Theory Coffee Roasters

Inviting. Cool. Tasty. I happened in here on a visit to town, looking for a place to work. The staff is marvelously cheerful and patient with first time visitors who have a LOT of questions. 🙋🏼‍♀️ I was immediately intrigued by the Just Peaches & Cream. Such a novel idea. Then I couldn’t pass up a strawberry bun. 10/10 on both counts. Music is continually playing, but never too loud. I’m impressed by this. It can be difficult for me to focus when lyrics are pumping into my brain. Bravo! To the one in charge of the playlist and volume. They pack in a lot of seating without crowding. Great natural light. Also, outdoor sidewalk seating and a back patio.

We stopped here on Sunday morning for a caffeine boost. The double espresso and cold brew were both excellent. The café is well-located and offers a variety of seating options. The decor is lovely as well.

Terrible customer service, barrista was rude. They offer one small sized coffee and i was served half foam. Ordered the 11$ breakfast sandwich with one piece of under cooked soggy bacon and a thin piece of egg.

Very cozy space with many large tables with study seats. We loved the coffee and the service! Highly recommend the jalapeño cheddar bagel with cream cheese and the almost croissant pastry. Both were soft, moist, and fresh! Heads up, they do tend to sell out of the sandwiches and quiches before noon!

Espresso is excellent and served in the traditional way with a little glass of sparkling water on the side. Americano was perfect, the breakfast brioche and the pastry were delicious. Staff is friendly, attentive, and professional. We’ll definitely be stopping here for coffee anytime we’re passing through town.

Loved the coffee and the vibe! Simple yet beautiful decor, high quality coffee and pastry (Bacon & cheese croissant and banana chocolate bread ❤️) and friendly staff -- what more can one ask for? Must visit if you appreciate a nice cup of coffee & pastry! We were there 3 out of our 3.5 day trip... And we miss it already!! The breakfast sandwich is simply phenomenal 12/10 points.

Found an absolute gem in Redding. Great coffee professional barista. Awesome service Taste 2.9 Temp 2.9 Texture 2.8 (8.6/9) Art 0,7 Total 9.3

I wanted to try the pastries from Eden Bakery at Theory and walked from my motel. The menu includes donuts, gluten-free pastries muffins, and breakfast sandwiches along with a wide variety of drinks. I selected a croissant, a gluten-free cinnamon roll, and an almond croissant. The cinnamon roll had a nice taste to it and a small amount of frosting. The croissant was light and flakey with a butter taste to it. The drink menu includes expresso, latte, kombucca, and pressed juice in the cooler. Located in downtown Redding on California Street. A nice place to stop for a drink, a pastry, and a bite to eat with plenty of space to work.

this place has the best pastries PERIODtttt. i would come here every day whenever i visit redding for a church conference (yes, every. single. day). the first time i came with a friend, we bit into our pastries and immediately looked at each other wide eyed lol. neither of us expected that kind of flavor explosion. ugh everything on their menu is so good. the green tea soda and matcha are also my go to drinks.

Very much a local hipster spot I got a lavender latte for my 8hr road trip and probably the best ham croissant I've ever had! Worth it if you are passing through.

Worth the detour from I-5. Amazing latte! Friendly service, relaxed atmosphere, GF pastries and a wide variety of unique beverages and merch.

Writing this review on behalf of my friend who stopped here two times. She said that both times the coffee tasted amazing, the service was fast, and the atmosphere was great as well! The male baritsta made an amazing late art on Sunday 6/30 at 1 pm. Thank you!

Great Coffee Spot with Gluten-Free Options! During our annual hiking trip in the Redding-Shasta area, my friends and I found Theory Coffee through Yelp, and I'm so glad we did! The café is trendy and cute, located near downtown with easy parking. As someone who needs gluten-free options, I was excited to see they offered both savory and sweet choices, and they had some unique drinks that were really good! The space is large with open rooms in the back, making it feel airy and welcoming. It was busy, but the staff was efficient, and people were getting served quickly. We were in and out without a long wait, which was great. If you're in the area, I'd definitely recommend stopping by for a coffee and a bite, especially if you're gluten-free!

