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About Verve Coffee Roasters
Verve Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company from Santa Cruz with a cafe at 162 University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. The cafe sits at the train station end of the avenue, a few minutes on foot from the Palo Alto Caltrain station.
Verve was founded in 2007 by Ryan O'Donovan and Colby Barr. The company describes its start as a small local venture on the California coast. It says it remains independently owned with its roots in Santa Cruz. Roast Magazine named Verve its Roaster of the Year for 2024, which the company notes on its story page.
This is part of a small chain. Verve lists cafes in Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Manhattan Beach, plus several in Japan, including Tokyo and Kamakura. The Palo Alto shop is its only cafe on the Peninsula.
The coffee
Verve says it still roasts by hand and that its coffee is roasted daily. Most of its beans come through what it calls the Farmlevel Initiative, its name for equitable direct trade. Under that approach the company works directly with producers, pays premiums for quality and invests in coffee growing communities and their environments.
The lineup changes with harvests, so the bags on the shelf vary through the year. Recent offerings on Verve's website give a sense of the range:
- Seasonal Blend: a blend made with yeast-inoculated coffee, which Verve says brings out sweetness while keeping the cup balanced.
- Single-origin reserves: such as a Colombian Bourbon Aji from producer Gerson Mora, sold under the Farmlevel Reserve label.
- Cosmic Ripple: a collaboration with the Grateful Dead that uses an organic Ethiopian heirloom coffee.
- Craft instant coffee: dark roasts such as Bronson French Roast and Buena Vista sold in six-packs, handy for travel.
Bags of whole beans and the instant packs are also sold through Verve's online shop, which makes them an easy gift for a coffee drinker.
Other Verve cafes
If you get hooked on a particular coffee, it helps to know where else Verve pours it. The company's locations page lists these cafes in California:
| Area | Cafes |
|---|---|
| Palo Alto | 162 University Avenue |
| Santa Cruz | Pacific Avenue, 41st Avenue, Seabright and 1010 Fair Avenue |
| San Francisco | 2101 Market Street |
| Los Angeles area | Arts District, Melrose Avenue, West 3rd Street and Manhattan Beach |
Verve also runs seven cafes in Japan, in Tokyo and Kamakura. The Santa Cruz cafes are the home base. They make a natural coffee stop on a day trip to Santa Cruz. The company's office is on Bronson Street in Santa Cruz. Most of the Santa Cruz cafes keep the same 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours as Palo Alto, though Seabright closes at 5 p.m. The Market Street cafe in San Francisco opens at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays.
Ordering ahead
Verve's website links to an order-ahead option for its cafes, which is useful when the morning line is long or you are catching a train. The same website sells beans for home delivery.
Who it suits
Verve suits commuters, downtown office workers and visitors who want a well-made coffee before heading out. It is a short walk from the Palo Alto Caltrain station, so it works as a first stop on a day trip without a car. Coffee enthusiasts will enjoy trying the rotating single origins. People who need a long work session should know that downtown cafes get busy at peak hours. Our Palo Alto coffee guide covers laptop etiquette and quieter alternatives.
Tips for visiting
- The cafe opens at 7 a.m. every day and closes at 6 p.m., so it is a morning and afternoon stop rather than an evening one.
- Use the order-ahead option if you are rushing to make a train.
- Downtown parking has time limits. If you are coming by car, read the posted signs or use a city garage.
- Walk University Avenue afterward. Our downtown Palo Alto guide and University Avenue shopping guide cover what is nearby.
- For a cafe that roasts its own beans in a quieter neighborhood, try Palo Alto Cafe in Midtown.
Location and getting there
Verve Coffee Roasters is at 162 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.
The Palo Alto Caltrain station is less than a quarter mile away, a walk of a few minutes.
Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).
Hours
| Every day | 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
|---|
Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.
What is nearby
- Onigilly, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
- Sprout, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
- Sweet Maple, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
- T-Mobile University Avenue, shop, under 0.1 mi
- Palo Alto Bicycles, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
- Lytton Plaza, under 0.1 mi
- University Avenue, under 0.1 mi
- Cogswell Plaza, 0.1 mi
Other cafes and coffee shops nearby: Yummy Future (under 0.1 mi); Starbucks University Avenue (under 0.1 mi); Coupa Cafe (under 0.1 mi); Coupa Cafe Lytton (0.1 mi). Browse the full cafes and coffee shops list.
Before you go
- Weekday mornings bring a rush of commuters and students, so expect a line between about 8 and 9:30 a.m.
- Some cafes limit laptop use at busy times or have few outlets. Ask before settling in for a long work session.
- Hours often change with the school calendar and holidays. Check the cafe's site or map listing before a special trip.
About this listing
Checked October 29, 2026 against Verve Coffee Roasters locations; Verve Coffee Roasters: Our Story; Verve Coffee Roasters home page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Verve Coffee Roasters in Palo Alto?
Verve Coffee Roasters is at 162 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area. The nearest Caltrain stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.1 miles away.
Where is Verve Coffee in Palo Alto?
Verve's Palo Alto cafe is at 162 University Avenue, at the Caltrain end of downtown. It is Verve's only cafe on the Peninsula. Its other Bay Area cafes are in Santa Cruz and on Market Street in San Francisco.
Who owns Verve Coffee Roasters?
Verve was founded in 2007 by Ryan O'Donovan and Colby Barr. The company says it is still independently owned and based in Santa Cruz.
What hours is Verve Palo Alto open?
Verve lists the Palo Alto cafe as open every day from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Holiday hours can differ, so check the locations page before an early or late visit.
What are Verve Coffee Roasters's hours?
Every day: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m..