Yummy Future

About Yummy Future

Yummy Future is a small coffee and matcha bar at 170 University Avenue where a robot makes the drinks. It is also a showroom of sorts. The company behind it is a robotics startup that says it builds robotic cafes from end to end, covering the robot, the software and the playbook for running a shop. The Palo Alto store, listed as Yummy Future Bay, is the company's California location. Its other stores are in Champaign, Illinois.

The company's timeline, as published on its website, starts in September 2018. In 2019 it won the Cozad New Venture Challenge and an Alexa Prize and joined Y Combinator in the Summer 2019 batch. Its first store opened on Green Street in Champaign in 2022. The company marks a second location in 2024. A Matcha House opened in Champaign's Campustown in 2026. Backers named on the site include Y Combinator, Sequoia Scouts, Soma Capital, Asymmetry Ventures and Trevor Blackwell. The company also reports having served more than 240,000 cups.

Palo Alto Online covered the University Avenue shop in November 2025 with a story headlined "Get your matcha fix from a robot barista in Palo Alto."

How ordering works

The process is part of the appeal. You tap your drink on an order screen and the order goes to the machine. The robot grinds and doses the coffee, pulls the shot and finishes the drink before it is served. The company says a robotic barista pulls the shots and whisks the matcha in Palo Alto, while a robot arm moves the cups along the line. It says it has cut the time per order to 135 seconds, down from 230 seconds in earlier versions.

You can also skip the screen and order ahead online through the ordering site linked on the store page. Your drink is then ready for pickup at the University Avenue counter.

What is on the menu

Matcha gets top billing here. The Palo Alto store page highlights ceremonial matcha, a strawberry matcha latte and iced lattes and other espresso drinks. Across its stores the company lists an Americano, a latte and a caramel macchiato among the coffee classics. On the matcha and specialty side it names a black sesame matcha, a pistachio latte, a strawberry latte, Mango Passion and Melon Cream. The company says the in-store menu is the final word on the current lineup and prices, so expect some drinks to come and go.

The robots behind the counter

Yummy Future sells its systems to other businesses as well as running its own stores. Its main product is the Future Bar, a countertop robotic barista. A larger concept called the Future Max is shown in an airport setting on the company's website. A foaming module is offered as an add-on. The Palo Alto shop gives curious visitors a chance to watch the hardware work up close. The site also has forms for catering, private events and partnerships, which suits companies that want a robot barista at an event.

Who it suits

Yummy Future is a good fit for a quick matcha or coffee to go, for visitors who want to see a piece of current Silicon Valley tech in action and for kids who like watching machines. Its long hours, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, also make it an option for an evening coffee drink downtown. It is less suited to a long sit-down session, since the store page says nothing about seating. Think of it as a stop on a walk along University Avenue rather than a place to settle in with a laptop.

Tips for visiting

The store is a short walk from the Palo Alto Caltrain station, according to the company. If you want food with your drink, Sprout is a couple of doors away on the same block. Our downtown Palo Alto guide covers the rest of University Avenue. Our coffee guide lists more cafes. To read about the startup programs that helped launch companies like this one, see our guide to accelerators and incubators.

Location and getting there

Yummy Future is at 170 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, 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

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• Sprout, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Onigilly, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Palo Alto Bicycles, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
• T-Mobile University Avenue, shop, under 0.1 mi
• Sweet Maple, restaurant, 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: Verve Coffee Roasters (under 0.1 mi); Starbucks University Avenue (under 0.1 mi); Coupa Cafe (under 0.1 mi); Joe & The Juice Hamilton Avenue (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 Yummy Future official website; Yummy Future Palo Alto store page; Yummy Future press page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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