Hidden gem at the end of downtown riverside promenade. Cappuccino with the housemade honey cinnamon syrup is absolutely delicious. For the food, the chef takes pride in his dishes and it shows. The food was superb.Parking: Parking garage is located 3 minutes away. (Walking)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Eggs, Scone
Rachel g
They don't accept cash. Menu doesn't have many options. A bit pricey. Ordered 2 coffees and 2 sandwiches with bacon and our total was $50.02...then when we got our sandwiches....it was just pesto with one slice of bacon and something that tastes like ricotta..my friend and I laughed because really? A "fancy" sandwich with just a slice of bacon? Very dissatisfied.
Food: 1
Rodolfo Diaz
The Atmosphere of the cafe restaurant is really pretty and modern the food itself is really great and definitely on the more creative side even something simple as french toast or avocado toast has complex flavors and the coffee itself is amazing it has a thicker creamy flavor than any coffee I’ve had definitely a place I would recommend to friends or family!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Toast, Cinnamon French Toast
Victor Babenko
French toast is fantastic!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
John Spurlock
Outstanding espresso and baked goods. Right by the city building on the downtown Mall in Riverside.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Derek W.
I've been going to Arcade Coffee Roasters for several years, and the Downtown location is now my favorite one. It's not only offers amazing coffee, but delicious food as well. Big thing to note is that the Downtown location serves brunch with a wait staff from 7 am - 2 pm (used to be weekends only but I think every day now?), so this place is more like a brunch restaurant than a coffee shop. Service is top notch but they can get slow at times when it's busy, so don't expect a quick meal here. Ambiance is very trendy and they even serve cocktails. Here are my thoughts about their coffee and food:- Coffee: They roast their own beans and their coffee is excellent. They always have interesting notes with a perfect balance of creaminess and acidity. They also offer a seasonal syrup; the winter syrup was a vanilla pine which was absolutely delicious. I think Arcade is one of the top 3 coffee roasters in the Inland Empire.- Arcburger: You're probably wondering, can a coffee roaster even make a good burger? The answer is yes! Honestly this burger is even better than the ones from the burger restaurants in this area. They use a dry aged beef blend and I could definitely taste the quality. I order the burger every time I come here.- Orange maple french toast: They use brioche so the toast is light and fluffy. They also use cream cheese in the whipped cream. Definitely recommend.- Salads: Their poblano chicken caesar was pretty good and had a good amount of chicken. They also had a refreshing grapefruit salad which I don't think they offer anymore.- Spring pea grilled cheese: This dish was a little too unique for me. The pea pesto and boursin cheese were a little too similar in texture and taste. Again, not for me but maybe for you!- Pastries: All of their pastries are really good, from their scones to muffins but especially their cookies which are perfectly chewy. Make sure to get them warmed up!In terms of parking, I can always find street parking nearby and tend to park on 10th st. So overall, this is a great brunch spot and I'll keep coming back!
Sofia B.
First time at this spot and the food was amazing! Big portions and aesthetically pleasing restaurant. The coffee was pretty good as well . The pretty person with blonde hair at the front who took my order was so sweet! Thank you for helping me out! :)
Luke R.
5/5 for coffee, 3/5 for food. Still rating 5 stars because the coffee is among the top 3 cafes for about a 30 mile radius. Truly excellent beans and well prepared, very consistent. I wish there were more elevated latte options--for this aesthetic/style of coffee shop, I want more than just different syrups, at least occasionally--but what they do, they do very well. I have not sat down here for full brunch, which people seem to speak highly of. My experience getting food to go has been less positive. I have filed their food offerings under "Instagram" i.e. looks fancy, tastes meh. They were doing an avocado toast with sunflower macha (the salsa, not the green tea) for a while; the macha completely overpowered the dish with its dark bitterness, and there was way too much oil. Today I was super excited to try the smoked salmon bagel; it was literally inedible due to oversalting. I had to take it back. Love the coffee, love the service. IMO food needs work and more focus on balancing flavors instead of just being pretty/fancy-looking. But maybe I've just had bad luck, since everyone else seems to rave about it? Hmm... further research may be needed ;)
John B.
The downtown is the newest of the Arcade locations. Arcade is more than a coffee shop, it's an experience. The food is a must have. I haven't had anything that wasn't high quality. Service is 10 out of 10 and the ambiance just makes you feel like you belong.
