Highwire Coffee Roasters

Searching for a quick coffee spot, I came upon this rather innocuous yet quaint coffee shop, not expecting much. But two things stood out to me as I ordered. The service and the drink itself. The man who took my order, Curt (who dawned some very cool apron pins), was patient, kind, and swiftly prepared my beverage. As for the latte I ordered, it was milky and not overly sweet, and the beans are incredibly delicious, and the caffeine boost is noticeably present. The focus on the drink and service made my first visit quick and pleasant. I would absolutely recommend a drink from here for anyone who is looking for coffee. 10/10

My favorite coffee on the island and where I go when I want a special treat. The lattes are incredible. Staff are rad. They also have gluten free snacks pretty often.

This small little coffee shop has excellent service and a delicious latte. It was just right for a stopover on our bike trip along the beach. There is some space to sit outside to enjoy your coffee and the neighborhood. Inside they are having a fun little Polaroid photo exhibition.

Really enjoying going to this local coffee shop in Alameda. The staff are the main factor as to why I choose Highwire Coffee. They are super friendly and welcoming. The only down side is I tend to always show up for a bag of coffee when they are out. I personally prefer light roast coffee which they have and recently learned that they get their shipment of coffee bags on Tuesday around 1pm (fyi). Can’t say anything about their espresso drink as I have yet to order one but worth stopping by and trying and experiencing such friendly coffee staff.

Highwire Coffee Roasters in Alameda delivers excellent crafted coffee. Whether you have it to stay or to go it’s delicious every time. Cappuccino are immaculate!

Tiny little shop for coffee, always good vibes, the staff always makes it look like it's fun to work there. Strawberry latte & mint matcha pictured

awesome coffee of the week! $4 for a biggggg cup of it on ice. so yummy. guava cheese mochi donut… texture is unbeatable. yum!!!

This review is ONLY for Alameda. Do not, I repeat, do not order a matcha latte from here. The quality has gone down considerably. The matcha used to be whisked perfectly and when combined with milk, the drink used to be decadent and smooth. The pictures are posted with this review However, the drink I received today was watery, as if the milk was simply heated up and the matcha was dumped in without any whisking. I also tasted TOO MUCH matcha, as if I was drinking a tall, cold glass of grass. Their customer service has also lacked. They take no phone calls and when I called to inform them their online ordering system did not work and asked when it would be fixed, two people said “Oh, we know it’s down, we don’t know what to do about it”. I’ll continue supporting Coffee and Tea Traders with better customer service and certainly, A MORE DELICIOUS MATCHA LATTE.

Great service, great coffee! It was my first time coming to High Wire and I absolutely loved it! My husband and I spent the first part of our day at the Everyone Eats Market a few weeks ago, and we desperately needed some caffeine before making our way back home. We decided on trying Highwire, and we were so glad we did! Their menu is small, but I almost like that better than when a menu has too many options to choose from. My husband got an iced vanilla latte, I got the cruel summer iced tea. Both were delicious! The coffee was nice and smooth, and the iced tea was so refreshing. So needed after a day out shopping in the sun. This is a smaller coffee shop, with limited sitting space, so just be aware of the fact that you are more than likely going to have to take your treats and beverages to go. There is a couple tables outside, plus a bench or two for you to sit and hang out, but otherwise, there's not much room. The baristas who served us that day were so awesome! Very friendly and took the time to explain their products to us when we asked questions. Will definitely be back here in the future!

Highwire has become our coffee shop of choice in Alameda. Having worked in the coffee business for years back in the day, I'm pretty particular about my brew. Highwire's coffee is good, and strong. I always get a cold brew with vanilla, my partner goes for a standard black coffee. They sell creatively-named ground coffees, which we will need to buy a bag of one of these days. The people working here are always nice. They also sell 'Happy Moose' energy and immunity shots, which are great when you need a little extra pep in your step. They have a bench and a table outside, but this is mostly a grab-and-go type of place. My only complaint about this place is that they don't take cash. Cash is legal tender for all debts, it allows people to transact in privacy, and allows access to people without bank accounts or credit cards. It is essential to keep cash alive, and I hope Highwire will reconsider this policy. Everything else is great. Thanks for keeping us running, Highwire.

