Blackhorse espresso and bakery

The baristas are helpful and friendly and offer awesome suggestions if you tell them flavors you like! The pastries are to die for and baked fresh ever morning. The espresso is consistently good, overall it's my fave coffee shop and bakery in SLO! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

BlackHorse was the reason why I enjoy and always look for a good cup of coffee. I remember oh how way back when they opened years ago, when we lived the SLO Life on the Central Coast. ..Well, I happened to need to get the RAV4 with Utah license plates serviced for an oil change and an empty blue Starbucks cup in hand, Riki M. at Toyota suggested to really good coffee next door. I was already intending to head next door with my daughter in tow, who had already here own homemade French Vanilla Hazelnut latte. The gray overcast skies were the perfect backdrop in choosing to sit by the BH outdoor fireplace looking at LOVR. My daughter sat outside with her book and coffee. I went inside and sadly noticed only one bag of coffee beans... DECAF . Well I continued on to see the barista Jake behind the counter. Thank you Jake for noticing the soot sprites. I went ahead and ordered the Jumper Cable and handed over my blue Starbucks cup... I didn't ask about beans at that point. Shortly after ordering, my Jumper Cable was waiting for its lid to get its photo taken in front of the outdoor fireplace. As I walked outside I took my first step and realized I had to get a bag of beans, but there was only ONE bag of DECAF!My daughter wanted to take a glance at the baked goods and the two of us agreed to ordering something we don't normally order... blueberry lemon poppyseed muffin. We had it warmed up and oh the fragrance of the lemon was refreshing. I then inquired as to where to get a bag of dark roast beans, because I must take one home back to Utah with me. So Jake made a call and has one bag of dark beans waiting for me at the other location. Thank you DarkHorse for finding and reserving a bag of dark roasted DH coffee beans!I don't know who provides the pastries at DarkHorse, but that blueberry lemon poppyseed muffin was AMAZING! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great experience at this location! Customer service was 5 stars. Jake was friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable.

Reviewed on Yelp

Great coffee, cozy place, friendly staff �����

Reviewed on Facebook

NICE! Loved the art work! Employees were smiling & friendly. Coffee was on point! Highly recommend stopping by!!

Reviewed on Facebook

Just stopped in and got a classic cappuccino. Mmmmmmmm really comfy, good service, and a delicious cappuccino. ���

Reviewed on Facebook

Comfortable place to come in from the cold. Friendly service and I didn't get a sideways look when I asked for a large black coffee :)

Reviewed on Facebook

latte was great!! oh and the sour cream coffee was to die for..yummy!!

Reviewed on Facebook

Great atmosphere and company! Great way to start a road trip!

Reviewed on Facebook

Awesome place! The Vegan Pumpkin muffin was the best.

Reviewed on Facebook

Great espresso and baked items! Friendly staff and excellent service.

Reviewed on Facebook

Great job on the coffee this morning! Probably one of my more favorite BH locations in SLO!

Reviewed on Facebook

best coffee ever !! good custumer service and a great place !!!

Reviewed on Facebook

Awesome customer service and excellent coffee! Top notch coffee shop

Reviewed on Facebook

Absolutely my favorite!! Back visiting after 3.5 years from graduating Cal Poly. Going every morning of vacation because I've missed it so much!!!

Reviewed on Facebook

Best coffee on the central coast!!! Great vibe, upbeat and friendly staff. If you like cold brew you've got to try the jumper cable. They have a great assortment of fresh made pastries and cookies. Keep up the good work black horse. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Love this coffee shop . Great strong freshly brewed coffee . Always sure to stop by when I am in SLO !

Reviewed on Yelp

Came here at 5:26 right at they open, and asked if they could add Raspberry to a white mocha. Sounded like this wasn't a frequent request,  but being acceptable in the bay area, figured I'd try. They gladly made me the beverage and I was on my way! Great place. If in town again, I'd stop by! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Good coffee! Nice people.

Reviewed on Facebook

Good coffee and great hot chocolate too!!!

Reviewed on Facebook

Coffee, I’m there for the coffee..

Reviewed on Facebook

Seriously, why would anyone go to Starbucks when they can get a much better, quality beverage at Blackhorse! Plus, their pastries are delicious. Charlie, the manager, is so personable and hard working.... it's hard to find people like that out in the business world anymore! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Comfortable seating in a big space with friendly service and convenient location by the freeway and main shopping area. Dog friendly inside and outside with an outdoor fireplace, and when my dog tugged the coffee out of my hands, the staff quickly offered to replace it with a smile and a laugh.

