tōno coffee project

Vicky Vuong 4 months ago

Coffee first, probably the best in this area. You can taste that they are passionate about good coffee and know what they’re doing. They only use oat milk as a default, but it tastes wonderful with the espresso. Simple, small set up. Has pastries, an array of chocolates. Even some really exotic flavors like lemon ants and durian. Must try if you’re a coffee lover. They have outdoor seating, some tables and chairs. Ambiance is perfect for a weekend coffee.

Irene “MJ” Kim 6 months ago

Parking is easy and free with street parking around San Jose Japantown. I like coming here in the morning for a hot black decaf coffee. The barista seems to change between morning and afternoon. The café is located in an apartment lobby, so there’s no indoor seating, but the outdoor seating is quiet and relaxing. They only offer oat milk, which is good to know in advance. It’s decaf, but it really tastes like regular coffee. I’ve had it about seven times so far, and only twice it tasted a bit weak. Overall, the quality has been quite consistent.

Hanna Lin 8 months ago

Love Tōno! I call the white coffee as the feel-good-coffee. Love the subtle, light, and balanced sweetness of it, which I can drink anytime of the day (unlike the super strong Vietnamese coffee.) The owner, I think 🤔, is quite friendly and making small talks to the customer with his gentle soothing voice. There's no restroom available as it's like a pop-up shop, but the tiny bar is very well-kept and super clean. The atmosphere was calm at 9am. Easy parking on the street as well. Definitely come back for the matcha next time!

Justine Oh a month ago

Great coffee, and even better customer service. My father unexpectedly suffered a bad fall while we were enjoying our drinks outside, and unfortunately, his drink spilled too. The owner went completely above and beyond—he immediately replaced the drink, brought out ice packs, checked on my dad, and helped us clean up. My dad is doing much better now, and we are so incredibly thankful for the genuine care and kindness shown to us. Thank you to the team at Tono Coffee Project for the wonderful coffee and exemplary thoughtfulness!

Suman Hazra a year ago

It does only one thing, and that is coffee which is great for coffee purists. It’s located in the lobby of a residential building, so there isn’t much space indoors to sit, but they have some chairs and tables outside, which is nice on a clear day. The menu is super simple. You can either choose coffee or coffee with milk or non-coffee drinks. I got the ice latte, which is simply espresso and oat milk and then sweetened with simple syrup. I asked for flavours but did not have any and they also did not ask me my choice for milk which makes me assume that they do all the drinks with oat milk, which is not a problem for me at all. The latte was super creamy and smooth. My only issue with the latte was that it wasn’t strong enough for me. I probably would have liked one more shot of espresso. Although this is my fault because I probably could have asked for it in the beginning, but I just assumed that it will be pretty strong. Had a lovely chat with the barista, who is very welcoming and patient. I think this place is really good for people who enjoy “coffee” coffee and not coffee based drinks like I do. Also, the prices are super reasonable.