View Edit

The side patio Front view The Cloud Forest menu, focusing on quality over quantity (click to enlarge)

Type of food
Coffee and juice bar, paninis, pastries
Location
222 D Street Suite 10
(between 2nd & 3rd)
Hours
Summer 2016 Cafe Hours
Mon-Sat 8 am-5 pm
Sun 8:30am-5 pm
Phone
(530) 753-2164
Established
2008-08-11
Payment Methods
Cash, Check, Credit Cards, Other

The Cloud Forest Cafe is a locally owned cafe that opened for business August 11, 2008. They serve fresh, in-house roasted coffee, have a juice and espresso bar, and have panini and pastries from Village Bakery. They offer two standard vegetarian sandwiches: the Valley Veggie and the Fresh Mozz.

In the summer of 2011, they started serving late-night street tacos on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. You can get a carne asada or pollo asado taco on the patio outside the restaurant for $1.25, or five for $5. It's a great pre- or post-bar snack!

Cloud Forest is a study-friendly cafe, and there are electrical outlets available. You can access two hours of free WiFi with each order. They also give 10 cents off your purchase when you bring in your own cup.

Cloud Forest Cafe was previously located on Lake Boulevard in Stonegate Video. The business has a new location in downtown Davis. Stonegate Coffee and Cloud Forest Cafe are two separate businesses owned by two different owners.

The location was previously Aesop's Room, a toy store, and previously previously The End Zone

Cloud Forest Cafe has a $5 card minimum or 35 cents will be added to the cost of your purchases.

They carry Davis's own BRÜBAR Energy Bars.

Photos

Feb 2013 Special Whole beans for sale, $9.00 and up That's one big coffee roaster

Comments:

You must be logged in to comment on this page. Please log in.

2008-07-26 08:00:36   Went by and talked to the owner 2 days ago. He hopes to be open in the next week or 2. They did a nice job with the inside. —Aaron.Curtin

2008-08-11 22:05:15   I had the organic coffee today, which is from Nicaragua. Was great!!! Outdoor seating looks wonderful...will try that in a day or two. —KarenKane

2008-08-12 12:45:35   We went there for lunch yesterday, their first day in business. The location is great, nice patio, let us sit out there with our dog, all plusses. There was excitement & eagerness among the staff. However, many problems. The pastry case was nearly empty. The only thing on the manu to set it apart was a list of fresh juices - none of which were available because the juicer had not arrived yet. Ditto on smoothies (not a unique item, but also not yet available). They had only one vegetarian option so I had to order it; a serviceable sandwich but not super special. The staff slowly created it using typed out instructions. They needed to put more fresh avocado in it - that was the only interesting ingredient & it was merely smeared lightly, no slices. The breads are ciabatto (sp?) or focaccia - good, but where is a healthier whole grain option? I plan to go back when the juices are available to try those out, however unless they offer more vegetarian options that will end up being the last time. —Dora5

2008-08-14 19:16:26   I was about to make the same comments as the person above me as I went by today to see what it was like. Seems like they opened up before they were ready, but still, its a nice place to sit and read a book with a cup of coffee (which is what I've been looking for cause I'm long since tired of the crowds that Starbucks tends to get). The prices are really decent though, so I will definitely be back when they are geared to go. —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-08-15 17:01:27   Did this used to occupy the Westlake Plaza? Google results seem to place it there, for some reason... —JoePomidor

Yes, it did. Maybe it even still does, I think the owners also own the video store. Maybe I even owe them money. —NickSchmalenberger

2008-08-18 19:00:29   Good food and good service, but the bathroom does not come close to being wheelchair accessible which is important to me as my job is to assist someone who is for the most part wheelchair bound. —HazelWatson

2008-08-24 09:37:31   This place is a boon for coffee lovers. The owner roasts coffee at the store in small batches. Back when they were way in west davis, every once in a while I used to bike all the way from east davis to get coffee beans for espresso. After it closed, I periodically got beans from Old Soul Co. in Sactown, which is quite a haul. I was very happy to see when he re-opened in a great location in downtown! This weekend I went to the new store and he immediately recognized me and offered to roast a custom batch. He made me a double espresso (on the house!) so I could get a taste and see if I wanted any changes on the blend. I gave a thumbs up and within a few hours, he had a pound of beans for me (for only $9.99!). I made a cup this morning and it was fabulous. Because espresso beans tend to taste best a few days after roasting, I anticipate that they are likely to get even better over the next few days!

