Whether you’re looking for a coffee, a refreshing juice, or an energy drink, Downtown Berkeley has you covered. Within just a few blocks of Berkeley High School, there is a great selection of beverages ranging from boba to lattes, making it the perfect place for thirsty BHS students looking for something to drink. These are some of the best options around Downtown Berkeley.
Yume Mori
Just a four minute walk from school, Yume Mori is one of Downtown’s best options for high quality matcha. Yume Mori sells eight different types of matcha and hojicha tea, each with their own unique flavor profile. “I really think the biggest thing for me is the quality … I feel like that makes it stand out a lot,” Avisha Taneja, a senior at BHS, said. Yume Mori’s matcha and hojicha lattes come in unique flavors, such as tiramisu or coconut, and are often topped with a Biscoff cookie. These lattes are about eight dollars each, except their classic lattes, which are a dollar less. “The best part of Yume Mori is just that it's really customizable …you can really just make the drink your own,” Mai Khoi Folkmanis, a senior at BHS, said. Additionally, its comforting ambiance makes Yume Mori a great place to spend time with friends. “Amidst all the high school chaos, (Yume Mori is) my one place of just easiness,” Folkmanis said.
Heytea
Heytea is located on Shattuck Ave., only a few blocks from BHS, making it a great boba option in Downtown Berkeley. Heytea’s menu boasts a large variety of drinks, from unique options like their Mango Coconut Boom to classics like their Brown Sugar Bobo Milk Tea. “It tastes pretty high quality … I like that it's not as sweet as some other places … it helps me in that I can still enjoy it while still having an appetite,” Koda Strauss, a freshman at BHS, said. Each drink is about four to eight dollars, but can vary depending on drink additions. Heytea has a very modern interior, with gray walls, and a brightly lit Heytea logo on the wall. “I really like how they branded themselves,” Strauss said, “I like how simplistic it is … and the little cute mascot that they have.” While there’s no shortage of boba places around BHS, Heytea’s high quality fruit drinks make it one of the best spots and its proximity to campus makes it highly accessible for students.
Lox Stock & Bagel
Lox Stock & Bagel is one of BHS’ closest options for coffee, and is another popular spot to meet friends during lunch or in the morning. Lox’s large fridges filled with soda, energy drinks, and Yerba Madres are a welcome sight for many BHS students. It offers lots of seating, as well as a variety of food. Their coffee and tea items range from about three to six dollars, while their smoothies are $6.95 and fresh juices are $7.75. Lox is usually packed, especially during lunch, and its hustle and bustle creates an energetic environment. “I feel like it's very cozy and cute, and I like that there's always students here … and they are very fast,” Tabby Herron Wilson, a freshman at BHS, said. Lox’s prime location on Allston St. draws in many students on their way to school, especially due to its warm, well-lit interior. In general, Lox’s wide variety of caffeinated drinks and homey feeling make it the perfect place for students to grab a pick me up. Furthermore, you can grab a bagel or any other baked good that they offer.
K's Coffee House
Given that K’s Coffee House is such a popular spot among BHS students, it’s common to find lines out the door during lunchtime. In terms of drinks, K’s offers many different kinds, including coffee, matcha, Thai tea, and smoothies. Their coffee and tea drinks are all about four to six dollars, and their smoothies are $6.50-6.95. It’s one of the cheaper options for coffee near BHS, and also offers a range of foods to pair with their drinks, including bagels and sandwiches. K’s warm, charming atmosphere that immediately draws you in, is, in part, due the friendly employees. “Once they give me a smoothie for free. They're pretty 'goated,' I love them,” Amalia Walsh, a BHS junior, said. Walsh said her favorite drinks from K’s are the smoothies and the Thai tea. K’s is a smaller cafe, making it feel very cozy and welcoming. It’s almost always full of students, and the background noise of chatter and laughter add to the pleasant mood at K’s. All in all, the short walk from school, and top notch service, makes K’s Coffee House a great place to grab a drink or a bite with friends.
