PublicUs

"This airy art-filled cafe is known for exacting pour-overs made with single-origin beans, which are dialed in to highlight specific flavor notes like cherry or chocolate. Like most pour-overs, the coffee here is best enjoyed freshly brewed, and sipped on-site in a mug instead of out of a paper cup on the go. Luckily, the food menu, loco moco, avocado toast, and more, offers a great excuse to settle in for a while." - Janna Karel

"When your workday is going to keep you tied to your computer for more than a few hours, PublicUs offers a rotating menu of breakfast and lunch dishes, available to pair with your coffee. Try the tofu bento or shakshuka and take a seat at one of the communal tables at the back. The ample wall art, fake trees, and bright windows will surely spark inspiration." - Janna Karel

"This downtown coffee shop features single-origin coffee in a canteen-style environment. This airy and art-filled cafe is known for exacting pour-overs. But the sample dishes between the queue and the open kitchen make a strong case for settling in with a breakfast sandwich, bento bowl, or baked treat." - Janna Karel

"Come for the coffee and fresh sourdough bread. Stay for peaceful decor and overall good vibe. With a broader lunch menu than most coffee shops, Publicus is just right for an early afternoon pick-me-up. Start with a coffee and get a bento box of either orange chicken, crispy tofu, or bang bang chicken with rice and pickled veggies. Other great choices are the braised broccolini sandwich, the salad of the day, or a breakfast sandwich." - Janna Karel

"It’s 7am and you've just stumbled out of a bar on Fremont—the sun is rising, and you need coffee immediately. Get an excellent cup at Publicus. They source from roasters all over the world, like coffee with notes of chocolate truffle from Indonesia and Costa Rican light blends. Stick around and enjoy one of their breakfast options like the Mahalo Bento, which has eggs, spam, rice, kimchi, and macaroni salad while watching the neighborhood crowd pass through." - emmy kasten, melinda sheckells, edward thompson, milena difiore