Cuppa Joe’s Espresso

Closed. They don’t do espresso or coffee anymore.

Sadly, Cuppa Joe is no more. Shockingly he couldn’t make this stand profitable. I think I actually cried.

Remember how micro-​breweries started popping up a few years ago, some with mind-​blowingly good beer? Cuppa Joe is a micro-​roastery, a coffee house in a cart, with just incredible coffee. Brewed coffee is made per-​cup with just about any bean and roast you want.
Let’s face it — Starbucks is the McDonald’s of coffee. Cuppa Joe’s is the tiny little restaurant that you overlook, until you try it, and wish you’d tried it years before.
Wayne, the guy who owns and runs the cart, roasts his beans right there. Talking to him, you get the impression that it’s the natural progression for a man with an obsession for coffee to pack an entire coffee house into a cart, and to pack that much flavor into a drink.
As other reviewers have said, he also does a ginger drink that is outstanding, either on its own or with espresso added. He has whipped cream either normal, or infused with espresso or with ginger. Want a mocha? He has multiple different chocolate choices, optionally with cayenne pepper for a mocha with a kick. There’s also a house blend of Kenyan and Hawaiian beans which he calls the «Obama blend», with a birth certificate on the cart verifying its creation in Oakland. ;-)
He’s recently hired someone to run the cart on the days that he’s not there, and he plans to start another cart in Emeryville near the gourmet carts that are popping up.
Cash-​only, but you can get cash back when you buy something from Farmer Joe’s.

I’m a caterer and personal chef and love love love coffee. I just worked for a wonderful client in Oakland who gifted me a bag of the Obama brew (LOVE my job) and am immediately hooked and beyond impressed. Excellent flavor, super super smooth, I am officially a fan. I can’t wait to check out the cart and introduce this as a mainstay in my business and daily ritual. Good work.

Everything folks say here about the owner is true. He is passionate and knowledgeable about coffee. Go meet him and then imagine if all of your business and shopping transactions were with people like that — life would be dreamy.
But most importantly, this is the best coffee I’ve had in the Bay Area so far. I was pretty hooked on Blue Bottle for awhile, and really enjoy Ritual Roasters — but this is better.
Try the espresso whip cream he makes and offers free with any espresso drink (i think there’s other whip cream flavors too). My husband doesn’t drink coffee, but loves the ginger latte.
Beware the hours — not open Tues-​Thurs.

My husband loves the Jamaican Blue Mountain. It’s dark, wonderful, and rich. This barista/​owner knows a whole heck of a lot about coffee and roasting. My husband is a total addict of this guy’s coffee.
Me? I LOVE the ginger lattes and Cuppa Joe’s teas. They are out of this world. I buy the teas to brew at home. Currently, I have the chamomile, peppermint, and the Emerald Jade. My favorite this week is the Emerald Jade, the green tea. My favorite last week was the chamomile. It has a wonderful bouquet.
And maybe you’re like me and don’t cook, or even boil water much. Maybe your husband does the cooking? If so, the barista/​owner can advise on the perfect way to make his teas. I follow his directions to the letter and frankly with his teas and directions, it’s the best cup of tea I have ever had.
I love the convenience of it all too, along with the high quality coffees and tea. Cuppa Joe’s is right outside Joe’s Marketplace. I can shop for coffee, sip my ginger latte, and grocery shop for my organics all at the same place.

I love when people are passionate about something. I am irresistibly drawn to that kind of energy. In this case, this sweet little cart outside my neighborhood grocery store is a little beacon of coffee passion.
The sweet gentleman who owns the little coffee kiosk roasts his own beans and is sort of a mad scientist of blends. Not only is his Obama blend a smooth, silky mélange of three beans (Kenya, Kona and Indonesia). He uses that blend for his espresso drinks and you can also get individually brewed cups of any blend he has. I highly, highly suggest trying a brewed cup of the Obama blend your first time out, he uses an Aero Press and that makes for a really amazingly complex and delicious cup of coffee. He also makes a fine latte and will add some espresso cream to it if you’d like which adds a creamy nuance with the slightest suggestion of chocolate. His prices are ridiculously low and I told him so but he says he’s just trying to build up a clientele.. .uh huh like all the best pushers, the first taste is (practically) free.
If you’re not in the mood for coffee, try either his delicious hot chocolate or another one of his concoctions — a ginger-​cactus honey latte. No coffee, just milk steamed with ginger and cactus honey.. it is unbelievably good and soothing on a chilly day. He says he can add a shot of espresso to that and I think I will try that next time.
He’s there everyday except Thursday from 9am to 2pm. The coffee and the kind hospitality of the owner is really worth a short detour to check out.

this kiosk, just outside the big farmer joe’s market, has been open for a while but i’ve neglected actually stopping before today for fear that this was just another coffee joint with sub-​standard offerings.
boy was i wrong!
the barista (and owner?) is super friendly and knowledgeable about his products and aims to create the type of friendly, superior quality experience he’d like if he were the customer. he succeeds. add this to that the fact that he roasts the coffee right there, and therefore, produces an amazing aroma, and you have a terrific place to stop for your morning coffee.
even if you don’t need anything from the market, i’d recommend giving cuppa joe’s a try… the obama blend is superb!