My new work spot when I am up for business in Redding! Coffee is so delicious, and not acidic-tasting. The food is delicious, and the pastries are delectable. Staff is kind. Lots of seating in the large front and back areas. Only one couch. Lots of outlets around.

Theory was a lovely little coffee shop with a calm, modern vibe. Everyone was very professional and did a very good job making their drinks. I had a nice tea that was perfect on the cooler day and my husband had a pour over of their Ethiopian blend. He said that it grew and changed with every sip and had nice tasting notes of caramel and chocolate with an ashey (in a good way) undertone. We were comfortable hanging out here for quite some time, catching up with an old friend. Would absolutely love to come back again when we're in the area!

The pumpkin muffin was outstanding, the chocolate hazelnut was good as well. We also tried the pumpkin latte was amazing. Service was great, atmosphere was a little off, need a little more comfort

Confusing layout, coffee is okay, staff seemed friendly. When busy hard to know if my drink is ready or not.

So glad we found this coffeehouse in Redding while on a road trip. Very welcoming vibe, nice staff and great coffees! The breakfast sandwich hit the spot. The bakery items looked divine. If I'm back in Redding this will definitely be my coffee spot.

EXCELLENT cafe. Stopped numerous times during the month of July. The staff, especially Danielle, were always very hospitable and friendly. Always a hello and always a shoutout good bye to almost every customer.. with a Thanks for coming by!!! Exceptional. Loved their Ethiopian roasted beans. One of the best beans I have ever tasted. Strong powerful flavor!!! !!! Beautiful delicious cappuccinos!!! Look forward to returning to this wonderful spot when I return to Redding in the fall. It was home away from home!!!

We got the vanilla latte and the island boi (coconut milk coffee). The vanilla latte was the better out of the two but we wish there was more coffee taste. The island boi was on the bitter side. The service was great and parking was a breeze. The interior design was modern and aesthetic. There are two bathrooms as well.

This is my favorite coffee shop in Redding! The ambiance is cool and the service is good. We ordered a hot green tea and a hot black tea, along with two breakfast sandwiches and a lemon cruffin The tea was delicious! The lemon cruffin was out of this world! Flaky, flavorful and delicious! Both my boyfriend and I decided we are going back to Theory tomorrow to get another one! The breakfast sandwiches were also very good. They were comprised of bacon, cheese, arugula, egg on a brioche bun. There was a honey mustard sauce on the side. Even though they are pre-assembled, they tasted fresh I look forward to visiting Theory again and again!

Visited around 9:00 a.m. and the line was already super long (~10 people ahead of us). The wait was definitely worth it. I had the iced drip coffee and breakfast sandwich. The drip coffee had solid flavor and the breakfast sandwich was the perfect breakfast, which included bacon, egg, arugula, etc. My group was also a big fan of the breakfast sandwich. We agreed that it's one the best. Overall: Coffee is great! Breakfast sandwich was perfect! If I'm ever in the area again, I'm definitely stopping by.

Great coffee place in Redding. Looking for a place downtown - this is a good spot to check out.

This coffee lounge is dressed in Modern decor with ample parking around the building (there's a street behind the building with lots of parking) is a busy little bee with a steady flow of customers. They do have some bakery items but espresso is their focus. I thought the prices were a bit high as I paid $6.60 for a 16oz iced vanilla latte that only had two shots of espresso in it. An additional two shots would have cost me another $3. I ended up taking less milk to make it stronger so I paid $7.99 for a 12oz iced coffee. The coffee was terrific with my customizations. I haven't found a better place in Redding, but I'm going to continue searching because the cost is so high for so little espresso (a large should be three shots minimum).

Since these reviews are all so incredible and someone drove 4 hours for this espresso.... I had to stop here while visiting from Alaska! Asked the barista to make me his favorite espresso drink and HOLY WOW oat milk latte, with maple, vanilla, and a little bit of salt. WOW. Also; bought a bag of coffee beans per suggestion of some locals, I am SO excited to take this home. Ordered a brioche breakfast sammich and my friend got a cruffin, we now understand why it's one of the favorites holy shit it's good. This sandwich is so fluffy but somehow so hearty at the same time. I'm obsessed. The vibe here is also so cute, I would loveeee to come here and get some work done or just chill and read a book: they have a line out the door and it doesn't stop, but I see why!! They're efficient and work through it quickly, though. And I LOVE that it's owned and operated by veterans!! Five stars all the way, I'd give it more if I could!!