I suspect that the in-house coffee and food service will be a work in progress for a short while, given that the employees are new and will benefit from more experience. Nonetheless, this place is well worth supporting. A great alternative to the other cafes in town in which the service, coffee, and ambiance are mediocre and/or inconsistent. —CharanRanganath

2008-08-25 14:23:37   I stopped in a couple days after they opened and got a cup of coffee to go. It was very good and the space felt comfortable. Every time I've been back by there, they have been closed. Hopefully, once they get their juicer and the staff is up and running, they will keep regular hours. Downtown could definitely use another place where folks can enjoy a decent cup of coffee in a pleasant setting to take some of the pressure off of Mishkas. The Roma replacements have been terribly disappointing with their loud music (Peets) and oppresive TVs (3rd & U). —aharjala

2008-08-29 13:53:32   I'm here now. I had been eager to try it out ever since I first heard about this place a few weeks back. The coffee is wonderful. It is so good and I don't normally like coffee. Leaps and bounds better than Starbucks. The place looks nice, clean and inviting. They have free wifi (as noted above) and it offers a study-friendly atmosphere. And it's not too noisy or pretentious (like Mishka's). But it's also good for the chatters, too. Best of both worlds. The Staff is very nice and helpful, too. I highly recommend this place. I give it a "Numba one. . ." —CurlyGirl26

2008-09-04 18:41:57   I need to get a laptop so I can spend more time here... —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-09-17 13:41:14

Initial Review

+ Beans are roasted in house.

+ All their food is freshly made to order, to rave compliments of customers. So far, 3 customers have come up to the register to give compliments since I've been here. They definitely appear to be a food oriented cafe.

+ Espresso is surprisingly better than any other in Davis, probably because the beans are freshly roasted and a barista who cares a little.

+ Free wireless internet

+ Family owned/operated

+ Pleasant interior

- The espresso still isn't good. It's not terrible, it's drinkable, but it's not good.

- They only have paper cups, which severely degrades the coffee experience.

- Suffers from stiff-foam-milk syndrome, I will tip $10 to the first barista in Davis who knows how to steam milk properly.

- Music is supplied by a radio station, obnoxious commercials and all.

- Only 2 outlets available for laptops

- Bench in the back is very tall, I am about 5'10" - 5'11" and my feet can't rest flat on the floor.

- Their beans come in "Dark" and "Columbian" roasts. Dark is not a roast, it's a vague description of the roast color. Columbian refers to the country of origin, not a roast profile. They should mark the bags with Country of origin (preferably the crop name as well), and the roast profile (light-city, city, full city, Vienna, French, etc). Take advantage of the fact that their beans are fresh roasted, as opposed to Peet's and Starbucks. EDIT: I've noticed now that they stamp the country of origin at the bottom, although the bottom is often obscured in their basket.

Overall, a very up and coming cafe. Even though they have some rough edges, they have a lot of promise to become my preferred cafe in Davis. If they step up their game in the coffee the way they did with the food, and maybe address some of the negatives I laid out here, they will be a big success. They will most likely be a success even if they don't improve their coffee, since their coffee is still a little better than all other cafes in Davis, but one can hope. —CoffeeSnobDavis

  • There was once a girl that worked at Seattle's Best in Borders that knew how to steam milk properly. She also made the best latte in the world (which I've since not had better even outside Davis), but sadly she no longer works there and has since moved away (though we keep in touch, I'd feel awkward asking her to steam milk for me...lol). —SunjeetBaadkar
  • it looks like now they may be marking roasts properly. i was at Ikedas and saw their coffee, though they only had full city and "dark" which i didn't bother with but i assume is a french roast. it smelled decent but i'd have to taste to judge, and indeed their bags are marked with country of origin now (tanzania, sumatra, costa rica, etc.)

2008-10-05 14:30:41   This is my new favorite coffee shop. It's a pleasant place to hang out, study, read the paper, etc. The Staff is friendly and most accommodating. Tables and chairs are perfect for studying. I've been parked here all day, have a good work space and no one has given me the the Stink Eye yet. Free internet and good coffee. It's not that crap that burns your stomach—yet it's still strong enough. I tried a sandwich here today. It is fresh and tasty. And very satisfying. Highly recommend this place. I'm officially a regular now. —CurlyGirl26

2008-10-06 13:03:01   I picked up a sandwich the other day and it was very good. As are the in-house roasted coffee beans they sell at the counter. —aharjala

2008-10-07 19:13:04   I wish this place served food later in the day. I tend to have time to stop by here around 5pm, but they don't serve sandwiches at that time. Those yummy, yummy sandwiches... —SunjeetBaadkar

  • Edit: Nevermind. They have changed it so they stop serving sandwiches at 6pm. Yay me!

