Coupa Cafe

About Coupa Cafe on Ramona Street

Coupa Cafe is a Palo Alto institution in the plain sense of the word: a local, family-owned cafe group that has grown into a fixture downtown and across the Stanford campus. The company says it has been family owned since 2004. In 2026 its website marks 22 years in business.

The Ramona Street cafe at number 538 is one of two downtown branches. The other is on Lytton Avenue. The group also runs a cafe in Stanford Research Park, four cafes on the Stanford campus and two more in Redwood City and Los Altos. If you have studied or worked at Stanford, there is a good chance you have bought a Coupa coffee at one of them.

Ramona Street is home to the Ramona Street Architectural District, known for its Spanish Colonial Revival buildings. It is a short walk from the rest of downtown's shops and restaurants. Coupa says the Ramona cafe is in a historic Birge Clark building from the 1930s. Clark is one of the best-known architects in Palo Alto history. Our Palo Alto architecture guide covers his work. The cafe lists hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, longer than several of the group's other cafes.

What Coupa serves

Coupa roasts its coffee locally and names Arabica growing regions such as Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Ethiopia and India among its sources. Beyond coffee, the company highlights its Spicy Maya hot chocolate, chai and its own chocolate bonbons and truffles.

The food has a Venezuelan streak. The menu features arepas, the white cornmeal griddle cakes split and stuffed with savory fillings, along with other Venezuelan specialties such as tequenos, empanadas and pabellon. Each location has its own menu on the website, which is the best place to check what this branch is serving today. Coupa also sells its own coffee in packs for brewing at home, shipped free according to its online shop, along with Coupa merchandise.

The company names the farms and suppliers it works with on its home page. They include Clover Stornetta Farms, County Line Harvest, Ratto Brothers, Durst Organics, Dwelley Farms, Giusti Farms and Glaum Egg Ranch, among others. The list gives a sense of where some of the cafe's ingredients come from.

Ordering options

Coupa has built more ways to order than most local cafes. According to its website, every location offers dine in, pickup, curbside and delivery. Here is how the options work:

• Pickup and curbside: order online and collect at the counter or at the curb.
• Delivery: order through Coupa's own online ordering or its listed delivery partner.
• Group orders: set a per-person limit and share a link so each person adds their own order.
• Tableside ordering: scan the QR code on your table to view the menu and pay. Staff deliver the order to your table.

The Coupa Card and the Coupa app add a loyalty layer. The website says you earn a reward for every set amount you spend on food and drinks. Gift cards are sold online and in the cafes.

Catering and events

Coupa Catering is the group's catering arm. It lists an espresso cart service, continental breakfasts, boxed lunches for offices and full lunch and dinner catering. The website also mentions reserving space at its cafes for events. Requests go through the Coupa Catering quote form, which is the right first step for a meeting, a conference or a party.

Who it suits

The Ramona Street Coupa works for several kinds of visits. Commuters can order ahead and grab a coffee on the way to work. Friends meeting downtown can sit down for a longer meal and, where tables have QR codes, order from their seats. Visiting Stanford families will find the same brand they may already know from campus. Office managers can use the group order feature or Coupa Catering for meetings. Because the group publishes one menu per location, check the Ramona Street menu before you go if you have a specific dish or dietary need in mind.

Tips for visiting

• Evening coffee. Ramona Street is open until 8 p.m. daily, later than the Lytton Avenue branch near the train station.
• Skip the line. Weekday mornings downtown can be busy. Order ahead for pickup if you are in a hurry.
• Use the right phone number. The Ramona Street cafe's line is 650-322-6872. The company's general number in the website footer is different.
• Explore nearby. Our downtown Palo Alto guide covers the surrounding blocks. Our coffee guide compares other cafes. For breakfast ideas, see the breakfast guide.

Location and getting there

Coupa Cafe is at 538 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.

The Palo Alto Caltrain station is less than a quarter mile away, a walk of a few minutes.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.

What is nearby

• Tea Time, food shop, under 0.1 mi
• Forest Spa Boutique, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• Bistro Maxine, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• The Wine Room, bar, under 0.1 mi
• Marvel Cake, bakery or dessert shop, under 0.1 mi
• University Avenue, under 0.1 mi
• Lytton Plaza, under 0.1 mi
• Pacific Art League, 0.1 mi

Other cafes and coffee shops nearby: Joe & The Juice Hamilton Avenue (under 0.1 mi); Yummy Future (under 0.1 mi); Verve Coffee Roasters (under 0.1 mi); Starbucks University Avenue (0.1 mi). Browse the full cafes and coffee shops list.

Before you go

• Weekday mornings bring a rush of commuters and students, so expect a line between about 8 and 9:30 a.m.
• Some cafes limit laptop use at busy times or have few outlets. Ask before settling in for a long work session.
• Hours often change with the school calendar and holidays. Check the cafe's site or map listing before a special trip.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Coupa Cafe Ramona location page; Coupa Cafe official website; Coupa Cafe locations; Coupa Catering. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions