The latest coffee shop in downtown San Jose, Devine Grind, is located, somewhat discreetly, on Devine Street, immediately north of St. James Park. Devine Grind is sparsely decorated yet has a welcoming atmosphere. This is definitely not a cookie-cutter corporate coffee place.

The tables are placed in seemingly random spots, and the counter space, of which there is very little, looks right out the front window at the passing VTA. The primo spots, however, are on the patio, which has six tables and bumps right up against the sidewalk. Divine Grind offers free WiFi too, which is always a good thing. 

Their coffee beans come from nearby Crema Coffee Roasting Company. It’s a smooth variety that’s not too bitter or overly acidic, the way Starbucks and Peet’s tend to be. Their pastries are delivered daily from Copenhagen Crown Bakery in Santa Clara and are all top-notch. I had an unusual, albeit delicious bear claw. It lacked the typical almond paste filling and was, surprisingly, fried, with a plethora of almonds and sugar coating the outside. The macaroon cookie looked like an oddly shaped UFO. No matter what it resembled, it was one of the tastiest, sweetest macaroons I’ve ever sampled. The pastries range between $2 and $4.

Devine Grind also serves sandwiches, which are made in-house. The choices are ham, chicken and turkey. They are simple, with no frills, and quite large, something your mom might make on your visits home from college. They are served on three slices of bread with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and mustard. They are $5 each.

The standout drinks are the coconut latte, which had a smooth, sweet creamy coconut flavor, and the white-and-black mocha, which combined coffee with white- and milk-chocolate mocha. It was like drinking candy, all while still getting a strong caffeine buzz. The coffee drinks range in price from $3 to $5.

Devine Grind
27 Devine St., San Jose; 408.271.9504