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Rent The Crown

A historic Oakland coffee laboratory and tasting room, available for events, private cuppings, panels, presentations, and private gatherings.

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Overview

The Crown Tasting Room with green mosaic tile wall

A Coffee Venue in Downtown Oakland

The Crown is housed in a historic Oakland building that began its life as a car showroom in the 1920s. We renovated the space to preserve what we loved about the original architecture while reflecting our open-source and experimental approach to coffee. Today the building functions as Royal Coffee's coffee laboratory and tasting room, and is available for events, private cuppings, panel discussions, presentations, and private gatherings. 

We provide end-to-end, turn-key event services, including beverage, food, hospitality, and full coffee service from The Crown's team. The space accommodates groups from small private cuppings up to 75 guests for larger events. 

The Crown is located in the heart of Oakland and accessible by BART, bike, bus, or car. Free walk-throughs are available by request. 

Person pouring coffee into a white mug with 'ROYAL' branding on a blurred background

What's Included with a Crown Rental

Every rental at The Crown includes the following:

  • State-of-the-art A/V, including a 133-inch projector in the Presentation Room, a 92-inch projector in the Brew Lab, wireless microphones, and surround sound throughout the building 
  • Seating for up to 65, with movable tables and chairs configurable for any event format 
  • Movable Nanawall glass door systems that allow rooms to operate independently or open into one another for larger gatherings 
  • Full coffee service led by The Crown's Tasting Room team 

Four Rooms, One Building

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The Crown Tasting Room

The Tasting Room 

All guests enter The Crown through the Tasting Room. The room featuresfullcoffee service with an eight-tap brew system and diverse counter heights for drinks and light bites. The Tasting Room can operate independently or open into the adjacent Presentation Room through a movable Nana wall glass door system.

  • 3-group La Marzocco Linea PB espresso machine
  • 3 Mazzer Robur grinders
  • 8-tap cold brew system with cold brew and nitro hookups
  • Mahlkönig EK 43
  • 2 Marco Über Boilers with matching Ecoboiler UC10s
  • Fetco 2152XTS
  • Rotating pour-over brew methods
Isabella and Chris cupping coffee

The Presentation Room 

The largest and most customizable room in the building, designed for panel discussions, presentations, cuppings, and shared appetizers. The room features acoustic paneling, a 133-inch projector screen, and custom movable cupping tables sized for small, medium, and large-format cuppings. It connects to the Tasting Room or the Brew Lab through pocketNanawalldoors, allowing the space to expand or contract for your event.

  • 133-inch projector screen 
  • Custom movable cupping tables for small, medium, and large-format cuppings 
  • La Marzocco GS3 AV 
  • La Marzocco Mini 
  • 2 Mazzer Luxe D grinders 
  • Mahlkönig EK 43 
  • 2 Marco Über Boilers with matching Ecoboiler UC45 
The Crown's Brew Lab

The Brew Lab

The most technical room in the building, designed for hands-on learning and intimatetrainings. The Brew Lab features a 92-inch projector screen and is equippedtoSCA brewing specifications, including a red light for sensory testing. The room connects to the Roast Lab and the Presentation Room throughNanawalldoors, making it useful for viewership overflow or as a staging area for catering.

  • 92-inch projector screen 
  • 3 La Marzocco 2-group espresso machines (Linea PB AV, GB5 EE, Linea Classic AV) 
  • 6 Mazzer espresso grinders (Major doser, Kony E, 3 Robur E) 
  • Swift EPS 
  • 2 Marco Ecoboiler TC 10 
  • Mahlkönig EK 43 
  • 2 Fetco 2152XTS 
  • 4-tap cold brew system with cold brew and nitro hookups 
Modern coffee roasting lab interior

The Roast Lab

A working roastery designed for production and education. The room is equipped with a 5kg Diedrich, a 15kg Loring "Falcon," a Coffee Pro Direct,IkawaPro V3 sample roasters, and a bank of home coffee roasters. During events, the Roast Lab functions as a viewing space where guests can see the equipment up close.

  • 5kg Diedrich 
  • 15kg Loring "Falcon" 
  • Coffee Pro Direct 
  • Ikawa Pro V3 sample roasters 
  • Bank of home coffee roasters 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I see the space before I book? 

Yes. Fill out the inquiry form below to schedule a free walk-through. You can also stop by our Tasting Room any day of the week, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, for coffee.

How many people does the space hold?

The Crown is cleared for up to 75 guests, with seated configurations for up to 65.

Can I hold a presentation or panel discussion? 

Yes. The Presentation Room and the Brew Lab are both equipped with projectors, audio systems, and wireless microphones for turn-key presentations.

Do you provide food, or only coffee? 

Standard rentals include full coffee and beverage service from The Crown's team.

Do you offer non-profit rates?

Yes. Please note your non-profit status in your inquiry and we will do our best to accommodate.

Can I rent time on your roasters? 

We do not rent roaster time. For Bay Area roasters looking for production time, we recommend Bay Area Co-Ro and Pulley Collective. If you are interested in learning to roast on our equipment, The Crown offers hands-on roasting classes ranging from one-hour introductions to multi-day workshops. Browse the calendarofupcoming classes on The Crown page.

Who do I contact about a rental?

Reach out to Josh Wismans, The Crown's Tasting Room Manager, at josh@royalcoffee.com, or fill out the inquiry form below.