While visiting San Jose, I came across this coffee shop and I'm really glad I did. The coffee quality was excellent, the staff was very friendly, and the pastries were absolutely delicious. The shop itself is a bit small, so it may not be the easiest place to study for long periods, but it has a great atmosphere, good vibes, and a very welcoming environment. The outdoor seating was a huge plus, especially with nice weather -- it's the perfect spot to sit outside and enjoy your coffee. Parking in the area can be a little tricky and it is paid parking, but that's pretty common for most downtown areas. Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely recommend this coffee shop to anyone looking for quality coffee and a nice atmosphere. read more

Academic Coffee - Banana latte - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Our drinks took 15-20 minutes to come out. The coffee shop is nice and has nice door seating. My friend and I ordered the Vanilla Latte + Pandan Latte, both of which were not filled up all the way. Also, they lacked the difference in taste and we couldn't tell apart the difference in orders. The Vietnamese iced coffee was horrible. It was so dark and bitter and left a really strange aftertaste. Though I will say the matcha guava was really good. The cream top tasted like fresh guava, and it complemented the matcha very well. That was the only redeeming drink here. read more

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I tried the banana matcha since everyone was raving about it and it honestly failed to meet my expectations. The matcha flavor was subtle, very faint and not as strong as I'd like. The banana cream felt lacking as well. Even after mixing the cream top with the matcha, it felt unsatisfying and not enough banana flavor. I do like how the overall drink isn't overly sweet and the texture of the cream was nice. It was fairly crowded on a Thursday morning but the line to order moves quick. My drink took about 15 minutes to come out. Maybe it was just an off day? But I had higher expectations for their banana cream matcha. read more

Academic Coffee - Banana matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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Always a solid choice for coffee or matcha in the Bay! I don't always like a strawberry matcha, but theirs is super yummy! The strawberry compote is fresh and sweet. It pairs perfectly with their earthy matcha. They also offer up a nice selection of sweet and savory baked goods if you're in the mood for a quick bite. You really can't go wrong! Also, a huge fan of their branding. Digging the new cup design! read more

Academic Coffee - Strawberry Matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

First matcha spot I've tried in San Jose and I need to go back!! My friends and I arrived around 11:30am. There was a bit of a line but it went by quickly. There was limited seating but my friends and I were able to snag a table. I love the interior of the cafe. They also give out free Pokemon cards! I ordered the banana matcha latte and it was so good! The banana cream didn't overpower the matcha and the matcha flavor wasn't too sweet or bitter. A good balance for me. Will definitely come back whenever I'm in the bay! :-) read more

Academic Coffee - banana matcha latte - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

After a long workday, I needed a pick-me-up. My friend has already mentioned good things about Academic Coffee. I went to their location near Valley Fair, but was curious about their OG downtown location. I came during the afternoon on a weekend. I don't know why I expected it to be crowded, but I was one of the only customers. Service was super kind and quick, which was nice! The actual shop is quite small inside, with seating, and there are seats outside as well. I got the Matcha Banana Latte with Oat Milk. This is what my friend always hypes up. I can see the hype! It was so rich, creamy, and banana-like without any artificial flavor. The matcha was smooth and earthy. I'm a fan of their lattes and would come back for more! Academic Coffee is a must if you like caffeine. They have a couple of locations in San Jose. Drinks are consistent, although pricey. This location is off S 2nd St. with street parking around. read more

Academic Coffee - Banana Matcha (Oat Milk) - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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3 stars. I came because of the strong reviews and walked over from my hotel. The pastries were good, but the coffee was fairly flavorless. Not a bad experience by any means, just not one that lived up to the expectations set by the overall rating. read more

Ordered: Iced Banana Cream Espresso Latte (~$8) Iced Pistakio Cream Espresso Latte (~$8): salted Pistakio cream top with quinoa puffs in an espresso latte Stan's Yeasted Glazed Donut (~$4) Aya's take: Academic Coffee is doing specialty coffee drinks right! As soon as I saw the Iced Banana Cream Espresso Latte, I knew I had to have it. The banana cream tasted like they used fresh bananas (not artificial), creamy & fluffy, and not overly sweet yet balances out the latte even more once it's fully mixed. The Iced Pistakio Cream Espresso Latte was nutty, creamy, and balanced. Both cream tops were excellent and you probably can't go wrong with any variation of latte & cream top. We got Stan's Yeasted Glazed Donut for a quick snack and it was beyond airy, light, and fluffy. My only complaint was the cashier lacked basic hospitality & customer service you would expect. Good try, nonetheless! read more

