Hot Cups

Quaint café on a relatively quiet road in Berkeley. Not the biggest of menus, but it’s a café and I didn’t expect there to be.
Owner is very nice and always eager to improve your experience by offering free additions to your meal or drinks.
Had a bagel sandwich and my wife had a marinated avocado salad that was huge. Both were tasty and sizable.
Overall a very pleasant experience!

I went in for a latte. The board advertised it for $ 2.00. The owner rang me up for $ 2.99. When asked about it, he said it was because I ordered it to go… To add insult to injury, he over-​steamed the milk, so not only did it cost me $ 3, it was also undrinkable! Not going back.

The people here are so nice and the sandwiches are delicious and very fairly priced! Thank you so much!

Most amazing food and coffee. The owners are wonderful and nice. Small and quite great location near the college and downtown Berkeley. If you live here or just visiting this is a must try.

Saw the 4.5 stars and like small shops so decided to give it a try. I was overall disappointed by the food and coffee quality (bagel sandwich). Although the employees were extremely nice. Prices are good as well, but the quality just wasn’t what I had anticipated. There are better options out there.

I walked in here thinking it was whatever, and just ordered a coffee. Dude! Wth! The coffee was helllaaaaa bomb!

I come here all the time. So much so, because my name is Sonny, there’s a Sonny sandwich. The food is great! Outstanding!

This is my favorite sandwich place in downtown Berkeley. My favorite is the turkey avocado. They have a variety of sandwiches, breakfast bagels, salads, iced drinks and coffees.
I primarily use this place to quickly pick up a sandwich on the go but there are tables inside always available if you want to hang around. The owner is always very friendly and I haven’t been disappointed yet. It’s worth checking out!

I’ll say another 3.5 type star joint. I don’t like it more than the more expensive sandwich spot or the more comparable sandwich zone, but they do a decent deli sandwich.
What is inexcusable is the folks still going to the subway nearby. Literally no reason to eat at subway. Ever.

One of my favorite spots at Berkeley. Amazing sandwiches! Highly recommend the Grilled Chicken with sundried tomatoes sandwich

Great sandwiches at great prices.
Every time I go to Hot Cups I like it a little bit more.
Their service is extremely welcoming and friendly and their food never disappoints.
I have tried their breakfast croissant sandwich, their Cubano-​style sandwich, and their club sandwich. All have been great. Fresh, perfectly toasted bread, packed with good ingredients, nice assembly, and surprisingly good value.
The quaint Moroccan décor atmosphere adds to the casual and relaxing atmosphere. The place is small and probably not the best for studying. Get take out or go in for a quick meal.
They also have gelato, pastries, donuts, chips, coffee, Italian soda, but I have only come for the sandwiches so far.
I’m definitely a fan. Recommended.

This place has great sandwiches made on Semifreddis fresh bread for $ 5.75. It’s a family run place and everyone I’ve encountered here behind the counter has been personable and lovely. It’s hard not to become a regular here.
Sandwiches include turkey avocado, turkey Brie, pastrami and pepper jack, and tons of veggie options.

