Here Are 15 Unique Coffee Shops In San Francisco With Java To Die For
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Stephanie Garr
Author
We truly love our java in San Francisco. In fact, we’ve got a bunch of “third wave” pioneers, as well as roasters committed to the highest quality cup of joe, from sustainably sourcing the beans to carefully crafting every pour-over. This list is kind of ridiculous, mostly because it doesn’t even cover half of the amazing spots to choose from. So, we had to cut it off at just 15 of the best coffee shops in San Francisco. Let’s just say this city is well-caffeinated.
Shimmy up to the pour over bar, watch (and smell) the beans roasting in the back, check out the vinyl collection, and hang out for hours at this spacious, minimalist local fave on Valencia. You can even take coffee classes here.
These guys are truly serious about their coffee (and yes, some of the baristas are slightly intimidating). In fact, they even have a Blossom Coffee brewer, a machine made by a NASA engineer designed to make the perfect cup of coffee. If you want that experience, though, it'll cost you.
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Each of their locations is unique, from the downtown truck to the Castro’s patio, but the gorgeous, modernist North Beach location is our personal fave. They use Four Barrel beans and churn out some of the best cappuccinos in the city.
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One of the pioneers of "third wave" coffee, Ritual has been an SF fave since it opened in 2005. The original Mission cafe has since been renovated into a clean, open space.
Another independent success story, Sightglass carefully sources and roasts their beans. Their 7th street location is sleek and industrial (but well wooded), and pretty dang huge for SF—it actually houses their roastery and main headquarters, too. They now have a location in the newly renovated MoMa as well.
This Polk Street gem is sunny and beautiful, a great spot to work at on a weekday (no WiFi on Saturdays and Sundays)! They work with Ritual Roasters to create their carefully crafted brews.
Another pioneer in coffee’s "third wave," Blue Bottle is served around the city (and has even expanded to NYC and Tokyo). They’re known for their bright, acidic light roasts, and… long lines.
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The Bryant Street location provides one of the best work spaces in the city, so it's good they have some quality coffee to keep your brain buzzin'. The beans here come from longtime Bay Area roaster Mr. Espresso; if you want something a little different, go for the horchata cold brew.
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These guys roast their beans one pound at a time—you can even watch the process if you’d like. This means you’re getting some incredibly fresh coffee. Both their Hayes Valley and Castro locations are sleek and comfortable spots to work and chill.
Another small and spotless operation (their roasting and baking is all done in a mere 600 square feet), this Outer Sunset roaster and cafe works directly with farmers to get the finest beans.
This cute gem (fit with pineapple wallpaper) on Union Street sustainably sources their beans and serves up espresso drinks and hand-crafted pourover coffee from their custom-built brew bar.
This tiny and eclectic spot near Ocean Beach is just as revered for their thick slices of toast as they are for their drip coffee and espresso drinks. Order the "Build Your Own Damn House" and get a coffee, young coconut, and a slice of cinnamon toast—the breakfast of champions.
This small Inner Sunset spot offers some of their own roasts, as well as specialties from around the country, all hand-crafted with care.
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Probably the funkiest coffee purveyor on this list, and another one of those "third wave" innovators, Philz has spread their love all across the Bay Area (and beyond). And they don’t bother with espresso drinks here, just customized blends brewed "one cup at a time."
This company began roasting coffee in a garage up in Marin County back in 1995. Since, they’ve expanded greatly, first showing up in small cafes throughout San Francisco before opening up in the historic Warfield Building on Market Street. The plant mural makes for a cool juxtaposition in this beautiful industrial space.
Buzzed yet? Any spots we missed? What are your votes for the best coffee shops in San Francisco? We’d love to hear!
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