The Coffee Depot - Cafe Reviews | Coffee Shops - Coffee Forum

Yesterday we went to the Coffee Depot in historic downtown Riverside CA.  It is in the original building of, guess what?  A train depot.  It was built in 1904 and operated as a train depot until 1971.  The "baggage room" is now where they have open mic night, cabarets, dancing…  They also have a lounge area, a library (with the original fireplace), and a large upstairs.  They claim to be the largest coffee shop in the country, at over 7000 sq ft and is able to hold well over 200 people.  You can even rent it out for your wedding reception!  It's one of our favorite shops.  There is so much history there.  The staff is always friendly, they have a huge menu of food and drinks and free wi-fi. 

Today we heard that Burt Reynolds had bought it, to turn it into a nightclub, but since it is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, he couldn't make the changes to the building that he wanted to, so he resold it.  In 2000, after two years of renovation, it reopened as the Coffee Depot. 

If you are ever in Riverside CA, I recommend visiting the Coffee Depot.  If you need a place to stay the night, it is just down the street from the beautiful historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa.