Visit Arrakis…I mean The French Press

September 8, 2018 Santa Barbara, CA
The name that’s written above the door, hanging quaintly from a rod iron pole: The French Press.
The name that’s displayed on the glass entryway, boldy painted on the wall inside, and the name of their website: Dune Coffee.
The history of how these two names refer to the same place is a baffling story of intrigue, mystery, and back-stabbing. It’s a study in feudal society, noble houses, and one Paul Atreides. –If you’re an astute science fiction reader, you already know I’m no longer talking about the coffee shop, but about Frank Herbert’s novel that obviously inspired this enterprise. If you aren’t, you should pick up a copy of Dune and head over to The French Press to read it.
In all seriousness, when you visit, you should take a moment and ask the barista why the place seems to have two names. It should lead you to a fun conversation, but we won’t spoil the results here.

ATMOSPHERE 3.5/5

It feels like stepping into a desert. It’s dry, sandy, a wasteland of a place. Water is in short supply, but it is made notable for being the single source in the known universe for Melange, a spice known to extend life and aid in interstellar travel.

No, wait. That’s a Dune reference again.

If we want to talk about the State Street location of this fine coffee roaster:  It’s a quaint, relaxing, not terribly quiet location. Plenty of chairs and tables line the narrow hallway to the back, opening up to a small outside patio. There’s also an outdoor sitting area in the front, ideal for people watching. Contrary to the first paragraph in this section, water is not hard to find inside the French Press, rather it’s available to dispense yourself from an iced container.

The location is suited for a quick espresso, as well as spending an hour or two working on your latest novel (science fiction recommended) or checking those work emails.

COFFEE 4.5/5

Dune declares that their mission is source the “absolute best coffee, roast it with attention and care, and hand it over for you to enjoy”. They claim to be in constant search of better and better coffee. Their passion comes through in the taste and smell of the coffee offerings, and the friendliness of the employees. The coffee is roasted in Santa Barbara (but not at the State St location)

OTHER OFFERINGS

There’s a small selection of pastries, but the main focus here is on the coffee. If you want food, we highly recommend walking across State Street and visiting Andersens.

WORKABILITY/DATE PLACE  4/5

If you are used to making a small workspace footprint,  you can camp out on one of the wall tables for as long as you need. Free wifi is available.

You also need to have a great work ethic and ability to stay focused, lest the temptation to people watch on State Street becomes too tempting.

This place feels like a fantastic one for having a good conversation, feeling cozy in a public area, and discussing the fashion choices of everyone that walks by.

We obviously recommend that you drop the next time you visit Santa Barbara.

 

VISIT

They have three locations, all in California. We haven’t yet visited the other Santa Barbara location (Anacapa) or the one in Goleta, CA. This article was written after our visit to the French Press on State Street.

1101 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

dunecoffee.com