Equator Coffees & Teas

Convenient location right at the entrance to UC Berkeley and inside the newly opened MLK building. Plenty of coffee options as well as a beautiful range of baked goods and to go foods. The muffins and scones look great and are fresh baked daily.

Their cold brew is way too watery. Maybe it was just this batch… but I wasn’t a fan.

Big fan of Equator! It definitely benefits from its prime location on campus, and I really like coming here to enjoy a cold drink whenever I need a caffeine boost during my day. My go-​to purchase to keep me awake in class is the iced latte. Milk substitutes cost extra.
Also a good variety of snacks and baked goods. I like how they have small but healthy snack packs in their cooler section, such as celery sticks and peanut butter cups or bite-​sized salads.

Cheaper than most places on campus, good coffee, location is very convenient and the staff is cool! ++ for their receipt that will sometimes offer you free pizza from House of Pie if you don’t toss it straight away :)

A little expensive, but well worth it to discover a new caffeinated drink I will now forever enjoy… Almond Milk Iced Latte!
As someone who is mildly lactose intolerant, I have avoided lattes because I always thought of them as having whole milk or soy (which I despise), but today I overheard the girl ahead of me in line order this and it made me have a mental ‘ah ha’ moment.
The barista was very sweet and moved quickly, and I now have a new favorite coffee drink to add to my already addict/​rehab-​worthy roster.
Yay!

You go to this place when you’re trying to get wired, and with its convenient location in MLK, it’s a perfect student option for a pick me up.
They’re a sleek kiosk close to the Sproul entrance with an array of baked goods behind glass. They can be pretty pricey, especially for lattes, but the coffee quality is pretty good stacked against places like Peets. Their Cold Brew is probably the most cost effective option if you’re drinking it with purpose and they serve it quick since it’s on tap! It’ll fuel you for hours on end, guaranteed.
I wouldn’t go out of your way for this place if you’re not studying on campus/​if you’re not a student, be warned. Lines can be longish during prime study hours, but the convenience is what you come here for and it’s way too satisfying to see the milk stream through your coffee after a fresh pour.

Ok this is probably the new spiritual successor to Babette (not that Babette is gone, but it’s far enough from me to be impractical). This is now the best spot for fancy coffee for those on the eastern side of campus. They’ve got plenty of options too including nitro cold-​brews.

Equator Coffees has nitro cold brew, pastries, lattes, caps, as well as regular brewed coffee.
located in the ASUC student union, there’s lots of sitdown options.
brew: (16 oz) coffee (2.25)
–semibold, smooth, has a kick,
–as good or better than the chains.
drips:
–no waiting when i chanced by.
–quick, courteous service

I’ve been here a handful of times because of their super convenient location. All of their employees are really nice, and helpful. Though I’m not a fan of their hot lattes (I’ve had regular, vanilla, and pumpkin), their iced vanilla latte ($ 4) is debatably the best I’ve ever had. It’s really creamy, strong, and not too sweet — definitely worth a try.

I really like their coffee! One of the better coffees on campus and in a great location — right inside the new student center buildings. Come grab coffee before and during your long study sessions :) Their lattes are delicious.

Their cold brew and regular coffee is GOOD. Finally I don’t have to drink coffee that taste like dirt *cough* FSM and other nearby campus cafes… I would give them 5 stars, but they lost a star for customer service. I understand the staff is still learning and the cashier with the long hair always speaks politely, but once they forgot my order and they tried to pin it on ME.
Scenario:
I’m waiting in a long line full of atudents trying get their first dose of coffee, around 9am. I’m patiently waiting after for my order, nearby the register and the counter where drink pick up is. I see the girl who stood behind me in line that grabs a drink that looked like mine (she ordered an iced latte, I ordered vanilla iced latte) so I asked what was the drink and then asked the cashier why did she get hers before me. Instead of apologizing for the mix up, she said «oh, I called your drink out and was looking for you» (remind you I was standing nearby the register). She was lying and I eyed a drink that looked like an iced vanilla latte by the sink by the barista… so the cashier lied and the barista in charge of making my drink forgot about it.
The good thing at the end of it is another barista (he was tall and had blonde hair) apologized for the situation. I appreciated it.

For the past two times I’ve come here the cold brew has been really sour… I think it used to be better when it first opened. At least the location is pretty hard to beat!