Reviewed on Yelp

Friendly as soon as you enter and it says a lot when they remember you / your order. I love this place! I may not get there as often as I'd like however the vegan chocolate chip pumpkin muffins are to die for and the breakfast panini are my favs! Not to mention the coffee is hot and fresh. Grateful this place is around. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

They have been one of our local cafe houses for a long time now. Always making great drinks, and providing good slabs of cake or other pastries.

Reviewed on Facebook

The dark roast coffee is about the best I've ever had. It's worth a visit just for this.

Reviewed on Yelp

They understood how to make a nice dry cappuccino. They have some nice baked goods as well. The barrista was friendly, the place is clean, nice tables and a nice fireplace. The restrooms are clean who would recommend to anyone. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Cool place, kind staff and good ☕️

Reviewed on Facebook

I love their cappuccinos here! It's the perfect blend of foam and coffee. Their baked goods are pretty good too, it can be a little hit and miss (if you get the blueberry poppyseed muffin, ask for it to be warmed up)! For the most part, the baristas are friendly. There is a lot of seating (mostly tables & chairs; they do have a couch and two armchairs too). Out of most local places, they seem to have the most consistent, good coffee. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I'm not typically a "hang out in coffee shops" kind of girl, but I attend a monthly gathering here and every month this place doesn't disappoint. Inside is clean and there are plenty of tables plus a seating area around a fireplace. The bathrooms are for customers only and require a password to use; I love when businesses do this because that means they're well stocked and kept clean. The tables and chairs outside are plastic and can easily be moved around so our group can all sit together. There are also three round secured picnic tables with umbrellas if you prefer something more sturdy. They offer paninis, muffins, scones and some other typical coffee shop treats. They have a variety of drinks available. During my last visit I tried a freeze for the first time. It was pretty good, but melted fast. The staff running the counter is young and friendly. They do chat with each other when they aren't helping customers, but I don't find that bothersome like others may because they're working at the same time. The location is convenient to a lot of shopping and restaurants which is nice too. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I happened to be passing through town and was looking for coffee and breakfast at 6am. Apparently SLO is a late-rising town, as Black Horse in downtown SLO was the only place open. Lucky me! Excellent cappuccino, chased down by an equally excellent espresso. The lemon-blueberry muffin was off the charts good. The folks working there were super nice and fast. I love this place! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great Caramel and Milky Way lattes that live up to their name. Very good croissants and other pastries as well. It's a nice break from the national chains, with friendly staff and solid customer service.

Reviewed on Yelp

Breakfast panini was delicious and loving my latte. It's a nice, friendly place to grab a cup of coffee. Perfect place to chill when I take in my car for service.

Reviewed on Yelp

Great coffee and friendly staff.  They have yummy food too. Light area to sit in with a book exchange self!

Reviewed on Yelp

Above average latte and sconePlace was dead at 730 on a Saturday morning. Bad sign. Couple of kids working behind the counter talking so my expectations were low but I was pleasantly surprised with the good quality scone and the barista pulled a decent shot. I had the large Carmel latte and cranberry scone. Almost 10 bucks including a dollar tip but everything on this street / town is spendy. Scone was massive and lasted my drive down the coast. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

First time here, stopped by while we wait for our massage sesh. It's like a local Starbucks except better. How? Friendlier baristas, kids menu, straight menu of drinks for adults and great pastries. I ordered the caramello coffee  and blackberry scone. The coffee was just the right temperature so you don't have to wait around to let it cool down before you can enjoy it. The pastry however is a wonderful surprise; flaky but not dry, crumbly but it doesnt give you that stick to the back of your throat feeling.  The tables are nicely spread apart and there's loads of room (you'll be hard pressed to bump into someone unless you purposely do it LOL!).  They also have a patio area for those who want to enjoy their coffee al fresco. Overall, 5 stars. We'll be coming by again each time we are in SLO, our second home. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Been here three times. Only once has the cold brew tasted... off. Don't know why. Generally speaking they are good. I wish they had more dark roasts throughout the day. Good overall and would recommend and return. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great customer service placed my order and it was made efficiently and perfectly. I could tell they were trained very well as I am new to coffee and was asking multiple questions and they informed me on how they brew it, the science of it all and so much more, overall great experience I will definitely return soon.