Was passing through and stopped in and ordered two drip coffees for $7.50. The baked goods looked heavy so we skipped those. The reason for the one star: the drip coffee was oddly sour and pretty terrible. I don't know what went wrong but it tasted like very old hotel ground coffee that has been stored way too long and is sour. i really wanted to like this place and support a local business but you guys really need to taste your product and not serve awful coffee to customers. I forced down some of it for the caffeine but the wife wouldn't drink her cup after the first sip.

Came here on our way out of Lassen. It has really nice seating inside. Chai latte ($5.50) - very milky. Didn't have a lot of spice for a chai. Pumpkin spice latte ($6) - taste like a latte with a slight bitterness. Does not have any pumpkin spice flavor. Was very disappointed in their seasonal special. I've had better pumpkin spice lattes at major chain coffee shops. Overall, our drinks did not have a lot of flavor.

Visited this place bright and early before heading to Lake Shasta Caverns one summer morning. Got my usual order in every coffee shop - matcha latte and pan au chocolat. I liked that it was not served in a disposable cup, which I think adds to the vibe and aesthetic when drinking a hot drink. However, other people from our party received theirs in a disposable cup. The matcha was good and their pastries were solid. The place is pretty popular in Redding and I noticed it getting packed just within the hour of opening it's doors. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. I would come back again if I'm in the area.

WARNING! WATCH THEM ACTUALLY MAKE YOUR POUR OVER! Got a pour over here, and it was so good that I came back for it the next day. I ordered two cups of pour over. When I got my first, I immediately realized that is was drip. So I closely watched them make my second cup, and they served me another cup of drip and with a straight face called it pour over. Very disappointing.

Came here early on a Sunday morning for some coffee. Upon doing my research this was supposed to be the best place in town and my research was not wrong. This place has at least 2 locations which I've been to, but I prefer the downtown location. Has a bit of a warmer and more chill atmosphere. The staff were very friendly. We ordered two single origin espresso shots. We also got a croissant as the baked goods were very impressive with the bake. The shots were pulled very well and were highly enjoyable. Based on the quality of the product, I believe this shop would be competitive in a larger market such as Sacramento or San Francisco. I would definitely return here.

Wish we had time to stop & enjoyed the coffee there as it they had nice seating area with couches and looks like there charging capability if you needed to do some work on a laptop. I had the butter beer latte which was pretty good and definitely reminds you off butter beer at universal studios. Cold brew with cold foam was ok. Pastries looks delicious and tasty as my kiddos devoured plain croissant (huge!) and the toasted butter waffles! I had the Samoa donut! AMAZING! I wished I had gotten another because I did NOT wanted to share after the first bite! MUST HAVE! Your tummy will thank me later.

A beautiful cafe with an open and inviting modern minimalist vibe. Seating upstairs and lots of natural light. Drinks are delicious - they get the fundamentals right with quality coffee and tea. They also have fun drinks for those wanting something less coffee-forward.

Delicious pour over! Great Earl Gray tea! Not all coffee shops also make good hot tea. This one does! Great customer service. Arrived shortly before closing and the barista was welcoming, kind and attentive! Nice atmosphere too. Not far off of I-5. A welcome stop on our long trip from the Bay Area to Seattle. This location was off of Rte 44 in downtown Redding. Easy on and off from I-5. Seemed like the older part of Redding, but still nicely kept. A VERY welcome change from national food chains:) Happy to give our money to local businesses!

Just overall the best coffee house vibes ever. They also have a rental room upstairs and the vibes are the same. Great pastries, great coffee, kind people.

Delicious coffee, served by personable and expert baristas! That's what you'd want, and what happens, at Theory Coffee Roasters. Very cozy and inviting atmosphere, too. And their own roasted coffee, ground especially for my AeroPress, was excellent.

WOWZA!!! This place has great coffee. Only try the seasonal specials because they are so interesting and different. I would highly suggest going here but be ready for $6 coffee! Pretty pricey but worth it if you come every once and awhile. There's a lot of people studying here and making use of the cute spaces. Gentle music on in the background seems like a great place for a date or to get some work done.

