Delicious coffee! I don't come into this plaza often, it's super busy with Costco, Trader Joe's, etc. But this shop is really cute with great drinks, and beans from Sight glass. I see they also use Dandelion Chocolate products! read more

Spectra Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

SO excited to try the banh mi after reading stellar reviews-- and tbh, it was alright. I've had better banh mi's. BUT this was a good banh mi considering it came from a coffee shop. All food here is extremely cute and I want to try it all Now the drinks.... Man they're good. They use Sightglass beans and then probably make their drinks with magic because it's THAT good.... read more

Super happy to write this review! This coffee place was a godsend when I lost power at my house, but I was able to work in peace until my power at home was restored. This venue is a great spot for people to work away from home with fast wifi and great coffee and snacks! What I ordered: -Chocolate Croissant: super crunchy and not too sweet -Banana Crème Latte: super savory and mellow flavor. The banana was subtle and enhanced the roast quality of the latte. I was happily surprised see the in house mugs filled to the brim with coffee! Would come here again to work remotely and enjoy the cool ambience! read more

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Great coffee. They used good beans and they offer snack l. It's located in Costco plaza, very convenient. Sundar morning could be long wait. read more

Everything about this place is awesome-- staff is friendly, place is aesthetic, and menu is yummy! I'm a huge fan of their matcha waffles & iced matcha :) read more

Spectra Coffee - Iced matcha, Iced Coffee, & Spectra Waffle (matcha) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Both the food and drinks at this location are great, perfect to grab something quick to go on your Costco or Trader Joe's run in the same plaza. The ambiance is great for a sit down with friends, you can frequently see people working inside. Really a gem within Almaden, wish we had more places like this nearby that allow for people to get together casually! As someone with a sweet tooth, I like their Spectra waffles and creamy mint drink. Their more customized drinks at this location are great, but they also do not miss with the classics. I took a star off because their food should honestly be cheaper. They charge like $10 for a banh mi, which is way too much. read more

Spectra Coffee - Iced dirty mint next to the cute LED light inside the cafe :) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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My favorite go-to for a matcha latte and avocado toast. Sometimes I like to get the Pandan Waffle, and they also have other flavors for their waffles too. They offer all milk choices and substitutes which I like. They also have a variety of food items to choose from so it's not just a takeout coffee kind of place. The environment is nice inside, which makes it a great place to work and study, as I see a lot of people do here. It gets busy in the afternoons but the line moves fast. Earlier in the day, there is usually never a wait. They also have outdoor seating for those who prefer a nice breeze. The location is in a very nice plaza adjacent from Trader Joe's and Costco and many other stores/markets nearby. read more

Spectra Coffee - Avocado Toast, Iced Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here for my first time before stopping by the nearby retail stores and ordered a creamy mint ice coffee. I love mint but somehow didn't taste or smell much of mint flavor in it, a bit disappointed. However, overall experience was pleasant. Decoration is contemporary and clean. Servers are friendly. The coffee aroma filled the room and I loved that! Really wakes me up on a weekday morning! Will come back and try out other drinks and maybe sit in a little during a less busy time. Morning is pretty packed! read more

Spectra Coffee - Creamy Mint - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Made a little pit stop here after work because I was falling asleep!!! Needed a little caffeine to power through. I just ordered a latte. On their menu, you have your typical coffee shop drinks (latte, mocha, iced coffee, etc) but I also saw they have some special like a banana creme latte. On my next trip here, I want to try the drinks from their special (or is it seasonal?) menu! read more

Spectra Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Discovered this place when I was searching local places that serve Banh Mi's. Coincidentally, it's located right in the middle of my two main places I goto for groceries - Trader Joe's & Costco. Love that I have a option close to me that makes delicious Banh Mi's. This recent visit, I went with the shredded chicken Banh Mi and got a black drip coffee. Their Banh Mi has the perfect French roll. Crunchy outside and soft inside. It comes with all the standard veggies including pickled daikon, carrots, jalapeños, cilantro with a delicious spread combined with your choice of protein. The shredded chicken is delicious - love the flavor from the marinade with a slightly peppery finish. Little on a the dryer side but the flavor overrides it in my opinion. Their drip coffee is good. Enjoyed the taste of the roasted beans and most importantly had a slight bitterness that was pleasant. I've been drinking my coffee black lately so it's important that I get good quality beans because I don't have cream to mask it :) This is a great place to bring your laptop to get some work done or meet for coffee dates. Every time I come here, it's filled with people and good vibes. Service is always great here as well. Come check it out! read more

