I LOVE 1951! As a college student I would come here all the time. 2 years later, I continue to visit 1951 whenever I come to the Berkeley area. There is a variety of coffee options from the honey oat latte, cappuccino, rose lemonade, or the seasonal offers. The Cocomac and sparkling strawberry lychee lemonade are all fantastic. There are multiple options for coffee around Berkeley, but the service and quality of 1951 coffee in unmatched. If you have to make a coffee choice, I recommend taking a visit. If you are in the mood for a pastry: note that 1951 does offer goods that they get from Third Culture bakery. Third culture bakery is also a delight so I do recommend buying one of their pastries if you take a visit as third culture is a little further. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Iced Honey oat latter with Lavender sweet cream - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Super cute lil coffee joint Nice staff Chill vibes/music Adorable hot chocolate heart designs on top of a solid cocoa read more

1951 Coffee Company - Adorable hot chocolate - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

One of my favorite spots in Berkeley to study and get some matcha! I love their mission, and it makes me feel a little less bad coming here to drop $6 on a drink LOL. Great tasting matcha lattes, and you have the option to add a variety of flavors of foam! I've also tried their rose lemonade, and I enjoyed the rose flavor, but the matcha lattes are definitely still my go to. They have seating and wifi inside; it can get a bit crowded at times but I've never really had any issues finding a seat. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Rose lemonade - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The iced honey lavender latte is sooo good!! I love how they give the option to use your own cup unlike many other places around the area. The service is always quick and friendly. They have various beverage options for everyone's taste. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Honey lavender latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I really admire 1951 Coffee's mission and wanted to support them, but the experience fell a little short. I got a cold brew with sweet cold foam, it was okay, but the coffee wasn't very strong. For the price, I was hoping for something bolder. I also didn't love the kiosk ordering system, it felt impersonal. That said, I still respect what they stand for and hope to see things improve. read more

I love coffee but what I love more is a good cause. We were in the area and needed some coffee as we are staying away from the chain companies. I ran in without knowing what I was supporting. This coffee shop is a non profit that hires refugees and asylum seekers. Why wouldn't I support that! So glad I walked in here. Coffee was great and service was even better. The coffee shop was busy and there's was a lot of people (most likely students) on their laptops. The shop is small but with plenty of seating. While I don't live in the area, I will make it a point to come back when I can. read more

As I was in the area, I decided to stop by 1951 Coffee Company for some caffeine. After seeing all the reviews, I was intrigued by their matcha and honey lavender latte. The matcha flavor was great, and unlike most places that skimp on the matcha. They give you extra which I appreciate. I really enjoyed their honey lavender latte! It was 9/10 for me and the coffee was strong but didn't overpower the lavender taste. Besides the great coffee/tea, 1951 Coffee Company stands for something greater- assisting refugees kickstart their journey in the US. read more

Love the mission of this cafe. Randomly found this place while looking for a quick coffee before work cause our coffee machine broke. Tried their honey oat latte and it was very nutty and delicious. Not overly sweet. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Honey oat latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

The Lavender honey latte is really good . The coffee is spacious with a lot of indoor and outdoor tables. Great place to study . read more

1951 Coffee Company - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm not a big coffee drinker, check that, I don't drink coffee at all, but I came here to pick up some Yelp swag and decided to make a purchase, you know, support local businesses and all that stuff. Since I don't drink coffee, I do drink tea, so I went with that. I came here during Covid, so there was only walk up service. Seems to be a rather popular place, I can see why it gets such good reviews!! read more

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A faithful matcha spot Drinks: the iced Matcha with oat milk and light honey is my absolute favorite when in Berkeley. The matcha has a sweet earthy nutty taste and perfectly fine grained that easily mixes. No bitterness / acidity or clumping. For an espresso drink full of gaiety, the iced Honey Oat Latte is an exceptional choice. Reminds me of my childhood days when eating a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. The standard cappuccino with almond milk for neutral palettes is a fair choice too. Extra points for always having almond milk, oat milk and soy milk because other local shops tend to run out so for my non-dairy drinkers Pastry: first time trying one of the bakery items due to their small selection. Vietnamese Coffee gf donut was soft, dense and had a faint coffee taste. Wished for stronger coffee kick Service: always gracious and humble baristas. Never a wait because they are quick and efficient Environment: clean, good lighting, and high top or regular table seating. It is close proximity to UC Berk campus, which adds a plus for convenience Overall: A dependable and golden spot for matcha or coffee when in the area! A cardinal point to highlight includes 1951 is a non-profit that promotes the well-being of the refugee community through coffee making / employment. I assure you, your drink will taste even better knowing their mission read more

