Coffee in Boulder Creek: Where to Get a Cup

Food

Jul 2

Boulder Creek has two coffee shops. Both are independent, both open before most of the town does, and both close by mid-afternoon, which tells you who they're built for: people starting a mountain day, not ending one. There's no Starbucks, no Peet's, and no drive-through anywhere in town, so a cup here means a local counter. That's the whole list, and this page sorts it by what kind of morning you're having.

Hours below are each business's posted hours as of this writing. Cafe schedules in this valley move with seasons and staffing, so call before you build a morning around one.

To sit a while: The Tree House Cafe

Address: 13266 Highway 9, at the north end of the business district
Phone: 831-610-8912
Posted hours: 6 a.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. weekends, closing 2:30 p.m. daily

The Tree House Cafe is the bigger of the town's two coffee rooms, an espresso bar with drip coffee, counter service, and living redwoods growing up through the floor and out the roof. The seating wraps around the trunks, which makes it the room locals settle into with a laptop, a notebook, or a long conversation. If your plan is a table and an hour, start here.

One thing to know before you look it up: the Tree House keeps no website. Its current hours and specials live on its Facebook and Instagram, and the phone gets answered. There's also an unrelated cafe with a near-identical name in Boulder Creek, Queensland, so if the page you found is in Australia, keep scrolling.

On your way out of town: Jenna Sue's Cafe

Address: 13090 Highway 9, mid-block downtown
Phone: 831-338-7008
Posted hours: 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekends

Jenna Sue's is the downtown coffeehouse and the commuter's stop: a small shop with a handful of seats, espresso drinks from americano through mocha plus drip, and food built for people who are on their way somewhere. The baking happens on site, so the case is stocked from the in-house bakery (Lori's coffee cake is named on the menu in its own right), along with pastries from Dessert First Bakery, which shares the kitchen.

The beans are worth a line of their own. Jenna Sue's pours Java Bob's, a small-batch roaster based in Santa Cruz that has supplied cafes around the county for decades, and the cafe sells the beans by the bag as well as by the cup. Java Bob's doesn't keep a shop in Boulder Creek; Jenna Sue's counter is where you find it in town.

The 8 a.m. fallback: Johnnie's

Not every cup needs a cafe. Johnnie's Super Market at 13225 Highway 9 opens at 8 a.m. every day of the week and carries coffee in the store, with a bakery case a few steps away. It's the answer when both cafes have closed for the afternoon, since the market stays open until 9 most nights and 10 on Friday and Saturday. No espresso machine, but a hot cup and a pastry on a Sunday evening is a real option here and nowhere else in town.

If coffee is really breakfast

When the cup is just the opener, Bella's Cafe at 13132 Central Avenue is the sit-down diner: a plate, a table, and someone bringing eggs to you. It's not a coffee bar, and that's the point of going. It serves 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed Mondays. The full morning picture, including Scopazzi's weekend brunch, is in our breakfast guide, and everything beyond the morning is in where to eat in Boulder Creek.

Frequently Asked Questions

What opens earliest for coffee in Boulder Creek?

Jenna Sue's and the Tree House both post 6 a.m. openings on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends, the earliest doors in town. Those are posted hours as of this writing, so call ahead if you're planning a first-light start.

Is there a Starbucks or a drive-through in Boulder Creek?

No. Our directory doesn't list a national coffee chain or a drive-through anywhere in town. Coffee here comes from an independent counter or the grocery store, which is part of the character of the place.

Can I get coffee on a Monday?

Yes. Both cafes post Monday hours, which isn't true of most of the town's dining rooms, and Johnnie's is open daily from 8 a.m.

Whose coffee does Jenna Sue's pour?

Java Bob's Coffee Roasting, a Santa Cruz small-batch roaster. Jenna Sue's sells the beans by the bag as well as by the cup, so it's the place in town to pick some up for home.