Equator Coffees & Teas

I am on a fence about equator. I enjoy stopping in at 7am during the week when there is no line.
–good though mild coffee
–great waffles
–pleasant décor and environment (downtown)
But other than that…
–long lines, one cashier, and no solution to the pile up.
–the barista service is maddeningly slow! And there are like 4 of them behind the counter…
–the pastries are pretty bland/​cakes dense and flavorless
–the cost is literally laughable at times. $ 3.75 for a muffin the size of a mini cupcake?

Try the Scratch Caramel Latte. Yum. Great coffee! I need to go back and try the waffles. Love the dog friendly atmosphere. Can be a little drafty when the doors are open on a chilly day. Awesome little spot.

I’ve tried Equator a couple of times before, just not this location. Had a meeting there yesterday and I do have to say that I am becoming a fan. The single origin coffee is very tasty. Rich, full-​bodied, mouth-​filling and brewed (or pulled) beautifully. The foam for my cappuccino wasn’t quite up to snuff but I’m chalking that up to the HUGE line that was going out the door for lunch. I mean, I am realistic after all.
I had the Brie & Avocado Waffle and my friend had the Blueberry. No brie on top so I’m guessing it’s in the batter, a quarter of an avocado, tomatoes in a lovely vinaigrette and plopped on top. The Blueberry with lemon crème craîche (seriously, one of my favorite combinations), a little sweet, a little creamy, a little fruity. Oh, and did I mention that the waffles are actually caramelized in the waffle iron a little??? Ah-​mazing!
My biggest recommendation to this flagship location? Do something about your bistro sets on the sidewalk, they are cheap, flimsy, and horrible to eat/​drink at. I ended up drinking half of my coffee from the saucer, spilled my water, and flatware fell to the ground because the table wobbled *every* time we moved (and that was even after I stuffed cup sleeves under to try and stabilize it).

Great spot to grab a cup of coffee if you’re in Mill Valley… be prepared though, prices are not cheap or indicative of amount of coffee you will be getting…

The coffee and freshly made waffles blew me away. A must stop! The staff are convivial and efficient too.

Ok, this is my MARIN tea room. I come here often and have tea in a cool glass cup. However, I am also a huge fan of the honey butter gluten free waffle. My husband likes them too, and he doesn’t like butter on his waffles. Plus, sometimes you can get a free button or a sticker. YAY! I have been here a ton of times in the past year and just love it. Sorry it took me soo long to review.

In Marin for the day and stopped by this plaza for a coffee. There’s a Peet’s right down the block, but that’s way too normal coming from SF! So I decided that we should try Equator instead. I love their homemade vanilla latte — the perfect amount of sweetness and coffee strength.
The quiche was strategically placed next to the register, but unfortunately I was already in food coma. I will be back for this!

Sadly, since the actual store front opened I just can’t seem to help the barista to understand that a true macchiato is just a shot of espresso with a little steamed milk foam — no matter how many times I ask, or how many different ways I ask, they insist on making a small latte — full of milk. I know it’s silly, but I thought for how they represent themselves as coffee connoisseurs they would know the subtle differences. This only happens at the Miller Ave location. I decided to Unilocal this because the attitude on my request for less milk was like I had just asked them to clean a toilet :(
I ended up tossing it in the garbage outside and walking over to another coffee place in town for a more pleasant experience.

This is my favorite coffee place in Marin. I love Mill Valley. the atmosphere, the nature. the restaurants, shops, and this coffee shop!
My favorite drink is an almond milk latte, but recently I tried their homemade vanilla latte with almond milk – also amazing.
I look forward to my next visit where I can try another new drink!

Nice and clean here! Always in line but it’s worth to wait and coffee and keesh are delicious!
Hand down!

Always so good, Equator Coffee. I am continuously pleased with the beans and the brewing and the skilled staff. Nothing like some Equator Brew to get me running up and over the Dipsea Trail to Stinson Beach, lickety-​split.
Thank you Equator!

Good coffee products with yummy snacks and a pleasant seating area right off the downtown Mill Valley square.
I’ve been coming to this coffee shop for several years mostly ordering an assortment of caffeinated beverages. While I can’t speak for the baked, I’ve heard they’re very good and they look divine.
I love the added attention to detail. For example, they give you a small glass of sparkling water with your espresso. I also like that many of the salad and yogurt dishes come in glass jars. I like the thoughtful presentation of the baked dishes.
The service is quality. I’ve never received anything but friendly service. Of course, it’s not the fastest service I’ve ever seen but it’s not notably slow either.
I love the location too — right off of the Mill Valley Square next to several boutiques and bookshops.
I recommend stopping by Equator.

Finally found a great coffee shop! I’ve been on the hunt for delicious coffee in this area and have found exactly what I was craving here at Equator. I only got my coffee to-​go but I was diggin the vibe of this place.
My soy latte was perfect!

