Highwire Coffee Roasters

Their coffee is pretty consistently good and they don’t charge extra for vegan milks. I want to go more but the hours are getting ridiculous. I’ve been a number of times over the years. However the past 3/4 times I’ve gone and they were closed. Twice I’ve gone thinking they were open but the hours/days had changed, eg closed at 1 instead of 2, closed tue/wed. Now this time I went on a Monday and they were closed even tho the sign on the door said open Monday til 1. It’s forced me to explore other coffee shops that I’m liking more and more.

Perhaps we came on a bad day as prior visits were 4 star experiences coffee wise. The latte lacked in strength and complexity on the palate and was missing espresso smelling notes and substantive crema. We confirmed prior there would be 2 shots. The cappuccino was average. This establishment has its own roasted beans which is always a big plus for me. The interior is large and clean, with several tables and chairs for working. The outside patio is a fantastic place to enjoy drinks and food while soaking up the sun, surrounded by large potted succulents and other plants. This amazing private place features a large jazz mural superbly illustrating several instruments, musical devices and notes. Easy 5 for this ambience! For now the 3 rating appropriately represents my experience a few days ago. I plan to revisit in the future and will adjust my rating as warranted.

Tried the seasonal East Bay Breeze with lavender syrup - sooooo good. Love that they have boichik bagels as well as third culture mochi muffins. Nice to see local businesses working together. The vibes are really nice, doesn’t look very big from the outside but once you go in it’s pretty spacious indoor seating as well as an outdoor seating option if you want some sunlight. Definitely my new favorite coffee shop!

The staff is very nice and the setting of the coffee shop is really well done and welcoming. The mocha I got unfortunately was not as tasty as I was hoping. It lacked sweetness and felt too watery. Might give it another shot on of these days since the atmosphere was great!

Wandering down San Pablo discovered this coffee house with the best cappuccino ever. There is plenty of room and plenty of airy space, including a back garden, back room with huge open windows, front windows open. Everything one could want to be caffeinated, read a book, look at art and avoid the Delta variant. Recommend!

Solid espresso. No single origin option on espressos but they do have single origin options with other extraction methods. Looks like a good place to spend a couple hours on a laptop.

Come here as knowing they use Slayer Only two single origin whole beans available today. Both Ethiopia Riripa and Refisa are out 😭 Got it in an iced brew only Latte and Cruel Palmer are lovely

Full disclosure: I have a little trick for trying drinks at a new shop. Order the espresso but also a latte or chai. If the espresso is not so great straight, I can still toss it into the larger format and not be @wastingcoffee Then I come to a place like Rasa and, especially since everything is in paper these days, prepare myself for a lackluster espresso experience. I was so unprepared for how freaking great that spro was. Fruity, balanced, phenomenal finish and just enough body to coat the palate. Add to that the house made, unsweetened chai was hot in all the right ways, and I wasn't even disappointed I couldn't make it dirty 🤣

we included highwire in our little espresso tour of berkeley. there is no shortage of great coffee, and the coro coffee roastery neaby really sets the tone: these people are serious about good coffee. i got my usual, a macchiato, and we snagged a bagel and cream cheese. their back patio is perfectly calm and chill, and the service was kind. would recommend

Lots of space. Reasonable prices. .25 cents off if you bring your own cup. Relatively wide menu. Quick friendly service. High volume consistent quality coffee. You can find somewhere to work inside or out. It's loud but not rock show loud.

Please update your hours ..... this store closes at 2pm daily!!!!!!!! I like your coffee but this is now the second location where the hours were off

great service and ambiance! it's a perfect place to study if you can find a seat. matcha latte- i'm pretty picky with my matcha, and this one was very grainy even thought it was hot. i wouldn't recommend this drink i would come here again to study and try the other drinks!

Second Highwire Coffee Roasters that I've visited, and I definitely liked the ambiance of this one better simply because there was so much seating available, and the place itself was so spacious (outdoor seating included). I was not as mesmerized, however, by the Espresso as I had, had been last time. Maybe it's because it was the shine of trying something for the first time, but the primary apple-like note hit harder last time lol. But the chaider, a new choice for me, was really good. It balanced the apple cider and smooth,milky chai so well (definitely a great fall drink). Service was fine.

