Interesting coffee place with some unique coffee + chai fusion options. Tried Turkish Cappuccino which had little too much overpowering chai flavor and Ginger snap molasses which at the beginning felt very strong herbs flavors but eventually started to taste good. It felt like Ginger snap is something that would be perfect Indian Kadha chai which is to be had either when its really cold weather or you are down with flu. Will definitely give this a try next time I am down (although I hope that need doesnt arise). One down side, a reasonably priced coffee place that doesnt serve coffee in mugs - didnt quiet get that. I guess the place is still coming up...
Visited for the first time recently and enjoyed the clean, modern environment and of course the great coffee. Will be back for sure!
Love their oat milk latte.
It is a nice coffee, but not the best in town...
I would never have figured that this place is a coffee shop. With a face of a small theatre that looks like a shoe/sporting goods shop, one can be hard pressed to find the coffee relation. But once you get over this disconnected sensation and taste the coffee, it all feels great. Some awesome coffee in the Mountain View/Palo Alto area. I am glad something this good is so close to Stanford University. The Nitro brew is top shelf.
Ok coffee, good pastries from midwife and the baker.
You get a free coffee with purchase of shoes. They also encourage you to try out your shoes for thirty days. If you are unhappy with them you can bring them back. They have a helpful staff too. They carry all the key running shoe brands including Brooks, Asics and saucony shoes. They also have foam rollers to massage those hurting IT bands. If you are looking for a new pair of running shoes you should scope them out and get an espresso while you are at it.
Ordered liquorice cold brew. Served with liquorice powder on top. Delicious, but definitely a double black diamond (experts-only) liquorice lovers drink. Owner was nice enough to give us a sample of lemon fizz cold brew, chai latte, ipa cold brew, and golden zombie (with oat milk and turmeric). All outstanding. Lemon fizz had strong sour taste. Chai and golden zombie were well balanced. Will be back
Best coffee in the area, hands down!
Best coffee in palo alto hands down.
A bitter sweet review as Zombie Runner is no longer a shoe shop and only sells coffee. As a coffee shop they are easily the best coffee in the South Bay and may be the best in the greater Bay. Zombie was one the only running shops to cater to ultra runners, but apparently that niche didnt pay Palo Alto rents, so I wish them success, while I try to find a new shoe store.
Truly excellent, and Im thrilled that theyre doing well enough to expand. Theyve earned it!
We ordered three different coffees and all tastes good.
Fantastic store, selection and service. The staff were incredibly warm and went above and beyond to help. The coffee was great too!
Amazing staff. Cozy shoe store with services that will exceed expectations. Not to mention, the BEST coffee I have had in California is also nested in this gem! This was a really great experience and the staff take time to understand your needs, and find the right solutions.
Good selection and great service. The staff did a great job explaining things and answering my questions. They helped me through trying on several pairs of shoes to find the perfect one. Coffee bar was also good.
Best coffee in Bay Area. Owners & Staff are super friendly. I have been coming here for 8 years and not found another coffee shop in the Bay Area as good. If you like coffee, fill your boots here.
What a great place! Good selection of walking and running shoes, SUPER knowledgeable staff. NO sales pitch, just sincere and competent help. Oh, and a kick-*ss espresso bar!
This is the best shoe store espresso bar I have been to. You hear that all other shoe store espresso bars? The barrier to entry is being as good as this place and this place is great. Honestly the best espresso in PA, I still go back from SF to get shoes here. This place is tops.
Don makes the absolute best espresso drinks. Try the cappuccino or the ridiculously decadent hot chocolate. And, as a bonus, Don has the most amazing assortment of licorice! Not bad for a running store.
I used to live around the corner from this place on Cal Ave. Once you become a regular, its easy to forget how odd the combination of a running shoe shop and an amazing coffee place is - but youll be reminded every time you bring a friend here for the first time.This place consistently pours the best coffee Ive had in the Bay Area, sometimes with quirky little latte art but always delicious.It also has a great selection of running shoes and the friendly folks that run the shop are really passionate runners.Ideal place for a coffee break during the Sunday farmers market which happens right outside on Cal Ave.
Staff is great for helping pick out shoes. They have a great selection of serious running shoes, including many low drop and minimalist shoes. The treadmill is great for testing out shoes - it can even decline so you can simulate going downhill.The coffee is great, too!
Great shop with good choice and super helpful staff. The treadmill is quite advanced so you can ensure that the shoes you chose are a good fit for your needs. Definitely would recommend!
Great selection of shoes for serious runners and those that need expert advice on selecting the right kind of shoes for their specific needs. Friendly owners and attentive friendly expert customer service. Plus, superb coffees and teas.
Great coffee shop with great options that you cannot find elsewhere.
Visited from the UK and really enjoyed the coffee!! We went back a couple of times before we went home. Unfortunately though, we did find the staff to be extremely snobby, judgemental and unfriendly! The aim is to buy coffee and leave. I guess thats what they want anyway as their seating arrangement is limited and uninviting.