2008-10-07 19:18:40   The Staff says that soon they will be extending their hours to 9pm or so. —CurlyGirl26

2008-10-23 22:54:01   I had the cloud forest panini and it was frickin awesome. I would say it was a study in flavor and contrast, I also perceived a good value! I will most assuredly be back! —StevenDaubert

2008-10-29 15:12:01   This is my first time here. I like the place because the interior is pleasant, the cafe is relatively quiet yet still has some background noise. The staff is very very nice and helped us fix the wireless connection. I ordered the Cloud Forest salad and the fresh-squeezed juice, and I loved both of these orders. —JessicaYang

2008-11-25 09:11:41   Finally tried them this week. The latte was very good, and the staff was helpful and pleasant. I probably won't go back because I find their chairs uncomfortable and the bench is a couple of inches too high, especially for someone who is 5'4" (read: kind of short legs). This may not be a problem for others. —robinlaughlin

  • I think some very comfortable indoor armchairs — think the Border's set up — would be a great addition for Cloud Forrest. I, too, was uncomfortable in their chairs, but very happy with the coffee. —RichRifkin
  • Hmm, I'm 5'3" and never had a problem with the chairs. But, I could just be used to tall chairs. I agree that a comfy reading spot would be nice. —DanaSullivan
  • They are talking about the bench in the back being too tall. —KellyM

2008-12-04 11:13:54   My very favorite cafe! The cranberry bleu salad is especially delicious. The lattes are also great, nice and strong. —DanaSullivan

2008-12-05 23:07:36   Nice and yummy sandwiches that are just portioned right and on the cheaper side. They need to get proper mugs and glasses though...as of current, they only offer disposable cups, which is just wasteful (and reason enough for me to not visit there unless I have to). —il

2008-12-06 15:04:20   It's a nice cheery open place. One of the key things forgotten by many people is how the place makes you feel when you step in. Cloud Forest is clean and airy, with large windows that let in plenty of sunlight. It has a good feel to it. They were also cheerful and suggested various items as I stared at the menu. The people working there also employ common sense rather than corporate mentality, letting me take photos without batting an eye. —JabberWokky

2009-01-27 23:52:28   I stumbled upon this place last week and was surprised I never really noticed it before. The interior is really interesting and artsy, but the seating was a little hard. The bench I sat on felt like it was made for a much bigger person, but personally I like the feeling when my feet swings above the floor. The panini was delicious! I think I had the cache creek caliente and my friend had the cloud forest. I enjoyed both. It was a very reasonable price and I especially liked the side of apples/potato salad addition. I also had a smoothie(decent) which the girl upgrade to a large for free bc they were out peaches and had to turn it into a strawberry-banana. I'm definitely coming back to try the other panini and salads. —skinnyfatgirl

2009-01-29 14:58:50   I really like this place, but I'd definitely come here more often if they had more comfortable chairs. —MonicaWilliams 2009-01-30 14:14:07   Had another cloud forest, it was excellent —StevenDaubert

2009-02-17 17:31:37   I really like it here! The food is not expensive, good quality, nice atmosphere and I enjoy the posted art work. The only problem is that the wireless internet is flaky, the staff told me they are in the process of revamping their wireless. There are more outlets now, too. —SamanthaP

2009-02-28 15:17:47   It seems like they are slowly replacing the uncomfortable chairs with more comfortable ones and have dramatically improved the food. This place really listens to feedback and is quickly becoming the best place to study in Davis (in my opinion). The could use a rug or two ... to dampen the noise. The owner and all the staff are really nice & very attentive. —jsg718

2009-03-09 12:28:47   This place has fast grown on me. Staff is great, coffee is great, light is great. They've fixed the internet, and I think they're working on the chairs (hooray!). I agree with above — a couple of rugs would be good to dampen noise and increase the cozy factor. Also, I like the music but I think they play the same satellite station all the time, and the station repeats quite a few tunes. Mixing it up a little would be a bonus. There must be more than one tropical station!

Also, sandwiches are very tasty, as are the house-made cream cheese and bagels (though one I got the other day was a bit stale, all others have been excellent).

  • Edit: Sandwiches remain delicious, but no more house-made cream cheese flavours! Bummer. Music mix remains a problem, more the fault of satellite radio than Cloud Forest, but still — changing the station more regularly would mean less chance of hearing the same songs over and over again. Before it was the same bachata songs, now it's the same acoustic songs. I like it all, just not the repetitiveness! Still my favorite coffee and study spot in Davis, by a longshot. —Kay

2009-03-09 23:10:09   This is now officially my favorite coffee shop in Davis. Good coffee, good food, and great atmosphere—especially for we studiers. —CurlyGirl26

2009-03-11 22:11:11   Urban Sherpas are performing this sat here!! Show starts at 5pm. Come check it out!! Also check out their website. www.urbansherpas.com —bigjuan

2009-03-17 08:08:52   nice place, very welcoming. the windows make it spacious I think. good place to study. :-) —lilmonstu

2009-03-25 22:21:31   This cute little café is a welcome addition to Davis's sandwich scene. The grilled paninis all have nice fresh vegetables included, with a choice of ciabatta or focaccia bread. I quite like the ciabatta, which seemed very fresh; haven't tried the focaccia. The smoothies were also quite good. I get the feeling that this place is emphasizing quality over quantity; there aren't a lot of choices, but all the choices are good. Smart move. One weird little annoyance — passing through the doors (even the door to the restroom) sets short beeping alarm. —CovertProfessor

2009-03-28 13:35:37

+ I love the hazelnut lattes & Cloud Forest paninis. + I like the wall of windows, but the sun shines into the cafe a bit too brightly in the afternoon. + Staff is very friendly. - Internet connections have been getting flaky again, though they were good for a while.

