Roy's Station: A crafted cap in Japantown

There are many good coffee shops scattered around the Bay Area, but they vary greatly with their types of drinks, variety of roasts or the overall level of snobbery. Roy's is a favorite of mine and our friends because they have a great location with a young, hip environment and most importantly, they make very good espresso drinks. What you'll find inside of Roy's is a counter area with a large espresso machine, a cold case with snacks (often used to feed my little rascals), a vintage coke machine and some tables. What I find to be the most enjoyable part of Roy's is the outdoor seating. This was originally a Mobil gas station and the way in which they repurposed and styled this cafe is truly unique. My wife, kids and I really like this spot and will often use it as a halfway point destination for weekend bike rides. It helps that it's situated on Jackson in Japantown, and within a short walk you've got restaurants and a number of shops. For those into sneakers and street wear, you have Cukui, Headliners, Aristocrats and Azuki all within 1-2 blocks.

For the coffee geeks out there, it's worth mentioning that this is not the place for those obsessed with pour-over and cold-brewed coffee. They do, however, source their coffee from Verve Coffee Roasters in Santa Cruz, which I hold in great esteem when it comes to roasters in the Greater Bay Area. At the risk of oversimplifying, the baristas just know what their doing. Nothing tastes burnt, the milk is not scalded and they use syrups and powders used in their flavored coffee drinks with subtlety, which is always nice to see. I know I'll always get a great cappuccino and my wife knows that she'll always enjoy the Spiced Mocha w/ Soy.

In short, Roy's is a great spot all the way around. The people, the vibe and the coffee are all awesomely good. Pay them a visit and I hope you enjoy.

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