Academic Coffee

“Simple decor with the best espresso I’ve had on the West Coast.”

Ann Pham★★★★★

Welcome to my favorite matcha spot in San Jose! Their banana matcha is hands down my favorite drink here, and it’s the one I always recommend. The banana flavor is perfectly balanced with the matcha, making it creamy, refreshing, and not overly sweet. I also tried the guava matcha, but it didn’t stand out as much, so I’d definitely stick with the banana matcha. They also have a great selection of breakfast pastries that pair perfectly with your drink, plus free wifi if you want to work or study. The store is a bit small but cozy and super cute. Just be prepared for a line on weekends, it may g

Ronie Vega★★★★★

A banana flavor that does not rely on imitation banana is surprisingly hard to find. Good thing Academic Coffee knows what's up. The iced latte with banana cold foam was such a great cup, and the pastries were incredible. I highly recommend the buttermilk donut which was somehow crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. Overall, it's a great shop with great banana drinks and outstanding baked goods. Can't wait to go back and try some new things!

Mo Alziq★★★★

Academic Coffee in downtown San Jose is a great stop if you’re looking for quality coffee and excellent pastries. The pastries were especially good, fresh, flavorful, and clearly well made. You can tell a lot of care goes into the ingredients and the overall product. The coffee itself was generally very good, though it did have a slightly fermented flavor profile that may appeal to some but wasn’t quite my personal preference. That said, it seems like many regulars really enjoy it, and the shop clearly has a strong and loyal clientele. The main downside is the size of the space. It’s very smal

Vivian Anne★★★★★

I visited Academic on a Saturday morning around 9 AM. There was a line but it moved quickly. There is a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating and they are dog friendly. I had the matcha banana latte and loved it. I could definitely taste the matcha - it seemed like a high quality matcha powder and was not bitter. The banana cream tasted so good! It tasted like it was made with real bananas and not extract. I would definitely come back for the matcha banana latte and to try their other matcha drinks.