Come for the Coffee, Stay for the Vibes.

SMC Alumni owned Nirvana Soul is the Coffee shop of your dreams

By Kiera O'Hara-Heinz
Associate Editor

With trendy decor, a welcoming atmosphere, and delicious drinks, Nirvana Soul, located in Downtown San Jose, is the trendy coffee shop you’ve been searching for. 

Founded in September 2020 by SMC alumni Be’Anka Ashaolu ’08 and her sister Jeronica Macey, the shop is guided by the motto of “using the power of coffee and tea to bring people together.” Nirvana Soul is one of only a few Black-owned food and beverage businesses in San Jose. The shop's decor reflects this, with a number of murals depicting sayings like “Black Owned,” other paintings of Black folks, and the Black power fist.

The shop is very aesthetically pleasing and, when I visited, many people could be seen taking pictures for social media. The pink color pallet and the plants lining the walls make Nirvana Soul look like a place right out of a Pinterest board or Instagram feed.

The cafe has a pretty extensive menu with many different iced and hot coffee and tea options, and all the plant-based milks you could dream of. I had the serotonin sunrise, an iced tea drink with jasmine, raspberry, peach teas, and sparkling water. The drink really was serotonin in a cup and it was a refreshing drink for a hot day. 

After visiting the coffee shop, I highly recommend you check out the surrounding area. Nirvana Soul is located in the SoFA district and is surrounded by many trendy and artsy businesses. A short walk down the street is the Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA),  an art space dedicated to contemporary Chicano and Latin American art. Their current exhibit, Beyond the Diaspora, explores the Afro-Latino experience through a variety of mediums. The exhibit will run through March 13, 2022. Admission is free though donations are encouraged.