Unfortunately, I have to update my review for SoDoI to be two stars. Here is my thorough review: SoDoI is tucked away in a sort of indoor / underground alley connecting Durant and another street. They often have a sign out front near Plentea to indicate they're open. The hours differ than the ones posted on their window, so I frequently ask the staff when they will be closing before I come here. SoDoI fills up quickly as it is a pretty popular study and hangout space for students. If you want a table, it is best to arrive earlier in the day around 10am or 11am. There is a variety of seating. On one side, against the wall, there is a long, thin bar. On the other side, against the wall, there is a variety of tables with two seats. In the center, there are much larger tables with backless stool like chairs. If you plan to work here, I will warn that there isn't a lot of space on the individual tables and the larger tables in the center tend to fill up pretty quickly. There is free WiFi, a plethora of outlets, and a bathroom available. If the bathroom is in use, there are also public bathrooms outside of SoDoI. The staff is incredibly friendly here, and will often bring you your drink personally if you somehow fail to hear them call your name. Additionally, I like all of the drinks I've tried here. Onwards to the reasons for the two star review. Firstly, the music they play comes from two large speakers in the back. I think, in order for the staff to hear the music, they turn the volume up quite a lot. This leads to the music becoming rather overwhelming and loud. I happen to like the music taste of whoever's playlist is frequently playing, but it is still a little unfortunate to have to resign my listening choice to the establishment rather than being able to listen to my own music in peace. Second, and most unfortunate, I ordered a latte here with oat milk instead of milk. It was, of course, delicious. However, I am lactose intolerant and, about an hour later, that intolerance kicked in because they had failed to use the correct milk for me despite charging me extra for the oat milk. This took me out for the day. I am pretty certain they had failed to use the correct milk because I examined my cup and realized there was no note of oat milk on the side. When I asked my partner to taste the drink, she said she couldn't taste oat milk. I later examined a friend's cup and realized they did mark theirs with oat milk instead of regular milk. Cards on the table, I still go to SoDoI sometimes. I like the theming of the place, and I like the staff. Their yuzu lemonade is something my partner frequently asks me to pick up. However, I don't order any of the lattes for fear of a repeat of the last incident. If you intend to go here and ask for a replacement milk, check your cup for a mark indicating the replacement has been used, and maybe watch the staff make your drink. read more

This is a cute place tucked away in an alleyway Southside. Great for studying (if you can find space) and solid hot chocolate. For whatever reason, trying coffee at this coffee tasting house didn't occur to me when I visited and I got a hot chocolate instead. Which was great by the way. The employees are kind, tables clean, and place furnished well. I wish I discovered this spot earlier in college. Would recommend coming here for a midday pick-me-up and/or getting some busywork done. read more

best lattes in berkeley! service is great! great spot to study with outlets! they have seasonal drinks too!

Do you have a burning desire to have coffee in a dark cave? I just assume this place was designed for spelunkers or at least for UC students who want to study only by the flickering light of their laptop screens. It's located in that strange survivalist shopping hall next to the Telegraph-Channing Garage, the one that connects Durant Avenue and Channing Way. It's been here like forever but not this particular cafe which has been around for just three years or so. I found this spot a while ago when I was waiting for Jamie W. to get done with his haircut, and coincidentally, that was the same reason I was here today. There's a fair amount of seating in here and plenty of outlets, too. The decor is eclectic if you can make it out in the shadows. The highlight is a post-it wall where people share their dreams on 2 x 2 rainbow stickies. I shared my dream of being happily retired since it's been quite a while since I graduated (photo: http://bit.ly/2EILzMw). First time I came here, it was relatively empty and I nursed a $4 of their smooth Open Your Heart blend (photo: http://bit.ly/2VxOBsh). On my most recent visit, it was wall-to-wall laptoppers, but I still managed to snag a solitary table and sip my slightly lukewarm $3.95 Matcha Green Tea Latte (photo: http://bit.ly/2EJjNzi). I like the dark sometimes. COFFEE - 4 stars...nice smooth brews AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...somebody get me a flashlight SERVICE - 3.5 stars...dutiful, kept calling me 'sir' TOTAL - 4 stars...coffee in the dark, come into the light RELATED - Looking for coffee in the East Bay? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2EHMfBv read more

