Backyard Brew

Last week I had the pleasure of checking out a brand new coffee shop, Backyard Brew. At the end of a skinny alley off of California Street, this one-man operation serves up espresso drinks, Turkish coffee, and tea.

Sign in front of the alley, right next to Terun

Alley, with puddles from the recent rain

As the name suggests, Backyard Brew brings the indoor/outdoor experience to a whole new level, by eliminating the indoor element entirely. The open air coffee shop has been open for about two weeks now, and the owner Ryan said that business has been good so far, despite the recent rain.

The coffee come from HighNote in Woodside, and the following spices can be added to any drink: vanilla bean, cardamom pods, whole black peppercorn nutmeg, clove, minced ginger, cinnamon, and Lebanese sage. I ordered a cortado with cardamom, which came with a little biscotti.

Cortado with cardamom. Biscotti gobbled up prior to photo.

I noticed that the patio area (photos omitted to maintain an air of mystery) has something like six or seven fountains. A quick Google search dashed my hopes of an interesting backstory, as it turns out the space was previously occupied by a garden décor shop.

I have a feeling I'll be back.