Cute coffee spot in a good location and nice staff! I ordered the strawberry latte, and it was creamy and had the right amount of strawberry flavor I was looking for. It was $6.95, which I think is a bit pricey for what it is but it tasted good. This is more of a grab and go place, but there is a bench and a small table outside that people could sit at.

My go-to order is an iced vanilla latte with oat milk during the warmer months. Their seasonal cruel palmer (ice tea lemonade) is super refreshing too. Their chai lattes are pretty solid and unique. They have a good variety of pastries, including mochi muffins/donuts from Third Culture Bakery. I like that they use Minor Figures brand oat milk. The staff remembers their regulars which is a plus. My only wish is for the location to be bigger and spacious.

Stopped by for a pick-me-up drink. Small but modern looking storefront with your typical coffee drinks as well special drinks (strawberry latte, mocha, chai latte, etc). They also sell their own beans. I got an iced mint matcha latte special. I thought it was just okay, the hint of mint was nice but the matcha wasn't too well mixed as there were many bits on the bottom. I liked that it wasn't too sweet which was just as advertised. The hot mocha drink was good, not too sweet with a noticeable taste of spice and chocolate. My family tried their espresso and being avid coffee drinkers, they thought the taste was fine, nothing too crazy but also not bad. Service was quick and friendly.

My partner likes cream or half & half in her morning coffee and a few days ago when she opened the fridge she realized we were out of creamer. Got home late the night before and decided not to go to the store. So time to walk down the street to get coffee. I had been in here a few times before. Place is clean, staff is pleasant and most important, the coffee is great. I'm not a fan of the hipster coffee like verve or philz so good thing. Two days later I was back again. We had creamer but we didn't have power so no hot water to make coffee. Good thing they are close. Probably going to stop in more often. They also have some muffins and the like. This place has no inside seating but there is a small table and bench outside.

I came here on a whim just looking for a spot to sit and chill for an hour, but unfortunately, there were actually no indoor tables or bathrooms for customers. I ordered an allspice latte which was well made, but as a coffee enthusiast/hobbyist myself, it's very hard to justify paying $7.50 for it.

A cute tiny spot for coffee! I got a cappuccino and I loved how it had a lot of flavors within the espresso. It was strong and perfectly foamy!

Small shop, but friendly a pretty quick getting your drinks prepared. Have become a Hotwire fan, the coffee is delicious and without any bitterness. Whenever I see a Hotwire location, I stop to buy a cup!

My partner was in the mood for some coffee and we stumbled upon Highwire since it was the one of the few shops that were still open in the late afternoon. I opted for a matcha latte and he got a mocha. If you are a matcha lover I would skip the matcha here. The matcha was very light and was more milky and watered down. I definitely had stronger matcha lattes in the bay. I would recommend their coffees though as my partner's latte tasted much better.

Cute little coffee shop with great service. Got a creamy matcha latte (with no after taste or powder), hot morning tea and apple scone. Perfect way to start any day!

Delicious watermelon espresso tonic! Staff members were nice. Not a lot of room inside, like you can only really order, get it and get out, but there is a bench right outside the door. Will be back again if I can make it down that side of Park St. again.

Came by for coffee the other day and it was a phenomenal experience! Parking is available on the street around the coffee shop. The coffee shop is tiny and can may be hold 3 customers max. There were 2 staff members working during my visit with some opting to wear a mask. There was a small selection of pastries next to the ordering counter. Ordered a latte and it was excellent. Espresso was smooth and the temperature was perfect. Latte art was phenomenal too! They take credit cards!

My family was looking for an afternoon pick-me-up after lunch nearby so we decided to stop by Highwire. The shop is much smaller than I thought it would be. Basically, takeout only but they do have a few benches/tables outside on the sidewalk. Inside the shop, they have enough room for their counter, fridge, lids/napkins station, and a separate area for merch. Their menu is simple enough - straightforward coffee & tea options with a separate smaller menu of their seasonal offerings. They've also got some pastries available. The baristas were super patient and helpful as my indecisive family tried to decide what we all wanted to order. I decided to go with their seasonal Iced Spring Mint Mocha ($7), spearmint syrup + mocha. It was on the sweeter side, as expected with a mocha. It tasted more like a chocolate milk with mint since I didn't taste much of the coffee. So if you're into the coffee flavor like me, I'd recommend asking for less of the chocolate (if possible). It was good, but I did feel like it was pretty expensive for what it was. I also got the Third Culture Bakery churro mochi muffin. I've had third culture before so it was a treat to see it offered here. The mochi texture was perfectly fluffy/chewy and the churro flavor was a great balance of sweet & cinnamon-y (spicy? Idk lol). Loved it! Even better when it's warm. Overall, a great choice for coffee on the island!