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I can't believe I didn't know this place existed any sooner!!! I love everything from their service to their menu to their beverages. It is in a location I never walk to even though I lived next to this plaza for a whole year. The ambience is very welcoming. It has a classy vibe to it. When I walked in I was greeted by the sweet lady. Her happy composure and attitude was enough to get me excited to try their items. I ordered the Red Ginseng Latte because I've never heard of something similar before. It was a nice way to supplement your health and meet your caffeine goals! After I ordered, I looked for a space to sit and study. There was ample amounts of seating with outlets and a variety of lighting ( I sat near the windows which was brighter compared to the large tables inner which was slightly darker). When the lady carried out the drink to me, I was so surprised! It was so kind and a unique gesture I really appreciated. They also played some of my favorite Korean songs. They weren't overwhelming in sound and was more of backdrop music when doing homework. I saw several students walk in who seemed to be super close to the lady who took my order! I enjoy learning that the employees/owners have such a close relationship with their customers. It makes my heart warm up simply thinking about it. If you're looking for a not too loud but not too quiet place to study or a place to hang out with some friends or just a place with a unique menu selection, SoDol is the place to go! Make sure you make a stop whenever you're nearby. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Red Ginseng Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I originally came in for the red velvet latte; but since it had red40 I was not able to get it. The gal working the register was very sweet and checked the ingredients for me. She suggested the mango tea (forgot what they called it) but it was amazing. Can't wait to try their other items. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great service and drink options! They have a caffeine free Chaga mushroom latte that is delicious hot or cold and perfect for those who don't or can't have caffeine. It's my go-to drink! read more

I'm not really a coffee drinker but from what I see they sell some nice coffee with good quality beans. This place has a great study atmosphere and is tucked away in an alleyway on Durant Ave, away from the main street and any potential road noise and hazards. The space plays soft to medium volume chill music and there is light chatter around. Owners are a Korean couple I believe and are very professional and kind. Overall, clean and great place to study, chat with friends, or take a call. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Try the coffee here! It has a great flavor - it's not too bitter. It's also a great place to study or hang out.

good coffee! best cold brew in area, like its actually cold brew that will bite u back, none of that watered down stuff but yes its constantly packed and students are constantly hovering. read more

This is my first time trying the red velvet latte and ITS SO YUMMY. I don't like overly sweet things, but this has the right amount of coffee and sweetness. I never had red velvet before or seen it at a cafe, so I was pleasantly surprised. I'm usually a matcha person, but I say try it!! :)) read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Red Velvet Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

i love this cafe because it's great for getting some work done, the drinks are great, the baristas are all so nice, there are a lot of outlets, and the music is nice! it is dimly lit and has relaxing and cozy vibes. there are also a lot of cute and inspiring messages. also the lady at the cashier is so sweet! her friendly and caring energy is so contagious. also i always feel really special cuz they spell my name right on the cups every time lol. strawberry matcha latte: i was surprised by how decadent and rich this was when i took my first sip! almost tasted like they used creamer instead of milk because it was super smooth and creamy and (almost reminded me of tea+sea salt cream/foam flavor that you would get at a boba shop but without the saltiness). the matcha was faint, which worked really well with this drink because it complemented the strawberry and milk rather than overpowering it. i would recommend if you like sweet drinks! i usually don't like super sweet drinks so i was kind of disappointed at first, but i overall really enjoyed trying this and it was not overly sweet. would recommend if you want something sweet and more indulgent! latte: this was such a good latte! i did not get any sweetener and thoroughly enjoyed this. i appreciated how the latte was not too milky so you could taste the espresso, which seems very smooth and full bodied imo. idk it just tasted rly good! read more

Very good service, ambiance, snacks and coffee! Lots of space for students to do work! read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

SoDoI Coffee is located in an alley way on the way to the Telegraph Channing Parking lot. Its rather hidden, but the vibe it give out calls you in! My friend and I were walking by that place and the environment looked cool enough through the windows to call me in. Unfortunately, we were in a rush, but checked it out after our dance class. The barista welcomed us in into SoDoI. SoDoI Coffee Tasting house looked rather club/nightlife inspired. I loved their decorations and took pictures of everything! She was kind enough to walk me through their drip coffee process as well, which I thought was amazing. We got the Open Your Heart Coffee, which is Central American, Pacific Room, and described to be "naturally sweet, smooth as silk" on the menu. And boy, it was amazing! I usually don't like coffee, but I couldn't stop drinking this one You can taste the quality of each sip, and the richness. Man. I will be back. read more

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I've had a lot of matcha lattes in my life and this is definitely top tier in the east bay. It's a tad pricey for $7 but it's definitely a lot for a really good quality matcha. This place also offers a seating area perfect for study sessions. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Unsweeted Iced Matcha Latte with Almond milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