I really liked the interior of the place but was not overly impressed by the shot. The workers seemed to be having a grand time

Swung by for some matcha and was not disappointed. Staff was super super friendly and the iced matcha was refreshing. The coffee shop has so much seating and also has a patio in the back. I wish I brought my reading material to chill in the back. Until next time. Cheers!

Used to come here a lot. Great location. Nice set up inside. But the coffee is inconsistent. I do love this place so I keep coming back but it's a hit or miss. They have Third Culture muffins but it's not as fresh. (Maybe that's not their fault) Patio is nice and the back room is comfy too Still come here every now and then so it's three stars for me.

Interior was clean with a modern design. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating! They offer a selection of local baked goods and pastries. I tried the Pumpernickel bagel which is a dark and hearty German-inspired bagel which they source from a local bagel shop. The bagel had a gorgeous color and rich flavor from rye flour, molasses and caraway seeds. I like Philadelphia cream cheese so I was happy that's what they had haha. I would have loved the everything bagel, but it wasn't on the menu. I guess you had to have known it was available somehow to order it :( The latte and cappuccino were great. They have a large selection of beans to choose from and I'd like to try the matcha latte next time! Great atmosphere and even a kids beverage menu haha.

A nice general set up with a walkway leading to the front counter and plenty of long tables for doing work/hanging out. Lots of natural light and feels very open. At least on this visit they had some hanging greenery art pieces which helped with the ambience (and for sale if that is what you're interested in). Back to the review of coffee and pastries. Coffee: Got a latte. Overall, one of the better lattes that I have had in the area. Good balance of espresso and milk. The latte art never hurts either. The only downside I see is the cost. I think it was close to $5 for 12oz which can usually get you 16oz. Berkeley is an expensive area in general so I won't say that it is that big of a cost difference but just something to note. Pastries: Good variety of things from other bakeries. Got the pastrami and cheese croissant. Was cold and not as flaky which leads me to believe that it might have been there a little while. Still overall tasty. Though there was a big rolled up pastrami piece in the middle so the ratio wasn't exactly the same for each bite but I get that it's hard to get exactly equal in a baked good. Overall: good place to work and for a solid cup of coffee.

Highwire is one of Berkeley's best kept secrets when it comes to coffee shops to do work at. Its interior is gorgeous and expansive, with lots of natural lighting at the front of the store as well as in the back, near the outdoor patio. There's plenty of tables and a few outlets, though the wifi is a bit on the slow side. I had a hot matcha latte here, which was pretty standard in quality and price. I'd definitely come back for the great interior, although the hours are a bit inconvenient.

Stumbled across this place after seeing a line out the door. There are currently no indoor/outdoor seating so it's grab and go. However, there is a sign that you can rent out their patio. The decor and setup looks super cute. They also have merchandise items you can buy (hat, mugs, etc.). I ordered their 12 oz. howling wolf nitro coffee on tap ($4.25) as well as an almond croissant ($4.25). Pros: -great atmosphere -they have beverages (tea/coffee) and even a kids beverage menu which I love -they carry firebrand pastries according to my receipt Cons: -n/a

Now I don't have much experience with cafés but this place seemed casual and chill. Plenty of seating front, inside, and back. There's a small patio for a nice sunny day out and converse, work, or have a casual meeting. There's also toilets included I believe. Once you come in there is a queue and you'd expect this because I went during the morning hours and the wait time was a bearable. I'm not much of a coffee drinker but they cater to tea and iced tea as well. There was one staff member working and was working as bed as possible. Another staff member came in casually and gave a hand. The taste was very crispy and tasty. I didn't add any sugar or honey of any kind, but that's how I like my Cruel Iced Tea as they call it. I would come back.

Love highwire! Best chai ever, well dirty chai. Friendly service. Nice outdoor space.

I stopped here early on a Saturday, and the wait was super quick, which was great for getting my morning caffeine fix in. The barista was super friendly, and gave me some good tips on what I should and shouldn't be ordering (apparently the nitro is super strong, so be warned!) I ended up being boring and just going with a cappuccino. I'm not a coffee connoisseur so there's only so much I can say about the coffee, but it was certainly smooth and rich, with a nice creaminess from the milk. Nothing super special, but also almost exactly what I'm looking for on a Saturday morning! Will gladly stop by whenever I'm close and really need some coffee!