Grateful for this coffee shop in the area. Being in south San Jose we don't have many cute coffee shops so Spectra is the go to in the area. I've had a few of their drinks - rose latte, vanilla latte, matcha latte, cold teas, and a few others - all great Their food/pastries are good as well. I've had their banh mi, waffles, avocado toast, and croissants. Service is friendly and upbeat, only downside is there is a wait especially during peak hours. Plan accordingly read more

Underwhelmed. Coffee just ok. Chocolate croissant seemed stale. Had large hole in the middle and very little chocolate inside. Only half had any chocolate. To make up for it ? They drizzled with chocolate sauce - which just made it messy. Will not return. read more

Pretty average coffee to be completely honest, but they do have interesting rotating syrup flavors (i.e banana creme?) but most of them are housemade so they don't taste artificial in any way. What I do love here is their banh mi. I had one of their vegetarian banh mi's and it was delicious, with crunchy yet very soft bread. read more

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Spectra replaced Starbucks in the Almaden plaza with Costco and I'm so glad! Cute little coffee shop that can get packed. They slow drip your coffee made to order so when it gets crowded you could be waiting a little while. The staff here are super friendly and make delicious coffees! Hands down my favorite is the banana cream latte! Pro tip: add condensed milk to your coffee for extra creamy texture! read more

Spectra Coffee - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Went here to study on a Wednesday afternoon and this place was full! We got a seat outdoors but after a while we got to move indoors. They have a good amount of seats with charging ports but you'd probably want to get here earlier. The iced chai I got was pretty good, and the workers were really friendly to everyone. Great place for studying if you can get a seat! read more

Spectra Coffee - Iced Chai Latte w/ an espresso shot - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Order: Bahn Mi- Grilled Pork Chocolate Croissant All Nighter Delivery GrubHub The sandwich was great and gets 5 stars. Crunchy outside bread and soft tasty inside with fresh and flavorful ingredients. The croissant was good also. The coffee was horrible. Burnt espresso amd no condensed milk. Luckily I had creamer at work to help with the burt taste. Also for $7 it was very small. I can't speak to the service or interior as it was a delivery order. read more

First time here and it was pretty busy but my friend and I managed to snag a table... YAAY! The guy at the register seemed like he didn't wanted to be there. Not into any conversation, even about their offerings. I asked for a pastry but got a diff one than what I asked. Didn't wanna deal with it so I ate what I got but was pretty bummed. Coffee: ordered honey lavender latte. Was quite good but as others have said, the coffee temp was just warm and by the time I got down to the end, it was pretty cold and I didn't finish it. Pastry: ordered apple croissant and got an apple turnover. Not only did was I given the wrong one, I also paid extra for the apple croissant. It wasn't much extra so the issue isn't the price but the principle. The turnover was decent. Given the numerous coffee shops in SJ, this just didn't do it for me. I'm glad I checked it out and the location is 10/10! read more

Spectra Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Only come here cuz it's close by, and I like to support small biz (not Starbucks for sure). Placed an order online. Got here 15 mins later (which was the time given online for my order to be ready for pick up). After 10 mins, I attempted to attract the attention of any one of the 4 individuals working the counter. They all appeared to be in their early 20s. None would even look up. I noticed the same treatment was given to all other customers waiting, so I didnt' take it personally. I finally gained the attention of one of the workers and she said, with an attitude, "we're working on it!" I turned to another customer who also seemed perturbed at the lack of service being provided and he said, "It's like these Gen Z kids don't have any interpersonal skills." I have a Gen Z kid, but she doesn't act anything like these kids. After asking a few more times and 45 MINUTES LATER, it appeared my order was ready, but no one alerted me. I had to ask, "Is that my order?" (pointing to the bag and two drinks on the opposite side of the counter). I WILL NEVER STEP FOOT IN THIS LOCAL COFFEE SHOP AGAIN!! read more

They do not serve decaf espresso drinks. They only have decaf drip coffee but they were out of stock.

Solid 4.5 stars Spectra Coffee came highly recommended by a friend, taking over the spot that was once a Starbucks. While my hot latte was enjoyable, I didn't quite grasp the excitement, as the coffee bean quality seemed similar to other high quality coffee brands - it's definitely a different league than Starbucks. My friend raved about their flavored lattes, which I might explore next time, though I aimed to savor the natural coffee quality before delving into any sweet flavors that mask the true richness. The pandan waffle that my friend ordered was tasty, but it didn't astound me, given its availability in several great Vietnamese bakeries around SJ. Also, the limited seating indoors could be attributed to the bustling Saturday afternoon crowd. We sat outside in the wind. I'm inclined to revisit Spectra, but it might not become an outing for me. Service was quite slow that day but they had a line; I'll make a point to visit on a weekday to see if things improve slightly. read more

Update : Tried their pesto toast; it was amazing . Everyone is very friendly and nice . Love this place read more

Spectra Coffee - Pesto toast with egg ! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

