Coffee News.

Sightglass Coffee opened a Berkeley cafe on May 7, its first new location in six years and first Bay Area expansion in nearly a decade. The new shop sits at UC Berkeley’s Helen Diller Anchor House and debuts Grizzly Peak Blend, described by Sightglass as its first Regenerative Organic Certified coffee, with a portion of proceeds supporting the Edible Schoolyard Project.

Why it matters: Berkeley is outside the current Filter Notes city list, but Sightglass is already part of our San Francisco context and this is a meaningful regional move from one of the Bay Area’s defining specialty roasters. It is worth tracking for future East Bay coverage, especially because the opening combines campus footfall, a community rent model, and a new sourcing-led blend.

Villager, the Filter Notes-listed Brooklyn multi-roaster cafe, is planning a new Park Slope outpost at 374 Fifth Avenue, according to Hoodline’s May 15 report citing Crain’s New York Business. The owners have not announced a firm opening date yet, but the planned shop would bring Villager’s espresso, rotating single-origin pours, and pastry program from Classon Avenue into one of Park Slope’s main retail corridors.

Why it matters: Villager is already one of the stronger coffee-first rooms on the New York shortlist, and a Fifth Avenue branch would materially change how readers can route coffee around Prospect Park, Gowanus, and central Park Slope. Filter Notes context: https://www.filternotes.com/new-york/villager

An independent, owner run coffee shop. A super clean cut spot, with a bold blue front which means you can't miss it on the street, and a minimalist inside with a few stools and some beans to buy. You're greeted by the owner, who was super welcoming and guided me through the menu and the 3 main bean choices of the day. Their speciality is a dirty coffee (espresso with chilled milk) and I think also matcha. I had a flat white, which was super silky and presented very very nicely. This is a highly recommended spot.

Feels like the place to be - it's central, spacious, was busy on a Tuesday mid-morning when I visited. The space is bright, and there are seats outside, bar stools, a few tables. Coffee was unreal and they seem to do good matcha too (selling ceremonial grade powder and I saw a couple of people ordering a matcha latte). Good range of the usual coffee shop bakes, Massive selection of beans to buy and some swag too - cups, mugs, bags, etc. Overall, would highly recommend - certainly the best spot I've visited so far in Munich,

Special Guests is a serious coffee stop, set on a swanky road just off Marylebone High Street. The feel is minimalist and clean cut, with seats around the perimeter of the room and at the bar, everyone facing inwards towards the coffee bar in the centre. There’s a long list of filter coffee selections at the counter, available via pour over, and three large grinders with the house beans detailed on each. Seriously cool stop.

Cafe Raveille ticks so many boxes. Excellent coffee (and they house roast), great food (breakfast rolls especially) and a cool bright space. Fully recommend.

A small but bright and tidy space which has a minimalist kitchen feel due to the open counter with the coffee machines/gear and sink. Coffee was excellent - I had a long black. Small but high quality range of coffee beans to buy and a range of pastries and cakes.