Stellar Covid procedures band exceptional coffee. I'm psyched to see that local coffee roasters are finding creative ways to stay open through the pandemic! Highwire coffee on San Pablo in Berkeley is taking it to the next level. Their store set up is geared to accommodate social distancing. Customers enter through the main door and exit through the garage door style front window (see picture). This ensures customers never pass within 6feet of one another while queuing and grabbing their coffee. I ordered a medium celebration 2020 blend coffee and it was festive and spicy! Mild notes of mulled wine- which I didn't think would be my thing, but ended up being surprisingly awesome. Would definitely recommend passing by for your caffeine fix to support this greater local business!

We've been coming to highwire for nearly seven years now. This is our favorite shop among the many we have tried in Berkeley for coffee and matcha drinks. Also a nice selection of pastry from craftsman and wolves. Best of all is the service which has been consistently warm and efficient even throughout the pandemic, and the welcoming atmosphere for our littles. We will be coming here as long as they are open!

The lattes and matcha is delicious, the service and speed so nice and all the people working here very knowledgeable and capable.

WHEN: Sunday @9:30am TEA - $3.50 + tax Track Tea Selection. Bourbon Vanilla - Sweetly aromatic and soothing Congou black tea with vanilla. This black tea really did have that night vanilla smell and I enjoyed it quite all lot! VEGETARIAN QUICHE - $6 This has mushroom, carrots, cauliflower, and onions, and it was absolutely delicious! ALMOND CROISSANT - $4 Firebrand Bakery. This was fine. Not much filling but that's pribably for the best. This is a gorgeous space with a good amount of seating in 3 areas: the main area, the back, and the outdoor patio. The art on the walls are lovely and they play some pretty nice tunes. I just wish their entranceway was closed because it's freezing in here! Feels like it's only 10 degrees warmer in here (it's 50 degrees outside), and I've got 5 layers on! I'm sure it's much nicer here in the summer to sit outside and be fine with the dot behind open. Mind you I sat all the way in the far back end of the front room. Okay I'm also sensitive to the cold. Great space to work in with WiFi and a good amount of outlets. I'm happy they have food more than just pastries.

We've been stopping by this Highwire for early-morning croissants, which come from Craftsman and Wolves in the City. The croissants ($4.50) are excellent. I love that this café opens early, basically every day. (It was open on Labor Day, for example.) Parking is generally available on Addison or San Pablo. (There are meters on San Pablo, but they don't work before 9AM.) I recently got a bag of their signature coffee ("The Core") and thought that it was excellent at home for pour-overs and Aeropress brews. The café has great vibes and friendly personnel. If you sit indoors toward the front of the house, you're functionally sitting outdoors because of the large open windows and doors. The only negative thing that I can say is that their macchiato did not reach the high standard that was set by the version that I drank at Blue Bottle in Downtown Berkeley. (The shot that was pulled had a bitter taste.) Because of this macchiato, I deducted 1/3 of a star and then rounded back up to ***** when I started composing this review.

In my opinion, this is the best coffee shop in Berkeley! It's far enough away from campus that it's not flooded with college kids, there's plenty of space to post up and do work, the coffee is GOOD and so are the snacks. The servers are very kind and greet everyone that walks in with respect, including unhoused folks who just need to use the restroom. I love coming here!

Nice ambiance, friendly staff, good coffee. The mAtcha OaT latte was creaMy and smooth.

The service is pretty good. The environment was pretty chill and was perfect to do remote work in. Most of all the coffee: great quality. I thought it was so good I bought another for one of my foreign family members and he said it reminded him of the strong, great tasting coffee back home.

Great coffee! I go almost everyday for latte or cappuccino and chocolate croissant! Especially like the nutty strong flavor of the coffee.

Great place to read, focus and get things done. Clean. Nee tables and furniture. Great service. and the best part is free refills on coffee! Hoping that free refills becomes the new norm Definitely coming back. I'm tempted to give them 1 star just so no one comes ( so that I can enjoy it all to myself). But that wouldn't be fair.