The food and the drinks at Spectra have been consistently great. I've been here a number of times, usually because I need a break from the depression of grocery shopping, and I've tried many of their unique coffee drinks and small food items. Drinks-wise my favorite so far would be an oat milk latte with an extra shot. On the food side, the grilled pork banh mi was great. Although I wouldn't mind a side of a little extra hot sauce. The place is very nice inside too, definitely a hipster vibe, but also casual. The seating looks nice but every time I've been it's been completely full inside so I can't comment on the comfort level. I would imagine their main demographic is grocery shoppers who, like me, find buying groceries at multiple stores to be soul-crushing, and need some coffee as a break and to get some artificial energy. Luckily instead of some boring Starbucks, we have this awesome place to come to. read more

This place replaced the Starbucks near Costco a few years ago, but it took me awhile to finally visit. Stopped by around 9AM and the place was pretty busy. It's a nice place to hang out and work/study, plus there's a few food options too. There's also some complimentary water which you can serve yourself. I had a Gibraltar. I had never heard of before, but it's basically a cappuccino with less milk, which is exactly what I wanted! I liked that my "for here" order was served in a mug. I also tried the Ricotta Toast. This was pretty good, but the strawberries were not the best. I wanted just a small snack to keep me going until lunch, and this was the perfect size. read more

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I'm such a coffee lover me and my husband come here every Sunday and the creamy mint never fails. It's always pack when we come but it's worth the wait! read more

Great Banh Mi spot which serves flavorful Coffee varieties. Banana Latte is one of their must try if you like bananas as they use real banana puree in making it. read more

Spectra Coffee - Banh Mi Sandwiches- Shredded Chicken Banh Mi with Orange Blossom Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Cute little coffee shop located in the Almaden shopping plaza. I've seen this place so many times while shopping at Costco and Trader Joe's and never tried it until today when I needed my coffee fix. :-) I got an iced mocha and was pleased with it. The wait was a bit longer than I was hoping for...probably around 10 minutes. There was a party of 4 in front of me who ordered drinks and food so perhaps that's why it took longer....seems like a popular spot. They have a variety of food options including sandwiches. There's some outdoor seating with nice plants surrounding the area. read more

Spectra Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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I came here because of the rave reviews but the coffee that I got tastes like garbage. It is room temperature and there is no hint of honey or lavender or coffee. It just taste like oat milk. Not the biggest waste of six dollars but very close. Baristas were very nice, but that is literally it. I am most likely going to throw this out. What is disappointment from a specialty coffee shop with such good reviews like the bare minimum the coffee should be hot and taste like something.. I am now going to go home and make my own coffee. They also don't offer decaf options or gluten free food options and charge extra for non dairy milk which shouldn't be a thing by now read more

I've been WFH ever since the pandemic started and tend to Doordash coffee/breakfast when I need a good pick-me-up. Well, today was one of those days. I ordered an avocado toast (no egg), grilled pork banh mi, banana cream pie latte w/oat milk, and orange blossom latte w/oat milk. Everything was sooo good! I especially enjoyed the grilled pork banh mi and the banana cream pie latte. The banh mi tasted authentic (I'm viet) and it was huge! Every bite was so flavorful. The banana cream pie latte is made from real bananas and it was the perfect hint of banana with coffee! So delish! The avocado toast was a good basic item and it was yummy with the everything seasoning on top. However, I'll get the banh mi from now on since that was really filling. The orange blossom latte was also perfect and you can really taste the orange. Loved everything and it made my morning! read more

Spectra Coffee - Avocado toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Great spot to work at, coffee is really good and their merch is cute. The food was delicious, my friend and I ordered a matcha latte and a lavender latte with banh mi for lunch. read more

Good coffee and great place to sit and catch up with your friends. Service was pretty fast and lot of options (including food items).

Love this place. My second time here and the staff remain super friendly and they take their time with each guest so you don't feel rushed like other coffee shops. The place is cute, quiet and has plenty of seating space inside, although it's usually occupied with folks hanging out or working on their laptops. There is also outside space to sit which overlooks Costco parking, and that could be entertaining in itself. My coffee www great and the waffle was perfect. My husband had the avocado toast which he enjoyed as well. I will definitely continue to frequent this spot as such as I can. read more

