delicious treat. Overall, a great experience - will definitely return to try more!