Audrey A.
Phenomenal brunch and can't speak enough about their coffee and matcha as well. I'm very picky on my coffee and I love this place. Super fluffy french toast and not too "eggy". The fresh fruit and the maple butter in the yougurt was great and you could tell it was fresh made. Very decent prices for the quality and taste of the food. Quick service and very helpful staff. Super cute vibes and decoration, very open and airy. I am from out of town and recommend this place to anyone.
Ordered the French toast. The whole point of French toast is that it's supposed to be semi custardy on the inside. The slice of bread they use is so thick that it ends up being dry in the middle and the outside is so overcooked and dry that the bread is tougher than it should be. If I wanted to just gnaw on a hunk of bread I would have just bought a baguette from somewhere. The only saving grace is that the butter provided SOME moisture, but not nearly enough. I ate it because I already spent the money and I refuse to waste money, but will I be going back? No. The staff as super welcoming and kind though, they get all the praise. Their drinks were also nice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Jeffrey Brantley
Another gem of riverside, wonderful way to start the new year, with a classy brunch at a classy establishment. Excellent food great coffee and tastes you only see on food network. Magnificent spot will definitely be coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tamra N.
A very well designed cafe with the best matcha latte I've had in a while! The staff were so friendly and conversational.I like my prosciutto and burrata tartine. If you eat meat and cheese-go for it, you won't regret it! My girlfriend enjoyed her veggie sandwich as well.This is my go to recommendation for anyone looking to discover great brunch in Riverside.
Joshua B.
One of the nicer cafés in DTR. Highly recommend their drinks! The presentation of the food it top notch and the steak and veggie sandwich was really good. Though the eggs were a bit runny and the taste was a bit bland. Regarding service, the servers were nice, but it is clear that they are understaffed so definitely would not recommend coming here if you're in a rush.
Jessica J
Update: I stopped by for lunch and ordered the veggie sandwich. It was absolutely amazing! It was big enough to share if you wanted to. I also ordered the peach tea which was very good.They have coffee on tap! I went in the other day and ordered the seasonal iced coffee which was maple with oat-milk. It was so good I went back today. This time I got the oat-milk with agave. Great flavor! Since it is on tap it was served quickly. Also gave me a good energy boost!Dietary restrictions: Vegan options
Hidden gem at the end of downtown riverside promenade. Cappuccino with the housemade honey cinnamon syrup is absolutely delicious. For the food, the chef takes pride in his dishes and it shows. The food was superb.Parking: Parking garage is located 3 minutes away. (Walking)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Steak Eggs, Scone
They don't accept cash. Menu doesn't have many options. A bit pricey. Ordered 2 coffees and 2 sandwiches with bacon and our total was $50.02...then when we got our sandwiches....it was just pesto with one slice of bacon and something that tastes like ricotta..my friend and I laughed because really? A "fancy" sandwich with just a slice of bacon? Very dissatisfied.
Food: 1
The Atmosphere of the cafe restaurant is really pretty and modern the food itself is really great and definitely on the more creative side even something simple as french toast or avocado toast has complex flavors and the coffee itself is amazing it has a thicker creamy flavor than any coffee I’ve had definitely a place I would recommend to friends or family!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Avocado Toast, Cinnamon French Toast
French toast is fantastic!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Outstanding espresso and baked goods. Right by the city building on the downtown Mall in Riverside.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've been going to Arcade Coffee Roasters for several years, and the Downtown location is now my favorite one. It's not only offers amazing coffee, but delicious food as well. Big thing to note is that the Downtown location serves brunch with a wait staff from 7 am - 2 pm (used to be weekends only but I think every day now?), so this place is more like a brunch restaurant than a coffee shop. Service is top notch but they can get slow at times when it's busy, so don't expect a quick meal here. Ambiance is very trendy and they even serve cocktails. Here are my thoughts about their coffee and food:- Coffee: They roast their own beans and their coffee is excellent. They always have interesting notes with a perfect balance of creaminess and acidity. They also offer a seasonal syrup; the winter syrup was a vanilla pine which was absolutely delicious. I think Arcade is one of the top 3 coffee roasters in the Inland Empire.- Arcburger: You're probably wondering, can a coffee roaster even make a good burger? The answer is yes! Honestly this burger is even better than the ones from the burger restaurants in this area. They use a dry aged beef blend and I could definitely taste the quality. I order the burger every time I come here.- Orange maple french toast: They use brioche so the toast is light and fluffy. They also use cream cheese in the whipped cream. Definitely recommend.- Salads: Their poblano chicken caesar was pretty good and had a good amount of chicken. They also had a refreshing grapefruit salad which I don't think they offer anymore.- Spring pea grilled cheese: This dish was a little too unique for me. The pea pesto and boursin cheese were a little too similar in texture and taste. Again, not for me but maybe for you!- Pastries: All of their pastries are really good, from their scones to muffins but especially their cookies which are perfectly chewy. Make sure to get them warmed up!In terms of parking, I can always find street parking nearby and tend to park on 10th st. So overall, this is a great brunch spot and I'll keep coming back!