Tasty masala chai. not as sweet as some but also not too spicy. however it has a good bit of flavor too. a good balance. sticky bun was pretty good but would try another pastry next time

I've always gotten the cold brew. Honestly, all cold brew taste the same to me but I enjoy this cold brew more than other cafes ;) I pour half and half to it and it is even more refreshing. This is not a sweet drink, but you can always ask them to add sweetener to yours. I'm not sure if there's an extra charge for that but the barista offered to do that for me if I wanted it a bit sweeter. I like that they have third culture pastries there. The churro mochi muffin is my favorite. They have the mochi donuts too. The regular mochi muffin had sesame seeds on it which I did not like, but that's not anyone's fault lol. Staff have been nice whenever I come. Will be back!

Cute coffee shop next to downtown Alameda. - Parking: super limited street parking. If you're not lucky to get a spot right out front, be prepared to park elsewhere and walk over - Food and Drinks: cute pastries in a display case, and many different coffee drinks. I ordered a matcha latte with almond milk. I enjoyed this as it was right in between sweet and bitter (and it was smooth - not grainy like some other cafes) - Service: the two staff members that were there this morning were friendly and quick - Miscellaneous: cute dog Polaroids in case you need a pick-me-up. Barista did some pretty cool latte art. Small tables are available outside to drink at (no seating indoors)

Super small coffee pastry shop! Amazing service, love the jar of available dog treats :) Tried the Chaider ($5) which was a chai and apple cider mix. Very intriguing combo and flavor! It's made hot only and with oat milk, which is what I would've asked for anyways! The apple cider flavor really comes through and the chai seeps through near the end. It's all the holiday spices in one warm cup!

Came here today on my sister's recommendation. Most important question, would I go back again? In a heartbeat. It's a small store and had really cool designs. In LA, if a place has awesome aesthetics, it either means that store cares thoroughly about everything they're doing, OR the aesthetic is the ONLY thing they're doing. Fortunately, Highwire is the former. They take tremendous care in what they do and it's explicit that they're passionate about their craft. Great coffee is a given. Bonus is their affordability. Gold star is their merch looking incredible and fairly priced. And triple rainbow is Kelvin being a good dude and humoring my subpar jokes. If you need to more reviews, what are you doing? It's a great cup of well priced coffee made by cool people. You don't need a review. You need to go.

I'm not even sure I should be writing a review because I only come here for their pastries. They carry amazing pastries from 2 local spots: 3rd Culture Bakery Craftsman & Wolves I've gotten both, and it's convenience for ME cuz both bakeries are too far for me to trek to. Sure they are a bit pricey but it's still cheaper if you made the drive! Here's what I've had: MORNING BUN - $5.70 Bariani Honey, Vanilla, Lemon Sugar. Flakey buttery dough with a filling of honey, lemon, and vanilla that creates a soft center and tossed in Meyer lemon sugar. Although it didn't taste that fresh it was still really good! MOCHI MUFFIN - $4.25 Really can't go wrong with any of the flavors. The best of both worlds between Mochi and muffins! KOUIGN AMANN - $5.50 I love how it comes with a tiny macaron on top--like a bonus pastry! The rest is flakey and not at all dry--I think there was a bit of a filling. This place is very tiny bit there is a bench in side which my friend and I used until the rain passes. There are a couple of tables and chairs outside but it won't cover you from the rain. I'll be back soon!

Been here a handful of times and service has been consistently amazing. Espresso is always made the way I want, with a short wait, and always delicious! Love the assortment of baked goods and the whole coffee bean selection for take-home, too. Will definitely keep coming back!

Cute little coffee shop. A few tables and chairs are available. I can imagine this being a nice little spot to check out plants next door and then sit down for some coffee. I ordered a latte and a churro Mochi donut! Both were delicious. The churro Mochi was so soft, I recommend a hot coffee, latte, or tea to balance this sweet pastry. Service was quick and easy!