How have I never reviewed my favorite neighborhood coffee place? Their coffee and espresso drinks are always smooth and perfect. The baristas are always cool yet welcoming. The environment of the cafe has good spots for working or chatting or reading alone with a book. I have also brought kids, and Highwire seems more kid-friendly than other third wave cafés. It is not a snobby place. I love getting the big cambro urn of coffee when I have a morning birthday for the kids. The parents are happy to have good quality coffee on chilly fall mornings at a playground, and they are always prepared for pick up and drop-off. They also have mochi muffins from a local bakery, coffee beans, and other coffee related items for retail. Of course, during the pandemic it's all just walk-up. They have their wall window open and the front door open. Customers can walk through either and give each other space.

Highwire is a nice place to study, since it's very spacious. The interior is fairly decent- feels very minimalistic, and there is a nice moon mural wall. The patio in the back seems quite quaint for a chill afternoon get together with a friend. I got an iced coffee, and it tasted average, nothing special there. 3/5 stars because no power outlets, so come here with a full battery!

A really cute place to enjoy a coffee. I love coming here to grab a coffee and shop for plants. Such a cute spot!

As an Aussie in the U.S., the struggle is real to find good coffee like at home. Highwire definitely hit the spot I will be back!!

The coffee at Highwire was great. Made a quick stop to check out this cute shop and was not disappointed. Their iced coffee was so smooth that I didn't need to add anything else in it. The latte was tasty and left us wanting another. Definitely a great addition to the many coffee shops in Berkeley. A must add to any coffee lover's list.

Amazingly smooth lattes, friendly staff, easily accessible by public transportation, and a great work space with reliable WiFi- what more is there to ask for in a coffee shop? Today was actually my first time dropping by this Highwire location (usually frequent the Rockridge location), and I can easily say that I will be back! Located on San Pablo and University, Highwire is a refuge for those seeking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the coffee shops which are concentrated around UC Berkeley. This location is much larger than I anticipated it to be, with back patio seating as well. Very minimalistic style going on here, featuring various plants all around the place, and a beautiful moon mural on the back wall. There were folks doing a bit of everything during the time I was there in the morning- some doing school work, some reading, and some simply catching up with friends. While there was music playing in the background, it was set at a perfect level since it was neither distracting, nor too quiet- perfect for those that prefer to have some background noise while studying/talking with friends. I needed quite the pick-me-up today, so I decided to order a large latte, with an extra shot of espresso. The barista that helped me out today (wasn't able to get his name) informed me that their shots of espresso only come in doubles, so I decided to go with this option. I was a bit scared that this was going to detract from the smoothness of Highwire's lattes that I love, but that did not end up being the case. Suffice it to say, I was quite wired up for the rest of the day! I also really loved how Highwire serves their drinks in beautiful ceramic mugs- it made my experience there much better since I am a sucker for beautiful mugs. Will definitely be a regular at this place now, especially since it's only a short walk away from several Transbay lines :)

Loved the coffee, the service and the mochi muffins I recommend this place, perfect for on the go or even to sit down with your laptop there

I thought that the coffee didn't taste that great for the price. But the seating and ambience of the place made up for it. There is plenty of seating both inside and outside and two restrooms. WiFi is solid and there's just enough background noise without being too loud.

Awesome spot for casual meetings. Friendly staff and of course, top notch mochas. Carrying Third Culture mochi yumminess a plus. The reason I took one star away is that outlets are scarce and my mochi muffins have consistently tasted a little stale. Better to sell out than to have stuff sitting around. That said, I love the vibe and the mochas so I will keep coming back for more.

(4.5 stars) The back patio here is heavenly. Coming to here to enjoy some coffee and read on a Sunday morning, it was more than perfect. The drip coffee is wonderful and patio atmosphere is sublime, an urban retreat if you will. It's so peaceful you'll forget you're in the middle of a city and not in the countryside somewhere, though the high-rising walls around you eventually will you bring you back down to earth. They also have plenty of seating indoors and a great space for working on your laptop. The only downside was the cinnamon toast I ordered. It sounds more interesting that it actually is, and I think the bread actually would have just been better on its own without the cinnamon. Of course, that shouldn't deter a visit here by any means.

Two words: Tipu's Chai It's spicier than it is sweet. My second favorite next to Rasa Chai's chai tea. But I do love the cups! They're from a local ceramics shop called Heath Ceramics. I LOVE it. So cute! There's tons of seating but no outlets ;( Sad for me because my laptop needs constant power. The internet is pretty reliable though. Another plus is that they sell alcohol. Side note: parking can be tough-- only metered parking available on a busy street.