What coffee shop doesn’t offer wifi???
What irked me the most was that I asked the cashier if the place had wifi and she responded with a quick yes. Come to find out… no wifi! Seriously? Thankfully, xfinity was there to the rescue.
And then I proceeded to ask her about a specific tea they offered… sticky rice pu-​erh. She was really enthusiastic (sarcasm) by saying, «Oh, I’ve never had it.» Great sales right there. I went ahead and got it anyway.
We also picked up an americano and a blueberry waffle.
The tea was good… served in a nifty serving cup. The americano was also of great quality. I have to say I was quite impressed by the flavor of the beans. The waffle was tasty and the blueberries were plentiful.
Minus 1 star for terrible service. Minus another star for being stuck in the dark ages without wifi. I doubt I’ll make my way back in here or recommend to my fellow Unilocalers. 3 stars.

We were on our weekend getaway in the area and drove for 30min to get some coffee with no regrets. Everything was perfect about our visit to this café. I was really surprised to find such a gem in the middle of mountains :) Coffee was delicious, flourless chocolate cake really tasty and the staff amazingly friendly. And it was nice to see such a cool and modern design after living in South Bay for a while :)

I’m not from this part of the bay area. This is not exactly my scene.
I happened to be in the area recently and I am so glad I was because I am happy to say Equator has finally reached its potential.
They are not always mentioned in the hip, young, modern bay area coffee scene dominated by stylish SF roasters, but Equator has been roasting for a while. They first got my attention when I had to admit that their decaf beans were a lot better than most other local roasters.
I recently went to their new café and was quite impressed. We ordered off their pour-​over menu which was in a picture frame, nearly hidden behind something on the counter. We opted for a natural processed Colombian and a decaf option.
A barista pulled out a whole setup with Hario drip cones and scales. His pour over technique was careful and timed.
The coffee was outstanding. The Colombian coffee was bright and clear without being sour. The decaf was rich and flavorful.
This put me in a much better mood while stuck in traffic trying to get to Stinson Beach.

Equator Coffee is easily my new favorite coffee shop in Marin. The café is stunning and everything that they serve looks and tastes amazing (okay the truth is I can only vouch for their coffee, but just look at those M.H. pastries and jarred salads!) Yep, it’s true. Equator serves M. H Bread and Butter pastries, as well as Urban Remedy juices, homemade waffles, salads, yogurt parfaits, and the list goes on.
The folks behind the counter have serious skills! I ordered an americano with steamed almond milk and it was one of the best americano’s that I’ve ever had. Besides the delicious taste, the coffee is also organic, fair trade, and roasted locally in San Rafael. Can it get any better than that? Nope, don’t think so. You bet I’ll be back soon!

I was able to make it out for their ribbon cutting/​grand opening party and get a sampling of what Equator was capable of. They were serving some insanely smooth mini cappuccinos, proving they know how to work an espresso machine over there.
There were a few cherry and pistachio parfaits, salads and other items they have in the grab and go cooler in cute mason jars. All were quite tasty and natural. Much different in the substance department than some other chain snack cases.
Before leaving I got a recommendation on a bag of coffee and commenced to making one of my last cold brews of the year, an Ethiopia. It was exactly what I wanted, maybe the best in a few bags from other places. Impressive.
Luckily my sister and her hubs live up here and they really enjoyed it as well. Definitely will check it out on a regular day.

I’m a big Peet’s fan — in fact, I stop by Peet’s in downtown Mill Valley nearly every weekday morning, and often on weekends too. But I’m always open to something new, and in particular, I liked the idea of a good coffee and gathering spot on the corner of Throckmorton and Miller. Equator opened just last week, and so far, it lives up to the hype. The basic large drip coffee, at $ 2.75, is a bit pricey, but very good. The interior is modern Euro, and very classy, but not stuffy. I love the café tables — both indoor and outdoor, that promote chatting with a friend over a cup (Peet’s is not as good for this!).
Seems they are still getting some of the act together, since it was hard to know what they actually offer — there is (so far) no menu board or listed prices, and I’m not sure if they do (or will) sell cards with incentive pricing (Peet’s gives you a free medium coffee if you put $ 25 on your card — hint to Equator, this helps with loyalty!).
This past weekend, I sat at an outdoor table with a double shot mocha and read a Pacific Sun — a great Mill Valley moment, and I look forward to many more.

This location is bound to become TOP SPOT IN MARIN in a very short time. There is nothing quite like it. Anticipation has been building for nearly a year since it was announced that the old La Coppa had closed. Speculation was fed by rumor that Blue Bottle might be moving into The Village. Nothing against BB but, this newest jewel in the crown that is Equator Coffee is perhaps the most significant new business in downtown Mill Valley in years.
It’s a given that the coffee is stellar… the owners have been purveyors of remarkable coffees and teas for years, what is so unexpected is that there is also a fairly extensive food menu, including waffles you WANT to write home about, in particular, the fresh blueberry waffle, loaded with fresh blueberries, draped with lemon crème fraîche and lemon zest. OFF THE CHART!!! The freshly baked pastries are bordering on the profound. Yes, I’m serious!
They even have neat little salads in Mason jars «to go», beer and wine on tap, handcrafted sodas and juices and all the coffee drinks you’d expect just better. It’s going to be interesting to see how Equator affects the other coffee stores (Peet’s, The Depot).
«Soft Opening» today (11.5.14) and for regular business tomorrow. If today was any indication, Equator on Miller is going to do very well, indeed.