First time at this spot and the food was amazing! Big portions and aesthetically pleasing restaurant. The coffee was pretty good as well . The pretty person with blonde hair at the front who took my order was so sweet! Thank you for helping me out! :)
5/5 for coffee, 3/5 for food. Still rating 5 stars because the coffee is among the top 3 cafes for about a 30 mile radius. Truly excellent beans and well prepared, very consistent. I wish there were more elevated latte options--for this aesthetic/style of coffee shop, I want more than just different syrups, at least occasionally--but what they do, they do very well. I have not sat down here for full brunch, which people seem to speak highly of. My experience getting food to go has been less positive. I have filed their food offerings under "Instagram" i.e. looks fancy, tastes meh. They were doing an avocado toast with sunflower macha (the salsa, not the green tea) for a while; the macha completely overpowered the dish with its dark bitterness, and there was way too much oil. Today I was super excited to try the smoked salmon bagel; it was literally inedible due to oversalting. I had to take it back. Love the coffee, love the service. IMO food needs work and more focus on balancing flavors instead of just being pretty/fancy-looking. But maybe I've just had bad luck, since everyone else seems to rave about it? Hmm... further research may be needed ;)
The downtown is the newest of the Arcade locations. Arcade is more than a coffee shop, it's an experience. The food is a must have. I haven't had anything that wasn't high quality. Service is 10 out of 10 and the ambiance just makes you feel like you belong.
Phenomenal brunch and can't speak enough about their coffee and matcha as well. I'm very picky on my coffee and I love this place. Super fluffy french toast and not too "eggy". The fresh fruit and the maple butter in the yougurt was great and you could tell it was fresh made. Very decent prices for the quality and taste of the food. Quick service and very helpful staff. Super cute vibes and decoration, very open and airy. I am from out of town and recommend this place to anyone.
Restaurantji Recommends
Ordered the French toast. The whole point of French toast is that it's supposed to be semi custardy on the inside. The slice of bread they use is so thick that it ends up being dry in the middle and the outside is so overcooked and dry that the bread is tougher than it should be. If I wanted to just gnaw on a hunk of bread I would have just bought a baguette from somewhere. The only saving grace is that the butter provided SOME moisture, but not nearly enough. I ate it because I already spent the money and I refuse to waste money, but will I be going back? No. The staff as super welcoming and kind though, they get all the praise. Their drinks were also nice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Another gem of riverside, wonderful way to start the new year, with a classy brunch at a classy establishment. Excellent food great coffee and tastes you only see on food network. Magnificent spot will definitely be coming back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A very well designed cafe with the best matcha latte I've had in a while! The staff were so friendly and conversational.I like my prosciutto and burrata tartine. If you eat meat and cheese-go for it, you won't regret it! My girlfriend enjoyed her veggie sandwich as well.This is my go to recommendation for anyone looking to discover great brunch in Riverside.
One of the nicer cafés in DTR. Highly recommend their drinks! The presentation of the food it top notch and the steak and veggie sandwich was really good. Though the eggs were a bit runny and the taste was a bit bland. Regarding service, the servers were nice, but it is clear that they are understaffed so definitely would not recommend coming here if you're in a rush.
Update: I stopped by for lunch and ordered the veggie sandwich. It was absolutely amazing! It was big enough to share if you wanted to. I also ordered the peach tea which was very good.They have coffee on tap! I went in the other day and ordered the seasonal iced coffee which was maple with oat-milk. It was so good I went back today. This time I got the oat-milk with agave. Great flavor! Since it is on tap it was served quickly. Also gave me a good energy boost!Dietary restrictions: Vegan options
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5