During my visit, the staff and manager were amazing - friendly, welcoming, and happy to walk me…read morethrough the menu. They also shared that the artwork is printed on foam, which I thought was a unique and neat touch that adds to the overall experience. I was recommended the Mango Matcha, and I highly recommend giving it a try! While the space is small, the bright, vibrant interior creates a fun and inviting atmosphere. It's the perfect spot to grab a drink and enjoy it while strolling around the Pearl. A great combination if you ask me!

The coffee was really good, I had the Golden latte and they put a pic on top for me…read more The inside is small but cute The 2 guys were so nice and welcoming and very helpful! Great customer service.

Nearly 3 years later and I visited Creme once again. This time around I ordered a cookie, cortado,…read moreand a mocha latte. They were nice enough to warm the cookie for me, and it had that "fresh out of the oven" smell and gooeyness. They asked me if I wanted my drinks for here or to-go and I said for here and they still served me in to-go cups, which I thought was weird. The cortado was not my favorite. It was bitter and acidic and the foam was looking a little yeasty. The mocha latte also had very little flavor to it, tasting like hot milk. I had difficulty finishing both drinks. Later I noticed they were using What's Brewing beans, and it made sense. I know many folks love WB? coffee beans, as it's a bit of a local darling, but more often than not I don't enjoy cortados made with their beans. Dirty dishes and cutlery sat on a couple of tables long after folks had left. I don't want to make assumptions, because there WAS a designated staff member for cleaning/wiping things down, but maybe those two evaded her. There's a sign on the wall that says, "I'm not for everyone," and boy are they right. They also stopped playing one of my favorite Radiohead songs (right in the middle of it!) to play Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. Now while I'm not deducting stars for THAT (because that's just downright petty), I can't help but feel unimpressed by my most recent visit. At least the cookie was delicious. Perhaps a third visit is in order. As they say, third time's a charm, right?

Such a cool spot!! The inside and decor is beautiful…read more Iced vanilla latte was so good and I had a warmed up chocolate chip cookie that was the best!

Love me some Mila Coffee! While visiting San Antonio, Texas, I decided to stop at Mila Coffee and…read moreget their Mexican vanilla latte... It's a smooth blend of Mexican vanilla steamed with milk and a touch a cinnamon. This coffee was so enjoyable to drink. In addition, I purchased a bacon, egg and cheese taco. Of course the taco was made with a homemade tortilla...pretty standard fare in San Antonio. Totally miss homemade tortilla... My server and the barista were super personable and helpful. Really enjoyed chatting with them... Overall, quiet environment that early in the morning...

I've passed Mila coffee a few times and each time it has smelled yummy! I finally made it a point…read morea friend to get coffee. Their menu is simple, which I appreciate. The staff was friendly. I got their cold brew and it was yummy. I like coffee and most times vendor coffees are always to sweet and I rarely taste the coffee. Mila's cold brew coffee was good! Flavorful. I would get it again!

Eight years since my last review! It's comforting to know the quality here is still top notch…read more Estate's another long-time San Antonio staple, and I finally got around circling back to visiting them so I can cross them off my cortado review list. How did I immediately know their quality was still great? Their line never goes down. I ordered the cortado, the Kentucky Smoke, and a sausage and cheese kolache. The cortado was pretty much perfect - one of the best in the city. The Kentucky Smoke was also a delight. It's not too sweet, so if you want to change up your latte but not go tooth-achingly sweet, this flavor is a must. The kolache was great. It had croissant-like dough, was salty in the best ways, and overall very satisfying. Staff continues to be unfailingly nice. I was tempted to buy a bag of coffee, but since I haven't been making much coffee at home, I decided another time. Estate Coffee is one of those shops you are okay making the drive to, even if they're on the other side of the city. A San Antonio must-visit!

Friendly service, tasty pastries and good lattes at a reasonable price. Cool merch, along with a…read morenice ambiance and indoor seating.