This is by far the BEST coffee I have ever tried. Always same quality. Doesnt have internet and cellphone signal but who needs it when such a good coffee is brewed there. You can buy beens as well.
Super weird and interesting coffee place, especially cool if you like zombies, licorice running. Definitely worth checking out and right by the bay trail! Not a ton of room to sit, no tables but benches and walls around outside.
Not everyone likes licorice. But if you do (and coffee) get the Zombie Likes Licorice latte. Sounds crazy but its really good!
Great running great with a locals vibe. But the coffee and chocolate are the best! Odd, I know, but its the best espresso bar in the area.
Fantastic coffee, especially the Nitro Cream.
Don and Gillian are accomplished runners and even more accomplished professionals who value the runners positive experience. Along with a runners high, they brew the best cup of variable types of tea and Java that you are likely to find anywhere. A pleasurable place to visit anytime on wonderful California Avenue!
Zombie Runner has best coffee I have tried in the USA so far. This is the place I go when I want an awesome coffee. Otherwise, I will have to go to Rome.
Nice coffee, interesting placement. Not much of a seated area but good for on-the-go. They have lots and lots of Dutch sweets (stroopwaffels, various zoute drops) and an assortment of licorice. Fresh ground and coffee beans also for sale. Owner is apparently Norwegian, so not sure where the Dutch theme comes from but hey, whatever floats your boat (or gondola)!
The best place to get slow brew coffee mocha chai tea, chocolate shots. They also sell high end coffee.
I went expecting to buy new shoes for shin splints. They checked my current shoes and said they were fine. They then suggested a routine for dealing with shin splints and I bought a simple $20 device to help with stretching and massaging the shins plinth area. Great attention to us and open with info. Not rushed and no hard sell. They are runners and seem to focus on assisting other runners first, rather than making the sale and moving on.
Best selection of shoes for walking, running and trails. Unbelievably good espresso drinks!
The selection and service is brilliant. As a first-time customer, they spent over 45 minutes with me: asking about my running habits, watching me run on their treadmill, and teaching me about the different types of running shoes that would work best for my style. I walked out with all of my questions answered, happy, and Ill be back when my shoes need a refresh (in about 350 miles).
Best running store with an awesome gear selection and even better chocolate ;) I love coming to this place. They have it all. Super friendly people. It is just an awesome store.
Running and drinking coffee are the two daily adult habits picked up in eighth grade that have stuck with me, so ZombieRunners cafe + running shop concept really resonates with me.The old theater on California (a slightly younger and hipper skewing neighborhood of Palo Alto with lively bars and popular mid-priced restaurants) is also the perfect location.ZRs coffee is amazing. They serve their own brand of locally roasted beans, and what has to be the richest shot of espresso Ive found on the Peninsula. They are also well stocked with Oatly and small batch chocolate.Where ZombieRunner needs to improve IMO is nailing the other items we runners burn through in high frequency and cant really find on the Peninsula. Like healthy baked goods, a few quality running tops and a more curated shoe selection (IMO deeper on road trainers, with a few top road-racing and trail shoes to complement).The layout could also be tightened. For example, unless my dog decides to eat mine, I dont think Ill be buying a foam roller or plantar-fasciitis socks anytime soon. Lots of drug stores, supermarkets chain and bike shops sells GU now. Those kinds of items might not be the best use of all the prime shelf space up front to pique interest and draw me or the brunch / farmers market folks in.One last thing to mention is community. It feels like sponsoring local running clubs and events would be a really welcomed (instead of it always being TRM) and cheap way to connect with the broader Bay Area running community and extend ZRs reach.
Friendly and knowledgeable running staff. Nice treadmill for trying shoes. It would be nice if the selection was just a bit bigger.
Great service! They had great advice when I was looking for a new pair of running shoes. I loved the shoes so much that I bought a second pair within months - theyre the best running shoes Ive had in years. Their great coffee is just an added bonus.
I like this place because the coffee is dark and strong and because is the only place where you can both have a coffee and buy top end running shoes without leaving the store. Interesting business model.
Got a pair of kicks and a pack today. Cant say enough about the awesome people who work here! Very good service without being pushy or too laid back. As a bonus the coffee is out of this world.Cheers,Adam
Best coffee in town! Unfortunately they are unable to serve their green tea lattes with milk alternatives! :( Sad. But they now serve oat milk with all of their other drinks! Highly recommend putting your name down at Joannes Cafe and then coming here for coffee while you wait!
I love the Turkish coffee and the chai. Havent tried anything I didnt like, though. Definitely stop here if you need coffee and running gear.
I just went to get a coffee but ended up buying a new pair of shoes. Really friendly and helpful staff. Theres a coffee bar inside and a small seating area. No wifi and no restroom though.
Super cool place for running shoes. No fluff as in the big brands but great where it matters I.e. the staff knowledge on shoes is very good and they are very helpful too. Total focus on running!!!
Great coffee but even better running shoes, apparel and advise. Really enjoy shopping here. Good vibe and good stuff.
Real family run spot with best latte in Palo Alto love these guys
Best latte in the area. Really friendly owners. Also sells liquorice and other international delicacies including chocolates.