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I have a soft spot in my heart for 1951 Coffee Shop. I love what they do for community and everything that they stand for. I was so bummed when they closed down the Rockridge location, but I'm glad that this location on Telegraph is still going strong. Their mission to employ refugees has always been so admirable to me. And, the service is always top notch. As some may know, I'm not really big on coffee. However, I'll ride or die for chai tea. 1951 makes some of the best chai tea in the game honestly. It's those spices and all of that flavor. Never overly sugared but still has a nice mild sweetness. It's the perfect blend of a sweet and spicy chai, and they ALWAYS serve it piping hawt. That burn your tongue kinda hot, and I'm so here for it. Love when it's nice and hot like that. They also carry the most amazing pastries, most of them being from local bakeries around the area. For my mochi lovers, they always keep a nice selection of mochi treats from Third Culture Bakery here. Their croissants and muffins are bomb AF! Since it's located right in the heart of downtown Berkeley, parking can be tough when UC Berkeley is in session. But luckily, I've always been able to find a spot on the street (there's also a parking garage right across from their shop). Always love supporting a local business who also supports the community. Cheers to 1951! I hope they stay around for a long time. read more

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The drinks are delicious, and the ube mochi donut is my favorite pastry sold. The staff are very sweet, they always have a smile on their face and I enjoy how it adds to the welcoming atmosphere. This is one of my favorite cafes to order from on Snack Pass, definitely recommend! read more

1951 Coffee Company - Ube Mochi Donut - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We are visiting from out of town. This is without a doubt the best coffee we've had in years!

For some reason, the name made me imagine I will have time-traveled back to 1951 anytime I visit here haha. It has a sleek, modern interior (not that different from game/bar rooms nowadays) with nice lively staff heading this place. I got myself a matcha mochi donut (on the small side but very good and highly matcha-flavored) and honey lavender latte (not too sweet, just enough lavender to let me know it's in there). Quite a chill place to kill some time or savor your daily dose of coffee. read more

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*****Customer Experience During the Covid-19 Pandemic***** Coffee for a good cause. 1951 Coffee Company is a non-profit organization that provides job training and support for refugees and asylees through its Barista Training Program. I had heard of them through a couple friends, and finally got a chance to try it on 12/15/2020. There was no line when I walked up shortly before 9 am. The entrance was blocked off by a table. The only notable COVID-19 safety measure was a bottle of hand sanitizer on the table. I was assisted by a timid but friendly young man. I asked him a couple basic questions just so he could get some practice and he was able to answer them without delay or hesitation. I got a chocolate croissant and an iced latte. With a small tip, the total was $10. The chocolate croissant was tasty. The croissant was flaky and good quality chocolate was used. The strong taste of the iced latte gave me a nice caffeine jolt. $10 may not be a lot, but knowing it went to a good cause certainly made me feel good. I will definitely return. BONUS MATERIAL: - Street and garage parking. - Cash and major credit cards accepted. read more

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"Good People, Good Coffee, Good Cause!" It's always a pleasure to support a business that helps refugees. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to try to assimilate in a brand new country. I understand that the profits of this business go towards helping that community. Bravo, bravo! I visited this business on a rainy Sunday afternoon. It wasn't too tough to find a parking spot, but I bet on busy days it's harder. Of course, during the covid-19 crisis, they are having to modify their business. You order at one outside window, and pick up at a different window just a few feet away. This all worked well. On a cool morning, I just wanted a simple coffee. Reasonably priced, quickly delivered. Thanks to management for agreeing to hand out the Yelp goody bags. We appreciate your support. Let's all support our local businesses. Although I love this business, I don't love the location. After ordering my coffee, a nearby deranged person begin shouting profanities. Naturally, that is not the fault of this business. And it really wasn't that bad--I'm pretty sure I've heard all the words before. I prayed for this poor soul afterwards. read more

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I've only tried 2 variations of their matcha latte, one with lavender foam and the other chocolate foam. The lavender foam has to be the best I've ver had. It complements the matcha so so well without overtaking it. The chocolate foam wasn't bad either but an overpowers the matcha flavor.The inside is a cute well lit place that is perfect for studying, if you can find a seat because it can get busy. Their morning bun is also one of the best I've had at a coffee shop(make sure to ask to get it heated). The pastries are unique and fresh. I also tried the red velvet mochi muffin which oddly tastes like playdo. Overall a great place to get your morning drink and pastry read more