They seem to have switched to using Sirius radio, which does a good job of shuffling up the playlist.

All in all, I think that the place is great. —DanAlcantara

2009-05-01 11:11:01   The smoothies are a delight. Had a live band playing last week in the afternoon. Fuzzy something? —13urningMonk

2009-05-16 10:34:29   I appreciate:

  • that they offer fair-trade coffee,
  • that the salad is delicious,
  • my roommates love the smoothies,
  • I look forward to the cafetos when they turn up in the summer,
  • excellent location,
  • reasonable hours,
  • $0.50 refills,
  • friendly atmosphere,
  • beautiful artwork,
  • excellent seating,
  • (nifty chairs),
  • good place to study or be social!

Things I'd like to see:

  • sufficient bicycle parking
  • an incentive for using your own thermos or “for here” cups
  • reusable forks
  • Is the organic coffee the only organic one? If not (as the baristas say), label the others that are.
  • Prominently label the coffee as fair trade (it is, right?)
  • use fair-trade bananas to match the fair-trade coffee
  • a community bulletin board
  • better breakfast food selection? or maybe start lunch a little earlier?
  • maybe feature some local/organic food items? (i.e., a local salad and a local/seasonal fruit smoothie. ) —Angel.York

2009-05-20 21:55:38   I agree with all of the suggestions just above this (and also still stand by my earlier posts stating my love for Cloud Forest!). In general, re-usable drinking cups, side-dish cups (for the apple/potato salad), and silverware would be excellent. The mug supply is limited and I hate to waste a plastic cup just for some water that I'm drinking in house — plus I'd guess that in the long run it could save CF some money. —Kay

  • Hooray — CF has taken one step in the right direction and gotten more mugs.
  • Another hooray — now they've replaced the disposable plastic side-dish cups with reusable ones. Also, current special (El Cubano) is very tasty. —Kay

2009-06-09 18:34:17   Went there for the first time after reading comments. Nice place, good coffee, but there were just a few things that turned me off. A little uncomfortable for long term sitting, and couldn't sit on the bench which is high (I'm 5'2). And after I asked for light ice, the guy filled my cup with sink water to make it full which really watered down the coffee. I'll go there again, and try their food which looked good, but I am really picky about my coffee. Hopefully the next visit will change my impression. —DaniD

2009-06-11 18:16:21   I love this place more and more. I really appreciate how they listen to suggestions and act on them. They've added more power strips. The addition of the reusable cups for the apples/potato salad w/sandwiches was great! The plastic cups they use are the kind recyclable in Davis (#1 and #2). They should make more explicit that those should go in the recycling. I'll keep coming back to Cloud Forest. —jsg718

2009-06-16 13:43:08   Best coffee and cafe in town. Great sandwiches also. Very kid-friendly. The owner is committed to offering the freshest coffee around. My family and I always have a great experience here. —2umma

2009-06-18 21:54:33   I really love this place. It's less crowded than the other coffee shops in town and has as good, or even greater coffee. I also love their fresh Mozz sandwhich, with fresh basil, mozzarella and tomato. They have a great location and great coffee to boot.

Cloud Forest has a super friendly staff and everytime I've been here I've always left happy. I've also found it a great place to study, or a nice place to grab a mocha or cup of coffee to go. —HeatherKlinger

2009-07-30 15:02:21   I thought the fresh mozzarella panini was delicious! The employees were nice, and I like the atmosphere, although the chairs are a little uncomfortable to sit and read in for too long. —MollyL

2009-09-12 19:16:39   had a really good caramel macchiato today —kelvinkay

2009-09-17 17:22:06   Went today and had The Cloud Forest sandwich. totally delicious! nice vibes, as well. —elliotgoethe

2009-10-07 10:54:45   Great service. Home of my favorite sandwich in town. The only place I would dare to order a cappuccino in Davis. —Chantal

2009-10-08 17:00:45   Great coffee and sandwiches! Good location and vibe, outdoor seating! Consistently poor internet connections- have seen many leave and same for myself due to this, have asked staff to reset modem but problem usually returns shortly- Frustrating!! —nedzeppelin

2009-10-09 15:07:08   I just tried this place out for the first time, I really liked the staff, atmosphere, and the coffee was great too! I just wish they were open later. —Chaz

2009-10-21 11:03:04   I came here for the first time yesterday and had the cloud forest panini...SOOOOO delicious! —davisred

2009-11-04 22:59:46   Their chai tea lattes are glorious and I love how roomy it is inside. Definitely one of my favorite cafes in town. —abaybayan

2009-12-07 16:33:37   After waiting for more than a year I finally got around to trying the Cloud Forest Cafe — what a thorough pleasure. They have a very short food menu, but the panini and salad that I had were so good that Cloud Forest is now on the very short list of places that I recommend to friends from out of own. The experience was enhanced by the very personable staff and the absence of painfully loud music. I look forward to returning to try out various items from their longer drinks menu. —oldfant

