Where do you go when you have a 6am conference call and you desperately need a large cup of coffee to prevent yourself from passing out when you're supposed to be brilliant on the phone? If you live... More

Where do you go when you have a 6am conference call and you desperately need a large cup of coffee to prevent yourself from passing out when you're supposed to be brilliant on the phone? If you live near the ballpark, there's only one choice: Latte Express. Jam-packed with construction workers, people in suits working East Coast hours and folks heading to an early morning Caltrain just a block away, Latte Express has some of the sketchiest coffee in the area... flavors like Irish Coffee, raspberry, french vanilla as well as some normal coffee "flavors" such as french roast, kona, etc. Trust me, Blue Bottle and Ritual don't have anything to worry about. Still, at 6am, it's there for your caffeine fix. Aside from the coffee, they do make some darned good pastries - kick-ass bear claws, eclairs and these little rolls stuffed with a half of a fried egg and some ham (it tastes much better than it sounds). What really sets Latte Express apart is the quality of their sandwiches. Even though the coffee barely gets a single star, I practically live on their turkey-bacon-cheese with avocado sandwich on freshly baked dutch crunch bread, having it on average two times a week. Freshly made ham, egg and cheese bagels for breakfast are excellent as well, but take note - they're much greasier than those at Choppers down the street. Prices are fair, they have three coolers full of various drinks (including Jones Organics mandarin green tea, a favorite), and the people there really do their best to get through a busy lunch crowd quickly. It's a block away from Subway - and a world better. Recommended for commuters, Ballpark denizens and the occasional neighborhood early bird.
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