First time here bc I've been hearing about it! Great ambiance and I love how spacious it is! LOTS OF CHARGING PORTALS THANK GOD!!! i hate when cafes don't have charging portals ugh. Also the drip coffee was great. I got the dark roast which wasn't acidic, it had a dark chocolate hue just as described. Great flavor. Only thing for me is that there's no AC so it gets a bit stuffy read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Sodoi is my go-to place for coffee near campus. They make such great latte. My coworkers and I come here regularly! read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Oat milk latte in my own cup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great spot to stick around for a bit to study in peace (depending on who is sitting near you). I enjoyed a cup of Open Your Heart, and it was smooth enough to enjoy black like their signage suggests. There are plenty of seats and various table sizes with lots of outlets and ok-ish wifi. PS- Google says they don't open until 10am daily, but Yelp said 7am. I checked and it's weekdays at 8am and weekends at 10. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Pretty little brew. Coffee was smooth and yummy. I enjoyed it black! Instagram @tabletopviews - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

love the coffee but my gosh it's SO LOUD in here it's impossible to focus. the music seems to be set so loud too that it overpowers my noise cancellation headphones too. read more

Their iced matcha latte is my favorite in all of the east bay. They always give the perfect amount of ice, not too much and not too little. It's always made so sweet like how I like it, I ask for extra sweet. It's also such a cute place to study with friends! read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - iced matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

My favorite coffee shop in berkeley! It's close to campus, and provides lots of seating for long study sessions. The atmosphere is cute and vintage, and the owners and staff are very very kind people :) Their coffee is also very good, both iced and hot drinks are made with high quality ingredients. I really only have good things to say about this place, and I would go early if you want a seat because it gets crowded!! read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Vanilla latte art 3 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Wow, one of the best cafes I've ever been to! First off, the service is amazing- they are nice and friendly and happy to accommodate you. I ordered the large oatmilk latte but it was quite bitter for me. I asked the lady at the bar if I could switch drinks or if she can remake it iced so it's less bitter. She was happy to remake it and when she brought over my drink, she asked me to taste it to see if it's good otherwise she will try to fix it. That's when I knew I would be back! The kindness and the willingness to ensure the customers are satisfied and happy :) The only issue I had though, which is unrelated to the cafe itself, is that there was a huge group of students who barged in talking loudly. They were disturbing me as well as the many others who were quietly studying and being respectful to the cafe and the other customers. Hopefully the owner/employees can ask people to quiet down next time there are overly loud customers present because I really loved the first 15 min in the cafe where it was nice and quiet. I couldn't even hear the music in the cafe due to how loudly the students were laughing and talking- super rude of them. This made my first time studying at this cafe a challenge. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Iced vanilla latte with oatmilk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

The coffee and drinks here are AMAZING! Everything from the quality to the taste, you can't go wrong here. I would say it is on the pricer side but most places around the bay are. read more

I've walked by this place many a time on my way to Cafe 3, and finally decided to try it out. The lady was super sweet and answered my questions about the lattes; she even personally walked out my drink to me! That really stood out-she really cares about her customers. But I stood waiting at the register while she was talking to some maintenance/business guy. I didn't have anywhere to be, but otherwise I would've been more annoyed. I tried the red ginseng latte because I've never seen the flavor before. The red ginseng flavor is not too powerful (they use a powder), and my latte was great! I don't like how they charge extra for milk substitutes, though, because I'm lactose intolerant. My small ended up being $5. I've heard the red velvet latte here is good too! Also, my friend texted me asking for green tea, and it was on their menu, but they were out. This place is a great study spot as they have ample seating. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Red ginseng latte w/almond milk (very good!) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love their coffee, the staff, the atmosphere, everything! There is a unique variety of coffees you don't get elsewhere in Berkeley. They all taste very good! Especially recommended for students who want to study in a cafe because it has so many outlets (+places to sit). And wifi. It has a clean toilet as well. Every time I step foot in Sodoi, I am leaving with a big smile on my face:) read more

SO-DO-I. I wanted to be a fan of this place because I totally love the ambience here, but I wasn't very impressed. The atmosphere here is definitely unique compared to any other coffee shop at Berkeley, so I give them props for that. In terms of the coffee, I shared the dark roast with my friend, but it wasn't the best. There's also no variety in their menu. They only have 3 types and they won't even serve an iced version of their coffee options. I also got a chocolate croissant, which was pretty good. Moreover, you'd expect that they'd have actual silverware since they've opened for over a week already, but they're serving "for here" with paper plates and plain paper cups. This would probably be a cool place to chill with friends, but I probably won't be ordering coffee from here. read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - Chocolate croissant and dark roast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place was a bit confusing to find as a visitor not used to Berkeley's lay out but for coffee and a chill place to hang and work I'm a big fan. The coffee here like most places in NorCal are organic, local roasted, fancy coffee blah blah blah. I got an espresso and coffee and thought it was good and worth the price. The coffee was rich and flavorful, what I liked most was that it wasnt bitter. The service here was excellent, the cashier/barista was super welcoming and friendly. This place has a nice open lay out with lots of space and outlets to sit and talk or even get some work done. Its a really nice space with good coffee, this place is definitely on my list of places to return to if i need to get out and get some work done. read more

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Great place to study. In a off beaten place. Nice people working. The matcha was okay, but again, it's a cool study spot.