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Parking: Street parking only. Limited residential free spots. Interior: Very limited seating. Ok to study if you are able to get a spot but not good for large groups unless you hang outside. Wait Time: None to order. about 5-10min for drinks Items Order: 7/10 Pandan Matcha $7.25 - Not on menu but you can ask for it. Pandan flavor was super light and needed to ask for more. Also sweetness was about a 15-20% so I also needed adjusting for higher. 7/10 Pandan Latte $6.25 - Same as above for pandan comments. Coffee was just average. Light in flavor. read more

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Five stars for the iced espresso banana latte, it was absolutely perfect. The cream is not too sweet and has a really fresh banana flavor. I was excited to try their Pistakio specials, but these didn't quite hit the mark for me. I got both hot and iced. The hot version didn't blend well with the Pistakio cream, making the texture a bit unpleasant (5/10). The iced version was much more enjoyable (7/10). TL;DR iced espresso banana latte - 10/10 hot pistakio cream latte - 5/10 iced pistakio cream latte - 7/10 read more

Academic Coffee - Retail prices - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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MATCHAFOO back with another weekend warrior review... fsh fsh . Stopped by Academics Coffee for my weekend matcha treat. Right away the place had super chill vibes and a really dope atmosphere. They also had some pretty sick merch which was cool to see. I ordered the strawberry matcha, and let me tell you this place is officially #1 on my matcha hunt so far. The matcha flavor was strong, thick, and really smooth, and the strawberry flavor actually came through which was fire. Some places barely taste like strawberry, but this one definitely delivered. My girlfriend ordered the iced banana cream latte, and that cold foam was fire. Great coffee flavor and super smooth. Service was pretty quick too, especially considering how busy they were. But wait... that's not all. The donuts they sell are from Stan's Donuts and if you know, you know . I'll definitely be making my way back here ASAP. read more

Academic Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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Great! Got the hojicha latte with no sweetness and it hit the spot. Be sure to stir as all the concentrate drops to the bottom. Otherwise the Pandan was yummy too and we had a great pick me up midday. The line wasn't too long at 1pm, and the wait was about 10min for two drinks which isn't bad. Cute trinkets to look at and collect from inside. I traded some one piece cards for some pkmn ones. read more

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I really enjoyed the banana matcha here, although next time I would probably reduce the sugar level. I thought the pastries were alright, we wanted to try a variety and most of the popular pastries were gone by the time we got there, I recommend going earlier in the day. The line was also incredibly long and the parking was limited. Overall great, but make sure to go at an off-time. read more

Academic Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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I want to preface that I make my own matcha at home using first harvest matcha so my standards for matcha are very high. Not only do I pay attention to the consistency of the matcha but also the flavor profile. Academic is the only coffee shop I've been to in the Bay Area that has lived up to those standards. I ended up ordering the strawberry matcha which I felt like was a perfect balance - it wasn't too sweet, had good strawberry flavor but you also could still taste the matcha. It wasn't watered down or grainy at all. The only downside is, because of the location, a lot of college students visit so the line was long and I had to wait 40 min for my matcha. But I'm glad I got to try their matcha and this is the one place I know that will always get it right. read more

Academic Coffee - strawberry matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Nice workers, nice atmosphere and seems like a great place to do work or have hangouts. Lots of seating. Matcha tastes great. I got a hot banana cream pie matcha latte. I cannot taste the banana at all. Very good matcha-- tastes great, I wish I could taste the banana. Also bought a pandan coffee. Couldn't taste the pandan. Also got a vanilla latte. Could barely taste the vanilla. Great drinks but I can't taste any of the added flavor paid for. Overall, it is a great community spot. Very easy to find parking as well! read more

Friends have been raving about Academic Coffee and they weren't wrong. I got two drinks when I went, I tried their latte and matcha latte. They were both great but I'd say I really prefer the matcha over their coffee. I'm glad they offer non-dairy milk as options. The workers were really friendly and they seem to enjoy their job. This location is in downtown but doesn't feel like it's downtown since it's a bit on the end of downtown. I think that's great so it doesn't feel too chaotic. I'd definitely come back to try other drinks. There aren't much chairs to sit at, you have to really claim them once they're free. read more

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Love! The hype over this place makes so much sense -- their drinks were delicious (both coffee & matcha). My friend and I ordered the pandan latte and banana cream matcha since they seemed to be the most popular drinks. The pandan latte was one of my favorite of all time! It was the perfect amount of sweetness and the pandan flavor was prominent. No notes. The infamous banana cream matcha is probably every banana lovers dream! I am not a huge banana matcha / coffee person so I just tried some from my friend, but it tasted solid! Only street parking available, inside is super packed but they have some outdoor space which is nice! Long line to order at the counter, but it moves fast. Drinks take longer tho -- I was given a 20min estimate on a busy-ish day which worked for me but glad they gave the heads up when we ordered :) read more

