Coffee House Crawl: Favorite Cafes for Quality Java, Snacks, and Atmosphere

Ah, the coffee house. The place to get your caffeine fix—and the treat of escaping to another environment with the promise of a comforting beverage or snack. San Luis Obispo County has so many wonderful options, but here are some of the best places to get coffee in SLO, Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles, and beyond.

Amstrdm Coffee House | Paso Robles

Amstrdm Coffee's charming window shutters open onto bustling 13th Street in the heart of downtown Paso Robles. And, yes, that is how this business spells its name! Perhaps this is a reflection of their slogan, "simply elevated." The quality of the fare certainly stands apart. Enjoying mostly indoor and some outdoor seating, patrons gobble up the breakfast burritos, croissant sandwiches and beautifully crafted pastries. And they are drawn to the traditional-style coffee made with house-crafted syrups and premium coffee beans roasted by local coffee roaster, Spearhead. Amstrdm is celebrating the recent opening of its second coffee house location on Palma Avenue in Atascadero.

Common Grounds Coffee

Paso Robles Common Grounds coffee house is part of the Paso Market Walk group of shops located at 1825 Spring Street in Paso Robles. With easy parking and expansive outdoor seating, this spot is particularly ideal for groups or patrons with dogs in tow. Popular beverages include lattes such as the Lavender Vanilla Honey and the Salted Bourbon Caramel, as well as the Kyoto Cold Brew. These coffees may also be ordered as mocktails. The syrups are made in-house, and the shop is known for pulling ristretto espresso versus pulls from higher yield coffee beans, which is what most coffee houses practice. The shop also emphasizes stocking food products from local businesses, such as baked goods from the nearby Back Porch Bakery.

Kraken Coffee Company

Avila Beach & Pismo Beach The beverages and pastries are excellent at the Kraken Coffee Company, but it's the view that's to die for. Second floor loft seating looks straight out at the sea, while most patrons order their goods "to go" so that they can bask in the sidewalk sunshine or stroll the enchanting sands of Avila Beach. A naturally sheltered cove, Avila Beach is famed as the warmest beach in the county with less wind and fog. It's no wonder that Kraken's stream of customers is as constant as the beautiful breakers across the street. Kraken also operates a location on Pomeroy Street in Pismo Beach.

Café Andreini | Arroyo Grande

Located in the heart of the historic Village of Arroyo Grande, Café Andreini is a delicious and convenient stop amid a plethora of unique shops and parks. For more than 24 years, this beloved spot has been a local favorite for its well-crafted coffees and extensive food menu including Belgian waffles, breakfast tacos and burritos, open-faced sandwiches, acai bowls, stuffed croissants, pastries and so much more. In recent years the café has added local beer, wine and even WhaleBird Kombucha to the lineup. Ample seating draws a bustling crowd of customers both inside and out, and the vibe is decidedly as sunny as this small and welcoming Central Coast community.

Joebella Coffee Roasters | Atascadero

Calling themselves the "premier source for organic specialty coffee on California's Central Coast," Joebella Coffee Roasters takes the quality of its coffee seriously. While throngs of customers purchase Joebella coffee beans to use for home brewing, the coffee house itself, located in Atascadero at 3168 El Camino Real, is also a thriving community meeting spot where patrons enjoy pastries, quiche, burritos and more.

Lily's | Cambria

Lily's Coffee House boasts a lot of deliciousness and a charming courtyard setting right in the heart of picturesque Cambria, a coastal village located on San Luis Obispo's north coast. Here, the hot breakfast items, salads, soup, pastries and more are all made fresh. Menu items such as the "Thin Mint Latte," "Chorizo Bagel Sandwich," and "Margherita Flatbread" keep customers coming back for more.

Scout Coffee | San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay

The Scout Coffee Co. calls its product "happy coffee," and it's tough to argue with that. This family-owned business has been rolling out from-scratch pastries and their own Honey Co. craft roasted coffee since they opened on Garden Street in downtown San Luis Obispo in 2014. Since then, they have christened two more SLO locations on Foothill Boulevard and on the Cal Poly campus. Most recently, they unveiled a showcase roastery, café and bakery in Morro Bay's former Bank of America building. Patrons love the welcoming atmosphere where it's okay to sit for hours, as well as the curated gift shop items up for grabs.