Philz is a well-known coffee brand, based in San Francisco, California. They specialize in made-to-order, single-cup, pour-over coffee drinks.
They’re famous for their unique blends and amazingly flavorful coffee which they make with great care and commitment. For this same reason, Philz coffee is also sought after for its amazing coffee beans.
One of the best coffee beans you can get from Philz is Jacob’s Wonderbar, a dark roast bean that has the right balance of chocolate and nutty flavors. It has a smoky aroma as well and a strong but sweet taste.
Coffee enthusiasts are constantly on the lookout for new or improved options to help them get their mornings started. Philz Coffee is one of these forward-thinking companies that offers an extensive menu to adventurous coffeeholics.
Let’s keep reading this article to find out why is Philz so popular and is there any way to replicate their drinks at home?
What is Philz coffee?
Philz Coffee is an American coffeehouse chain and company based in San Francisco, California. They’re one of the well-known key players of the third-wave coffee business and they specialize in brewing drip coffee.
The coffeehouse chain operates 66 locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, greater Los Angeles, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Sacramento, and, most recently, Chicago. It has also opened its first mobile store in San Francisco.
Philz was founded by Phil Jaber and his son Jacob, who both live in the San Francisco area. Philz sells bagged coffee blends for its customers to buy online, in addition to its extensive range of drinks and coffee.
You can watch the video to know the story behind Philz Coffee.
Why is Philz coffee so good?
Many people want to know the secret to Philz’s delicious coffee. I was fortunate to come across a Philz employee who was generous enough to share the coffee-making process at Philz. Here are some of the major aspects he mentioned:
- The main difference is that they brew their coffee at a slightly lower temperature than others, somewhere between 195 and 200 °F. This produces a very distinct cup than brewing it right off the boiling point of 212 °F.
- Each cup has a lot of coffee in it. To make a serving of 12oz, they use about 5 tablespoons of coffee beans, which is undeniably a generous amount. In some drinks, the amount is even higher.
- They use heavy whipping cream instead of half-and-half. This is a critical component in delivering their distinct flavor. They also thoroughly shake the carton of cream before adding it to the coffee, which results in a very nice and frothy texture.
- They always use the pour over method, and they constantly stir the coffee while it’s brewing. Continuous stirring is very important when making a strong drink.
- Some of Philz’s coffee blends also have flavors added to them. For example, the Philtered Soul blend has been enhanced with the addition of hazelnut oil. However, not all blends have flavors.
- By combining coffees from different origins and roasts, Philz has created some really nice, well-balanced blends. Blends, it should be noted, do not take into account the quality of the beans. They use high-quality beans, no doubt, but they’re not much different from what you can get at other coffee shops or grocery stores.
- They create their own blends, which adds to the uniqueness of their taste. If you make a cup of coffee with their beans but don’t follow their instructions, you’ll get an average cup of coffee.
Flavors of Philz coffee
Philz Coffee is a class of its own apart from the drinks offered at corporate coffee houses.
Philz has a variety of flavors to choose from, such as the New Manhattan, which has citrus and cherry floral notes, and the dark chocolatey and smoky Jacob’s Wonderbar. There’s also Aromatic Arabic for those who like bold flavors and Ambrosia Coffee of God for those who want something light.
Jacob’s Wonderbar Brew is the most popular among customers among Philz’s blends due to its dark-roasted, straightforward blend that combines the sweet notes of caramel with aromatic wood.
It has a very soft texture and a light mouthfeel. The charred edgy blend and consistent sweetness are carried through to the very last drop.
Philz coffee blends
The following table summarizes the amazing coffee blends of Philz:
| Dark and Bold | Medium and Balanced | Light and Bright |
| Tantalizing Turkish (Bold and bittersweet, with cardamom) | Silken Splendor (Silky, with notes of toffee and citrus) | Greater alarm (Bright, with notes of citrus and brown sugar) |
| Jacob’s Wonderbar (Chocolatey, with subtle hints of fruit) | Tesora (Smooth, with caramel and vanilla notes) | Ambrosia Coffee of God (Sweet, with fresh berry and honey notes) |
| Aromatic Arabic (Big and syrupy, with hints of spice) | Philharmonic (Creamy, with hints of maple and cardamom) | Dancing Water (Soft, with hints of chocolate and almond) |
| Ether (Complex, with cocoa and cherry notes) | Julie’s Ultimate (Rich and malty, accented by berry notes) | New Manhattan (Vibrant, with citrus and tropical notes) |
| – | Philtered Soul (Aromatic and sweet, flavored with hazelnut) | – |
The Philz Menu
Philz has an extensive menu to choose from. Let’s take a look at their beverages with a short description of each.
