Elite Event: Voltaire Coffee House

The Spanish Latte was a thing of great beauty! I’m completely converted. I love how rich and sweet it is.
Voltaire’s coffee is solid and flavorful.
I would make an extra trip for it and can even feel myself craving its atmosphere.
Candice created a wonderful event with excellent community members and interesting activities. I enjoyed the latte tutorial and the photo contest.
This was a beautiful and intimate event with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met through Unilocal

This was an amazing event. Thanks to Unilocal and Candice for introducing me to this this coffee shop. I loved how we were able to have as many cups of joe as we wanted. Even with so many people and cups of coffee, the staff was able to make each and every cup as special and with great quality as if you had paid for it. They were able to give recommendations and explain to you the slight differences in each of their coffee.
The added coffee art demo was pretty cool too. I loved how the staff was able to explain everything with such detail. It shows how much they understand and appreciate their craft and dedication to the art of artisan coffee. I was a bit disappointed that I wasn’t able to try it out myself. However, I liked hearing how technical the class was and how much the person teaching knew about coffee art.
Loved the event and will be returning to the coffee house soon. Thanks a bunch.

I’m so glad I got to go to this event. I’m always in search of a new coffee spot and this place is definitely one I’ll come back to!
I thought everyone there was great. They had delicious pastries set up for us to try and the fact that we could order anything off the menu was amazing. I wish I’d tried more but the Spanish Latte I had was incredible and made the crazy drive over from work so worth it!
Thank you to Candice and Donna for putting this together and letting me join everyone! I haven’t been able to get into many of the elite events so I was really excited I got to go to one where coffee was involved. :)
I will say that because it’s located downtown, it is a bit more difficult for me to get to on a busy morning heading to work. BUT, I loved it so much that I plan to leave earlier one day just to get myself another Spanish latte. Maybe I’ll even work remote from there one day to wait out traffic. Plus, there’s a parking garage across the street if you can’t find street parking, so that’s convenient.

Great waffles, great coffee! i came here for a Unilocal event after work. The staff was awesome. Very fun to be around and everyone was so nice. I had the Americano-​ice and the mocha latte — hot. The venue fits a decent amount… like 35 people. There is a bench with high chairs and a some tables on the right when you walk in. The prices are better than Starbucks and more of a unique taste! Make sure when you google this place it takes you to DT San Jose and not Voltaire St way out in BFE… Almost fell for that one Apple maps…

This was my First Unilocal Elite Event or rather I could proudly say my First Unilocal Event Ever! It was a nice gathering to pep up my evening spirit. Met many wonderful & sweet Unilocalers, who are literally there for you when in times of need (Ivy T & Candice G — you guys are Perfect Gem). Received my 1^st Unilocal Props too ;) Many Thanks to Candice G ( Unilocal South Bay Community Manager), Donna T ( Unilocal Intern) & the entire Unilocal South Bay Team for making this event a Super Duper Success!
Let me introduce my version of Lovely-​Lively experience at Voltaire Coffee House.
Woahhhh! What an Aroma! I can still smell the enticing flavors of the coffee house the very moment I think of it! Loved their menu, definitely stands out unique from other coffee shops, where I’ve usually ventured out. I tried their hot brew ‘Gibralter/​Cortado’ ($ 3.5), which is a Latte served strong (less milk) in a small & fancy shot glass. Appreciate the creative idea behind. Am sure every fan of strong coffees will go mad over this drink. I’m a sweet tooth and was so tempted to try their On-​the-​Spot Popular menu item, Hot/​Ice ‘Spanish Latte (Sweet)’, nevertheless went ahead on trying a new item of my choice. The real taste of Gibralter can be admired only during the last few sips of the drink. There lies the flavor’s mystery too. No doubts, I’m already a big fan of Gib now!
Tried all the four light bites from their food menu that were offered to us.
~ Large Croissant — Soft, Buttery, YUM ! (My most favorite).
~ Organic Belgian Liege Waffle — Feathery light golden waffles, tasted Good !
~ Chocolate Croissant — Golden brown & slightly crisp on the outside, of course, with the delicious Chocolate on the inside (My next most-​liked).
~ Apple turnover — Sweet & Mushy Apple stuff inside.
All the baristas (3 of them) were extremely quick & professional in their job, gave us ample samples to the extent that we had no room for our dinner anymore. ha ha !! Among them, ‘Eric’ was helpful & friendly in teaching us all about milk foam and coffee. He shared the magic of foaming by giving us some quick facts about it’s creation (the steaming part), it’s deliciousness and showed us the beautiful Latte arts too. Appreciate his prompt response to every curious question raised by fellow enthusiastic Unilocalers!
Location & Parking Tip:
— The shop is conveniently located at the heart of Downtown San Jose, right opposite to the Convention Center Public Parking.
— Help yourselves to find a good parking spot at the Convention Center Public Parking. $ 3 per hour.
Too many things to still endeavor at Voltaire Coffee House (Small & Cute shop), a-​must place to visit again with the dear hubby, for I know he loves strong coffees!
Highly Recommended Speciality Coffee House in SJ downtown!