Local Coffee is impressively fast our drinks came out in under 2 minutes after ordering. We tried…read morethe horchata cold brew, iced vanilla latte, and orange vanilla latte, and all of them were so good. I love that they offer unique flavors you don't usually find elsewhere. The inside has a really cute aesthetic, and they also sell merch and coffee that's just as cute. Definitely a great spot if you're looking for quality drinks and quick service!

Service was phenomenal, friendly and helpful with picking flavors and providing suggestions. Drinks…read morewere delicious, loved the different matcha variations!

The barista was lovely! She was super upbeat and friendly. We came for the first time here to check…read moreit out and it's pouring rain outside. She warned us the floor might be slick so just a heads up if you when it's wet outside! The place was quiet and there was WiFi available. No food available but drinks are yummy! Loved the golden chai exactly what you'd expect from all the different flavor profiles and we got the coconut latte which was not very flavorful but we got the hint of coconut flavor. Overall great experience!

Beautiful Saturday morning and my one task was to choose a coffee spot which brought us here…read more Parked and grabbed a coffee at Amaretti prior to our planned walk at the Pearl. Absolutely lovely. The barista was informative on the history of how Amaretti came to be and V loved it.

The Emma hotel itself is a beautiful, charming joint with heavy industrial influence and this bar…read moreis no exception. We stopped in for post-dinner drinks and enjoyed the blues band that was playing. Our server, Brie was great - friendly, helpful, and very attentive. They have a nice list of spirits, including all the craft cocktails staples, like Chartreuse, to help you get the Last Word! We stayed for about an hour and a half and enjoyed the comfy seating, relaxed atmosphere, and amazing drinks. Definitely will return!

Cute shop with food, coffee, bakery, a little of everything…read more Buy gifts here, souvenirs from the Pearl. Connected to the hotel, it's out back yet has its own entrance as well Friendly staff

Such a cool and chill spot! If punk rock meets 90s classic is your jam, this place is for you…read more Hubby and I had the brexter, Cuban b (I think). Mine (Brexter) was delicious. It was the right amount of all the things. I am light wait so only 1 shot of espresso for me. Hubby also enjoyed his coffee. We had 3 everything bagels with cream cheese. We were either hungry or the bagels were that good. It's probably a combination of both. Now, let's talk about the kindness of the staff and the vibe of the place. I forgot to request alternative milk. We were just going to purchase another cup with almond milk. They made me a cup without charge. How sweet is that. Additionally, my husband saw a board where strangers can buy each other coffee. So naturally we repaid their kindness by getting two strangers a cup and left some notes of encouragement. With everything happening in our world today, this was a beautiful reminder of kindness. So pass it on. Checkout this dope, please and buy a stranger a cup of coffee. Until next time, blessings!

This spot has an eclectic, retro aesthetic that captures the essence of the new wave and post-punk…read moreera. The Vato Rudo was sooo good. It's definitely a must-try! It's made with espresso, horchata, and a caramel drizzle, and it's served iced only. We also tried the Siouxsie, made with Abuelita chocolate, cinnamon, and roasted marshmallows, and it did not disappoint. Will definitely be back!

The Bakery Lorraine at the Pearl is one of my places to spend a slow morning in San Antonio. Even…read morebefore you walk inside, the atmosphere is part of the experience. The Pearl's beautiful mix of historic architecture and modern design creates the perfect backdrop, and there's no better spot to grab a table, sip a coffee, and enjoy some of the best people-watching in the city. The food never disappoints. The Quiche Lorraine is consistently outstanding! Rich, creamy, perfectly seasoned, with a buttery, flaky crust that somehow manages to be both delicate and substantial. And then there are the macarons. Bakery Lorraine has one of the best selections around, with flavors that range from timeless classics to fun seasonal creations. Each one has that perfect crisp shell with a soft, chewy center, and every flavor tastes intentional rather than overly sweet.

absolutely amazing desserts, top shelf imo. when i consider their price compared to how much they…read morepay their employees though...pure greed. i've lost all respect for them. Front of House makes $5 an hour, if that doesn't disgust you, please revisit your relationship with humanity

