My new fave coffee shop!! Everything was great- service, ambiance and mostly importantly the coffee!! I got the pistachio delight and beef sausage pastry. Definitely recommend it! Can't wait to come back! read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Pistachio coffee and beef sausage pastry. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Hours need to be updated. I tried going inside at 7:20 pm on a Sunday and the doors were locked. A lady inside said they were closed. Looks like a cool spot. Maybe I'll try again at a different time. read more

Drinks, food, and service are all nice and I have no complaints . My complaint would be the seating. Most of the high top chairs are missing a foot rest and feel very flimsy, so if you are on the shorter side it is very hard to get into the chair and adjust once you're on it . The rest of the seating is odd because the floor chairs put you way higher than the tables in front of you, so if you are coming with a laptop, book, or to write while you enjoy a coffee or tea -- you will need to bend and hunch over constantly which is very uncomfortable. There is only one area, right across from the coffee bar itself, where there is a normal table-to-chair height and it's usually taken. I wish the seating would change because I like this spot a lot and would come more often if it were more comfortable to sit and spend time there . read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Example of floor seating - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

As always, first time here so I went with a latte. Super smooth, but the espresso got completely lost in the milk very light, barely there. The Cubano (sugar + espresso) was fine, but the sugar took over the whole drink. I'd probably try a specialty drink next time, and I'm curious what beans they use. Inside is nice and cozy, but I'm not really a sweet drink/dessert person, so I probably wouldn't come back. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I've always been interested to try this place out and today, I am glad I visited with a friend. The coffee shop is at the corner of 9th and B St. In San Mateo and there is ample parking either on the street or at a nearby public parking lot. There is outdoor seating and adequate seating indoors as well. Interior decor is lovely. It's a great place to sip delicious coffee concoctions, try sweet and savory pastries, and carry on a conversation with friends and family. The ladies behind the counter are helpful and kind. I was going to have the Rose Cardamom Honey Latte but I saw they were advertising Pistachio Delight which sounded delicious- with pistachio butter, creamy Irish butter, sweet maple syrup, bold espresso shots, and smooth milk. My friend ordered a smaller cup yet we both agreed each drop was delicious. We agreed to return soon and try other items on their menu. read more

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The ambience is nice. It's different if you're trying to explore outside your trendy coffee and go with real cultured coffee the Turkish way. Ordered the biscoff latte, baklava, Turkish coffee 4oz, and the gold digger. 1st time having Turkish coffee and it was STRONG. The gold digger is pretty to capture a photo. The biscoff was the best out of everything else but I didn't love it nor hate it. I did walk out not needing to return though. Expected more "wowness" read more

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Stopped here for an hour while I waited for an appointment. The staff was kind and welcoming, the food looked so great I decided to have a pastry and a Turkish coffee go along with it. The coffee was served in a beautiful tray and tea cup. I felt like royalty. Great job. read more

They have a wide variety of pastries and beverages. Prepare to spend around 20-30 minutes here, as it is more of a sit down and drink place. They offer to-go, but i would recommend drinking it for here! I got the lavender fog, and it is so yummy!! read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ambiance is nice inside. Well decorated. I got Sahlab drink. Warm milky orange blossom, cinnamon, pistachio and coconut. It was different and a decent non caffeinated alternative. Probably wouldn't be my go to, but I wanted a non caffeinated drink. As for the service it's pretty non existent. The girls behind the counter didn't really display a welcoming vibe fit for setting. It wasn't very busy during that time but there wasn't much acknowledgment when we ordered. read more

