Sama Coffee Shop in San Mateo understands that a café can be more than a place to consume coffee;…read moreit can be an exercise in atmosphere and appetite. The room is quietly elegant, its Middle Eastern influences expressed through considered décor rather than theatrical excess. There is an appealing sense of decorum here; a place designed to encourage lingering rather than turnover. The coffee is similarly assured. Turkish coffee possesses the requisite depth and bitterness, while the rose-cardamom-honey latte introduces floral sweetness and spice with admirable restraint. The pastries and sweets--particularly the baklava and kunafeh--provide a luxurious counterpoint without descending entirely into confectionery excess. At roughly $10-$20 per person, Sama occupies a sensible price point for an experience that feels considerably more considered than the average neighborhood coffee shop. Sama is, ultimately, a café with a point of view and that is increasingly rare. The service was designed to provide you with a feeling that you're like a beloved family member. Eager to answer all questions asked and make you feel like you're at home.

We stopped by Sama Coffee Shop for a coffee and a quick dessert while we were in the area. It's a…read morecharming Turkish-style café with a nice selection of coffee drinks, creative lattes, teas, pastries, and desserts. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting, making it a good place to sit for a bit and enjoy a drink and something sweet. Overall, I would say our experience was fine. The coffee and dessert were good, but nothing really stood out enough that I would make a special trip from the South Bay to San Mateo just to come here. That said, if you're already in the area and looking for a casual coffee spot with some Turkish-inspired treats and a relaxed atmosphere, it's definitely worth stopping by.

Miso caramel never had anything like it, i'm shocked and…read moreimpressed and very down to get this again or try other things on the menu also the Miso caramel didn't overpower the coffee taste at All which is imo rare? Pandan Matcha! this is the strongest pandan flavor i've had in a while and it was really good!! it did overpower the matcha flavor but I didn't mind because I like pandan and this was really good and not superrrrr artificial or sweet like other places. If you are looking for a strong matcha taste, this drink might not be for you tho service was great and speedy considering how long the line was (30min before closing too wow) I also loved the decor and I think this would be a great place to work: there's wifi, some seating and power sockets

4/5 Kaizen Coffee…read moredefinitely lives up to the hype when it comes to their pour over. The space is clean, modern, and aesthetically nice, but it is pretty small and not really the type of café I would hang out at for hours. It reminded me more of a busy boba shop where you grab your drink and go. We came around 1 PM and waited about 10 minutes. They only allow around six people to queue inside, so there was a pretty steady line of people waiting outside. This place gets BUSY. We tried the black sesame iced latte and a single origin pour over. The pour over was easily a 10/10 for me. I love light roasts that are super fruit forward, bright, and almost tea like, and this was exactly that. The barista was also incredibly friendly and even shared his recipe with me, which I really appreciated. The black sesame latte was one of the drinks we kept seeing on social media, so obviously we had to try it. Unfortunately, it was not our favorite. The black sesame tasted pretty grainy and bitter, which clashed with the sweetness of the coffee rather than complementing it. I would probably give that drink a 3/5. One thing I really liked is their whole bean selection. They had a ton of freshly roasted coffee available, including beans from Hydrangea and Black & White. Overall, Kaizen gets a 4/5 from me. The pour over alone is enough to bring me back, but I was expecting a little more from their black sesame iced latte

My son came into Backhaus specifically for one of their cookies, but they had already sold out for…read morethe day. When the staff realized that was what he had come in for, they gave him a couple of the "reject" cookies that had already been set aside for employees. Needless to say, he was thrilled. It was a small gesture, but an incredibly thoughtful one that really made his day. Backhaus has fantastic baked goods, but it's this kind of genuine customer service that makes the place stand out. We'll definitely keep coming back.

Decided to get in line a lil after 10am on a Saturday. The line moved pretty quickly! We knew we…read morewanted the vanilla latte - got it iced and hot. I got mine with almond milk. It's a good latte! There were so many baked options. We asked the worker for recommendations. We asked about the almond vs chocolate hazelnut croissants & savory options. Speck & egg was the top specific mention, but she added that they're all good. I learned that speck was ham. We ended up getting the chocolate hazelnut croissant & speck & egg. We got the last one of the croissant, so I can only imagine how fast things run out. Baked to perfection - flakey and not dense at all. The croissant did get a bit too sweet over time. There's two tables inside and one bigger one outside. It can get a little crowded with everyone waiting for their drinks. I'm glad I got to try it! I'd come back - lots more to try. Street parking can be a hit or miss nearby. Wherever you park, it's still a nice walk in the downtown area.

I was eating next door on a Sunday afternoon and saw lots of people going in and coming out with…read moredelicious looking matcha drinks. I watched their reactions when taking the first sip, it was a lot of head nodding and thumbs upping to their friends so I felt like I had to go in and try for myself. Went in and ordered an earl gray matcha and my partner ordered a passion mango tea w boba. The matcha & the passion fruit was so good! The boba was chewy and sweet. I would definitely recommend coming and trying! I really wanted to try their strawberry matcha but I'm always so skeptical (I have trust issues w bad strawb matchas) but the earl gray was good, so maybe I'll try next visit. The interior was nice, menu was straight forward on the wall and on the check out table -- only thing is the description of the drinks weren't shown on the menus until you're on the self check out kiosk. I was curious about the sunny side up matcha thinking it was made with real egg yolk (which I thought kinda weird?) but the kiosk said that it was mango. You didn't really talk to staff at all & the drinks came out pretty fast! Would come back again.

I'll round up because I want this place to do well. This was my second time coming here. The first…read moretime, my husband ordered a hojicha einspanner. The second time, I ordered a matcha einspanner, and he got the hojicha einspanner again. Maybe I'm just not too familiar with how to drink einspanners, but the cream pretty much sat on top of the drink. At first, I was mostly just drinking the matcha, which was fine because it was flavorful and seemed to be good quality. Once I got toward the end of the drink, that's when I started tasting the cream. The cream was a little too thick for my liking and left a film-like texture in my mouth, which I didn't love. Since I enjoyed the overall flavor of the drink, I'll give it a 4! The ambiance is cute, and the service was easy. You just order from a kiosk, and they call your name once your drink is ready. The first time I went was on a weekend, and the line was out the door. This time, I went on a weekday, and it was pretty empty. If you're looking for a sweet, caffeinated drink as a pick-me-up, I'd recommend trying it at least once.

I've come to this place on many occasions and I have to say it never disappoints. Anton stands out…read morewith its Crepe cakes but the other desserts are delicious too. When you walk in, there is always someone there to greet you and inform you of the new crepe cakes available and what they have in stock. So far, I've tried the Hokkaido Milk Crepe Cake, the Matcha Crepe Cake, Tiramisu Crepe Cake, the Pistachio Crepe Cake, the matcha tart and the mango panna cotta. My favorites are the Hokkaido Milk Crepe Cake and the Pistachio Crepe Cake. All of the cakes are not too sweet and have great balance. It's so good that you don't even realize that it's done. If you're feeling adventurous, give the Panna Cotta a try. It won't disappoint! Overall, one of the best crepe cakes I've had on the West Coast.

This was my first time trying this cake shop. Layered cakes like these seem to be getting more and…read moremore popular in the U.S. I've tried Lady M before, and I felt that most of their flavors, except for the green tea one, were a bit on the sweet side. The two cakes I ordered here were actually quite light and not overly sweet, and the flavors were also pretty unique. They also offer special seasonal flavors for certain holidays, which is a nice touch. Overall, I think it's a pretty good place to try! 第一次嘗試這家蛋糕店，這種分層式的蛋糕感覺在美國越來越多，我之前吃過Lady M，感覺他們除了綠茶以外，口味都偏甜。這家的蛋糕其實我點的這兩款都挺清淡的，口味也很特殊，加上在某些特定的節日，店家還會推出應景的不同口味蛋糕，感覺挺不錯的。

Solid quality milk tea and consistent with all Molly Tea locations so you know what to expect!…read more Location is great in DT San Mateo to grab a sweet treat after your meal. Do yourself a favor and order online since the line gets super long (it's a small shop). The wait after ordering is about 15ish min on average.

Solid jasmine milk tea but this location is small (takeout only)…read more I came by on a Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 pm, and to my surprise there was no line. I walked right up to the kiosk inside and ordered. My drink was ready within 5 minutes. They're quick here! I got the premium jasmine milk tea ($6.99) and it was just as good as I remember. It's very fragrant with a lovely jasmine taste. My friend tried their new jasmine grape milk tea. I tried a sip and it was SO good that I regret not getting it myself! By the time I left, there was a decent sized crowd of people in line to order their drinks. I guess I got lucky and came at a less busy time. FYI this is a small takeout only spot. There is no seating inside, but there are some benches outdoors provided by the city that you can sit at and enjoy your drink.