Met my friend for lunch as I saw the menu recently and was intrigued, esp. for the Queen Vol au…read moreVent lunch entrée. I haven't been to a CIA restaurant since I went to the one in Napa many years ago. We arrived around noon and were seated immediately as not many people were dining there except for a party of about 8 people in one table and 2 people in a bar top table in the other room by the pastries. A couple of people came in to buy pastries to go. Kiana was our student server and explained the concept. They're only open from February til April for that particular semester and in August for another semester with students operating both front and back of house in the kitchen. The proceeds from the restaurant sales goes towards the Students' Graduating Fund to help with the costs of schooling. The students can experience serving customers and cooking. The chef has a Basque background so his menu is French-Spanish inspired according to Kiana. My friend and I thought this was a great cause! We perused the menu but I zeroed into the Queen Vol Au Vent because it reminded me of the Chicken A La King in Pastry Shells dish I used to make when we used to have big family Christmas parties. I wanted to see their version. I asked Kiana what the pastry shells were filled with since the menu says it's filled with the "Chef's choice Velouté" and she said chicken and mushrooms in a cream sauce. Perfect! My friend got the Egg Croissant & Petit Salade with a side of Bacon & Home Fries. While they were preparing our dishes, I walked up to the pastry case to see what they had to offer. They had cookies, Raisin Bread rolls, Conchas, Manchego & Sausage Scone, Alfajor Dulce de Leche, a Passion Chocolate dessert, fruit tarts, Napoleon, Baguettes and some bagged items: Palmiers, Chocolate coated Nuts and Toffee. I asked one of the chefs how much the bag of Toffee cost and she said $3.80 so I said I'll buy a bag. My friend was curious to see what they had so she also picked up a bag of Toffee. My friend also ordered a cup of brewed coffee. Our dishes came and I noticed how huge my friend's Egg Croissant looked! It was nicely laminated and the egg filling looked nice and creamy. The bacon was thickly sliced and my friend said there was a slight sweetness, perhaps maple? She gave me a piece and it was pretty tasty, meaty and wasn't greasy, nor salty. My Queen Vol Au Vent wasn't quite as big as I thought it would be but the chicken filling was ample. The Petit Salade on the side were just dry greens and wasn't a very big portion either. It could've used more dressing as it was lacking moisture. Perhaps some sliced Heirloom Cherry tomatoes would've been nice to accompany the dry pastry shell Vol Au Vent dish and add a pop of color too. When we were paying our bill, Kiana said the bagged Toffees were on the House since they just opened so we were pleasantly surprised and thankful! Another server asked my friend if she'd like more coffee or if she'd like it in a to-go cup so she took that option. I noticed the students were clearing out the pastries and bread so I asked Kiana what they did with the excess, unsold pastries? She said they take inventory, donate or throw them away except for the bread which is frozen and sold the next day. We told her we hoped it was given away since they're perfectly fine and for a good cause. There was an instructor's birthday today so the students and staff sang "Happy Birthday" by the kitchen. That was nice. We paid our bills and before leaving I used the co-ed restroom which was very clean and spacious. We sat outside so they could buss our tables and we continued talking outside. Can't wait to come back again before the semester ends!

*NOTE* The CIA Cafe is only open from February to April…read more What a lovely breakfast experience! We arrived 25 mins after they opened, and another party had just gotten seated. Although it is small, it's well-designed and well-laid out. The staff is really sweet and patient if it's your first time visiting. The breakfast croissant sandwich is the perfect amount of food, not to mention a well-balanced meal. The lamination is just proper- a buttery, flaky crunch. If you plan on getting goodies from the bakery, they can take your dine-in check and adjust the price to add those items. The variety can be a bit overwhelming but trust your gut. There's nothing terrible, since the quality of the ingredients and technique were on point. My favorite was the white chocolate pretzel cookie, so I'd like to return and try the other flavors. I love that a portion of your bill also funds the scholarship program, which makes you feel good about the entire experience.