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Out of the many times I've visited DT SM, I'm shocked I haven't visited Sama Coffee Shop! The shop offers a delicious variety of Turkish style coffee and treats. You could even peep through the window to see your coffee warming up on the sand. I ordered a hot Gold Digger and it was unlike any other coffee I've had before. It was a great balance of coffee, spice, and sweet. My partner got the Mango Coffee and it was also a hit- it reminded up of the mango gummies from Ranch 99. It's a vibrant and nicely decorated cafe to work in or catch up with friends. Plenty of seats and tables, right by the windows so you can people watch, too. Parking is on the street and was not difficult to find! read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I still haven't tried the Turkish coffee brewed in hot sand, but even the regular latte was excellent, strong and instantly eye-opening. For dessert, I ordered the künefe with cheese, and it was absolutely worth the 20-minute wait. Amazing overall. I'd definitely go back. The entire cafe is covered in golden decor. Love it. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Kunafeh with Cheese - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is the most luxurious Middle Eastern coffee shop I have been in my life. I was so mesmerized by the gold and dark marble interior. They have a variety of Baklava I didn't know of, including Turkish Delights and milk cakes. I was curious to try their Blueberry Dream, one of the Sama Exclusives, since it looks unique. I even paired the drink with Baklava-Warbat and Manaa'esh to balance the sweetness with saltiness. The Blueberry Dream was a delicious latte with berry sauce and cinnamon. The Baklava-Warbut looked smaller than my palm, but the pistachio filling packed a lot of sweetness. Manaa'esh was okay with the crispy edge and olive oil herb flavor, yet it was difficult to cut with their plastic knife. The baristas were nice. I wish they offered a tray to hold more than a plate and a drink. Overall, I didn't have difficulty concentrating while reading a book since it was mostly quiet and calm, except for the loud background music, the blender, and a few conversations behind the counter. I didn't mind too much as long as their drinks were good, as well as their Wi-Fi. I would come back for another Middle Eastern experience with Turkish coffee and other pastries. You can only park on the street for up to two hours. Plus, it's located a few blocks away from Central Park, where you can walk for digestion. read more

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Young lady at front was very informative and had a good attitude. Great to see a coffee shop that lets its patrons chill, relax and enjoy. Decor was Very Cool, great vibe. Highly recommend this gem. read more

We went here for post lunch coffee on a weekday, and were so pleasantly surprised at the quality of the coffee. It's one of those rare places where I had a really strong, delicious and hot macchiato. Couldn't resist getting the rose milk, cake, it was delicious. I'll bring my laptop and stay for a while and enjoy more of their goodies next time ! Decor and seating are really cute too. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Rose Milk Cake, Turkish Coffee, Macchiato - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Chai Kark- Simply put, the best Chai drink I've ever had. A delectable level of warm spice, served in a To-go cup. Can't beat it read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Chai Kark - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Great place, so good Coffee. You guys got to try it. This Turkish lady is really good.

Returned to this coffee shop and just like the previous times, it does not disappoint. It has the most luxurious designs and decor. It is very well maintained. the staff are always friendly and accommodating. I love the varieties of both hot and cold drinks with unique flavors on their menu and the varieties of delights and pastries. This time we elected to try their Iraqi tea and masala iced coffee plus the most delicious delicacy. they make and bake them all fresh! The drinks are absolutely refreshing and the pastry is savory delicious! Will definitely keep retunin for more! read more

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I came to Sama around 11 on a Saturday. It was on the crowded side, but there were still a handful of tables to sit at. The interior is bold and visually striking. It is a nice place for any occasion. There were only two workers, but they were super friendly, despite being busy. I ordered the rose-cardamom honey latte and a spinach pastry. My fiance ordered the biscoff cloud latte and a blueberry muffin. I loved my drink. It was perfectly sweet and flavorful. It also looked super pretty. My pastry was also delicious. The dough was soft and pillowy while the interior was zesty and tangy. My fiance also raved about his drink. It has cookie crumbles on top, which was a nice touch. His muffin was moist and had some cream inside. We sat outside while we ate. There wasn't much foot or car traffic so it was very relaxing. I'd definitely recommend coming here! read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Blueberry Lemon Parfait Muffin and spinach pastry - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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HOLY WOW. Spent the day in San Mateo with the sibs and first stop was Sama. Was I tempted to try EVERY drink they had? Yes. But now it'll give me another excuse to come back! The interior is lovely with such a great vibe. Very efficient and accommodating to your order. There's a few tables to sit in and even on a Saturday morning we were able to snag a spot. The coffees we got were soooo yummy! I hate how far it is from us but totally worth it! So nice to find a gem like this in the bay! read more