2010-01-07 20:37:26   Staff is very nice. I bring my son in for sandwiches a couple times a week. They are always friendly and remember his order. By the way, the sandwiches are great! —stodd84

2010-01-16 11:57:28   Concur—great coffee, and very good panini sandwhiches. Internet connection can be spotty but the coffee, food and ambiance make up for it. They also book live music for Sat ~5 PM. Great local place. —ThomasCorcoran

2010-01-16 16:30:21   O.K first I have to comment on their baked delights. They have what I call Blondies. O,M.G they are to die for! The cookies are also amazing. The Panini's are awesome as well. Charming cafe! —Sherri

2010-01-21 20:54:41   Amazing coffee (love the mugs), delicious paninis, friendly staff, great location, what else could I ask for in a cafe? —SRB

2010-01-25 20:36:37   This is my favorite Coffee Shop in town. Started regularly going to it Fall Quarter 2009. The staff is friendly, the shop has a good atmosphere, the service is always up to par, and the sandwiches are great.

I get a hot pot of tea all the time, and the only time i remember being dissatisfied was when i received a dirty cup. this of course only happened once and the employee sincerely apologized. (I'm forgiving though, people are only human)

My biggest concern, however, is that I noticed that they recently implemented a rule that some tables where designated for "dining only", making it so student who wanted to study had to sit at some other table. the employees at the moment dont seem to strict about it though.

As long as Cloud Forest continues to provide great service, I will continue to spend many hours of my life here =) —JBernard

2010-03-06 14:30:23   Reasons Cloud Forest is superior to Mischka's: - They take cards, always have, and don't have a "minimum" on card purchases - Real, fresh, delicious food. Mischka's now has some dirty little wraps or microwave burritos or something but it's not fresh sandwich with a side of potato salad, let me tell you. - there is almost ALWAYS somewhere to sit here. Mischka's is perpetually overcrowded and too loud to think or talk. - Not crowded outside with filthy unshowered smokers - family owned an operated. Mischka's is too, you say? Cloud Forest is owned by brown people, and their own kids work here. pwnd. - Cloud Forest staff remember your name if you are a regular. - FRESH fruit juices. Hello!? I get orange/beet/carrot. I feel so good after drinking this. - Outside area has less traffic, more trees.

I like the atmosphere at MIschka's, and it is a great place, don't get me wrong. But after living in Davis for three years I've realized Mischka's is more of a place for college poseurs to try to see and be seen, Cloud Forest is better for all the above reasons and it's a MUCH better place to do work, especially since you will generally be able to just walk in and sit down. (as opposed to walking into a throng of chattering assholes and barely being able to breath if you do get a table bc there are so many others taking up the oxygen.) —soledad101

  • Brown people.... the best color of all? Why does this make Cloud Forest better than Mishka's? —KenjiYamada
    • Er...maybe he thinks so because coffee beans are brown? *shrug* I'm guessing he never drinks white mochas... —SunjeetBaadkar
      • First off, I'm a woman. Second: as a Latina, my point about Cloud Forest being owned by "brown people" was not to say that it is somehow more family owned, or better at making coffee, but to point out that I like the idea of supporting minority owned businesses. In case you haven't noticed, Davis, like many towns, has a preponderance of white-family-owned small biz, and it makes me happy to see Nicaraguans here doing well for themselves and having such a great spot. For those who find my comments "awkward" - sorries! not sure why, but that's how I talk kk? —soledad101

2010-03-14 12:03:46   I like Cloud Forest too, Soledad101, and I think its drip coffee is far superior to the coffee at Mishka's (Mishka's does do well with espresso drinks) but I have to say: your post is a little ridiculous. You are literally saying that because brown people own Cloud Forest, that makes it more family owned. And I could be wrong, but I'm almost certain only ONE of the owner's kids works there...just because other people are brown doesn't mean they are his kids...(The owner is Nicaraguan). I guess I'll just stop there. —KernHaug

2010-03-17 03:36:35   I actually really enjoy this spot, everytime I've stopped by. Nothing's perfect anywhere, but this coffe spot is keeping it cool. For you two referring to folks as brown, I just want to make sure that we are all aware that not everyone identifies as "brown" and that it would probably be easier to talk to the owners and find our who they are and where they're from before makins such awkward comments. I'm pretty sure you didn't mean it offensively, but you should be concerned with intent v. impact. As a native person, and as someone who has been identified as brown, it can be a precarios position to locate yourselves. But yes, owners are Nicaraguan. Very cool. Only 1 kid working, that I am aware of, and she is very cool. So I'll see you in the shop right? Coffee for everyone...blessings. —Johnathen

2010-04-11 11:58:18   A few things I would really appreciate seeing at Cloud Forest:

1 - Glass cups - juices/smoothies "for here" 2 - Biodegradable cups - juices/smoothies " to go" 3 - Biodegradable side dish cups - potato salad etc 4 - Metal utensils

More and more Davis business are responding to this consumer pressure. The Farmer's Market, for example, has all biodegradable cups now. The Davis Food Coop has utensils made of potato starch. (I ate one once, just to see)

My last comment:

It appears that CF has been at least somewhat responsive to other similar requests (more mugs instead of paper, etc). This is really great!, but why not be more public about it? Post a bulletin board with all the ways you are responding to your community. Many people in Davis care about this stuff - use it as advertising!

