Topster: Top Coffee Houses in Los Gatos

Jonathan Knowles February 9, 2012 at 01:22 pm

We need to stop using Topster as the only source for this "best of" type listings. I don't know what the best way to capture our "best of" is but using Topster is likely one of the worst possible ways of doing so. Sheila, please look into this! Thanks!

Sheila Sanchez (Editor) February 9, 2012 at 01:27 pm

Will do! I had my coffee with the editor session yesterday Wednesday at LG Coffee Roasting and loved it! I've also had these sessions at Great Bear, Peet's Coffee and Starbucks and have had great experiences. Why do you not like Topster?

Mike Calahan February 9, 2012 at 01:57 pm

Boulevard Coffee is amazing and that's not even listed. Their coffees are direct trade from small farms and are delicious (or delish)

Heather Kiuttu February 9, 2012 at 02:01 pm

Blvd. Coffee is #1, hands down. Best coffee, atmosphere and staff. Plus you can usually find a place to sit! #2 Los Gatos Roasting and #3 Great Bear.

Jonathan Knowles February 9, 2012 at 02:07 pm

The data is only from users of Topster. This data represents a miniscule amount of overall input. As I look at all of their lists, it is clear that very, very few people are using it. It gives a false sense of what is "tops." As a starting point, it would be interesting to do a Patch poll on just how many people use Topster. Also ask what, if any, of these types of services they do use. But even going down this path is tricky of course. Maybe bill as "Readers of Los Gatos Patch who also use Topster in Los Gatos regularly" or something that more accurately describes what is actually being presented?

Sheila Sanchez (Editor) February 9, 2012 at 02:18 pm

Great suggestions, Jonathan. Will definitely consider another source of data to seed discussion, a conversation about what our readers love in town and why. Thanks for the input, it's greatly appreciated. Just wondering where I can find those local sources of data? I also don't think anyone "uses" Topster. Company just collects stats about checkins, likes, and tweets.

James George February 9, 2012 at 02:26 pm

Collecting the data is a lot of work. If you use info. from Topster as a starting point for readers to give their opinions it makes for an entertaing article that allows for readers to debate Topster's choices.

Jonathan Knowles February 9, 2012 at 02:37 pm

Yes, sorry. That is what I meant to say. By using, I mean people that specifically tweet, specifically "check in", or specifically "like" on facebook. Overall, very few people are "checking in", very few tweet where they are and if they do, don't always use hashtags of consistent abbreviations, and since facebook has launched their new privacy policy, many people have unliked, and are not liking places. While the the topster algorithm is 'secret', we know that using the number of their collected results as a proxy for popularity is of dubious value fraught with statistical perils. I prefer not to criticize without a solution, but I sincerely believe that promoting anything as "Top xxxxxxxxx in Los Gatos" using topster as a data source is misleading. IMHO (which is sometimes not H).

Jonathan Knowles February 9, 2012 at 02:40 pm

Indeed! :)

Irene Aida Garza-Ortiz February 9, 2012 at 04:39 pm

Isn't there a place called "OSOS" Coffee? Down N. Santa Cruz Ave. Down Town Los Gatos. My Nice Margarita/"Tita" used to be the Manager there long ago. I do like Los Gatos Roasting CO. as well. Many athletic people are there, & I just happen to be one of them.

Mani Farhadi February 10, 2012 at 01:53 pm

I love Blvd Coffee! Hand-crafted, made with care, tastes delicious, smells good, looks amazing, and the guys that work there are the nicest ever! Love the new digs too! Why didn't it make it on the list?