Captain + Stoker
Captain + Stoker — photo 2
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Captain + Stoker

398 E Franklin St, Carmel, CA

★★★★★4.6(1,167 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

This breezy, hangar-like coffee shop in Carmel has mastered the art of the leisurely afternoon, with plenty of space to linger and an open-air vibe that feels more like a destination than a pit stop. Their espresso-focused drinks are genuinely excellent (the Captain's blend and matcha lattes are standouts), and the thoughtfully prepared toasts and light fare sell out by mid-afternoon on weekends—a true sign of local loyalty. Whether you're meeting a friend or settling in with your laptop, the bright, airy atmosphere and consistently fresh, gourmet-quality offerings make this the kind of place you'll keep coming back to.

What to expect

Light foodMatcha & teaEspresso focusedPour overSpecialty drinksMeetingsLaptop friendlyTraditional drinksSlow sit

Google Reviews

Amanda Kaye Signo
★★★★★2 months ago

My partner and I visited this open-to-air coffee shop after seeing it on Instagram reels. I ordered the avocado toast and an iced Captain’s blend, and they ordered the banana and peanut butter toast, and an iced vanilla latte. Our coffees were yummy and our toasts were very fresh. We had to wait a bit for seating, but people were filing in and out pretty quickly.

Shruti Sinha
★★★★★2 months ago

Great coffee shop with lots of seating. The toasts got over by the time we reached on Sunday 3pm, showing this is a local favorite too. It was pretty busy but still fun to hangout here. The steps looking out the cafe and the hanging cycles have it a funky feel. Both latte and cappuccino were good. Free street parking was available outside but given this place is busy might get hard to find parking.

Lara Getselevich
★★★★★6 months ago

An incredibly delicious spot! I popped in for the first time and was so pleasantly surprised by the flavors of the matcha latte and avocado toast. Everything tasted so fresh and almost gourmet. The atmosphere here is warm and welcoming, with staff who smile, happily answer every question, and make you feel right at home. Orders come out super quickly too, which is such a treat. If I find myself in Monterey again, I’ll definitely swing by for another sip of something delightful. They also sell little bags of beans with creative blends—of course, I couldn’t resist and picked up one called The Captain. ❤️

Andrii Guzhevnikov
★★★★★7 months ago

A spacious, bright place with a great vibe and tasty coffee. Basically, everything you’d expect from a good specialty coffee shop is here. There are some interesting interior details — like a big wooden slab table. The baristas have a great workflow. The coffee is good, nothing extraordinary, just solid quality and well-made. Convenient location. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re in the area.

Anna
★★★★★7 months ago

Coffee was amazing! Picked up a couple of pounds to go and loved it. The avocado sandwich didn’t disappoint either—same with the matcha. Loved the atmosphere; it’s kind of an open, airy hangar vibe. Lots of people, but even during rush hour we were able to get a table once our order was ready. Would be great if they had a few tables outside though!

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