Thanks -John

—JohnQ

2010-04-27 23:03:21   I've only tried their fresh squeezed orange juice and love it, and was happy that there's a place to get those quick and to-go while walking around downtown! —LeeY

2010-06-14 12:37:15   Excellent food and excellent drinks, but unfriendly service. For the most part a good place to study, except for the awful soft rock that is usually playing. —MariaE

  • Since the wife of the owner has decided to no longer attend to daily operations, the atmosphere here seems a bit "edgier"—which can be a good thing, or not, depending on you. BrianKenyon

2010-07-22 16:41:22   Just want to note that I frequent this place and have never found the service particularly unfriendly. Compared with most days at Mishka's, I've found the service at Cloud Forest outstanding. —ScottLay

  • Thoroughly agree. —BrianPakpour
  • Me too — although I haven't had a problem with Mishka's service, either. —CovertProfessor
  • In fairness, I don't go to Mishka's as much these days, so my comment is a bit unfair. —ScottLay

2010-07-27 20:34:48   I have been meaning to come to this place for a while, and I'm sorry I've waited so long. What a pleasant coffee shop! I had a salad and some iced coffee, both of which were delicious. I really like the atmosphere and the large patio. Whoo! —ChristyMarsden

2010-08-02 17:05:47   My favorite coffee shop in all the world! I've been coming here since my boyfriend (now husband) attended Davis. For those of you who were complaining about the chairs, they got new comfy ones. I hope that this place only gets more and more fans. It's too incredible. —jenb

2010-08-14 13:52:38   I love this place and go to have a coffee and work in the mornings. I also buy my beans here since they roast in-house. The owner is a really nice guy and has done a great job with the place. I love the rotating artwork! —Ratatat

2011-04-23 11:08:52   This is a great little coffee place, which is not too packed with students. Good coffee, good prices, good set-up, and always at least one place to sit—unlike Peet's or Mishkas. —BrentKago

2011-05-10 14:34:09   I really like this place - good coffee and always a table to sit. But it's kind of ridiculous that they automatically give you disposable cups for in-house drinks (though you can ask for reusable cups). I wish they had more food options too! —MorganA

2011-05-10 15:45:45   I love this place! They have such good paninis. Try the cloud forest and cache creek caliente paninis. They're very good. —ElaineJeu

2011-07-06 12:09:49   My new favorite place to get lunch in Davis. The atmosphere is nice and the paninis are delicious. The highlight for me is the fresh juice. It is so refreshing, especially in the summer. Flavors are limited, but what they have is great. —CaitlinMorrow

2011-07-22 10:02:04   OMG, their street tacos are fucking brilliant. Seriously. Had 3 orders with my friends last night. Delicious. —sfaul

2011-08-07 09:29:07   I love this place! The lattes are amazing. Even though the prices are a little expensive (think Starbucks prices), they are delicately balanced; sweet and creamy but not to the point where you can't taste the tangy bitterness of the coffee beans. And the paninis are amazing!! I have food allergies so I had to ask them about the ingredients and the girl actually CALLED Village Bakery (where they get their bread made fresh) and asked them for their ingredients. She was so sweet; she pretty much guaranteed my patronage after that.

It's also really quiet and peaceful inside (except when they use the coffee grinder! It's sooooo loud!). It's my favorite place to study and play chess with my friends. They have a rule that you have to keep buying food in order to stay there (like every hour, but if you're quiet and it's not too crowded they're a little more lax about that. Just don't be a jerk.). The music is pretty unobtrusive (unlike Delta of Venus, where the music frequently dominates) and is generally some easy-going classic rock like Alan Parsons Project or Seals & Crofts or the ubiquitous Hotel California (which I've heard playing in there at least twice), or light pop/rock. I've never used their wi-fi, but my friend said it was pretty good, although it can be difficult to find an available plug.