Thank you so much Voltaire Coffee House for being the hottest, sweetest, newest coffee spot in downtown San Jose! :) Working with Christine Kim, the owner, was an absolute delight. She was onboard since Day 1 to host a Unilocal Elite Event and we were happy to endorse a local coffee shop. It was Voltaire’s 2^nd Monthiversary on 12÷2÷2015 and boy did we have a wonderful celebration!
Here’s some of their links:
Unilocal:
FB:
Twitter:
IG:
Voltaire Coffee House treated us Unilocalers to a generous open drinks bar. Their extensive menu consisted of espresso-​based drinks, non-​coffee drinks such as tea and frappé, and delicious snacks that we sampled. Their organic Belgium liege waffle was divine! Better than Costco’s for sure haha. Their snacks are made from scratch and generous portions were displayed for everyone to sample. «Their coffee is top notch high quality» says a coffee addicted ex-​barista. What do I mean by that? It’s organic, hand-​picked, in-​store roasted beans that gets grinded into espresso for you to sip sip sip on! :) They’re also an eco-​friendly, sustainable advocates and since they’re a specialty coffee shop, everything is made to order aka fresh dizzle nizzle!
MY FAVE 4 DAYZ: el dulce Spanish Latte!!!
It’s basically a latte (espresso with steamed milk) but they use condensed sweet milk! Yummy! It’s good hot or cold but the hot drink really brings out the sweetness of the milk. I also tried their Matcha Latte and forewarned, it comes unsweetened! Haha it was healthy and delicious but can’t say that my sweet tooth didn’t miss the natural sugar syrup ;)
Hansel did a great job being the outspoken representative, taking the orders, and crafting the drinks. Eric was the main barista and also hosted the hands-​on latte art lessons! All of the coffee drinks were on fleek and quality was consistently superb throughout the night. Thanks to Candice for all your support :) the mugs and gloves were badazz! Our new favorite is the Spanish latte, hollah! Best wishes to Christine and Voltaire.

Super cute find thanks to a great Unilocal Elite event! The venue was very trendy and cool, with enough people to mingle with but also still feel cozy. Also excited we got to learn latte art!
Voltaire’s specialty is the Spanish latte, aka an espresso beverage made with condensed milk. It’s sweet, strong, and potent — but somehow without giving me jitters. Their drinks are also topped off with beautiful latte art, which the baristas spend weeks practicing in order perfect their art. I also tried their matcha latte (iced), which had a good strong matcha flavor. They also offer delicious pastries, not the least of which is their liege waffle, which was just slightly sweetened and topped with powdered sugar.
The layout is also super cool: high ceilings, big windows. It’s not very big but the high ceilings keep it from feeling claustrophobic, and it would make for a great place to hang out and relax for awhile (free wifi helps too).
Being in downtown San Jose, parking is a pain. The convention center parking structure is conveniently located across the street, though not cheap.
This is most definitely a welcome addition to the mom and pop coffee shop lineup in the Bay Area, and I would definitely come back! Thanks South Bay Unilocal Elite team for yet another great event and introduction to another great local business!

I love cute coffee houses and you can betcha I have added Voltaire in downtown SJ to my list to grab a mocha or even a hot cup of tea when I’m in the area.
Candice G and Donna T were fabulous hosts and did a fantastic job making sure we were all taken care. During this event, we were provided samples of many baked goods, such as their organic belgian waffle, chocolate croissants, and my favorite, the Apple Turnover.
I tried the Mocha Latte and it was rich and sweet but not too sweet. Since I’m not the biggest of coffee drinkers, I had a nice cup of tea for my 2^nd beverage. We were generously offered as many beverages as we could stomach. Yes, there were a lot of wired Unilocalers this evening. The hosts were kind and patiently explained any questions we had. They even offered several sessions on how to make milk foam art.
I like how Voltaire has decorated their interior. It’s tasteful and subtle, not like the actual Voltaire who drink up to 50 cups of coffee a day. You know when a coffee house chooses to be named after Voltaire they take their coffee seriously. Thanks a Latte for another wonderful YEE!

Excellent event! Didn’t expect it but we did hear tales of Voltaire, we learned how to create latte foam designs, and sat in a café and drank awesome coffee. Coffee, philosophy, and a sitting position, that was a trifecta of win! Can’t forget the tasty snacks either. Who doesn’t love carbs? Owner and staff were cheerful and undaunted by all of the orders for foamy coffee delights. Unilocalers were nice and friendly. I had the Americano and the Café Cortado. Kinda of like the unleaded and rocket fuel of coffee drinks. Enjoyed them both. It also didn’t hurt that Christmas in the Park was in full swing at Cesar Chavez Park.
If you missed the event, I would recommend catching some Christmas Cheer at the park and heading over to Voltaire Coffee House and grabbing a hot cup of Joe. Thanks Candice! you’re an awesomely, upbeat, energizer bunny!