Loved the ambience! Coffee was just as good!!! Customer service is incredible. Definitely going back to this place.

it was my first time trying the red velvet latte and i think it's a perfect blend of red velvet and coffee! the sweetness doesn't overwhelm the coffee taste and it's the perfect combination of a sweet treat and a coffee pick me up :) the cafe is usually crowded when i visit, so i haven't had the chance to work here, but i would love to one day, i really love the ambience! the workers are also super friendly as well- 10/10 service!! read more

SoDoI Coffee Tasting House - red velvet latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Such a great study spot! The drinks and the environment are 5/5. The workers are also amazing and kind. Highly recommend!

Delicious. I'm not a coffee person, but SoDoI is changing my mind. Super friendly staff, amazing atmosphere, would definitely come back more than once. read more

super amazing workers and tastes amazing! i love coming here to study or to just grab a coffee :)

Got a pourover of the Memory roast. Thought it was just ok. Wouldn't hate going back for coffee, but not rushing back. Though I'd prefer to support smaller coffee shops, I do think blue bottle and Philz pour overs are better. Be sustainable, bring your own cup and save 15 cents! Lol Service was super friendly. Vibes are cool and the lighting is pretty dark. Place was pretty quiet on a Sunday morning / afternoon - felt like chatting with my friends was a bit disruptive read more

Best coffee hands down. The shop was so peaceful as well. Definitely recommend to give it a tey

TL;DR: favorite coffee shop of Southside, wonderful owner/staff, great drinks This hidden gem is finally back! After taking some time off for renovations, Sodoi is open once again and I couldn't be happier. Sodoi is definitely my favorite coffee shop on Southside and close to campus. Janice, the owner, is so welcoming and warm that I always feel at home when I stop by. If you love coffee in any capacity or are looking for a new working environment, I would highly recommend you check it out. I've had various drinks, but I really enjoyed the Open Your Heart specialty coffee. OPEN YOUR HEART (5/5) - Delicious medium roast coffee - Better black or with sugar, no cream - Takes some time to make, but worth it My favorite thing about Sodoi is the staff and the ambience. As I said before, I always feel welcomed to the store. The staff really makes sure to appreciate every single person that stops by. I think Sodoi is an underrated working space, as well. There are plenty of outlets, free wifi, and great drinks. I could spend hours in there and get a lot of work done. Most of the effort is finding this great shop. Be sure to check it out! read more

Great study spot, wished it closed later!! Always clean and all the drinks seem creative read more

I love coming to SoDoI for a cup of coffee to start off my day or to study. Immediately upon entering you'll see beautiful artwork all around the store. To your right you'll see a wall full of post it notes where people have written down their wishes. There's just so many good vibes at SoDoI, and you'll definitely enjoy sipping on your cuppa joe in the environment. The coffee is also phenomenal. SoDoI only serves drip coffee. My go to is usually "Memory of Arashiyama," a light roast with a "floral aroma" and hints of lemon. If you're not a fan of simply dripped coffee, there's a condiments table on the side where you can add in milk and sugar to your liking. I used to also come here for the blueberry scones, but when I went into the cafe today I was disappointed to see that SoDoI wasn't serving pastries anymore. Instead, there's a savory menu now with wraps and puffs. I decided to try the sausage wrap, but I wasn't a fan. The reheated wrap mainly consisted of eggs, sausage, and cheese. Priced at slightly more than $5, it tasted like something I could've gotten for cheaper at Safeway. Lastly, serving the wrap on a dixie plate definitely made me think that there wasn't much thought put into the presentation. All in all, I miss the sweet pastries that SoDoI used to offer to pair with my coffee and wish that SoDoI would bring them back. Otherwise, SoDoI is a wonderful coffee shop. I love to get work done here while sipping on a cup of coffee, and you should definitely come here to experience the cafe for yourself! read more

sodoi was practically my home when i went to uc berkeley. anything you get you will be pleased. i still say sodoi has the best coffee and matcha ive ever had and ive tried a lotttt of both! i loved studying or just enjoying the ambience of the place my whole time there. service is wonderful and the owner is SO sweet. i have put too many people on this place. a definite must try read more

Nice cafe vibe and music. The drinks I have tried have all been delicious and the workers usually prepare it very fast. The temperature inside the cafe has always been pretty high when I've went, so I prefer to study elsewhere. read more