Reviewed on Yelp

A good first time experience. Cafe was clean and the atmosphere was quiet. Went around 9am on a Sunday morning. Older crowd. I ordered a Carmel latte. Delicious but a tad on the cooler side. Staff not rude but not overly friendly. Coffee cake was amazing. Would visit again when in town. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

This BlackHorse (and only *this* BlackHorse) is my favorite cafe in SLO. Pretty much on the Central Coast. I don't come here necessarily for the coffee or the food. I come here because it's so peaceful, flooded with tons of warm, natural, daylight and is very spacious! I've been to SLODoCo, Kreuzberg, Scouts, multiple Starbucks', Front Porch, Belle Mundo (really nice too), Nautical Bean, Peet's, and a few others. I've been coming here for 5 years now. This is my favorite study place, not for any super amazingly unique feature it has over the others, it just....works for me. I've spent a lot of time finding places that are conducive to studying/focusing. Personally, this BH is "my spot." Even though coffee at Starbucks is cheaper (especially with my reusable cup-discount), not to mention I get free refills (gold card member), I STILL prefer to come here! (Recently not so much because there was/is? one employee who just killed it for me, like another review mentioned). But now every time I drive by, I just pop my head in, look at the chart and see who's working that day - if it's not the guy who closes early, I decide to stay for a few hours and enjoy a nice coffee and blackberry muffin in a really nice cafe. :)The girls who work here are soooo sweet/friendly. There are tables galore here! Pretty large and round. Lots of them. It's common to see people (aside from students) gathering here for a group project or activity. Even though there are a lot of tables, it's pretty spaced out. The BH on Foothill feels way too cramped every time I step in there. What keeps me coming back and driving the extra distance from campus, are the many glass windows which allow for that beautiful SLO sun to just pour through. In the summer time, with that sunlight and that summer breeze blowing through... man. Perfect. But even now, just having windows for walls and having the interior painted a light, cream yellow just makes the whole place feel warm, happy, and positive. I did have one issue here though, which I will just chalk up to "new employee/not aware of pricing". I am very sensitive to coffee and even a standard cup will wire me up too much. Anyway, I usually order a small drip coffee. I come here a lot so the price is embedded in my mind/wallet. This time I ordered coffee in one of their tiny cups. The size below "small". I was charged the price for the mug of coffee I usually get. I asked, "why is the price of this smaller size of coffee the same price as the larger size I usually get?" I was giving benefit of the doubt that she entered the wrong size/price. She didn't know. I even pointed at the menu and we went over the prices and the sizes of cups they had on the counter. I couldn't see how to make it any clearer. Then the other girl came to help. She asked what the problem was. Explained again calmly, not fuss. She said, "oh it's probably tax." Okay...been coming here for years. Know how much my coffee is. You're charging me a price for coffee I normally get. I am ordering a size below that... how is that logically the same price Was so confused. Anyway, at this point, I felt a bunch of eyes searing my back as people behind me were wondering why this guys is choking up over a dollar or less difference in price. And well, one it was a matter of principle. It wasn't the price. And second, when you take pride in a place that is your "study spot" you take an interest is its success. If this girl is not aware of the pricing and another girl says "its probably tax" when we are all looking at the receipt... its annoying. Because this is gonna happen to another person and another, until someone higher up hears about it or you see a lot of negative reviews. Something which I don't want to happen. Anyway, I'm graduating in a few days and may leave slo so I guess I will have to say goodbye to my fav coffee shop and wish it the best of luck. I definitely believe in time, the new employees will get better and get a feel for how things work. To any employees reading this...it may seem like a boring 8-hr shift, but it's also someones first stop prior to work, sanctuary/refuge from a hectic day, argument at home or bad test day in school. First impressions are sooo important. In some ways, this is more of a hospitality-oriented job than it is a food-service industry. A smile, eye-contact, chit-chat, and refraining from doing things that are disruptive to a relaxing patron or focused student. Being insistent and offering to make things right if a customer complains. Or even asking customers if everything was alright. People like it when you make them feel like their feedback is of value. If you have people who are impressed with the service here, they will come here. If you have people who get turned off time and again, you're gonna get less patrons and the place may close down and then you're job is immediately at risk. Just my two cents. Love you guys. Love my BH coffee mug and will drink out of it proudly back in LA. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

This place has been my fav for nearly a decade now. First time at this location: service was ok but coffee/food is delish as always. Would have been kind of nice if the people behind the counter didn't look at u completely uninterested. Iced latte was great. The ham and Swiss croissant is my absolute fav and was amazing as always. I'll give 5 stars when the owner stops hiring pretentious modelas. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great place. Turkey panini is amazing. Weve been here 4 or 5 times now and it never disappoints. Great people as well.

Reviewed on Yelp

Great place.  Strong wifi. Friendly staff.  Can get a little noisy but that's only when it's really busy.  Great coffee

Reviewed on Yelp

Nice simple coffee shop. The coffee was good, nothing gourmet about their beans or milk used for lattes, but very grateful for them being open early for us morning travelers and friendly staff working the bar. Conveniently located right off the freeway help too. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Cozy, but professional.  The espresso was great, as was the customer service.  Pastry was adequate.  Doesn't look like they're baked there, however.

Reviewed on Yelp