Academic Coffee - pandan latte and banana cream matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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I got the banana matcha and it was really good!The banana cream top was delicious- the perfect amount of sweetness and a great banana flavor. The matcha itself was amazing as well and managed to shine through the banana cream top, which I appreciated. The space is pretty small inside, with some seating. It's alright to do work at, but wouldn't necessarily recommend because of the limited seats and lack of outlets. There's seating right outside too though. It's a good spot to pick up a drink and stay for a bit though! My friend recommended this as I was visiting from out of town- I'm glad I tried it! read more

Academic Coffee - banana matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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This was a solid matcha spot! I discovered this matcha place through urmomashley on YouTube! The matcha was strong and a beautiful green color as you can tell from the picture. I got the banana matcha, and the cream top was light and creamy. There was definitely a real banana flavor in the cream, but not too banana-y. My boyfriend was really looking forward to trying the guava matcha latte, but they were not selling it at the time. Overall, I loved this place and I would definitely come back to try the other matcha and hojicha drinks! read more

Academic Coffee - Matcha Latte with Pandan Syrup, Banana Matcha Latte - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Expect a long line on weekends, but it moves fast. The drinks come out quickly after you order. I got the matcha banana latte which was whatever. Neither the matcha or banana cream top stood out. Don't think it's worth it to wait in line unless you're in the area and it's not busy. There's limited seating inside, and when there is a line it can get pretty noisy. It's not a great cafe to study or do work at unless you catch it at off peak hours. It is still worth a visit to try! read more

Academic Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Heard through the grapevine that Academic Coffee has the best matcha in the bay, particularly the banana matcha. Additionally, I have never tried banana matcha before, so, why not now? ***NO CASH USED*** OVERALL: Meh. Kind of a terrible location...downtown with scary folks, rough neighborhood, emptied stores, and paid parking. Plus, I didn't appreciate that when I said "less ice," the cup was 80% ice (and clearly per my drink label of "regular ice," I was talking to a wall). Super, super, super pricey ice. I gave it 4 stars because the service wasn't cool. ORDERED: Banana matcha latte $8.50 - alternative milk is an additional 50 cents - it really isn't that sweet (thankfully) - matcha is spectacularly smooth with no bitter, grainy aftertaste Pistachio berry croissant $6.50 - TONS of filling (not my cup of tea... I prefer lighter toppings ha), comprising of whole pistachios on top, pistachio crumbles and berry jam in the middle - tastes better warmed up in an oven/toaster/air fryer; otherwise it's super soggy SERVICE: Wasn't much help. Didn't care to listen or hear a word. Gave me a ton of ice when I just wanted a teeny bit. At least they didn't give me a hard time. Called your name as drinks are ready and called it a day. Took approximately 10 minutes. No heating options offered for baked goods (not made in house). AMBIANCE: Folks with their laptops and as a place to hang plus people watch. Indoor and outdoor seating. However more solo than groups as groups seem to quickly leave after drinks are made. Lots of people when I was there (around 11am on a Thursday) but not packed to the brim. Casual, modern clean decor. WiFi offered. Water offered with great quality plastic cups. Located in downtown SJ. I hear it's worth the trip (vs other locations) but meh... parallel parking behind a dumpster isn't my kind of vibe (thankfully I had folks car sitting for me). Paid parking except for Sundays. Would I come back? Not going to lie, I am tempted to try their coffee due to how smooth the matcha was but I wouldn't go solo especially as a female and no one to help me car sit (haha). To me, it's in the middle of a deserted downtown. read more

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Solid latte made with quality roasted beans. Service was pretty mediocre, I arrived after the morning rush and before the lunch rush, so I am clueless as to why we had to wait so long to order. I appreciate the value they place on art with some trade and for purchase items at the pick up counter. read more