Started off crazy due to trying to find the spot (seems so for a few people). Other than that, fun and casual event. Coffee shop was great. Perfect post thanksgiving and prep for Xmas holiday. Drinks were delicious, food bites was non-​stop, and company was great. Super cute mugs. I’ve been looking forward to these events to brighten up my week haha.

Voltaire Coffee House was definitely buzzin’ last night due highly caffeinated elites!!! They’ve been open for 2 months already (happy monthaversary!), but it was the first time I ventured over to this cute coffee shop.
I was expecting to enjoy A drink, or sample some coffees, and meet some new elites, but they definitely went above and beyond and basically had an open (coffee) bar ! Thank you guys so much for hustling and accommodating us curious and thirsty elites. I enjoyed a cappuccino first, which is my go-​to when trying out new coffee shops. It was delicious, micro-​foam goodness. 2^nd up was a chai-​latte which I thoroughly enjoyed because it wasn’t diabetes-​inducing like other places I’ve tried.
In between drinks, we got a speed latte-​art lesson from one of the baristas, we learned about technique and had a hands-​on demo on how to achieve optimal microfoam for latte art. It was a lot of fun, and really shows how much work goes into crafting the perfect cup!
It great seeing some familiar faces and also making friends with new elites (hi new friends #teamnosleep!), which is what I like about these smaller events! The event ended on a caffeine-​high note cos I was one of the #YelpVoltaire IG winners (yayy!) and went home with a bag of beans that is currently making my car smell A-​M-​A-​Z-​I-​N-​G.
Thank you again to Candice, Donna, Unilocal SB and of course Hansel and his amazeballs staff, we’ll definitely be back, I need to try that Spanish Latte everyone was talking about, I just didn’t have the room!

Inspired by Voltaire (since he was a writer)…His coffee house
Mochas and lattes
Sweet or not
Hot or cold
Hot tea or iced tea
I don’t know.
Pair it up with a waffle,
Croissants or two,
What? There’s a turnover too?
Decisions, decisions.
What should I do?
I do choose
A mocha and a spanish latte
And that’s two!
No where is, it is close to being 52.
It tastes so good
Voltaire, I can’t keep away too!
«Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.»
— Voltaire
Like Voltaire’s quote, thanks Hansel, Voltaire staff, Candice and Donna for an awesome event. I heard Hansel mention that they chose the name because Voltaire drank about 50 – 80 cups of coffee each day. I love coffee, but I don’t think I can drink 80 cups. lol. Don’t worry, I will be back though! :)

An Elite event at a fresh new coffee house? Since coffee is my middle name, I was jumping out of my seat to attend this shindig. Apparently, the great Voltaire drank 50+ cups of coffee a day. Let that sink in. The dude has me beat by a gallon or two.
Set across the street from the SJ Convention Center on Market street in downtown SJ, the location was easily accessible, and I can imagine generates a ton of foot traffic. Tastefully decorated in muted colors, Voltaire exudes a polish not always seen in coffee houses.
There were plenty of light bites (croissants, belgian waffle, apple turnover) and we literally had our fill of any coffee beverage off the menu. The Mocha, although a bit grainy for my tastes was sweet but not overpowering. The Spanish Latte was tantalizingly sweet and decadent. My favorite concoction of the evening was the well balanced cappuccino. The staff went over the top and provided hands on foam art sessions to those interested.
Candice G. and Donna T. did a bang up job organizing and hosting this event and I’m especially grateful they introduced me to another slick coffee shop to add to my list.

There is nothing I like more than coffee & meeting new Unilocalers on a chilly winter evening. That’s exactly the YEE set up by our super cool CM Candice & Donna T. Voltaire Coffee House was brewing some tasty beverages & serving savory and sweet nibbles in their cozy space. My personal favorites were the sweet waffle & ham and cheese croissant.
The coffee was fantastic & I’m particular about my coffee. I went for the mocha latte which wasn’t overly sweet. Along with killer coffee, I was delighted to learn some latte froth techniques shown to us by the awesome Voltaire staff. Although, I’m not sure that I’ll ever be as talented as their baristas — their froth art was beautiful!
It was a really fun evening of reconnecting with old Unilocal friends & meeting some very cool new ones. Thank you Voltaire & Candace for a fantastic evening. Looking forward to more fun events like this!

