Smack dab in the middle of a vibrant restaurant district in downtown Sunnyvale, Calif., Bean Scene seems to be the go-to coffee house for locals, no matter what time of day it is.
The shop is set up well as a pick-up-and-go place or as a sit-down spot for the mobile business community or working lunch crowd. In addition to its variety of gourmet coffees, the shop makes sandwiches, salads and soups as well as fruit smoothies, Italian sodas and teas. Bean Scene lists about two dozen coffee blends and recommends trying the Black Forest Mocha.
Plenty of seating options are avaliable, including sofas and easy chairs as well as outdoor sidewalk tables. Some indoor spots, however, are a bit cramped and even block entering patrons who have to reach the back of the shop to get in line (it's a much easier navigation for those using the rear entrance).
I arrived during lunch -- after I finally parked a few blocks away -- enjoying a turkey sandwich and a Gritty Kitty (chocolate shake with small chunks of espresso beans blended in) while watching a stream of business people march through the shop. Service was quick and courteous, and the product was decent.
Bean Scene's decor is bright and pleasant -- light oak tables and chairs, large blackboard menu, vast glass display case holding various modern and antique coffee accessories, not to mention tasteful art displays and large front-of-store windows to allow plenty of outside light and views of the busy street activity. The hum of conversation was constant during the hour I spent there, so if you're looking for a quiet spot, this may not be it.
There's little doubt Bean Scene is a spot for locals, for socializing and for enjoying good coffee and eats. However, if you're passing through the region by car, it's a bit out of the way from U.S. 101 or I-280 and may take some time to find.
The shop is set up well as a pick-up-and-go place or as a sit-down spot for the mobile business community or working lunch crowd. In addition to its variety of gourmet coffees, the shop makes sandwiches, salads and soups as well as fruit smoothies, Italian sodas and teas. Bean Scene lists about two dozen coffee blends and recommends trying the Black Forest Mocha.
Plenty of seating options are avaliable, including sofas and easy chairs as well as outdoor sidewalk tables. Some indoor spots, however, are a bit cramped and even block entering patrons who have to reach the back of the shop to get in line (it's a much easier navigation for those using the rear entrance).
I arrived during lunch -- after I finally parked a few blocks away -- enjoying a turkey sandwich and a Gritty Kitty (chocolate shake with small chunks of espresso beans blended in) while watching a stream of business people march through the shop. Service was quick and courteous, and the product was decent.
Bean Scene's decor is bright and pleasant -- light oak tables and chairs, large blackboard menu, vast glass display case holding various modern and antique coffee accessories, not to mention tasteful art displays and large front-of-store windows to allow plenty of outside light and views of the busy street activity. The hum of conversation was constant during the hour I spent there, so if you're looking for a quiet spot, this may not be it.
There's little doubt Bean Scene is a spot for locals, for socializing and for enjoying good coffee and eats. However, if you're passing through the region by car, it's a bit out of the way from U.S. 101 or I-280 and may take some time to find.
***
Bean Scene
186 S. Murphy Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(408) 738-4523
great review. Though it left me wanting to know what the coffee tastes like...
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