My Friend Joe

Specialties

my friend Joe offers all the best in espresso and drip coffee-using delicious Equator Coffee-but we also serve food. We make our own excellent panini and our breakfast sandwiches feature beyond-organic farm fresh eggs. They are out of this world!
Our milkshake menu is vast and creative. Our shakes are made with hand scooped ice cream, always thick, never boring.
We are a green company, so please bring your own cup if you'd like to take your beverage with you-you'll save 50¢ if you do!
Our Mission Statement: my friend Joe was created in 2004 to actively create a more joyful world. We are a friendly revolution of waste reduction and socialization: we create an atmosphere to get people laughing an dtalking to each other, building a sense of local kinship. We think these projects are essential to the survival of man and all around us.

History

Established in 2004.
We started our journey in October 2004 at a tiny coffee counter at a local grocery store. By 2007, we grew into a slightly larger location in downtown Sebastopol. In 2010 we moved into our current cafe-the largest location yet-across from the Santa Rosa Junior College.
Now operating inside of our own four walls (the previous shops had been walk-ups) we can finally be loud, cheerful, play music, host dance parties and all sorts of other fun activities without bothering our neighbors! my friend Joe is home at last!
Our goals to create a sustainability oriented revolution in the sometimes uptight specialty coffee industry is proving a success. Friendships are born here on almost daily because of our innovative and social ambiance. In 2011, we saved 20,000+ cups from being used with our bring-your-own-cup discount program.

Owner

Alexis Bauer is the owner of my friend Joe, but she is only a co-conspirator in the magic that is the my friend Joe cafe experience. True, wackier than most, her personality lends a glow to the pink and turquoise walls of this college hangout; yet without the playful attitude of my friend Joe's colorful and eclectic customer base this party would just not be the same. She is grateful to have so many fun collaborators playing shop with her. Born in Buffalo, NY and raised in PA, Alexis has an east coast flavor that even 10 years in the Southwest could not entirely erase. A creative writing major too in love with adventure to actually complete her degree, Alexis decided that living fiction was better than writing fiction and by the age of 25 she had firmly dedicated her life to adventure. my friend Joe is her most radical and interactive adventure to date, combining her desire to create an innovate social ambiance with her need for really, really bloody great espresso.

Business info

• move_to_inbox
  Offers Takeout

  Yes
• list_alt
  Reservations

  No
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  Masks required

  Yes
• thumb_up
  Staff wears masks

  Yes
• credit_card
  Accepts Credit Cards

  Yes
• tap_and_play
  Accepts Apple Pay

  Yes
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  Outdoor Seating

  Yes
• volume_up
  Moderate Noise

  Yes
• group
  Good for Groups

  Yes
• accessibility
  Good For Kids

  Yes
• turned_in_not
  Good for Breakfast

  Yes
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  Good for Working

  Yes
• local_parking
  Private Lot Parking

  Yes
• wifi
  Free Wi-Fi

  Yes
• tv
  TV

  Yes
• turned_in_not
  Gender-neutral restrooms

  Yes
• local_bar
  Alcohol

  No
• directions_bike
  Bike Parking

  Yes

Last Reviews

• Author: Annie Sherman

  2 September 2025

  I love the Coffee because they use Equator, a women-owned, green company and B Corp and their coffee tastes amazing! I love that this place gives you a discount on bringing your own cup. I love that they are open early. I do wish there were organic and healthier option in the way of food.

• Author: Forrest Williams

  18 August 2025

  Best eggel in town! Decent coffee, lively place. I really love the Ellie's spicy eggel with cream cheese on an artisan bagel.

• Author: Joshua Pinaula

  15 August 2025

  I'm​ the former manager here and I have many fond memories. Regardless! More recently, I've found operations to be slow though, and I always feel like, 'what's up with that?'