As an international businessman, I’ve grown accustomed to a certain lifestyle. I have found it difficult to consistently find luxury products and a level of service that meets my standards while traveling. Several months ago, I was invited to speak at a conference in San Francisco. I asked my assistant to book the finest restaurant in the Bay Area so that I could entertain some colleagues from Europe and the Far East who I hadn’t seen in awhile. She booked us a reservation for four at Chez Panisse in North Berkeley. I’ve only heard good things about Chez Panisse so I was excited to finally give it a try.
Unfortunately, when our party arrived at our reserved time, there had been some sort of snafu and the very friendly and professional host politely explained that she wouldn’t have a table for us. Needless to say I was very disappointed. I asked her if she had any recommendations for restaurants that would perhaps measure up to the level of quality that Chez Panisse is able to provide. Naturally, we shared a good laugh over this absurd question. However, the mood was lightened as a result of my witty banter. Ultimately, she recommended Hot Cups on Addison St in Downtown Berkeley. I was sceptical but agreed to give it a try.
I called my assistant (now my ex-​assistant) to have her send a car. Once we arrived at Hot Cups, I was instantly impressed with this little Moroccan-​themed gem. I was quickly greeted with warmth from a wise looking man who appeared to be of North African descent. He seated us right away and highlighted the coffee selections from the array of thermoses conveniently located near the entrance. Feeling swept-​up in the ambiance, I chose the Moroccan coffee which ended up being a potpourri of exotic spices and flavors that can only be described as a feast for the senses.
Moungi, as I learned to be his name, suggested a Roast Beef sandwich on Focaccia bread. He didn’t make a big deal about me insisting on no horseradish sauce. I appreciated that. The sandwich arrived shortly and its flavor and texture were rivaled only by the Moroccan coffee that I was enjoying. Needless to say, I was pleased with my dining experience.
My colleagues had to run to catch their flights but I had some time to kill so I decided to stick around to enjoy another cup of heaven. I asked Moungi to join me at the table outside the restaurant. Much to my pleasure, he enthusiastically agreed! The next hour was spent conversing in the language that only two old friends can enjoy together. I learned that Moungi was originally from Casablanca, Morocco but has traveled the world and speaks multiple languages including French and Spanish. He entertained me with wild stories of alien abductions and his experiences as a young man in the food and hospitality industry in the Bay Area. By the end of my experience at Hot Cups, I was alert from the coffee, nourished from the delicious food, and culturally enriched by this magnificent man of mystery.
Next time I’m in the Bay Area, I’ll be sure to stop back in to Hot Cups for another fantastic journey of self-​discovery and enlightenment. Oh, and I’ll probably get another cup of coffee and a sandwich too.
Highly recommended.

Came out for a vacation trip and ventured into this shop because of high reviews and it did not disappoint. Very friendly people behind the counter and amazing lattes.

So apparently, the cubano sandwich only comes with pulled pork some of time. Definitely check before you order because the pork is what makes the sandwich!

Owner is very nice and friendly
Food and coffee are pretty good and quick
Small cozy place
Ou ll find some Moroccan art pieces and lights and they also have Moroccan cookies

Grabbed a couple bagels at this place with a friend. The service was quick, and the woman running the place that day was polite.
It wasn’t too busy on a Saturday morning, and though I wish their coffee wasn’t kept in a self-​service thermos, I am grateful for the food I got there.

Such a wonderful eatery. It’s such a vibrant, well-​lit place to have a freshly hand-​crafted sandwich, a Cubano to be exact. It’s not often that I come across a place that encourages warm bread. If you’re wanting something hot on the outside and deliciously ambient on the inside, the Cubano is the sandwich to have.
Yemen coffee. It was rather interesting but in a neutral way if that makes any sense. Coffee here is a tad expensive. My 12 oz mug is usually labeled as a small but for some reason, it was a large here. A bit disappointing but I didn’t care because the price on the Cubano was decently terrific!

I’m not sure why I like this place so much. It is my favorite place to go have a nice quiet lunch though. I come here for lunch probably once every other week.
The couple that owns this store could not be more friendly and hospitable. I always feel very welcome in the café, like they have invited me into their home for lunch. It’s a really wonderful feeling to have.
The café is nicely lit and always has the latest issue of the Daily Cal newspaper available.
I like to get the Cubano sandwich which they cook in their panini press. The sandwich is always nice and warm when they bring it out to me. Everything about the sandwich is «just right» in the Goldilocks sense. There’s nothing fancy about the sandwich. It’s just ham and roasted pork with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle with mustard and mayo. However, every ingredient works together in perfect harmony. The bread is thin and crisp. The meats are savory and the vegetables are fresh. Just right.
I’m so glad that I stumbled across this place one day while going on a walk. I hope my review will help someone else stumble across this place via Unilocal

Hot Cups is small. just a few tables for sitdown. located on side street.
menu: sammies, expresso, pastries,
pour: hot cup coffee (L.2)
–smooth, on the edge bordering on harsh.
–tully’s listed on door. hot cup label on thermos.
–tully’s used to be a fav decades ago
now want more body, not just bold.
drips:
–fast, efficient service.
–sammies favored here, maybe some day.
–not so busy in the afternoon here.