The coffee and outdoor seating are nice. I wish they had any food that wasn't just pastries- they used to have quiche, but haven't had it for a long time. I also don't love the interior redo. It feels a bit sterile. It used to be a bit more eclectic and comfortable, with wood tones instead of black.

I realized this place is used to be Local 123, but not much has really changed (physically) I came here a few minutes before closing, but kindly asked the owner if I could stay to drink my coffee and he said sure. I got a cappuccino,but I wish the presentation of the coffee could have been nicer. Anyways, I'd check out their outdoor patio area. It offers a lot of natural light and open spaces for their customers.

Prices aren't too steep for great quality coffee, ample space to work and chat (only a few spaces in the back have outlets though), and a nice selection of food compliments the beverages. They have a wonderful outdoor patio space in the back as well to read or work outside.

Tried this today Saturday morning - I got a mocha and husband got an iced coffee. They were both just fine but not great. The mocha was not hot and I can barely taste any coffee at all. Husbands iced coffee was kinda bland - normal and nothing special. Regret not driving 5 minutes further to get Blue Bottle.

Really enjoyed our visit to this local roaster... apparently their roasting takes place somewhere in Emeryville... great menu... my gal pal grabbed a delicious hot herbal tea. My almond milk latte (quad shot) was well crafted and tasted delicious. We will definitely visit again!! Felt very safe w social distance protocols by staff and patrons there. Friendly barista and really nice space to sit and chat

Good coffee at a local independent shop. They have free WiFi and it's a good place to hang out and use the computer or socialize.

The girl at the register with the tattoos on her arm got angry and impatient because she couldn't understand my accent. It was just rude that she tried to get another worker to take my order instead. The other times I've come here, the workers were fine but I won't come back now :(

Good coffee. Got a latte. Nice and smooth. Very friendly service. Would go back. Quick line.

This place is a block away from my favourite barbershop in Berkeley (Mark-Jason Solofa) and Al, my barber, spoke very highly of it, so I had to check it out. He specifically recommended the chai, which I was skeptical about since most Bay Area coffee shops tend to serve chai that is mostly milk and syrup - with very little actual tea. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the masala chai at Highwire is actually spicy and does actually contain tea. It's possibly one of the best chais I've ever had from a coffeeshop (almost as good as the chai at Ramen Shop in Oakland). My haircuts are now more expensive because I now have to pop into Highwire each time :).

The coffee market in the bay area is competitive like crazy with all these joints always popping up while having the growing expansion of chains like Philz, blue bottle, and other great spots. With this much competition, it is so important to make delicious coffee period. Highwire is a firm competitor in my mind and is worth a consistent visit. This joint is right before University Ave and has become part of my Saturday Morning ritual while running a whole bunch of errands. The café itself is great with a wide enough interior and outside patio area for folks to pull open a book and read or open up the ole laptop and get cranking on what you wanted some focus time for. The baristas here are super friendly and always greeting people with a smile while keeping the vibe cool. The quality of the ingredients here are solid and their baked goods are always rocking some solid choices. The coffees are all delicious and I have gotten multiple people hooked on their coffee as there is another location in rockridge as well. They also have beer on tap it seems and a dece food menu it appears which looks worth a shot but I am always here in the mornings so have not had a chance yet. One of my go-tos without a doubt.

Great coffee/tea place for work and study! I love their tea, and their mugs ;) There were many seats. I didn't find an outlet though. I had their cha cha cha muffin, which a bit heavy for me, but great to have with a cup of tea. I also saw people having lunch here since they also served sandwiches and salads.

Highly recommend this local coffee roaster! I tried their beans at a coffee cupping, and it had a really good taste profile. The two other times I came to try their espresso drinks were also delicious. Would not hesitate to come again for a good cup of coffee.

I visited here on a Saturday. Ordered a cappuccino. It took over 15 minutes for it to be made. Yes, that long. I cannot see how a coffee shop take that long. Increase you staff. Other than that, the cappuccino was really good. The roast they used for the espresso was very balanced and tasty. I can forgive about taste, but slow service is unexceptable.