10 Best Coffee Shops in Monterey 2023 [For Coffee Lovers]

If you are looking for the best Monterey coffee shops, you have landed in the right place. 

Whether you are looking for a quaint little shop to grab a quick cup to go, or you want a place to relax over a latte with your favorite book, this list has all the options you will need. 

The best coffee shops in Monterey include places that specialize in hand-selected house-roasted coffee beans and options for those that only drink sustainably harvest-free trade beans. 

There are also coffee shops where you can pair a cortado with music played on vinyl records or with a full bookstore. 

This list has a coffee shop for anyone who appreciates a good cup of joe.

10 Best Coffee Shops in Monterey

The coffee shops on this list are privately owned and operated and are the antithesis of mass-produced corporate coffee. 

Each of these places offers its unique take on what a coffee shop can be with its own take on decor and the drinks they offer. 

Some of these shops are roasters that are passionate about hand-selecting their beans from small farmers from growing regions around the globe. 

If you’re looking for the best coffee in Monterey, you will surely find it on this list.

And even if you do not like coffee, there are plenty of options for those that love the coffee shop vibe but would instead snack on some pastries and sip on a noncaffeinated beverage.

1. Captain + Stoker

• Best For: For in-house roasted coffee served in a cool and relaxed setting
• Outdoor seating: Yes, but limited to a few benches
• Food options: pastries and gourmet toasts
• Wifi: Yes
• Website 

Located downtown, this locally owned coffee shop in Monterey is easily distinguishable from the neighborhood, with its name running across the length of the establishment’s exteriors. 

We love the open warehouse design with its minimalist and quirky decor makes this a fun and relaxing place to kick back and enjoy a cup of single-origin coffee. 

This coffee roaster takes their craft seriously, as they carefully source its beans from specific growers and co-ops equally passionate about their beans. 

Captain + Stoker’s passion for their craft spills over into their commitment to sustainable farming and fair trade practices. The result is some of the best coffee in the region.

If you like to snack while sipping a cup of coffee, try out one of their delicious toasts built on Pure Bake’s real Monterey sourdough. 

Local Tip: If you visit during peak hours, there will be a line, but don’t be deterred as it moves quickly.

2. Tidal Coffee

• Best For: Locally roasted coffee on Cannery Row
• Outdoor seating: Yes, with bay views
• Food options: Pastries and a few lunch items like clam chowder and a cheese plate
• Wifi: Yes
• Website

This coffee shop is attached to the Monterey Plaza Hotel and has sweeping views of Monterey Bay if you snag a seat outside on the patio. 

The location is ideally situated on Cannery row, but just far enough away from the significant touristy area for it to be a relaxing break from the crowded souvenir shops.

Tidal Coffee does not roast its own beans, but they outsource it to a local central coast roaster. 

The beans are carefully sourced and roasted to their specifications, so the coffee and espresso drinks are always aromatic and perfectly brewed.

Stopping at this coffee shop to start your morning is one of the best things you can do in Monterey.

Local Tip: Visit their flagship coffee house and try out one of their golden bean award-winning blends such as their Kona Blend, with its tangy notes of sweet cocoa, dried mango, and honey.

3. Plumes Coffee & Tea

• Best For: A throwback cafe from the ’90s with 35 coffee choices
• Outdoor seating: Yes
• Food options: Sweet and savory crepes, sandwiches, pastries
• Wifi: Yes
• Website

This coffee shop in Monterey is a throwback to the classic hangouts of the 90s with its massive list of espresso and coffee drinks and old-school decor. 

Don’t come here expecting third-wave modern siphon coffee, but you will get fast and friendly service at reasonable prices. 

If you love a simple cup of coffee, the best part about this shop is you get to pick between 35 different options. 

They range from dark to light roast and options from coffee-producing regions around the globe. 

All of their beans come from Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting with several certified fair trade and organic options.  

Plumes Coffee and Tea offers a wide variety of drinks ranging from classics with a twist like an iced mocha chai to an option not commonly found at a coffee shop like oolong boba milk tea. 

Local Tip: This coffee shop is just a 5-minute walk from Fisherman’s Wharf, so it’s a perfect place to grab a drink and explore this touristy area.

4. Alta Bakery & Cafe

• Best For: Modern expertly brewed coffee and creative seasonal drinks
• Outdoor seating: Yes, patio seating nestled amongst historic adobe buildings
• Food options: stunning pastries and a small menu of breakfast and lunch items
• Wifi: No
• Website

This modern Monterey coffee shop and bakery are located inside the historic Cooper-Molera Adobe, a part of 2.5 acres of houses and buildings dating back to 1827. 

Alta Bakery & Cafe is headed up by chef Ben Spungin who exacts the same standards in their coffee and baked goods as they do at his flagship restaurant Cella. 

The drinks menu is small, but what they brew and steep are all executed with a high commitment to extracting the best from the beans and botanicals. 

Although they do not roast their beans, they proudly serve the highly acclaimed Tazzina Coffee out of Santa Cruz. 

If you want something different, try one of their monthly specialty drinks, like their watermelon mint matcha or a rose and white pepper latte. 

Local Tip: Make sure to grab a cup of coffee and their seasonal strudel and grab a seat on their patio behind the coffee shop.

5. The Bookworks

• Best For: Cozy bookstore with good coffee near the beach
• Outdoor seating: Yes
• Food options: Baked goods, bagels, gluten-free pastries, quiche
• Wifi: Yes
• Website

What is there not to love about a bookstore that also serves great coffee and tea? 

The whole shop in this coastal town is incredibly inviting and will make you feel welcome to stay a while.

Grab a seat on one of their leather sofas and make yourself at home with a fun drink and a new book. 

For the coffee geeks out there, they offer pour-over coffee from Santa Cruz Coffee Roasters. 

They also offer a great selection of pastries, including some great quiche options.

This destination-worthy coffee shop in Pacific Grove is just one-mile northwest of Monterey. 

Local Tip: Take advantage of this excellent opportunity to pick out a book and order a cup of coffee to-go, and take them a few blocks down to Lovers Point, where you can enjoy the bay breezes. Or head to Asilomar State beach to go tidepooling.

6. East Village Cafe

• Best For: For housemade Chai in a historic stone building
• Outdoor seating: Yes
• Food options: Pastries and a few hot dishes like a pesto Caprese sandwich and a breakfast burrito
• Wifi: Yes
• Website

Located away from the tourist areas is this boutique coffee shop adorned with Nepalese decor, including a colorful tuk tuk. 

The cafe is situated inside a 100-plus-year-old historic building just down the way from the owner’s gift shop specializing in artwork and jewelry from Nepal. 

If you are looking for a place to escape the crowds, East Village Cafe is the perfect place to relax and enjoy an authentic housemade chai on their open patio. 

If the weather is inclement, the inside offers multiple unique rooms to choose from where you can snack on one of their fresh-baked pastries or treat yourself to a macaron ice cream sandwich.

Local Tip: Don’t forget to grab some of their roasted chai spices so you can make a batch when you get home.

7. Paris Bakery Cafe

• Best For: Classic french baked treats with a side of coffee
• Outdoor seating: Yes
• Food options: This is a complete French bakery with everything from almond croissants to freshly baked baguettes. They also offer several hot dishes like a Croque monsieur or a slice of quiche.
• Wifi: Yes
• Website

This cafe has made it to the best Monterey coffee shops list, not just for its caffeinated offerings. 

Its owners are the leading baked goods suppliers to Monterey’s hotel strip, which explains the occasional queues to get first dibs on the French-inspired pastries.

The coffee menu includes French cafe staples such as cafe au lait and cafe Americain, which are brewed with locally roasted beans. 

This place serves decent coffee that is overshadowed by its flaky pastries.

Local Tip: Don’t miss out on ordering one of their almond croissants. Locals claim it’s the closest thing to the authentic versions found in France (the owner himself is a French baker). 

8. Wild Plum Cafe

• Best For: This place is perfect for a combination of brunch and coffee
• Outdoor seating: Yes
• Food options: Classic breakfast and lunch comfort dishes made with farm-fresh vegetables
• Wifi: Yes
• Website

Wild Plum Cafe is the best place to get coffee in Monterey if you plan to include brunch as part of your day’s agenda. This is because this is more of a restaurant that serves good coffee.

This cafe’s emphasis on locally sourced organic ingredients from small farms and producers makes it unique. 

Wild Plum curates its offerings around sustainable zero waste practices, from organic fair trade coffee beans to fresh salad greens. 

In turn, the restaurant serves up amazing simple breakfast and lunch dishes that are elevated by fresh produce from the local farm’s soil.

Local Tip: While they serve up a good cup of house coffee, do not miss their chai latte, which gets rave reviews.

9. Acme Coffee Roasting Co

• Best For: For great coffee that is expertly roasted 
• Outdoor seating: Yes, but limited to a few seats and a couple of benches
• Food options: Pastries and fresh donuts for Red’s
• Wifi: No
• Website

If you find yourself along Palm Avenue in Seaside and need a caffeine boost, just look for a building with the words “Resist Corporate Coffee” painted on its exteriors. 

This coffee shop is all in on its commitment to producing great coffee that is anything but mass-produced. 

This cafe takes roasting coffee seriously without snobbery and pretentiousness. 

This take-out only coffee shop is really just a tag along to their roasting operation that produces complex and creative blends that are truly unique to Acme.

If you want a taste of what makes this roaster special, try a cup of their pour-over and enjoy its deeply nuanced aromas and flavors. 

This coffee shop is off Highway 1 so it’s a quick detour if you’re on a road trip.

Local Tip: If you prefer specialty coffee drinks on the sweeter side, try out the Mexican Mocha with housemade chocolate.

10. Counterpoint Coffee

• Best For: Sipping a cup of coffee while listening to some vinyl 
• Outdoor seating: Yes, but its limited to a picnic table
• Food options: Pastries, panini, avocado toast
• Wifi: Yes
• Website

Another spot in this list of the best Monterey coffee shops is Counterpoint Coffee, located in Seaside. 

Known to the locals for its hip interiors that look like a cross between a boutique retail store meets a record shop. 

Although the design is quirky, it still feels like a comfortable place to hang out.

Its laid-back atmosphere is a favorite hangout for young creatives and coffee enthusiasts that perfectly complements its artisanal coffee offerings. 

They spin up some tasty selections from their vinyl collection, and they even have a recording studio attached.

It sources its beans from small-batch roasters such as 11th Hour and Chromatic Coffee to ensure commitment to sustainability and quality beans. 

Local Tip: If you are visiting Seaside in the evening, they also offer a selection of beer and wine by the glass. 

Wrap-Up: Best Monterey Coffee Shops

Monterey Coffee Shops are a great place to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee while escaping the city’s touristy areas. 

When searching for the best coffee in Monterey, these coffee shops can be an oasis away from the stresses of life and a way to recharge your batteries with a shot of caffeine and a flaky buttery pastry. 

Make sure to stop by and support the best coffee shops in Monterey for your next coffee fix or hang out with a good friend.

Did you know that Monterey is an easy day trip from San Francisco?

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