Fantastic roaster in Redding CA with great drip coffee. They also do great work on espresso drinks. There is a nice selection of pastries as well. The ambiance is chill and there is always enough seating. Yes they have wifi. The service is friendly. Overall an excellent coffee shop.

What a lovely space with delicious coffee-at least two different varietals brewing along with any espresso drink you can think of. They have several Kombuchas on tap. Breakfast sandwiches, pastries with a large selection of gluten free options too! Love this place! Highly recommend

I prefer this location over the other Redding location. The ambience is very comforting and it is spacious inside. The customer service was amazing, out cashier and barista were both so patient with my sisters and I. We were very indecisive. Drinks were amazing I find this small chain to be the only coffee shop in Redding that is enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this coffee shop. They had a small merch section with some cool stuff but a little on the pricey side. I did not order food but the baked goods did look delicious. There is plenty of seating inside and the vanilla latte I got was strong and delicious. It seems like a nice place to have a quick breakfast or study.

Great coffee and creative drink options. Was in Redding for a short period and was impressed.

Nice hip aesthetic and seemingly really popular for the laptop study/work crowd. Staff was not really warm or friendly. The pastries looked nice and fancy. We got iced coffee, mocha, and hot chocolate. Chocolate Hazelnut croissant, blueberry muffin, and a Croissant breakfast sandwich. The hot chocolate was lukewarm at best and flavorless. So flavorless I opened the cup to see if it's just milk, but even steamed milk develops a slight sweetness. My iced coffee was very acidic and almost tasted sour. The food did not fare any better. Muffin was very dense and heavy with the moistness of a few days old pastry. The Chocolate Hazelnut croissant was beautiful with a touch of gold foil even, but again flavorless and dry. I couldn't really find the chocolate or hazelnut, I guess I was expecting nutella? and lastly the croissant breakfast sandwich is impossible to eat. It's extremely greasy and it shatters with any attempted bites. All style no substance.

Theory Coffee Roasters is one of my favorite cozy coffee destinations in Redding! I frequently come here to meet friends, work, or enjoy a hot coffee. The baristas here are always smiley and welcoming. Their selection of pastries, even for those with dietary restrictions, is fantastic! I would recommend theory to anyone looking for a cozy coffee shop in Redding!

Best thing in Redding. Well executed Imaginative drinks, Fantastic pastries. Plenty of space to chat or work

A world class cup of coffee. Lovely people working there. Grateful I stumbled into it.

Fave coffee shop when we pass through Redding. Also have great pastries too! If you're into cold - they had a refreshing yuzu lemonade too

Quality coffee with in house baked gluten free options. I believe they roast their own beans. Great stop!

Authentic coffee! Very talented barristers. It's one of my favorites coffee shops when I visit Redding. You want delicious coffee this is the place to go. Best matcha ever.

Coffee and Chai Tea were both excellent. The selection of pastries was awesome. I had the pumpkin muffin. They also have a nice place to enjoy the food and drink with very clean bathrooms. Stopping here after a workout was the perfect ending to an enjoyable morning in Redding, CA.

Wonderful place! Tons of great seating options in different rooms as well as out front and a back open patio area. Hang out for hours while waiting for a car in the shop to get finished. The music was subtle but present as one expects. Many people here show that this was a great pick by the locals. The front room echos from so many people in conversation but it was find as I focused on my own things. Had the Blackberry Scone and a Ginger Cookie. Both very fresh and generous size. The Mango Black iced tea was well balanced; it took the sharper edge off the black tea that often dissuades me from black tea.

This was my favorite place to get coffee whenever i was in Redding until i ordered two pour overs and they served me two drips. If you order a pour over make sure you watch them make it!

3 Oct 2021 Bright berry notes on the espresso made with beans roasted in house. Seriously good coffee and food in a large space in downtown Redding. I called ahead at 8.45 on a Sunday morning while roadtripping thru on a time crunch, and they perfectly timed my breakfast sandwich to come out of the oven when I arrived. By the numbers: Food 5/5 Coffee 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 Value 4/5 Breakfast sandwich - Excellent. Croissant bun with egg, cheese, and bacon all made from scratch and heated in the oven in 7mins. Spicy Mayo gives just the right amount of kick.