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Friendly staff, exquisite ambience and the best signature coffee I've ever had. Tried their gold digger coffee with double pistachio baklava and I loved it. Definitely recommend read more

Beautiful coffee shop in San Mateo my bf brought me to. He said there would be turkish coffee and matcha latte. Entering the shop, there is alot of seating to the right and the sweets stand and ordering to the left. I got the Gold Digger latte with oatmilk and my bf got the double cinnamon turkish coffee. We also got the rose and pistachio honey turkish delights and the pistachio and chocolate baklava. Wow the Gold Digger latte was very well balanced, not too sweet with cinnamon and anise spices. It is such a wonderful combo!! Earthy and sweet. My bf's turkish latte was good as well. Not bitter at all and he said the coffee was ground finer than the ones he had in Turkey. What stood out to me were the Turkish delights! I recommend getting the rose and pistachio honey ones they were so good! The chocolate baklava was also unique and the pistachio baklava was good as well. I just felt the baklavas were a bit too sweet compared to the turkish delights. I want to try more of them. The service was very good and loved the ambiance of this place. Would def want to come back for the gold digger latte and more turkish delights! read more

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Had the lavender fog tea and was delicious! My friend had decaf Turkish coffee and it was still so rich and delish. Good seating and friendly staff. Im going back! read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Lavender fog tea! Yum! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I came across this spot as I was on my coffee shop exploration on yelp and the pictures are nothing compared to experiencing this gem IRL. The Gold Digger Latte left my tastebuds swooning! (toffee, edible gold, espresso, oh my!) read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Gold Digger, you dig me dirty. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Such a beautiful shop. I've only tried the Rose Cardamom & Tiramisu & both were delicious. I LOVE that the drinks are not overly sweet (I hate super sweet coffee like Starbucks) you would think the tiramisu latte would be too sweet NOPE it was perfect! This is my new spot for coffee! read more

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Sama Coffee shop is an enchanting cozy spot with many unique drinks. We settled on a couple orders of Sea Breeze (chocolate, mint, espresso, topped with fresh mint) from their Sama Exclusives section. The drink was a let down and somehow tasted like a cup of hot milk with a splash of espresso and roughly mixed chocolate nibs. On another occasion I would like to try their thyme and cheese pie, and another hot beverage. read more

I got an iced tiramisu latte, which was pretty decent! Would add another espresso shot next time, though, as the coffee flavor was not very strong. The espresso was good, not sour/burnt, and the drink wasn't too sweet, even with the whipped cream mixed in. Outdoor seating is available. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - tiramisu latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

The rose cardamom honey latte was okay, nice flavor but too much rose petal. As the drink sits the petals hydrate and become so unbearable to drink, turning a bit mushy. If there was something to contain the petals, it would be more ideal. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - rose cardamom honey latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

First time here and loved everything about it from the aesthetics to the delicious teas and lastly the carrot slice with pistachios- will be back! read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Morracan tea and Carrot Slice with Pistachio - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

We drove by sama and decided to check it out because we saw that it was filled with people. I should've known that it wasn't a place I was gonna like that much because of the different kind of spices described on the menu and the difficulty I had in asking the cashier about not having them sprinkled on top. that being said the lady that worked at the cash register was really sweet, but there was a language barrier. I ended up getting the gold digger coffee and I just didn't like it. We got a straight black coffee and that was good. We got the caramel milk cake and it was just way too sweet and it was sort of like a Tres Leche cake. The cake was just so wet to me that it was disintegrating. The inside of the coffee shop was really charming and the ambience was very elegant. I could tell people are really happy there so I really want to give it a better review, but it just wasn't for me and I really felt like I wasted my money cause I did not like my coffee drink at all. read more