This small business really gets coffee and matcha right. I come all the way from Hayward to get my fix at least once a month to try their season flavors. I still dream about the guava matcha that was a perfect blend of fruity guava and smooth umami matcha. Note that drinks are on the sweeter side. It's raining today so I wanted a little pick me up, and luckily it wasn't too busy. I do feel like the quality of your drink will depend on how swarmed the location is. They're pretty consistent but I know a common feedback they get is lack of (usually when it's busy and bustling). Today I tried the strawberry/cranberry matcha latte! It was so yummy the strawberry and cranberry paired well, did not clash but if tart is not your thing I don't recommend. My mom got a honey matcha latte and she loved it. Said it was not too sweet and not bitter! I look forward to the next round of seasonal drinks. Ambiance is a little loud, people like to come and catch up with friends. Not a place to study limited seating, always busy to seating is mainly for people waiting for drinks. Lack of food options ;( Staff is very friendly and helpful. There's a tall gentlemen with green eyes who is always kind to us!! He's usually at the counter taking orders. read more

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I love the is spot! Shoutout to my co workers for introducing it ! I have tried the banana Matcha and the banana coffee latte one! Awesome, delicious, refreshing! (The coffee gets me wired). My new fav is the Hojicha here! LOVE! The service is always great too! Friendly staff and cute ambiance. FYI for your peace- small shop/space but they have outdoor space too and it does get busy during peak. read more

I love visiting Academic for their artisanal matcha, hojicha, and coffee drinks. It genuinely warms my heart to see a local business receive this much support and put this much care into their craft! We arrived at 3 PM on a Sunday- the process of being in line, ordering, and receiving our drinks took approximately 20-25 minutes. The weekend wait is no joke! Make sure you're not in a time crunch before coming. I ordered their banana matcha, and my friends got the seasonal cranberry strawberry matcha. I would highly recommend taking the lid off to mix these drinks to ensure that you are consuming a more uniform taste- my friends told me that their order erred on the more bitter side due to this oversight. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my banana matcha due to my aforementioned tip! The cream was thick and tasty, and the nutty taste of banana permeated my drink quite well. If I'd known that I had the option to adjust sugar and ice, I'd have selected a lighter choice for both. I would love to come back at an earlier time to try some of their baked goods. This is an excellent choice to get a caffeine fix in at. read more

Academic Coffee - Banana matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

dirty chai w/ almond milk, half sweet! flavor was good and the espresso was there, not lost in the chai or almond milk. i do think oat milk or regular milk would be better in terms of texture but i would still get this again! the cups are super cute!! read more

Academic Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Love the Banana Latte or the Macha super good place must try! It's normally real busy but worth the wait! Place is a vibe and the location in Stevens Creek has a great outdoor seating! read more

Decided to come to this spot to discover the hype around academic coffee. Its always on social media and other places . Low rating due to the latte not being that great Pros Service is fast considering the amount of orders they have to go through Interesting offerings and combinations Cons The matcha latte didn't taste that great compared to other places specializing in matcha latte Not alot of place to sit down. Mostly a grab and go place read more

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My friends and I stopped by Academic Coffee to fuel up and get our caffeine fix before hitting up a crafts fair. The line was out the door and the cafe was popping! Things moved a bit slowly but we were in no hurry. We ordered our drinks and Savory pull apart bread was unique and delicious, just wish we had asked whether it could be warmed up. Drinks took a while bc it was so busy, but we got our pastries immediately, and we snacked on them while sitting on the benches outside, enjoying the warmth of the sun through the winter chill. We got a savory pull-apart bread and a pistachio croissant. Both were well-made and flavorful, but they definitely would have benefit from being heated up. We basically finished our pastries by the time our drinks were ready. I ordered the espresso banana latte and tried a sip of my friend's piloncillo latte. I've tried other banana cream drinks that weren't my style, but I liked my latte here. The coffee was smooth and paired well with the banana cream that did not taste artificial. The pilnocillo latte had a sweet, spiced taste that was also quite tasty. This is definitely not a spot I would recommend for folks in a hurry, but if you have an hour to spare, I would definitely recommend dropping by next time you are in San Jose, to try their delicious pastries and unique, well-made drinks. read more

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- stopped by on a Sunday and it was packed! Lines to order and lines waiting on their drinks, there's only 2 baristas working hard in a small space so except a wait - by the afternoon the pastry case was empty so definitely go in the mornings if you're looking for something to eat - both matchas were delicious! Smooth, a mild matcha profile, and complemented well with the banana flavor - I heard their lattes are good so I'll be back to try more! :) read more

Academic Coffee - Interior - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place lives up to the hype! Parking can be tricky but I luckily got a spot nearby at 2pm on a weekday. Employees are super nice and sweet. We even got little Christmas drawings on our lids! I tried their banana cream matcha and my coworker got the pandan latte. Both were so good! Their cups are way bigger than average coffeeshops, so it's worth the price. The banana matcha was super creamy, not too sweet, and the banana flavor was natural and so good. It really compliments the matcha well! The pandan latte is also flavorful and you can taste the nutty notes of pandan. I'd definitely come back to try their other drinks and baked goods! Thanks for having us! read more

