SFoodie is predicting swords drawn at dawn — or at least fierce barista competitions — with the opening of Philz Coffee in North Berkeley yesterday (pictured above).

The store — its seventh — takes over the Cafe de la Paz space at 1600 Shattuck at Cedar and is within a few feet of Guerilla Coffee (which serves Blue Bottle), and not a million miles away from the original Peet’s.

Co-owner Jacob Jaber said Philz was already pulling in the crowds, despite not having hung put up its shingle yet, and they plan to install a large-screen TV for UC Berkeley games.

Pastries come courtesy of Berkeley cooperative baker Nabolom.

See more of the opening day photos at Philz Coffee’s Blog.

Avatar photo

Tracey Taylor is co-founder of Berkeleyside and co-founder and editorial director of Cityside, the nonprofit parent to Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Before launching Berkeleyside, Tracey wrote for...