Downtown Local

So so coffee served with a bad attitude and very limited pastry selection. Maybe weekdays are better…

In one line: the interior is better than the coffee.
Ok, Unilocal wasn’t a fan of my brevity and wanted to file my review as a tip instead. So… allow me to elaborate.
I spent my childhood mopping up antique shops, and this place took me right back. For that, I was grateful. I wish the coffee had been better, but I’m glad we made it here. We enjoyed checking out all the knicknacks, and the free chocolate on check-​in is yummy.

Fun hipster style café serving Sight Glass coffee. They have House kombucha on tap. But they had run out of cold brew coffee.
Wish they had a vegan option for the pastries.
Nice place to hang out, you can tell they put a lot of time and effort into the collection of vintage items.

Funky little coffee shop. Cool music and knick-​nacks for sale! Interesting to have a quick browse around in this beautiful one-​horse town

I was so distracted looking at all the cool stuff inside Downtown Local that I forgot to write a review while I was there. So let me throw out a disclaimer: I went there a few months ago but loved it so much, I have to write one now.
As a recovering hoarder and collector of all manner of «collectibles,» I appreciated the wide range of artifacts they displayed in the shop. While enjoying a delicious cup of coffee in a quiet, peaceful town, one can spend hours studying bits and pieces of their childhood strewn among Downtown Local’s shelves. Books, records, toys; they have it all. A classic motorcycle sitting in the window? Too cool. And, how many coffee shops have you been to that have a movie showing in a mini-​theater? I thought not.
Pescadero is a bit off the beaten path (unless you live there, I guess), but is undoubtedly worth the detour.

I’d venture to say that the machine was running too hot on the day of our visit to Downtown Local as the espresso pulled was exceedingly bitter. It hardly helped that the milk was scalded resulting in a largely unpalatable cappuccino, unfortunately. The spearmint tea, however, was lovely although it came in a kooky don’t-burn-your-hands contraption of double cup and sleeve. For the sensitive-​skinned, I’d say that this drinking method might be your jam, but for those who wish to have a mug o’ beverage on premises, and, indeed, did ask for it thus, the request having been echoed a second time by the thoughtful, young woman at the register, it was disappointing.
The sweet-​treat selection looked lovely with scones, shortbread & decadent orange-​topped pastries beckoning to be consumed. The hubs opted for a cheddar & bacon scone which turned out to be quite dry and burned the throat a bit. –too much baking soda, maybe?
The shop beyond the drinks-​n-​snacks counter is made up of eclectic bric-​à-​brac. It’s a super fun spread. I spied items from a Jane Fonda workout poster to well-​worn music records, yearbooks from ‘yesteryear’, old Mad magazine & Cracked issues & a typewriter. The main display table, covered in a warm Edison bulb glow, really drew the eye.
In the back of the shop is a wee theater space set up for one’s viewing pleasure. This bit of D.L. was by far my fave.
*Sightglass beans in the hopper & bagged for sale

Perfectly prepared Sightglass coffee in Pescadero? Believe it! I enjoy savoring my macchiato while perusing the carefully curated eclectic collectibles and clothing. When it’s warmer I love their kombucha, and may watch some of the silent movie that’s playing in tiny theater in the back. Just a well thought out, fun place to enjoy a beverage. Rustic and hip and well run and unexpected across from Duartes.

I just love hanging out here — and I adore the ambiance in tandem to the fact that they are one of the only hangouts that serve kombucha. Flavors are always changing too. My only wish is that they were open later!

Cool little quaint coffee spot in a cool little quaint town. We read about this place in Sunset and enjoyed our experience here. Our son loved looking at all of the old school toys and trinkets they had here. They had a check in offer from Unilocal so we got a chocolate that was delicious. Great spot to grab a coffee or just hang out.

Our favorite motorcycle destination! Awesome coffee, great music, talented barista, perfect spot.

First, the coffee is amazing. Expertly crafted! Second, the ambiance is warm, cozy and fun. Great little retro doodads for sale — even if you’re not buying, they’re fun to look at. Thirdly, the coffee is amazing.

What an amazing find. If you’re traveling up the 1, take the 5 min detour for this place. It and the small Main Street it sits on ooze with charm.

Everyone give this place one star or else it’s going to start getting too crowded.
Oh, fine. That wouldn’t be fair.
This place is really, really, really great. Not enough tables. Terrific, flavorful, wonderful, top-​quality coffee. And the people who work there are nice.
But don’t come. I want this place to stay secret.

Coffee was good enough but would not go again on account of the fact that they said all children need to drink their drinks outside. Rain or shine. Too many spills and so children aren’t allowed inside. It’s a coffee shop not a bar. Wouldn’t go back.

We stopped for Gas there and found this little coffee place near by. We went in and bought 2 cups of coffee and lady behind the counter prepared our coffee for us (with milk). It tasted fresh, light and awesome meaning exactly what we needed at that time :)
Would love to go there again and buy the bag of ground coffee.

Just popped in for some drinks at 5.20 pm, green tea was disgusting and we were literally thrown out by the owner because closing was at 5.30. No signs mentioning it and nobody said anything to us before buying our drinks. We will never go back there again for sure.

Cute little coffee shop in Pescadero. It’s a lot more retro hip than you would expect in a small town.
Coffee is decent. Really like their décor. It’s my favorite pit stop whenever I do a bike ride going south along Hwy 1.
Tip: I think the owner is a soccer fan and they have a projector in the back that shows soccer matches when big games are on.

Nice quiet place in the sleepy town of Pescadero.
Worth stopping if you are near by, my kids love to play with their domino set.
Other than that, Coffee is a bit bitter, free wifi attracts different characters who are sitting here for ever… they also have internal store with some vintage stuff… but not cheap :)

I have been stopping by Pescadero a couple of times a year for almost 10 years now, back when my husband stumbled upon Duarte Tavern’s because of their famous Artichoke soup. This was long before Food Network came into town and probably before AAA let the secret out on this once sleepy town. Now if you come during the summer, you will find it packed with cars trying to find space so they too can explore this one block downtown with all its no longer hidden but still gems. So now I try to come by during the off peak season around the winter holidays where most of the people milling around are locals and for the first time yesterday on Easter since I happen to be in HMB for brunch after dropping off my in-​laws at SFO. It was like a throwback, being able to experience the quaint quiet little town on the coast.
After our obligatory must stops first, we were looking for a place for hubby to get a caffeine kick before driving home and came upon Downtown Local. Originally it seemed a little too hip and therefore a bit out of place for Pescadero. But as you really take in your surroundings, it also has a retro charm that seems to work, from the unicycle, to the Royal typewriter and the «dual disk» Apple computer and finally the music coming from the vinyls. When you think you’ve seen it all, there is a small home theater in the back. It was such a great place to explore on its own and another gem or should I say diamond in the rough.

This hipster coffee shop is another awesome place in Pescadero. The baristas were super cool and the ambience was one-​of-​a-​kind. I mean, there’s a mini cinema in the back, filled with seats for patrons to enjoy the movie. Have you ever seen a coffee shop like that before? They also offer a number of drinks — a small drink menu, but no problem.
We ordered an iced coffee and it tasted like a nicely brewed cup of coffee with compostable cups. I appreciate the eco-​friendly nature of this town! The longer I held the cup though, the more weak it was getting since the ice was starting to soften the material.
If you are ever in Pescadero, it would be inconceivable to visit the town without stopping by this coffee shop! Lots of trinkets and other items available for purchase at the store. Lots of cool things to see! Friendly people all around. It was a great visit to Downtown Local!