I came here on a weekday and the place was pretty packed, but they have a nice outdoor area to sit. I ordered an iced latte and added additional caramel syrup. The cup was fairly small and the total was more expensive than I thought. The drink wasn't as good as I expected. read more

Stopped by here to get some warm decaf tea for this rainy day. Of the two decaf options, went with the mint tea :). By looking inside, you can tell this coffee shop is a fun place to go to do homework, catch up with friends, hang out, etc. (pre-shelter in place). They have a lot of merchandise (apparel, coffee beans, etc.) for sale on top of their drinks and pastries. Pro-tip: There isn't a ton of parking in the area, unless you're lucky to snag a spot right across the street. But since this coffee shop is nestled right next to a church, it's better to go during hours that are not as popular for churches. It's a nice walk, so definitely don't be afraid to park a bit away! read more

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Coffee options were great! They suggested a honey lavender latte and it was amazing! So many people hanging out, working, and enjoying their tea & coffee There's an additional charge for take away cups even when the seating in the shop is full. Also, the self-ordering kiosk allowed you to place the order, but the card reader didn't work. So you still need to order through the barista. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Iced Honey Lavender Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

What a great coffee place tucked away near the UC campus. Parking nearby was plentiful on a weekday morning, almost unheard of in normal times, and this place is very accessible and easy to find, plus they have good signage. Tucked under an arcade I was relieved to find you don't need to enter the store as they have it blocked at the entry door with a makeshift counter..one for ordering and another close by for pickup. And if weather is bad it is sheltered but still open air. There were only a couple of other people there, everyone- staff and patrons- were masked and all the proper health precautions were used, including sanitizer on the counter and easily accessible Service was friendly and cordial and I ordered two muffins from the one I saw in their display at the counter (pictuded). They had a menu on the counter, easily read, and no need to pick it up or touch it. Looking beyond the counter the cleanliness inside looked very clean and orderly. Muffins are a tad small for the price, but made up in the quality of the product. I'd gladly return and try more. Oh. and there is a handy tip can on the counter too... best to use it when pleased with the product and service. This is definitely a place to try out. read more

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1951 has been my go to spot for matcha these past few months. They use high quality matcha, and the latte overall is the perfect amount of sweetness, milkiness, and frothiness. My boyfriend usually gets their Mocha Latte and he is a big fan. This shop is a few blocks away from campus so it's often difficult to find a spot to sit down. I would recommend getting your drinks to-go, although they do charge .25 extra for to-go. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Mocha latte and matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I got the iced honey lavender latte which was alright. I didn't taste the lavender at all which was pretty disappointing. It was syrupy overall and didn't taste super fresh. Service was pretty bad and unorganized since they didn't have labels on the drinks to correspond to whoever ordered it. They simply asked customers what they ordered and there were a lot of miscommunication and confusions since people sometimes ordered several items and didn't know their exact order. Other stores print out the name and order then tape it onto the drink - this is much easier for both the customer and the staff to keep track of peoples drink orders. Otherwise, the ambience is nice and it's a good place to study. read more

Staff is incredibly kind with our first time at this location. Ordered a honey lavender iced tea and espresso. Keep in mind their espressos come with sparkling water. We were so confused when the sparkling water was poured out for us. But the staff was incredibly patient and kind read more

Honestly, I used to like this place but I feel like the quality of the drinks has significantly decreased. I paid $8.5 for a latte and the sweetener wasn't even mixed. I'm very disappointed. Hoping this place gets back to what it used to be, especially with these prices read more

I had a honey lavender latte, and it was amazing. Whenever I see a business supporting a great cause, I'm going to support them. I'll definitely come back next time I'm in town and grab a coffee read more

1951 Coffee Company - a cup of cappuccino on a wooden table - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Ambiance: my favorite coffee shop in Berkeley. There's an inside portion but also cute outdoors patio if it's too crowded indoors. There are also outlets and wifi. Also love the mission of training+hiring refugees. I always have a great time here. Food: love the lavender honey latte and also the mochi donuts they get from Third Culture bakery. The drinks are also gigantic so you can really sit there and sip for a whole day. read more

1951 Coffee Company - lavender honey latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

A really nice shop in a great location. The person I was with noted it seems to be operated by refugees. That was great to hear. All the same, the women who helped us were kind and the coffee was delicious. It tasted fresh and of much higher quality than more expensive cups I've had. Will try and return for sure. read more

Just stopped in for a quick drink and snack on a Saturday morning. Due to COVID, there is no indoor dining. The cashier was attentive and explained the pastries for the day. I ordered the iced chai, which tasted fine, but nothing extraordinary. The chocolate mochi donut was a bit better, but also nothing to write home about. I also purchased a pretzel, but I haven't tried it yet. The prices were fine and the service was quick. Here's What I Think...I would only come back if I was in the area. read more

