The Best Cafes in California
San Francisco
San Diego
San Francisco, CA
California Cities
¡Bienvenidos a California! Welcome to the Golden State!
California isn’t just famous for beaches and blockbusters — it’s also home to a thriving, eclectic coffee culture. Whether you're sipping small-batch espresso in San Francisco or discovering hidden gems behind bookstores in Bishop, this guide highlights the top cafes worth visiting across the state. From ambiance to espresso quality, each spot has been vetted by Remote Cappuccino for an exceptional experience.
Explore the best cafes in California with curated Google Maps Lists—free to use and easy to follow—by Remote Cappuccino. Just click on any city to discover top-rated spots for coffee and cappuccinos. Each list appears as coffee cup icons directly on your own Google Maps, making your next great cup just a tap away.
San Francisco is a city built on bold ideas, foggy mornings, and an enduring love for good coffee. From the narrow alleyways of North Beach to sleek cafés in SoMa, the city’s coffee culture reflects its spirit—innovative, eclectic, and a little rebellious. You might find yourself sipping a single-origin pour-over from Ritual or Sightglass in a minimalist café, only to stumble upon an old Italian espresso bar that hasn’t changed in decades. San Francisco helped spark the Third Wave coffee movement, and it still leads with intention—whether that’s in bean sourcing, sustainability, or precision brewing. And with those famously steep hills and endlessly walkable neighborhoods, you’ll be glad for every cup.
Sacramento
Oakland
California’s Third Wave Leader: The City Setting the Coffee Standard
A Refined Taste: The Best Small Town Coffee Experiences in California
Bishop, California, may be a small town nestled in the Eastern Sierra, but its coffee scene is impressively vibrant and refined. With standout spots like Pupfish Cafe and Black Sheep Coffee Roasters, Bishop offers more than just a caffeine fix—it delivers a thoughtfully crafted coffee experience that attracts locals and visitors alike. Pupfish Cafe charms with its warm atmosphere and expertly pulled espresso, while Black Sheep Coffee Roasters brings dedication to small-batch roasting and bold flavors that reflect the rugged spirit of the region. Together, they make Bishop a noteworthy destination for coffee lovers seeking quality and community in a stunning mountain setting.
Bishop, CA
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Source Acknowledgment
Café selections featured on RemoteCappuccino.com are curated using a combination of publicly available user-generated content and personal field research. Primary sources include:
Google Maps reviews
Yelp ratings and customer feedback
Reddit community recommendations (e.g., r/coffee, r/food, city-specific threads)
Firsthand visits and on-site assessments by Remote Cappuccino contributors
All selections are evaluated for coffee quality (especially cappuccino and espresso), atmosphere, consistency, and overall user experience.
Want more Google Maps Lists from Remote Cappuccino? Choose an available state, select your city, and get your short-cut to the top espresso bars and local coffee spots across the United States.
Note: Not every U.S. state may be listed yet—I'm constantly updating and curating these café maps to eventually include all 50 states. I also plan to expand internationally to highlight the best cappuccinos around the world. If your state isn’t available, I appreciate your patience! Feel free to email me at remotecappuccino@gmail.com to request a specific location.
Know of a cafe that deserves a spot on this list? I'd love to hear it!
