Valparaiso Cafe & Roastery at 700 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, California.

It feels like this place does not belong in Fresno, and this is a compliment. Hidden in Bitwise building, it is quite spacious with a decent number of seating spots. It certainly has a personality, like most coffee shops in SF do, but also offers really nice customer service that is not hurried unlike in the big city - a perfect combination.

I ordered a cappuccino and was asked if I wanted it “wet” or “dry”. I must say, I had to ask what that meant. Apparently “wet” cappuccino does not have as much foam as “dry” does, which surprisingly (and ashamedly) I did not know. My cappuccino was great, the only negative is that they don’t offer organic milk, which would bring this shop to 5 stars, in my opinion.

My friend ordered a dirty chai. It was a bit too sweet for my liking, but had excellent flavor otherwise. She liked it.

There is a parking garage a block away that offers first hour of parking for free and second hour at $4, if you need to stay longer. Otherwise, there is metered street parking right in front of the coffee shop.