Such a cool place. Never been to a cafe that has so many South Asian inspired beverages!…read more I got a summer special, a Rasmalai chai einspanner. It was super fragrant and creamy, not too sweet! Service at the register and at the bar was very quick.

Food 4 Service 4…read moreAmbiance 3 Saturday walk in for my Karak Chai fix. Staff friendly and helpful. Explained answer to questions on menu efficiently. Kind and seem to enjoy working at the location. We ordered the Karak Chai, Orange Saffron Latte ,Elachi bun and aloo tikka wrap. Parking is tad difficult on the street, they do have close by parking garages and lots. Interior clean, exterior could be tad cleaner.

Forest Tea Bar is a newer cafe in Berkeley and the new home of the matcha pop-up Three Tea Bowls…read more I've been here multiple times since the soft opening, and it's quickly become a spot I can see myself coming back to. I've tried the Uji matcha latte ($6.95) and genmaicha latte ($6.75). The Uji matcha latte was grassy, but still smooth and strong. I think I would've liked just a little more depth and richness, but it's still a drink I'd happily order again. I also tried the genmaicha latte, which was less sweet than the Uji matcha. I really liked how the toasted, nutty flavor of the genmaicha balanced the sweetness, though I thought it slightly overpowered the matcha. You can really taste the quality and care that goes into their drinks. I definitely want to try their black sesame matcha next! The cafe has a calm, minimalist aesthetic with limited seating, including a high table where you can watch the drinks being made. They use oat milk by default, although there isn't currently an option to substitute whole milk. There's a small parking lot, with additional street parking available in the surrounding residential area. Overall, I've really enjoyed my visits here and think Forest Tea Bar is a great addition to Berkeley's matcha scene. Definitely worth checking out if you like more tea-forward drinks!

One of the best matcha spots I've tried! You can really taste the difference here! the matcha is…read moreauthentic and properly whisked, with a smooth, rich flavor that's noticeably better than many other matcha shops. The staff and founders are genuinely friendly, welcoming, and passionate about what they do. The space is another highlight: zen, calm, and relaxing, without the hectic feel you get at a lot of trendy cafés. Great matcha, great people, and a great atmosphere. Definitely a place I'll come back to. Highly recommend!

Love Artis Coffee!…read more My wife and I haven't been on Fourth Street Berkeley in a long long time! Thankfully while doing some shopping and after a great meal at Divan Restaurant a few block away we popped into Artis Coffee. Wow! It was after 4 pm but what the hell, I ordered a cappuccino and my wife order a defca cappuccino, several pastries and took in the HUGE space! Our cashier was very friendly and appreciated our humor and debate on whether to have a "decaffeinated" cappuccino or not. I convince my wife to order one and she loved loved loved it! My "hi test" cappuccino was spectacular, smooth and perfect! Honestly, It took me back to Roma where we had aour honeymoon 22 years ago! Bella! If you find yourself on Berkeley's Fourth Street and looking for a perfect roasted coffee make sure to hop into Artis Coffee and I know you will love it too!

Artis Coffee was okay…read more I had an Ube Latte, 12 oz, iced, with matcha and oat milk ($8.50 plus $2 tip) and it was good. Artis opened on December 7, 2013 and is located on the northern end of the Fourth Street Shops (a.k.a. Fourth Street Berkeley). This is a fairly spacious cafe with an industrial/warehouse, minimalist look. During my afternoon visit, it was busy inside and out on the covered patio. Lots of people on their laptops. Artis roasts their own coffee. Service was fine. I got a side eye from the cashier/barista when I asked where the water station was (it was my first time and I was unfamiliar with this place), but they were nice and polite otherwise. The water pressure at the self-serve faucet was too strong and sprayed water everywhere. Good for a coffee fix if you're in the area.

I wish i lived closer because this would be my go to coffee shop! I stopped by around 10:30am on a…read moreSaturday morning and there was ample street parking. There were only a couple of tables occupied (there are 2-3 normal tables with chairs and a couple of floor cushion seats). I can definitely see that during the weekday, it would be packed with college students and parking would also be hard to come by. I ordered the Iced Whipped Honey Cream Latte (with Oat Milk) online. The drink was ready in less than 4 minutes. If you enjoy coffee on the sweeter side with flavored cream tops, this coffee shop is for you. The Honey Cream was sooooo good and perfect amount of cream vs at some other coffee shops there is a very thin layer. Whenever I am in the area, I will be stopping by.