Like two awesome stores in one. Ill go for the coffee, then wind up with new shoes. The spicy mocha is, without a doubt, the tastiest drink.
Good service and a great place to buy new running shoes.
We love this place for coffee, running supplies (very reasonable prices) and black licorice (impressive selection, I recommend the groitten). VEGANS: they have OATLY!!! For your drink order, and also for sale by the carton. My regular is a vanilla coldbrew with oatly and lavender. I like to come here when I have a guest at the Sunday farmers market. The line gets long but the drinks come out very quickly.
Great running store. Coffee shop seems to be popular
Very nice place for a quickly stop. There are a lot of products for health, shoes, food, packs, for people athletics. Good coffee with ginger, I love it.
Doing Gods Work in Palo Alto, the land of no-good espresso. Excellent Chai. The real deal, slowly simmered. Espresso based drinks also top notch, but cant get them to stay easily (its a running store after all).As far as the running store goes, its a great place to get zero drop heels, and normal shoes and toe shoes, styles that you cant find elsewhere. I was able to get some sweet deals on shoes that fit my narrow heels and wide toes.O yeah, bags of high quality coffee for less than $20/lb?!?!?!?!
Im not sold on the boutique running gear / tea house - how many times do you want a new pair of shoes and a coffee? The tea selections are limited but they have a nice seating area.
Great espresso and lattes. While you wait, you can also shop their great collection of athletic shoes and apparels.
Solid selection of running shoes, they carry big name brands as well as some of the more niche brands. They are also one of the few local shops that carry my favorite, Tailwind nutrition product. Lastly, if your in the mood for a hot drink check out their little in store cafe.
Super knowledgeable and helpful staff. Great selection of top shoes and socks. Not a store for apparel or accessories though
Awesome cold brew 2nd to none. Thats saying a lot in the Bay Area. Not cheap but really really good.
Best nitro coffee in Palo Alto, they also have a great selection of beans.
Really nice and helpful staff, great selection of shoes for a good price. Finally managed to secure some Topos! The coffee was also great as were the iced green tea thingy ☺
Amazing service. Knowledge staff. Great running gear. Awesome coffee.
Best lates in town, and love their nitro cold brew!
The owner and his wife run this establishment. Both of them are marathoners and very knowledgeable. The coffee is awesome too.
Top notch authentic espresso! And the owners are amazing people too. My go to coffee shop!
Great concept of running store and cafe. Drinks are very strong. Friendly service
Bomb coffee in a weird location. This place is a little coffee stand inside a shoe store, but they have amazing coffee drinks and fun names :)
Best coffee in Palo Alto. Better than Blue Bottle (good, but over-hyped and too expensive) and slightly better than Coupa. I don’t understand why anyone goes to the Starbucks down the street.
Great shoe and snack selection. The coffee drinks, although limited in ounces, are unreal. I come by very often after a workout.
First off this shop specializes in running shoes & gear for trail & ultra-runners. A very well-curated selection of products & knowledgeable, involved, & helpful staff. Reasonable prices + discounts for Palo Alto Run Club members.Secondly, but just as remarkable, the instore coffee bar is simply the best. The cold brew is sublime! The macchiato is a knockout!!! & they have a selection of unusual coffee drinks that will widen your tastes!
Great place for amazing coffee and running gear!
My favorite coffee and coffee beans in town. They also have chocolates up to 100% cacao, liquorice, and oat milk.To be clear, they no longer have running shoes and its not in the old theater any more.
Best Expresso drinks. A store for real runners. A treadmill for trying out shoes.A little cabinet with all the awards of the ultrarunner founders.
Knowledgeable staff, delicious coffee, reasonable prices. Somewhat limited selection, but overall excellent
Awesome shoes and expert knowledge. Very friendly staff. No better place to buy sports shoes in silicon valley.
Golden zombie is the best! They also have a large supply of Oatmilk!!
Helpful staff. They help you pick the right shoes. You can also use the treadmill
They have good collection of shoes based on your activity.
A great store for all things ultra running, run by someone who cares for the sport. The clothing options are a bit sparse, but expect to find everything else that you need as far as shoes, nutrition, vests, and anything Salomon.
Love the different specialty drinks. The spicy mocha is my favorite. Only complaint is that they dont offer Splenda.
Funny combination of a sports shop and a cafe. Very good espresso.
Superb coffee and top tier running supplies
Ok. This is a dual review. Zombierunner is both a shoe store and a coffee shop. Both are great. I have gotten quality personal attention each time ive come in for shoes or other running paraphernalia. And the coffee shop is great. Id say best coffee in the area. And if you like licorice, they have a broad and interesting selection to boot
This is the best espresso on the peninsula, bar none!
Running gear, great coffee and black licorice from Europe - the best of all worlds.
This place is a gem! Love their coffee and chocolate selection. Very inventive coffee drinks -- the Golden Zombie (cold-brewed coffee, oatmilk, tumeric) is my current additiction. And they have Oatley brand oatmilk for sale!