BY FAR the best coffee shop on or directly surrounding the UC Berkeley campus
Their best drink is the nitro cold brew: Cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen, which makes it smoother, creamier, and sweeter than a regular cold brew.
As somewhat of a coffee snob, I’ve had plenty of both regular cold brews and nitro cold brews at hipster coffee shops around the Bay Area, and Equator definitely has one of the best. SO GOOD. I can’t justify getting it every time I want coffee on campus because it’s pricey at $ 4.50 before tax for an 8-​oz cup, but it’s worth it for when I’m in a «treat yo self» kinda mood.
Their other coffee-​based drinks are also pricier than some other places (like Peet’s nearby at GBC), but in my opinion, the quality is definitely worth the premium.
I’ve been really pleasantly surprised by their pastries too! They rotate the selection daily, and everything I’ve tried (including various muffins, scones, & cookies) has tasted good and FRESH.
So happy to have this addition to campus!

Cold brew is very bitter, I didn’t expect that. Couldn’t see spending 1.25 more for the nitro cold brew for 8oz vs the 16oz regular cold brew I got. Maybe I’m missing out? In any case, service was fine, I’d give them another shot, but am going to avoid cold brew, yuck!

The nitro cold brew is AMAZING. It’s slightly sweeter than a normal cold brew because they infuse nitrogen into the coffee which gets rid of some of the acidity. Not to mention this coffee gets you turnt to study. Most of the staff there are super friendly and helpful.

Haven’t had their coffee yet as I don’t drink the real stuff (lattes and mochas for me) but the hot chocolate was excellent. Not stellar. I think $ 4 for a small? Not worth it to me but I’m probably biased as I’m using my meal points for everything at Peet’s.
Wish they would collaborate with the UC and accept Cal 1 Cards.

You will often see decaffeinated, brain-​dead students looking for some small glimmer of hope in this unceasing workload congregating here, but do not fear. The barista’s are quick and efficient but they practice little by little so they can top your latte with a KA rossetta so you can instagram that sucker.
the coffee here tastes great, and you won’t see any nonsense of people sitting down to drink and overcrowding because it’s this tiny little section of the MLK building (: they unfortunately do not have sugar free syrups at the moment but nonetheless I don’t think it’s stopped anyone from grabbing a drink.
I love their cold brew coffee with a little bit of sugar and half&half (which is rare because i love my coffee dark and edgy) because it’s so smooth it tastes like chocolate milk~ I think i will stop by for a latte if i ever feel like taking revenge on classmates that annoy me during class (who says mild lactose intolerance is a bad thing?).

I love Equator coffee, especially their original shop in Mill Valley. Great coffee and highly recommended for the quality coffee desert that is Berkeley. However, it is not up to the standards of their other shops. No pour over and as great as their nitro cold brew is there is absolutely no reason for it to be 8 ounces. Everywhere else that serves nitro serves it in a full 12 ounce glass, and I have had the nitro cold brew at Caribean coffee where Equator buys this from and it is available in a 12 and 16 ounce glass. Just seems like they are trying to make money here. If these two things are corrected they will get 5 stars for sure. Consider having coffee classes on campus, and sell beans, don’t think Berkeley students aren’t into speciality coffee.

If you have never tried nitro cold brew, it’s their specialty, served from a tap alongside regular 12-​hr cold brew. The nitrogenation does add a creaminess and sweetness that I would never expect in black coffee, as reported in the literature. It is DELICIOUS! Nicely strong and refreshing. I allow every small sip to sit upon my tongue to prolong the pleasure of its taste. Their pastries, cookies, and brownies are freshly baked nearby.

After a very long period of construction in Lower Sproul, businesses are starting to open in the ASUC student union! Equator was the first, and two other places (one serving burgers and the other serving pizzas) are poised to open as I write. I checked out Equator today and had samples of their two cold brewed coffee drinks, both served from taps that look like they could well deliver beer instead of cold brew. After my two tastes, I opted for an 8oz. serving of the nitro-​infused cold brew, which looked and tasted like everyone’s favorite coffee stout. The drink is actually alcohol free and should serve well for late-​night study sessions. The cost for my 8-​ounce pour was $ 4.93, including tax. Equator opens currently at 8AM but hopes to open earlier in the morning once things get into full swing. The projected closing time, once students start hanging out in the building again, is midnight — or even beyond. As you may know, the plan is ultimately for Lower Sproul to feature coffee and study that’s available ²⁴⁄₇. Go Bears!