Hi-Top Coffee (Fresno, CA)

Hi-Top Coffee (Fresno, CA) – Slowly but surely Fresno’s getting just a little bit cooler with new spots popping up downtown. When Hi-Top first opened and my family checked it out, I knew I had to go there – except it took months for me to finally get there since it never worked out during my other visits to the Central Valley. Plus, I always prioritized getting ice cream at Ampersand over a late coffee.

I finally made it out there last June (I know, I’ve been ridiculously late in making this post – life finds away) after Eid lunch, and definitely wasn’t disappointed.

When you first walk in, you’re greeted by the sight of freshly brewed coffee being made and this fun, illustrated wall. I really like the counter seating as well as the booths further back. The counter was perfect for us since we were a big group with kids, and the booths had people working and studying. There’s also street facing window seats and even cozy beanbags.

Everyone there is super friendly, so I would recommend asking them about drinks if you have any questions aren’t quite sure what to order. They rotate their bean selection, and while we were there they had the Bay’s own Cat + Cloud on hand. This was actually my first time having their coffee since I didn’t go to Santa Cruz until later that summer.

Since we all had a huge lunch (it was Eid after all), everyone got different drinks. They do have different bites, however, like toasts, and some are also seasonal. The first two were seasonal offerings, so they likely won’t be available right now – though they may have a variation of it!

This exact drink was actually hard to find on their Instagram since it looks like they have a few variations of it. I think this was a strawberry lemonade, but it was more slushie like. My friend’s son ordered that, hence the tiny hands. It looks really refreshing – perfect for a hot summer day!

My cousin got an iced lavender latte. It was really smooth and not too flowery, which is perfect. I loved the sprig of lavender on top – so pretty! It’s also available hot, and you get that pretty sprig atop your latte art.

I’m not sure what compelled me to get this because it was essentially two espresso shots, but it was so interesting. The Low Top is one of their unique, signature creations, and I thought it would be more fun to try that versus my usual latte. Plus, it was hot and I wanted something cold.

As described by Hi-Top, the Low Top is a split shot of espresso served 1 and 1 style: one shot of espresso served on its own, and the other is shaken with almond milk, honey, cinnamon, and cardamom. You pour the solo espresso into the mixed one to drink!

This was my first time having coffee with cardamon and I really liked it. I’ve come to really love coffee that have a fun blend of spices – there’s a sweet and spicy combination that’s perfect together. Everything in this drink was balanced perfectly and it goes down smoothly. I didn’t even realize until later this was almond milk – I’m a traditionalist and stick with dairy.

Hi-Top is such a cute, friendly neighborhood spot. It’s cool to see Fresno get a little more hip, slowly but surely. I really need to come stop again sometime because it’s been way too long!