I can't think of any bad things to say about this place. The clientele are a little older here, so you don't have a ton of gabbing teenyboppers. Sometimes it gets really crowded and both the indoor and outdoor seating fill up. They also close pretty early, much earlier than the other coffee shops. I guess my one complaint is that I was there were more seats but that's not really anything they can help. The bathroom is also in a really weird place. You have to go through this hall, up these random stairs. There's a key you have to use to open it. —nutmeg

2011-08-07 13:33:37   TACO STAND EH? SOUNDS SUPER DELICIOUS —StevenDaubert

  • Who knew my favorite sandwich place in Davis served tacos at night?!?! Must try!!! —CovertProfessor
  • I tried some and they are bomb, soft tacos on double soft tortillas, with some meat and green sauce. Simple and clean (well not clean but you get the idear) Daubert

2011-08-07 23:24:59   Had the pleasure of meeting the owner's son not too long ago. He actually said the taco stand is not associated with Cloud Forest. A family member runs the taco stand but Cloud Forest does not actually serve tacos. They are two separate businesses I'm pretty sure. I believe the guy who runs the taco stand also works at Cloud Forest but from what I understood, it is not the same thing. Cloud Forest closes much earlier I think. —KoalaKaila

2011-09-18 18:35:15   As you can see I was a huge fan of Cloud Forest Cafe. You can even read my comment from before , and even about 10 comments up. I have even recommended the place to a lot of friends and was on a first name basis with most of the family.

Today was a sad day for me and the Cloud. I brought two friends with me, one who just moved to Davis. What better place to introduce her to but the Cloud Forest Cafe, right? Wrong. Today I was feeling a salad. Cloud Forest has a great combination of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, lettuce, and home made croutons (My favorite part). There have been 3 times in the past where they run out of croutons and forget to tell me that when I order it. If they do tell me that they're out of something, I prefer to pay for a sandwich. Today was another croutonless day. They didn't tell me until after they made the salad. One employee was making the croutons so I asked him how long it would take, this guy can sometimes be a little rough with customers. He told me "I don't know, 10, 20 minutes? I don't know." So I brought my salad up to the counter and said I could just wait and I also asked him very respectfully if there is a specific time to come to make sure I get croutons, and he said "no, yesterday we were so F—- busy". Pretty rude and inappropriate language for a cafe atmosphere. I mean, I'm sorry you were so busy, but isn't that every cafe owners dream? And shouldn't you make sure that you restock supplies for the next day?

Anyways, Plenty of time had past and he finished making my friends sandwiches, which I carried to them. I waited awhile longer and then said "Can I just pay you the extra amount and get a sandwich? And he said "no you ordered a salad." Then he preceded to throw away my salad.

SO I went back outside, a little flustered by the verbal abuse and anger displayed at a customer. I've worked at several coffee shops and cafes and I know that when a customer wants something they should be able to get it, especially since they are willing to PAY for it. In the places I've worked the employee would be fired on the spot. My poor friend who I had hoped would love this little place was completely frustrated for me. My friends kept offering me their sandwiches to which I declined. Then another employee, came out and handed me cash and said that the other employee (who was rude), said to just give me my money back. I then just asked her, "can I just give you a quarter extra and get a sandwich" (salads are 5.50 sandwiches are 5.75) So she went back inside and the rude employee came out and put my money on the table and said, "you have to order from the register." I was frustrated that he would continue to be so rude in front of customers.

But it gets worse.

I start hearing my name "Jen" being called. But, assuming that there are other Jens in the world, I thought someone else ordered something. But I keep hearing it and I tell my friends, if that guy just made me a sandwich I'm going to be upset. He went out of his way to be rude and did not allow me to pay him for a sandwich. If anything he should come out, clarify the situation, and maybe offer up an apology for his rudeness. Nope. Another customer who was sitting with his friends walks in to get his sandwich and comes out and says "That employee in there said this was for you." SO unprofessional. I told the customer, I'm really sorry he involved you in this but that is not for me. I had ordered a salad, and then tried to pay him for a sandwich when he ran out of croutons, to which he rudely objected, and now he has inappropriately asked you to deliver it to me. I said I was sorry to the man again that he was involved in it, and all of his friends were annoyed with the employee and shocked by his rudeness as well.

I'm really sad that this was my experience here today. I really love this cafe and the family that owns it, but I honestly don't want to return there with unprofessional service like that. Everyone else has treated me fairly, and I do think its a great place but I can't believe what happened today. I don't plan on going back for awhile. —jenb

2011-09-19 10:49:42   It's one of the only places in Davis that offers fresh juice. Now if they could only manage to wash the carrots after I watch them being taken out of the bulk bag. Nothing like gritty, pesticide-laden carrot juice to get the morning started. —s.vignos

2012-01-14 22:46:34   The coffee is the best in town (regular coffee) the paninis are good, and the orange-cranberry scones (which will soon be discontinued, alas) are great. I practically lived here for finals week and they kept me fed and caffeinated. —Mbrowne

2012-01-17 19:20:50   best freshly squeezed orange juice in town :) —ivana.h

"2012-04-24 7:41"   Best Tri Tip sandwich in town. Too bad it's a special. Should become a regular. —DavisSite

2012-06-12 11:26:54   oh my gosh I love love love this place. I wish I had discovered it more than 5 days before graduating, but this place is awesome. They have plenty of outlets and are really nice about letting you study. I'm sure most of this has been said before, but I still have to say it again. Also, the panini's are delicious, and the coffee does not taste watered down like other places I've been to. Make sure to look in those little coupon books they give out sometimes, they had some for cloud forest cafe this quarter, 5 dollar panini, 7 dollar with small smoothie, 2.25 for a coffee and a cookie! I am going to use all these before finals week ends. —ivahw

