Bean Scene Cafe: Serving Caffeine Nation for Decades
The Bean Scene Cafe has been seen in downtown Sunnyvale for more than 20 years. Despite competition and Silicon Valley’s obsession with the new, it remains a favorite spot to stop in for a cup of hot coffee and soup on a winter’s day. It has earned rave reviews recently on Trip Advisor and on its Facebook page, for its warm, down-home atmosphere and friendly staff.
That kind of longevity doesn’t just happen, especially in the cutthroat specialty coffee business. Although out-of-home U.S. coffee consumption equaled an all-time high in 2017, it’s getting harder and harder for independent outlets to compete against fast-expanding chains.
Kenny Lam, owner of Bean Scene Cafe, was aware of the trend when he bought the cafe from a buddy in 2005 and sensed the need to adapt. He switched up the menu to put more emphasis on healthier food: Out with the fried and oily, in with the vegan and organic options. The juice is squeezed fresh, and most items are made to order.
Another change, subtle but important, is brewing for early 2018. Kenny says he’s switching to organic beans, though they’ll be offered in all the same popular varieties he’s always had. The demand for organic is high, he says, but, “Taste-wise, customers shouldn’t notice the difference.”
Community vibe
Given their success, the big national chain is obviously doing something right. Those who appreciate something different, something special, will find a bit of that at the Bean Scene Cafe. It is located right on Historic Murphy Avenue near Washington Avenue.
Stop in a Saturday morning when the Sunnyvale Farmers Market is in full swing just outside the front door, and you’ll feel the community vibe inside. It’s the cafe’s busiest day, Kenny says.
On a recent pre-Christmas Saturday, we saw it for ourselves. Here, we saw people reading the newspaper or a book. There, young parents relaxed with a cup of a java as their bundled-up baby slept in her portable car seat on the floor a next to a sturdy cloth bag overflowing with fresh produce.
Maybe it’s just the time of year, but the constant flow of people in and out, chatting amiably and greeting friends and neighbors, brought to mind a lyric from Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”:
The colors of the rainbow,
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people passing by.
I see friends shaking hands
Saying how do you do.
They're really saying: “I love you.”
Coffee specials and belly dancing
It’s probably not reasonable to expect that kind of vibe at all times, but there are plenty of other ways the Bean Scene Cafe differs from the chain-store experience. For instance, Kenny rotates the works of local artists hanging on the wall.
Occasionally he brings in a band for the later cafe hours of a Friday. Oh, and when is the last time you saw a belly dancer at Peet’s? Or picked up a small coffee and a muffin, bagel or pastry for $2? There are also lower-priced lunch and dinner specials.
Still not convinced to give Bean Scene a visit? We’ll leave you with this recent Trip Advisor review from Stella1001: “Love, love, love this place. It's so good not to be in a chain coffee shop for a change. The coffee here is lovely, and the atmosphere is comfortable and friendly. Food excellent too. We have been here a few times visiting from the UK and the staff always remember us. You can't get better than that!”