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Mikko's Tier List Reviews~ Food - 8/10 great coffee!! Price - great price! Ambience/Atmosphere - 9/10, really nice place to study! Wait time - NA, could be hard to find a seat if ur sitting in person and planning to study Individual Dish Ratings - Honey Lavender: my favorite Honey Oat Latte: favorite warm drink Matcha Latte: I think it's ok tbh, mind coffee's is better iirc Matcha strawberry latte: Pretty interesting! Tier Verdict - S out of SS read more

Such a wonderful shop with a great story! In town for work and stumbled across this gem. Went twice and enjoy both times equally. Drinks and service were both fantastic read more

1951 Coffee Company - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Grabbed a quick iced mocha latte during a stroll in the area- it did not disappoint. The drink was perfect, super clean indoors, and it's a quiet space to study/work in. To add, it's a non-profit business supporting the refugee community.. how awesome!! Happy to support a business with a great cause. read more

1951 Coffee Company - iced mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I recently participated in a volunteering session with 1951 Coffee Shop. The mission of this nonprofit is as follows: "1951 Coffee Company [...] promotes the well-being of the refugee community in the United States by providing job training and employment to refugees, asylees, and special immigrant visa holders while educating the surrounding community about refugee life and issues." During my volunteer activity I got to meet the folks of that current cohort and my "job" was it to conduct a mock-interview with them. Soon their training will be over and they will then apply with local coffee shops. For most folks on this training program, English is not their comfort language, nor are they all up-to-speed with what the interview process in the US might look like. After the mock-interviews, we all got to see the barista trainees at work: we placed orders with fake money and then watched them prepare our coffee drinks. I played that a-hole customer who places a ridiculously personalized (in other words: annoying) order: I'd like to have a triple-shot, extra-foamy and dry caramel oat-milk macchiato. And can you make sure the milk is extra hot? Is it organic? Oh wait, I changed my mind and instead... Needless to say, the trainee I affronted with this task was a bit overwhelmed with my request and so I gave him a big tip...with that fake money! Thank you, 1951 Coffee Shop for playing your part in making the world a better place! read more

If you want a perfect latte every single time you order, good music, WiFi and a place to plug in and study/ work.... This is the spot! I was in town for work and stumbled across this coffee shop. Came one day, perfect latte was devoured within 5 mins. Returned the next day and ordered two lattes within a 20 min time span. It's that good. Love the cause of the coffee shop as well. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Latte with simple syrup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've been here twice now and don't really see the appeal with their drinks. I might just be ordering the wrong things but both times they've just not been very good. The first time I got the iced latte, which was pretty standard but extremely milky which I personally don't prefer. The second time I got an iced matcha latte after hearing many good reviews about it, but this was probably even worse than the latte. It was really bland and there were clumps of the matcha powder on the bottom as well which were annoying to drink. The overall vibe of the place is really nice though, and the staff is also super friendly. I'd come back to study, but not sure about the drinks. read more

1951 Coffee Company - Iced matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

A cute coffee shop! I tried their Chai special (i think it was Apple and Chai maybe?) and thought it was delish. I've been meaning to come over the years (during my time at Berkeley) and glad that despite graduating, I still found myself on campus and able to give it a go. Come give it a try and give those bobas a break lol. read more

I've had a LOT of lattes in my life so it takes a truly fantastic drink to stand out to me. The coffee I had at 1951 was one of those drinks. I savored every delicious sip of my caramel almond milk latte this morning. The cafe was a great work environment, service was quick and friendly, and of course the mission of the place is commendable as well. If I lived in the area I just know I'd be here all the time! read more

1951 Coffee Company - Caramel almond milk latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

A unique coffee place place that has a good cause of supporting immigrants and refugees. The people are very nice and the coffee and teas are amazing. They have a unique array of homemade syrups that taste very natural. I really like the lavender syrup with matcha iced latte, it has a really robust flavor and is well balanced. The ambiance is really nice and hip, and there are plenty of power outlets for those who want to study/work there. For students running late to class but need an urgent yet delicious caffeine boost, you can order of snack pass. They're also really good about keeping homeless people out who often frequent Peets and cause so many problem read more

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Lovely brew with mochi donut and social mission to boot. What's not to love about this spot? I only wish they were open later. In an area with lots of coffee options, 1951 stands out not just for their thoughtfulness about their relationships with growers, roasters and the local refugee community, they stand out for their high quality coffee. read more