This place is great! I was in town for the week visiting my folks and I spent a couple of hours every day at a local coffee place to do some remote working. Of all the places I visited, I think Theory is my favorite. They have your standard drip coffee and espresso beverages (made from beans they roast in house). But what I love are the more unique drinks like their soda espresso or matchacano. I ordered an espresso tonic and it was the perfect beverage to have on this 103 degree day. I also got their caprese croissant and it was a single serving of pesto-y, cheesy, and flaky goodness. Don't miss out on the entire back area with multiple work tables and couches.

Drove 4 hours for this Coffee shop. We ordered The seasonal "Hazelnut Mocha" and "Cereal Milk Latte". Ben was really friendly and helpful. The plain and ham crossiant is worth it. The place is relaxing and nice! My wife and i will definitely come back to this coffee shop!

This review specifically addresses shipped coffee ordered from the web site, as I have never been in the cafe. I order from roasters all over North America and love trying new roasters that are recommended, so I was excited to try Theory after reading about the acclaim they have received for their beans. I ordered three bags. Two were whole bean as desired, but the third was ground coarse. I have never ordered ground coffee from a roaster before, and I am not sure why my order was modified. I grind only at brew time, never in advance, and the coarse grind does not work for the pour-over methods I use that require a medium to medium-fine grind. While the coffees I tried were well above average, my inquiries about the error in my order were completely ignored, and that is the basis for my review: four stars for the coffee, zero stars for customer service, for a net two star rating. I've become used to getting absolutely fantastic service from virtually every local roaster I have tried in recent years, and it is rather shocking to come across one that cannot even be bothered to respond to my inquiry. Even if they were not willing to make good on the error, it would be nice to actually get acknowledged as a customer who spent $50 on beans. Update: Within two hours of posting this review, I magically received an email from production in which I was offered the opportunity to spend more money with Theory for a 20% discount, which I declined. I wanted nothing more than what I paid for: a replacement for the one incorrect item in my order. Since Theory would not work with me, I tried to salvage what they had sent me by digging up an old French press, but the coffee they sent was so coarse that it didn't even work well for French press, which calls for the coarsest of grinds. In other words, this coffee would have been useless to ANY customer, not just me. There are too many great roasters out there who take care of their customers to spend hard-earned money with one that does not. It is absolutely mind-numbing to me that a business would rather be "right" and lose a repeat customer than to replace $20 worth of coffee and make an impression by giving a new customer the benefit of the doubt. I hope that other customers have better experiences than I did.

When we first walked in, it was a full house: dine in and people ordering. We were wondering why people are "dining in" so we checked if the area is ok to have masks off, but they were still in the purple zone at the time so my family and I didn't feel safe in here but we just wanted to get our coffee to go anyways and I wanted to see what this place was all about. As soon as we got into the room to order, the first thing I see is the cashier lady not wearing her mask appropriately.. I understand working and needing a breathe every once in awhile but she had her mask down the whole time we were there. (And she doesn't move as much as the baristas so it shouldn't be difficult to breathe and she also gave us attitude for no reason.) Including this guy that was putting away stuff had his mask on his chin. Do you guys don't know what's going on right now? And how many people are dying because people like you guys don't follow the rules?! (The numbers recently spiked up the time we were here too) Wear your mask correctly, don't dine in until your city isn't in the purple zone, and stay 6 ft apart. It's not that difficult. Enough covid talk. I ordered off of their seasonal menu and ordered "The Fall." Crafted with apple cider,butter, spices, apple extract and simple syrup. Unfortunately, mine didn't taste that great but my family said their drinks tasted good, especially the pour over.

Bummed that they stopped using Organic Pastured Dairy. It seems it is just a standard half and half now.. I really wanted to keep visiting this spot but it really alters the drink and almost seems watered down. I also don't do GMO's and that is what crystal lake dairy is known for. Ugh. I wish they would at least offer a more conscious dairy option for an upsell of sorts. There is one other spot in Redding that uses organic and although it is more money per drink I will gladly pay it.