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The interior of this coffee shop is gorgeous and was pretty packed on a Sunday around 5:30pm. Parking is a little tough to find so I ended up parking several blocks away. The service isn't friendly, but I also wouldn't call it bad. They didn't really greet me or ask if I had any questions about the menu. I ordered a tiramisu latte which was perfect for the chilly weather. It's sweet but not overpoweringly so. It had notes of almond and cocoa. I would definitely get it again. I also got a piece of double pistachio baklava which was very tasty but super tiny. I'm not sure if this is normal but it was just enough for one bite. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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in town for the weekend and we always have to try a new coffee place. E got the blueberry dream and what a dream it was. I got the creme brulee and although it was good, after tasting his Instant regret. Will be back tomorrow for my own before our flight read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Blueberry dream and what a dream it was - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Had the rose cardamom honey latte with almond milk and it was amazing! Not too sweet and delicious flavor. Also ordered a burma on the side. Crispy and delicious that went really nicely with the coffee. Would definitely come back again for a coffee date or quiet place to work! read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Rose Cardamom Honey Burma - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

As a new person in this place. It was nice to receive a lot of information and the ambiance was quite traditional. The incredible taste of the coffee and the service was excellent and loved the atmosphere and the decor.Also available were many Turkish delights.highly recommended read more

Sama Coffee Shop - QR menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Loved it here! The place is very beautiful and cute. I got the baklava and iced gold digger and it was amazing. The sweetness was perfect not too sweet. The barista was very sweet and friendly. I will definitely be back if I am in the area. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Overall it was a good first experience trying Turkish inspired coffee. My boyfriend and I tried the following... DRINKS: * Gold Digger - $7 - Very well balanced in flavor for spice, sweetness, milk and coffee. I was a little concerned for the Anise but it was definitely nothing to worry about. It was really good! * Iraqi Tea - $3.50 - the cardamom and cinnamon gave it a very nice subtle flavor. Honestly it's great with or without the sugar they provided. PASTRIES: * Double Pistachio Baklava - $5.25 * Burma - $8.50 I would definitely make a return for their drinks. But pastry prices are ultimately way too high for the size you're getting. The employees here are friendly and allowed me to smell certain spices to give me an idea of how the drinks will taste. read more

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I came here with a group of friends and we ordered a pot of Moroccan mint tea and a cup of Sahleb. The Sahleb was so delicious and nostalgic to my mom's, so I definitely highly recommend trying it. The tea pot was also delicious, should be okay to share with about 2 people. The spot was cozy and small with good street parking. I only wish they played Arabic music to give it a more proper Arab/yemeni vibe. read more

Really yummy drinks and good coffee flavor. A little bit sweet though, so ordering half sugar was good for us. We got our drinks fast. Such a cozy interior with cute mugs. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Tiramisu Latte and Chai Kark - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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A unique place to enjoy a great coffee. If you are looking for some Turkish coffee and sweets, this is the place to go as well. There are plenty of coffee and tea ( hot and cold ) options to choose from. You can definitely find one that will suite your taste. read more

Sama Coffee Shop - Turkish coffee and Arabic gulf coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

I came here last month and tried the Golddigger drink, which was yummy and more of a dessert drink than one you'd have every day. I really liked it! The decor inside is also amazing! It's a very pretty coffee shop with cute seating- great for Instagram! Honestly, the service was not friendly here. The baristas we ordered our drinks from didn't seem to be in good moods and it was a pretty awkward experience. We worked for a little while but decided to just go down the street to Philz afterwards, which was a bummer because we did really like the decor and the drinks. I probably won't be back because of the unfriendly service, but if they have online ordering available I might get drinks to go sometime. read more

Meh! The snacks and pastries are ok. But, it lacks the kind of warm hospitality you would expect out of a local neighborhood cafe. The staff is ok, could be friendlier. But honestly, I don't think they care. read more