2012-07-26 14:21:44   Are they still doing the late night taco thing? —CecilioPadilla

2013-03-18 14:35:17   great smoothies and coffee. they are often out of stock of certain items though. Scones are dry and not very flavorful. Good paninis. Definitely overpriced but good for a splurge. —AnBan

2013-05-20 11:36:20   I love this place, the coffee is excellent and the sandwiches are very good at a great price. —DagonJones

2013-06-20 08:12:36   I began going here as a freshman for an easy and enjoyable off campus escape but I cannot say that the integrity of the business has survived throughout my four years here. The product has become consistently inconsistent which is a shame because they used to be the one place in town I could always rely on for a spectacular cup of coffee and relaxing atmosphere. (I loved enjoying a Davis afternoon on their peaceful patio) but lately the coffee tastes stale and “forgotten”, in a “I am too lazy to actually brew a quality product for customers because it is the end of the day” sort of way…which leads me to my next issue other than the loss of my perfect cup of brew *sigh*, the baristas.

The baristas now seem "too cool" to do their job (I thought that was the baristas at Mishka’s part to play in the Davis independent coffee world?) Anyway, I cannot figure out how certain baristas whom my friends and I always found pleasant and positive have come and gone while the core few that really seem like they hate working there trudge on each day. Seriously it seems like if they manage to hire a barista who actually cares and is good with people they disappear within months. I can only hope they have moved on to bigger and better things and the remaining baristas are bitter and wallow in the fact they themselves have not. They had this one barista for a while who I literally would keep walking by the store and proceed down to Mishka’s or Peet’s if I saw him behind the counter, he was so rude he would be on his cell phone gossiping about customers, complaining about everything and acting as though we the customer were a major inconvenience to his situation. (not to mention he would inappropriately hit on everything that walked in) I had enough of him after I heard him and another one of the girls saying terrible things and making fun of the customers over a mixed up order, really? How unprofessional.

Seriously, the worst experience with customer service I have ever had was with the owner’s daughter. I watched her berate an older man who was hard of hearing because he informed her that his sandwich had been made wrong. The girl blew up in this poor man’s face because she “doesn’t make mistakes”, sounds to me like someone has to come down from the egotistical clouds that are lurking above Cloud Forest and really check themselves back into reality, what happened to the customer is always right?..or at least trying to you know, be nice to customers? Overall it’s a bummer but I really thought that as I said my good byes to my beloved Davis this summer Cloud Forest would be on my top list of things I was going to miss, but I realize I already miss what originally kept me coming back such as;

*Reasonable prices for reasonable food (now the prices are crazy considering fact that everything your buying comes from Costco and could be easily assembled at home) *Amazing coffee (which is now subpar and has taken a back seat to the baristas whining about their day to day lives, seriously grow up and leave your problems at the door) and a *Relaxing atmosphere (it’s hard to study for a test or catch up with a friends when you’re hearing the baristas none stop talking about super inappropriate work topics, I have even heard one of the girls talking about her sex life and on another day drug usage)

I am a pretty liberal individual but that does not fly at a café where I sometimes take the kids I babysit. Anyway hopefully when I return they have gotten it together and realized that their livelihood depends on a quality product and just because your daddy and mommy own a coffee shop does not mean you and all your friends are qualified to run it. Go to Zia’s for a cheap and delicious sandwich (less expensive, way fresher and more for your money, plus awesome people) and keep walking down to Mishka’s for a quality cup of coffee. —KelleyStevens

2013-11-03 14:48:57   Really like this cafe- however, unfortunately, I just saw that the person making my salad was not wearing any gloves. That would be fine if she was using tongs and utensils to touch the ingredients, but she wasn't. Bare hands to put the lettuce in the bowl, cut up the ingredients, and so on. I was grossed out and couldn't eat it. With ready to eat food like that, it is not very sanitary to do so. I will plan to just come to study and get drinks but no food. —AlexisMartin

2014-05-04 17:03:33   Pesto is made with walnuts instead of pine nuts because walnuts are cheaper (we were told this by an employee). This was an issue since they do not advertise this and I went with someone who has a walnut allergy.

Other than that (my friend is fine), the food was tasty. They do not have tofu to "beef" up a vegetarian sandwich. Service was good and friendly. —MKC

2014-10-02 18:32:34   The big roaster is gone. Does anyone know what happened to it? Are the owners still the same as they were when it opened? —mrss

2014-11-15 19:42:10   They have new management but the previous owner still roasts all the coffee, or so I've been told.... :) —jenb

2014-11-15 22:51:58   The coffee is being roasted off site. I happen to know this because it is being roasted next door to my business and it smells wonderful when they are doing it. —DonShor

Edit tags