Academic Coffee - Pandan latte, banana cream matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Parking can be a pain, as it is in downtown, but there are plenty of lots nearby! We got lucky and got street parking. It's a little pricey, but the quality is amazing. I got the banana matcha with oat, and it was perfect amount of sweet and blend of banana and matcha. Some places when you switch the milk, it throws off the flavor. Not here though! It's definitely within my top 5 favorites for banana matchas, based on all the places I tried in both SoCal and NorCal. There's not much seating, so it felt more like a to-go place, but it was cool inside. There was a line, but it went by very quickly due to their fast service. I look forward to coming back and trying their other drinks :) read more

Academic Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

This was my first time trying Academic after hearing good reviews from friends. What drew me in was when I found out they had a Piloncillo latte! The only downside is that parking can be tricky because it is in downtown and it's street parking, but there's also a garage near by if needed. Though the line was long, it moved fairly quickly. The inside is pretty small with a few tables, but there's tables outside as well. I ordered an iced Piloncillo latte and got it extra sweet. It was delicious! I could really taste the Piloncillo and it wasn't too overpowering to where I couldn't taste the coffee. I would recommend it! read more

Academic Coffee - Barista area - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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It was first time coming here in a while and I wanted to try something new. Matcha Halo (3/5): This was matcha on top of coconut water. I thought the flavors didn't blend too well together and it was difficult for the thick matcha cream to blend perfectly with the coconut water. I've never been amazed about this place but I would give this place another shot. read more

Academic Coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

Hojicha Banana Latte -- hojicha and banana flavors were very subtle and bland, it tasted more like milk. Pumpkin Spice Latte -- more latte flavor than pumpkin spice flavor. Bland and not as flavorful. We went around hour before they closed, all the best sellers were gone which was understandable. Overall flavors of the flavored drinks were not too strong and more subtle. read more

Academic Coffee - Menu - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

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Came here on a friday afternoon and there was no line! Luckily we were able to snag a metered parking spot right out front as well. I ordered the matcha with guava cream and WOW the guava cream was delicious!!! I loooove guava so I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor and loved the sprinkle of li hint mui on top! Tbh, the matcha itself was just ok, I wish I knew I could get guava matcha. But I feel like the matcha itself wasn't sweet enough? Overall, I'm glad I tried it, but for $9, I prob won't get it again. read more

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I ordered the guava matcha with guava cream, and I loved it. The matcha itself was pretty strong considering the drinks base was flavored. The guava cream was sweet and kind of salty? It was really well balanced so that the drink itself wasn't too sweet. The cashier and barista were super kind, too! read more

Academic Coffee in Downtown San Jose is my caffeine love story. Just a short walk from my new place, it feels like such a treat to have them so close by. I truly appreciate that they're still around--and honestly, more popular than ever. $10 for a 16 oz drink? I regret nothing each time. The Guava Matcha is my current obsession. It's only available Thursday through Sunday, so plan to come early! If it happens to be sold out, the Banana Matcha steps in as the sweet rebound. Indoor seating? Eh..tight and not exactly cozy. Outdoor seating? Much better, but tables are limited and a little too close for comfort. Most days, I just grab my drink and enjoy it while I walk home. The lines can get long, but the service is always impressively quick. And let's not forget the glazed donut! if you know, you know. I'm just glad they offer it here because it's the perfect pairing with my drink. read more

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Solid Hojicha latte. Despite there being a rather long line, the wait was only about 5-10 minutes. I couldn't hear when they called names while waiting outside, but the person who was behind me in line, graciously let me know. There is both an indoor and outdoor area. Indoor is more for waiting while the outdoor area is nice to have small conversation. read more

Academic Coffee - Hojicha Latte - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California

One of my favorite matcha spots in the area! I've been to both locations 1-2 times and always crave the matcha when I haven't had it for awhile. I've been a big fan of the flavored matchas they've had -- both the banana and guava matchas are delicious and have a great blend of flavors (didn't get to try the melon one ) Parking can be a little tough since it's mostly street parking, but we've been able to find a spot nearby within walking distance every time. There is usually always a line, but the ordering process moves quickly and they're quick with making the drinks too. I wouldn't personally bring work to the cafe to do since foot traffic is high and it's always bustling, but it's a great spot to chat with friends! read more

Academic Coffee - Banana matcha, guava matcha - Bakeries Near Me - San Jose, California