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First time at Spectra - and I ended up going back the same day a couple hours later just to get another drink! Location: located in a super busy plaza in Almaden area with Costco. There is a parking lot, but on the weekends be ready to spend some time looking for parking. It's located at the end of the block of stores, and there is some outdoor seating. Service: Wonderful! 10/10. All the employees were super friendly and helpful, and even when I was standing at the front of the line trying to decide what to order, the employee at the cashier didn't rush me at all. She was super patient with me and helping me decide what to get. Picking up my order was also super smooth, they call out your name and you can grab your own cup lid and napkins. They are also DOG FRIENDLY, so my friend and I were able to bring our corgis inside! That was probably my favorite thing about Spectra Food/Drinks: - Honey lavender latte - I got 1 hot, 1 iced. Hot for the morning, and iced for afternoon. Both were delicious, super creamy and smooth, not to sweet. The lavender flavor was strong but not overwhelming or artificial. I got mine with whole milk just because I wanted the consistency of the drink to be on the creamier side, even though I did not bring Lactaid (lol). - Avo toast - yummy! Adding an egg on top was $1 extra, but I did it anyway. They use whole avocado rather than guac/pre-made spread, which I appreciated. It was delicious and the avocado was super fresh, on top of toasted sourdough bread - Pesto toast - also delicious! 10/10. Really enjoyed the unique blend of cherry tomato and pesto with some garlic, on toasted sourdough bread. I don't doubt that the other food items here are crafted just as well. If Spectra wasn't so far from me in Fremont, I'd be here every weekend. There aren't a lot of tables inside, but there is a communal table to study/work at, and a couple of other scattered tables around. There's also wifi and a counter area by the windows to sit at and get some work done if you prefer that. I will definitely be back! :) read more

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All you need is coffee! The coffee shop is pretty small but there're plenty of seats indoor and some outdoor. They were understaffed when we visited, so had to wait a bit. However the staffs are super nice and friendly. The menu is okay. They do have a few seasonal drinks - orange blossom latte is my favorite. I tried the creamy mint this time and it tastes pretty similar to Philz's mint mojito. My friend got the sausage mushroom quiche and he really liked it! read more

Spectra Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Unfortunately, I didn't have the best experience here. I ordered the creamy mint latte which, to my surprise, came iced. When I asked the barista if I could get the drink hot, it was only then they informed us that the drink only came iced. Maybe I should've asked as I was paying, but I wish I could've had some indication as I was checking out (or on the menu). Besides that, the mint flavor was strong - which I enjoyed! The second drink I ordered was the banana crème latte. Unfortunately, there was very little crème and the drink had a very *very* mild taste of banana. I also tried the Apple turnover and it was delicious! Crispy, warm, and exactly what I hoped for :) I did visit on a Sunday during rush so I understand if this may have affected the drinks?! But I was hoping for something more The setup and interior is very cute so I do wanna stop by again and give it another shot as I study (there are plenty of spaces to sit with a laptop). read more

LOVE spectra. Everything I want in a coffeeshop. Good coffee, yummy snacks - get the pandan or ube waffle. Great indoor and outdoor seating. Like other reviewers, I almost want to keep this a secret spot. But SJ is sorely missing cafes like this so just had to share with others! read more

Some of the best cortado's I have had. Hits the balance between sweet and bitterness and not burnt. I will be visit them again. read more

Spectra Coffee - Cortado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Cute cafe with a very innovative menu serving unique menu options like Honey lavendar latte, Snickerdoodle latte, Orange blossom latte and Gingerbread Latte. Personally I love their Honey lavendar latte - Sweet honey with Lavendar syrup provides a refreshing twist to otherwise regular coffee. Their Ricotta toast with strawberries, pistachios, ricotta cheese and honey drizzle on a sourdough bread is pretty tasty and almost dessert like! Worth trying out those unique flavors if you are into experimenting with your coffee!! read more

Love this coffee shop! Tucked inside a very busy plaza (including a Costco!) and once you're inside, the ambiance is just cool and gives you a homey coffee shop vibes. There are ample seating and love they are not all the same. People here either catch up and socialize or remotely working. I love their menu offerings! Besides the usual coffee menu (latte, drip, mocha) and Kids Hot Chocolate (my kiddo's fave) they also have very unusual and creative flavors like Honey Lavender Latte (my fave!), Tumeric Latte, Banana Crème Latte and a LOT more! Their toast - OMG! Their Ricotta Toast with strawberries, pistachios, honey on sourdough is just divine and honestly, after I had them, I started making it at home but still get this when I am at the cafe! They tend to get busy so I usually pre-order online. read more

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The fact that this is one of my go to places and I'm a coffee snob, I have to give it 5 stars. I come here occasionally on the weekends and it's always filled with people. I usually place my order ahead because I hate waiting. Even when I order ahead, I usually still have to wait a little and thats probably because it's always busy. I don't mind because I really enjoy the iced honey lavender coffee. The place is complimented with cute plants like most other coffee shops. I always order to-go because i have things to do read more

Your green waffles are so good and the banana coffee with creamer is so good I can't wait to try your banana coffee and green waffles again when I come to spectra keep up the good work read more