This time we got some fruit teas and they were so good not overly sweet, and you can actually taste…read morethe tea (which I love). My friend got a fruit tea, and I tried the Toffee Matcha... omg, so thick, creamy, and just really satisfying. Service was also super sweet, the cashier guy was really friendly and helpful, which made the whole experience even better. Simple, solid, and always hits. Will definitely keep coming back

Came in here for some caffeine and was happy with the Hong Kong Milk Tea with drinkable mochi that…read moreI ordered. They didn't have their seasonal options displayed very well so I had to scramble and check their Instagram for descriptions/pictures but ultimately I'm happy I just went with a classic drink instead. The shop is super small and a little bit dark, could use some livening up! This location is a little hard to get to if you wanted to just pop in to pick up a drink but there is a parking garage about a block away. But otherwise loved my drink and haven't been disappointed with any visit to Urban Ritual.

Recently discovered this place and today I was with my baby who fallen asleep in the car. I ordered…read moreonline but I couldn't park or figure out how to pick up my order. I stopped in front of their coffee shop and run back forth saying that my baby is sleeping, let me know when it is ready. So the cook bought my sandwich to the car even though I didn't ask for that. Awwww as postpartum mama who did not have her breakfast and coffee at 11am, I was so touched by their excellent service! Coffee was so smooth and my sandwich like my grandma did - so yummy! They just earned forever customer! :-)

I've been here a number of times, they're located in a business complex, but they're also open on…read morethe weekends so we pop in here and there for coffee or a snack. We've tried a good number of things on the menu and the main thing for me is that even though the prices are not steep, the food portions are quite small. Even the bagels are not standard-sized bagels, they're smaller and feel more like a mini bagel. Whenever I order any rice dish, I'm never full. Taste is average at best across everything I've tried. So even though it's not expensive, it doesn't feel quite worth it. The drinks are good, I've enjoyed most of what I've tried. The space is pretty big and open, good for working or hanging out and the staff is usually friendly. The only time I've had a negative experience with service was with the owner or manager (not sure), she was a bit rude and stand-offish.

I love their einspanners! Both their black sesame and pistachio are so creamy and packed with…read moreflavor. Parking is pretty easy since it's surrounded by not only street parking but also a parking garage and parking lot just across the street. Inside, the space has a lot of bright natural light and I love the assortment of tables, chairs, and benches. There's even a back area with more seating but there's usually enough spots to sit inside.

Nice guys working the bar. I ordered the matcha latte and…read moreadded vanilla. The good quality flavor was present but very subtle, I think they could have used a little more matcha. I also noticed they bulk their matcha, so no whisking, just pouring from a bottle. Small seating area but good vibes.

cafe kazka is such a hidden gem in foster city! my friend and I came to check it out for lunch…read moreafter hearing it was a hong kong-style cafe, and were not disappointed at all. first, the cafe is so cute and also spotless- I could've stayed all day just reading or doing work. there was lots of outdoor seating overlooking the water which was so nice! I got an iced HK style coffee + milk tea which I've never had before but was so delicious. I'd definitely come back to try the other fruity drinks too! we ordered the tom yum noodles, preserved vegetables & pork noodle soup, salt & pepper fries, and the HK style french toast with peanut butter. the french toast was our favorite- it was fluffy and chewy and was just like the HK classic. the noodle dishes were both so hearty and flavorful too, and the portions were a good size. it did take a bit long for everything to come out, but it did seem like there was only one person working and she was very kind and accommodating when we had questions about our order. we didn't mind at all, especially sitting outside and enjoying the view! overall, I'll for sure be back for the drinks and to try some other HK style street food.

This was my first time trying Cafe Kazka, and unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The…read morerestaurant seemed seriously understaffed and very disorganized. I ordered the lemongrass pork jaw rice. There were only about six pieces of meat, and the lemongrass was chopped into very tiny pieces and mixed into the sauce. The problem was that the lemongrass was extremely tough, almost like small pieces of tree branches, and impossible to chew. I had to spit them out, but because they were chopped so finely and mixed throughout the sauce and meat, it was very difficult to eat. If this is how they prepare the dish, they should reconsider the way they cook and serve lemongrass dishes--or consider removing this dish from the menu. I also waited about 30 minutes for my food. After such a long wait, I expected the food to at least arrive hot, but it was already cold. It seemed like the food had been sitting in the kitchen for a while because there weren't enough staff to bring it out to customers. The table service and cleanliness were also disappointing. There were no staff available to clean the tables, and I actually saw customers moving previous customers' dirty plates to one side and wiping the table themselves. Our table was also extremely sticky. The restaurant really needs to review its food delivery process. Instead of having staff run around the dining area trying to find the right table number, they could simply have customers pick up their food using an order number. This would probably make the process much faster and more organized. Overall, the food was just so-so, the service was slow, and the whole restaurant felt very unorganized. Unfortunately, I will not be coming back.