A Guide to Ventura Coffee Shops
Prospect Coffee Roasters
The two brothers who founded Prospect Coffee Roasters have managed to design one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful Ventura coffee shops that locals and tourists alike regularly make the time to enjoy. Their generously sized store on Laurel Street features black and white honeycomb tile floors, trendy light fixtures hanging from above, light hardwood furnishings, and minimalistic white walls.
That’s just scratching the surface of these artisan roasters’ efforts, the team here goes to great intentional lengths when developing roast profiles that articulate the inherent characteristics of each particular coffee. In the end, the overall bright and bubbly ambiance, combined with exceptional WiFi, makes Prospect an easy go-to for daytime meetings with colleagues or coffee dates with friends.
Singing Sun Coffee
Nestled at the quaint corner base of a two-story apartment building, Singing Sun’s touches of verdure, red-trimmed glass storefront, roomy exposed ceiling, and overall throwback vibes are admirably instagrammable – imagine the golden hour glow! This shop’s signature amalgamations impress too, among more tasty drinks to choose from, there’s the phenomenal cinnamon and honey-sweetened Good Fortune, rootbeer-infused Babbler, and Central Americano with coco water.
Simones Coffee and Tea
One of the oldest independent coffee shops in Ventura and a beloved neighborhood gem, Simones was opened with hopes of accomplishing this simple goal: offer the highest quality beverages and fare. Needless to say, over 20 years on and many satisfied souls later, this family-run operation has managed to achieve hallmark status, an observation further supported by their being voted “Favorite Coffeehouse” in the County.
The cute nautical feel – underscored by minimalistic white walls, cherry-red wooden tables, and soft blue tones – lends a complimentary hand to an atmosphere already warm and welcoming.
Beacon Coffee Company
Established in 2010, Beacon started as a wholesale roaster and slowly expanded the cafe in front to offer customers the offerings of a full espresso bar when picking up their fresh beans for home. Fitted with sturdy tables, comfortable seating, and a signature red wall, their once temporary java enclave has transformed into the ultimate farm to roaster to table tasting opportunity.
Owners John and Jennifer Wheir spend several weeks per year visiting with their coffee bean producers all over the world. Communicating directly and observing operations to ensure that only the best, responsibly grown coffee (both for the land and those who work it) will be given the Beacon name.
Palermo Coffee & Gelato
An urban-euro cafe among Main Street storefronts lining the heart of downtown, Palermo offers locally roasted coffee, loose leaf teas, 18 flavors of deliciously rich gelato, and last but certainly not least, a beautiful assortment of unique boutique gifts. The team here gets crafty with the java too, they put together a delightful lavender mocha or you can always take your tastebuds on a flavorful adventure with the Mexican-inspired ancho chile mocha.
Palm & Boy
Follow the romantically lit redbrick path down a tree and foliage shaded alley just off the main drag to discover the cutest courtyard garden, along with this hidden gem among Ventura coffee shops. Palm & Boy serves Handlebar coffee, Rori’s Artisinal Creamery ice cream, and absolutely bomb acai bowls. If we had to choose just a single place on this list to recommend for a cute date and/or photo-op, Palm & Boy definitely takes the cake!
Tatiana’s Coffee & Tea
Although Tatiana’s was founded as recently as 2014, its story goes back to the late eighties, when a group of close friends were enjoying their cappuccinos and lattes at a beautiful coffee house & book store near La Cienega and 3rd Street. One of the women there leaned into her husband and shared with him her dream of someday having their own coffee house where they could treat neighbors, friends, and family.
Thus, the handcrafted specialty coffees, vibrant red walls dappled with gorgeous paintings, speedy WiFi, and mouthwatering Argentinian empanadas are all part in parcel of a decades-long dream come true.
Sandbox Coffeehouse
Not far from the world-class sparkling shores of Southern California’s sun-drenched Pacific coastline is a coffee house called Sandbox. There, they serve gourmet espresso, ensuring the highest quality caffeine-enriched beverage of your liking; the scrumptious pastries and health-conscious food items are also worth noting (vegan, and gluten-free options available).
With so much nearby natural beauty to soak in on any given day, start your mornings getting swept away by a salty ocean breeze on this ginormous java hut’s outdoor patio, or when productivity is paramount, take up studious residence at any one of the indoor tabletops or couches and bask in those good beachside bungalow vibes.
Cafe du Suro
That adorable french bakery with the red storefront and cute patio furnishings to match in the heart of downtown, Cafe du Suro is home to more than freshly baked delicacies, as a matter of fact, they serve Intelligentsia’s sweet and chocolatey black cat classic espresso in a myriad of meaningfully prepared beverages. Whether visiting for the second to none pastries, coffee, tea, or boba, or a great work environment with exceptional WiFi, this cafe has a little something for everybody!
Lovewell Tea & Coffee
Several years ago, Lovewell owners Andrea and Emily took a trip to Ireland only to discover a cafe that instantly felt like home, a cafe where people not only feel welcomed but invited. Wasting no time, they’ve managed to capture that same wholesome atmosphere in their green-accented Ventura Avenue shop on the fringes of town. Lovewell is an inspiration, a space to pause, to breathe, a place to be loved, and loved on and a place to cultivate something incredible in the community and in the hearts of friends old and new.
If you enjoyed this guide to the best Venture coffee shops, be sure to check out our list of the Top 15 Coffee Shops in Santa Monica!