- Dark roasts
- Jacob’s Wonderbar Brew: Chocolatey and nutty, without bitterness
- Tantalizing Turkish: Dark and rich, with cardamom
- Ether: Oily and dark, with a hint of charcoal
- Aromatic Arabic: A rich Arabian coffee
- Julie’s Ultimate: Floral and classy
- Code 33: Rich, strong, and oily
- Medium roasts
- Tesora: The classic Philz blend for beginners
- Philharmonic: Warm, with a hint of cardamom
- Ambrosia Coffee of God: Sweet and warm, with nutty undertones
- Anesthesia to the Upside: Sharp and oaky, with caramel notes
- Silken Splendor: Warm nutty tones
- Filtered Soul: Chocolatey and sweet, with traces of hazelnut
- It’s the Best: Smooth and soft
- Dancing Water: Delicate and smooth
- Half-Caff: Half decaf Sumatra, Half Tesora
- Light roasts
- Sooo Good: Sweet and smoky
- Greater Alarm: Sweet, strong, and highly caffeinated
- Canopy of Heaven: Complex flavors
- New Manhattan: Distinctive and earthy
- Decaf
- Decaf Dark French: Full-bodied and bittersweet
- Decaf Ethiopian: Silky smooth and rich
- Decaf Sumatra: Earthy and sweet
- Decaf Organic Swiss Water Peru: Silky, sweet, and decaffeinated with the Swiss water method
- Specialty drinks
- Ecstatic Iced Coffee
- Mint Mojito Iced Coffee
- Gingersnap Iced Coffee
- Mocha Tesora: A chocolate lover’s dream
- Jamaican Blue Mountain: Smooth and full-bodied
- Hot chocolate
- Teas
- Black Tea: Strong
- Green Tea: Nutty and floral notes
- Chamomile Tea
- Yerba Mate Tea: Smoky
- Istanbul Treat
- Mint Tea
- Herbal Mint Tea
- Chai
How to order at Philz?
Ordering a drink at Philz is a little different than ordering at any other coffee shop. I’ve compiled some tips to make ordering at Philz easier for you.
- Find a Philz near you. Sadly, Philz only has locations in the San Francisco and East Bay areas. You can check out their online shop though.
- Locate the order line. At Philz, you give order first and pay afterwards, which is opposite to what happens at most traditional coffee shops.
- Wait to be called up. At Philz, your coffee is made-to-order by the baristas, and they only take 4 orders at a time. Wait in queue until you hear them say they can take the next order.
- Choose your drink. If you’re new customer at Philz, ask for a recommendation from the barista. They’ll customize your drink according to your preference. If you would like to be a little more daring, try something from their extensive menu.
- Pick a size. Philz Coffee offers three drink sizes: small, medium, or large. Their small cups come in 12oz while their medium and large come in 16oz and 20oz, respectively. Each serving can range from 5-410 kcals, depending on the size and flavor your choose.
- Decide if you want your drink hot or iced.
- Pick a sweetener. Their available options for sweeteners are sugar, Equal, Splenda, Sweet’n Low, stevia, honey or stevia. Tell the barista how sweet you want your drink: unsweetened, light, medium, or extra.
- Pick your milk or cream. The options to choose from are whole milk, cream, 1% milk, 2% milk, low-fat milk, non-fat milk, almond milk, soy milk, or vanilla soy milk. Let the barista know how creamy you want your drink to be: light, medium, or extra.
- Pay for your coffee. Tell the person at the counter which size and blend you ordered. Price of most blends range from $3 to $4 a cup.
- Wait for your order to be called. Keep in mind which barista you ordered from as they’ll not call out your name but your order number.
- Give it a taste. Baristas will make you taste your drink while you’re still at the counter, so they can ensure it’s perfect. If your drink isn’t to your liking, don’t be afraid to tell your barista. They can fine-tune it until it’s just right.
Does Philz coffee make lattes?
Philz coffee doesn’t make lattes. They specialize in single-cup, pour-over coffee that’s made to order. This means that when they receive an order, they prepare each cup of coffee individually. They also do not serve any blended or espresso-based drinks, such as mochas, cappuccinos, or macchiatos.
Everything is done by hand as a pour-over.
If you’re not familiar with pour-over coffee, you can check out my article for a quick introduction.
If you’ve never had Philz coffee before, I recommend trying something out of the ordinary from their menu, such as an Iced Mint Mojito.
Summary
Philz Coffee is a must-try if you’re looking for something unique and pleasing in your cup of joe.
Their slogan “One Cup at a Time” emphasizes the quality and importance they place on each cup of coffee they prepare. And it’s fair to assume that their hard work has paid off handsomely as they have a lot of loyal customers.
Though you won’t be able to enjoy your favorite espresso-based drinks at Philz, they do have their own incredible blends to satisfy your tastebuds. They specialize in made-to-order, single-cup, pour-over coffee drinks and ensure that you always get a perfect drink every time.
You can make a comparable cup of coffee at home by purchasing beans from Philz coffee shops or at their online store then follow the steps from their website.
If you haven’t tried Philz yet, I recommend that you tell the expert behind the counter that you’re a first-timer, and they’ll surely make you happy by making something special just for you!