Good coffee! I found this place while in the area. It's a small place with no seating inside but some benches outside. Simple menu I really liked the coffee quality. Friendly staff.

Only a 7 min walk from my place. Nice lil small coffee shop with friendly barista's. The oat cappuccino was exactly what I expected from a specialty place.

Without a doubt, this is the best coffee place in Alameda. The beans are excellent, but it's the expertise and care of the staff that make this so exceptional. I have never had anything less than a perfect latte in the many, many times I have been here. And the pictures of local dogs always add to the big smile to my face. The baked good are from the best purveyors in the East Bay (yay to Boichik bagels and the amazing mochi churro muffins!).

Happened to pass by the Highwire Coffee Roasters and decided to take advantage of chore day. The brew of the day was Nebilyer Valley, New Guinea, and it was worth fighting a parking spot! A full body tasty tasty coffee with hints of caramel. Not to say it's sweet, but it's satisfyingly different from mainstream brews. I am seriously enjoyed this cup. The only thing that I could wish for here would be to do pour over single coffees on demand. I want to try all the flavors!!

I'm spoiled by this place being my local coffee shop. The espresso blends are always delicious and they're always down to tell me the breakdown. I got into straight espresso here and they've always welcomed my questions. The baristas are super personable and care about delivering a good cup of espresso. I'll also get a Third Culture mochi muffin when I'm feeling like an extra treat. There's always the crema on top, spoon, and cup of sparkling water. If you like espresso, stop by! Crown is marginally better, both in a top tier spot for me. If you're in Alameda, give it a try!

My first review of the year shall be a new local coffee shop :) I have been waiting for Highwire to open after driving by many times and their coffee is just as amazing as their aesthetics! Fun fact: just found out my mom knows the co-owners because they all used to work at Peet's HQ!! If you guys are reading this, Xiao aka Xiao's Blend says HI!! :)

Welcome to the Island! Yay for delish coffee, warm service and yummy baked goods. -masks required -one party at a time, but looked like patrons with a larger group would have just one person inside the tiny shop - which is super considerate to the staff -2 shots per espresso drink -12 oz coffee super floral and fragrant not burnt like AHEM -third culture and firebrand goods -touch less pay Delightful to see small businesses opening up and thriving!

I've tried HIghwire Coffee before, and was excited to see that they opened in Alameda. My favorite go to coffee in Alameda is Julie's, which is also close by. I've mostly been making coffee at home during the pandemic, but needed that extra dose of caffeine one morning, so we stopped by one weekday morning, around 9:30am. They are limiting capacity--only 1 customer in the store at a time, and have lines enforcing social distancing outside. I placed my order for a drip coffee and it was ready within a few minutes--there was a bit of a wait because they were making a fresh batch. The barista wore gloves the whole time and handed me the drink lid using tweezers. I typically drink my coffee with a splash of milk and sugar, but when I try a new place, I like to drink it black. The coffee was smooth, good amount of depth without being bitter. Overall great coffee. Parking can be hard to find depending on time of day, but there's residential parking nearby if you don't mind walking a little.

Highwire Coffee Roasters is in Doggy-Style Hot Dogs' vacated space. just take out, no seating outside or inside. offerings; tea. coffee. pastries brew: American (3.25) 12 oz. brewed to order -smooth tasting, dark roast type coffee with no harshness. drips: -only l person at a time inside during covid -line outside has clearly marked social distancing guidelines.

I just started coming here because I'm trying to move towards tea instead of coffee and let me tell you the tea here is fantastic, I don't crave coffee at all after indulging in HighWires tea. I especially love the season green tea chai. I like my drinks Iced but I forgot to tell him iced this time but it was still delicious . And the service is awesome as well.

my wife and i had a good chat with barista while she was making us the matcha latte, which takes good and strong. its a small store but packed with all kinds of coffee goodies, and... mochi donuts. folks in there are passionate about coffee as they explains different kinds of coffee that they are selling.

Was down on park driving to the store and saw Highwire Coffee had just opened up. I was super excited because I love their coffee. I stopped and was pleasantly surprised. There were spots clearly marked outside for social distance purposes, the staff was all wearing masks, and I was handed a lid using tweezers. Coffee was great as always. I got a cup to go and a bag to take home. Will be back soon, I'm sure!

Dope spot, great people and tasty coffee! Was a huge fan of the ambience and the pastries are awesome.

We like the coffee and nice selection of pastries. Would give 5 stars if they can warm up their pastries.

Without a doubt this is the greatest, the best coffee in Alameda. It is rich, full bodied, and smooth. If you go here try one of their tasty goodies as well, since they taste heads above all the local bakeries as well. This is well worth looking for parking. Trust me !

Love the coffee for brewing at home. The location is convenient for me and is always fast. Of course, the people here are always very friendly.

This place is more like a window than an actual sit down coffee shop. However, the coffee was good and you can tell they really take pride in their craft. The menu is small, so you don't have to sit around thinking about what to order. I got a latte and added cream and sugar to it since I'm basic like that. The staff was friendly and chatty. I could tell that they enjoy working here. The baked goods looked hip and trendy with options like mochi donuts in the display case. I'm more of a old fashioned donut kind of gal so I skipped the baked goods today. Overall, my coffee was very enjoyable and I would return if I happen to be in that area. I'm a little bummed that there's not a lot of seating so you can't really hang out and enjoy your beverage. It's more of a grab and go spot.

Very excited when this coffee shop opened in our neighborhood- and thrilled to see them evolve and succeed. The baristas are friendly and incredibly talented. The drinks are superb- and the food selection (and quality) is spot on. They serve a handful of pastries from Bay Area bakeries including Third Culture (mochi muffins!) and Craftsman and Wolves (rebel within!) that are always fresh and reasonably priced. They're super quick and efficient, always have fresh beans to buy, and go out of the way to ensure satisfaction.

I've never tried this brand coffee, but it was definitely one of the best lattes I've had. Light, roasty, perfect temp, creamy, dreamy, and all the pretty words you can think of. We shared this latte with a maple glazed donut from Lee's donut. What a perfect pair! I saw some pastries on the counter, but wasn't sure if they were good.

Service was amazing, food was delicious, & the ambiance was perfection! Will be visiting again (with my dog this time).

Great people. Excellent coffee beans, perfect cappuccino. It's a small place in Alameda with wonderful baristas who love to talk coffee.

Best coffee in Alameda. Their coffee is smooth and strong...the caffeine content must be higher than normal coffees, because I'm always wired after. Oat milk latte is my go to. Delicious. Loved the coffee so much I bought a bag of beans so I can brew my own. They have a great pastry selection--my fave is the Mochi muffins from third culture bakery.

Not a huge fan of the latte , seemed to be a bit watery instead of milky . Maybe they pulled the espresso shot for too long. Complimented the barista on their art got a silent thumbs up . Wonder why they were so grumpy and unwelcoming?

First time trying this place and I really liked it. It's a small shop, and there was only one person working, so there was a bit of a wait, but I'd say it was worth it! Staff was nice, friendly, and helpful. Parking is on the street--there's a right next to it, but it wasn't open. My friend and I got a latte and a mocha. They both tasted great and looked great, too! The lid is optional and they use a little tong to hand you one if you want it. I didn't try the pastries, but they seem popular. We got there are 9:30 and the display case was about half-empty. Would definitely recommend!

Ohh my goodness!! I know the competition from Panera, Starbucks, and Peet's is something fierce but so excited to have a real coffee shop open! I took a sip of the coffee and was so excited. I've been out of Alameda since August so I didn't know they just opened two months ago but I'm glad they did. PS: The baristas are super friendly too.

They say a first impression is everything and that statement is very true based on my short lived experience today. Drove from Sacramento and was super excited to try this place out. When I approached there was one customer inside chatting with the barista. I walked in admiring how cute everything was and impressed by the merchandising. Then here come the woman behind the counter, "Can you wait outside. I'll call you in." Apparently hello isn't a common courtesy at this establishment. Smh. So I walked out and looked on the window to see if I missed signage saying one person at a time (the shop is small but large enough for 2 people to be spaced appropriately). There was no sign whatsoever except showing how to line up when necessary. This may seem minor, but for me it absolutely was not. I decided to give my $$$ to another coffee shop across the street and had the best customer service. Hopefully y'all can improve because that was a horrible way to be represented.

I ordered an iced latte and it was delicious! Best specialty coffee in Alameda hands down. They don't add too much ice, and the cups have nice compostable lids that make it easy to drink out of (none of the paper cup/paper straw nonsense). Highly recommend!! I will definitely be coming back