Great spot! Another cool Unilocal event from Candice and the crew.
Excellent selection of coffees and snacks.
Cool location in San Jose and a great space for a coffee and a bite.
Definitely a coffee shop that takes pride in their drinks and goes the extra mile to provide something different.
Try the cortado if you want to get hooked on a new coffee drink.

Woot woot, here goes another round of applause to our CM Candice, Unilocaltern Donna, and the rest of the Unilocal crew for putting on another great event! When I first heard about Voltaire, I was very interested in going, but when I finally went, I only got to grab a quick drink to go and didn’t get to sit and enjoy it all and try any pastries or what not. So when I heard there was gonna be an event at Voltaire, I was definitely not going to miss the chance to really dive in and get to know this place!
This cozy little coffee shop is nestled on the hustling and bustling Market Street, which added into the city atmosphere vibe to this whole thing. Upon arrival, we received cute Unilocal mugs, perfect for the weather and the occasion! There were latte lessons available at this event which I really enjoyed. Although it was a short lesson and café art takes time to master, it was really nice they showed us the basics. I enjoyed talking to the baristas about how they handpick each bean and put in that much care and time into it.
The pastries they had were all great choices that go well with coffee! My favorite was the apple turnover and the waffle. MHMM. The awesome friends I met at this event definitely watched me struggle with trying to attach that waffle to my cup. But it’s okay WE DO IT FOR THE Unilocal PHOTO. As for drinks, that Spanish latte is the drink of the night that will probably be in everyone’s review. It was a lot better than I thought because I think that when I saw the menu and it said «(sweet)» it scared me into thinking that it meant it would be crazy sweet, but it was actually perfect! I also tried there chamomilla tea, which was really refreshing. It was also pretty flavorful compared to other iced chamomiles that I’ve had. As I was leaving, Hansel told me about how I should try the matcha latte next time with Spanish milk (condensed milk mix they use for Spanish latte) and so now I’m already planning my next visit here, hehe.

So much fun tonight! Voltaire has been open for about 2 months and they’re working to create their own versions of lots of drinks — and mostly organic! The staff were super nice tonight, especially amidst the swarm of Unilocal elite coffee orders. The bites were all good and the coffees were DELISH, but there was most certainly one standout: the Spanish latte *droooooooooooool*
The Spanish latte is made with condensed milk and is a good deal sweeter than all of the other drinks, but I just could not get enough of it! In fact, I had a hot one… and then left with a cold one, too!
I loved that this event was a bit smaller (either cuz it was actually smaller or because traffic was so ridiculous, people couldn’t make it) because I got to meet some new friends! I especially loved that they had a mini latte art class. It was fun to learn how to steam the milk properly… can’t wait to try making my own designs, too :)
Anyway, thanks so much to Candice, Donna, hansel, and the Voltaire staff — I had a lot of fun tonight!!!

Awesome event hosted by Candice and Donna!
A Gibralter (which I learned is double-​shot of espresso with a hint of milk served in a tumbler) sounded like a good idea about 3 hours ago… but now I’m kindaaa regretting that decision and the delicious iced Spanish Latte to top it off. #teamnosleep. =\
It was my first Elite event in the South Bay (transplant from SF) and glad I got to make some new friends! Super stoked about the Unilocal swag (mug and gloves!!) and I was SUPER impressed the Voltaire staff (there were only 3 of them) kept the drinks and food coming quickly for all the Unilocalers. And also not to mention, they provided latte art lessons!
Like the philosopher Voltaire, the coffee shop centers around simplicity and originality which you can easily tell when you walk in the coffee shop. They seem to have a little bit of everything on their menu, ranging from the common espresso to a Ristretto. I won’t hesitate to come back and try other items for my next visit.
Thanks Voltaire and the entire Unilocal staff for organizing!

This event was a latté fun, and words cannot espresso how caffeinated I am right now. Voltaire Coffee House has pretty much got everything down to a tea (all puns intended).
The interior is cozy and sleek with both bar and table seating plus a beautifully lit Christmas tree to amp up the Holiday vibe. Props to the Voltaire baristas who were extremely patient, skillfully pulling out beautiful lattes even with dozens of orders being voratiously thrown at them.
I tried their Spanish Latte which was oh-​so-​creamy and extremely sweet. The sugar from the condensed milk in this drink was way too overpowering for me, but this was clearly the crowd favorite. The Almond milk Cortado recommended by Eric B. was very good and so was the perfectly balanced iced matcha latte ordered for us by the lovely Ivy T. The pastries, namely the liege waffle, apple turnover, and flavored croissants were all splendid. All highly recommended!
So many other things on the menu like the Dutch americano and affogato that I unfortunately had no room for, but will definitely be back to try soon! Shoutout to Candice, Donna, and the Unilocal South Bay Squad for a wonderfully intimate gathering at a splendid coffee house! With all this caffeine in my system, I’ll be up all night reliving the memories :)