My partner and I came here as we were walking around the area, and it looked cute…read more The space itself is very minimalist chic with some seating (on both the floor on cushions and some chairs and tables). They have a pretty solid menu of coffee and tea options. The staff were kind and welcoming and we didn't have to wait long to order. We both got matcha lattes and they were very good. I would definitely come back here the next time I'm in the Berkeley area.

Nice cafe in a great location. Friendly staff…read more Many vegan options. Since it borders park, very kid friendly. Parking can be a challenge. Overall, recommend!

This cafe is hidden! Almost turned around because we couldn't find it, but no worry, just keep…read morewalking around the building where the big open field is and you'll see it! Once we found it, we really enjoyed the vibe! It's a cute, cozy little spot with a relaxed atmosphere, and the surrounding open space makes it feel really peaceful. It's definitely a nice place to sit and enjoy your food without feeling rushed. The food was really good and everything tasted fresh. We enjoyed what we ordered and thought it was a great little spot for breakfast/brunch. The staff was also friendly and welcoming, and the service was good. Food: Carrot cake is not too sweet, has seeds & minimal berries. If you're looking for something sweeter, this might not be for you! The mozzarella basil scone was very tasty! More savory & very soft Overall, I'm glad we didn't give up looking for it because it ended up being a really cute hidden gem in Berkeley! Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

Staff were friendly, very knowledgeable, and helpful. I ordered a mocha and later a red tea and…read morethey were both excellent. Definitely coming back! Baristas explained that they are up for trying different and sometimes unusual combinations for their customers. I wasn't adventurous this time, but it made me want to explore in the future. I came here to work, hoping for a relatively warm and cozy spot that wasn't too sleepy. I was not disappointed. The wifi was good, music was fun and unobtrusive. Decorations and layout gave a friendly, welcoming environment. Not only were the benches and padded chairs comfy, the ambiance was kept even in the bathroom. Spacious, warm lighting, cute bathroom with a great mirror and cool sink. I don't ever ding places for hospital-looking bathrooms (you know, fluorescent lights, questionable floors, sand paper toilet paper...) but this was one of the few where I was impressed. Good to know: Jaffa cakes are only available on the weekend Parking: Some of the streets nearby are resident-only parking so make sure to double check!

We were greeted by the loveliest person when we walked in. He was helping someone in front of us…read morewho seemed like a lot, kept interrupting those around her after she ordered but the person running the front was patient and kind. I ordered a cortado which was good while the hubby ordered the orange latter. We were told ordering it iced makes it a tad sweeter and that was correct advice. The latte was sweet but still delicious. I'd probably order it hot next time. It's a large space with merchandise, beans, and accessories for sale. They've also got a good sized menu for coffee and tea drinkers alike.

I just walked by today and saw that it was closed and the interior was being ripped out by a…read moreconstruction crew. I asked one of the workers if they went out of business and they told me they had stopped paying rent for several months and were evicted. He said the sheriff came last month and shut down the business. Very sad. I wish I could have seen this place open here for a very long time.

really spacious and arab-inspired espresso flavors. i got the saffron latte which honestly i wasn't…read morea fan of, but there are others i want to try next time! the latte foam art was exceptional though! i wish i took a photo! but my review is more for the actual cafe itself -- i liked the ambience, and how spacious it was, very nice decor. there were a lot of displayed desserts and pastries that were tantalizing (but i can't eat bc i'm gf ) and there are more latte flavors that i'll be trying next time!

Service and baristas on bar were…read more Good coffee selection and always bringing in fresh flavors.

Finally writing a review for CoRo…read more Coffees are good, but not good enough to overcome the fact that every time I've come here (quick takeout if I'm passing through Berkeley), the service never changes. The staff here are just super unfriendly and unwelcoming. As in friendly with each other, but then present to customers as flat and uninterested like they're an inconvenience. It's amazing how that never changes considering the staff turnover that a coffee shop would get. Another mention -- with CoRo gaining popularity, there's been queues out the door in the mornings. People do use this cafe as a workspace, therefore seating can be limited and there's no policy (yet?) to help clear up tables. So the coffees start becoming a bit expensive to show up and have to take it to-go.