Top Coffee Shops in San Francisco
Whether you're starting up a business, seeking out a new spot to read the Sunday NY Times, or simply want to explore the City, Mister Archer shares his favorite coffee shops by neighborhood.
Click on a neighborhood to see the coffee shop of choice. Or
survey the grid to compare all the top spots in the City.
Bernal Heights
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Progressive Grounds |
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| 400 Cortland Ave, SF (at Bennington St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Experience the whimsical side of Bernal Heights. Order a coffee and a piping hot breakfast sandwich with a coating of melted cheddar and a couple strips of bacon. Then cozy into the backroom den with a red brick fireplace. Stay a while—they just installed more powerstrips to accomodate tethered entrepreneurs. The outside patio is a neighborhood gem... the tranquility invites both contemplation and levity. |
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Nervous Dog Coffee |
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| 3438 Mission St, SF (at Kingston St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| The typical greeting from the owner, “you want the usual?” And the regulars don't drink decaf. Restless entrepreneurs are grinding away on their fledgling startups... quite similar to the “nervous little dogs” in this Gary Larson cartoon—the muse for this coffee shop. The cozy intimacy is usually accompanied by inspiring art from local vistuosos. |
Castro
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Spike's Coffees & Teas |
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| 4117 19th St, SF (at Castro St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Arrive with an open mind and schedule. This cell phone free zone affords a grand opportunity to enjoy a few idle moments soaking in the chatter on their sidewalk patio. Order up a homebrewed spicy chai or a “celestial” soy latte. Here you're family—you can even start your own tab on a 3”x5” index card. Is caffeine or community more addictive? |
Cole Valley
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Reverie Cafe & Bar |
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| 848 Cole St, SF (between Carl St and Federick St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Some days just have that lazy feel to them... especially during our Indian summers. Then welcome to Reverie--“absentminded dreaming while awake.” Enjoy the flora and fauna in the back patio. The amalgamation of the Cole Valley + UCSF crowd is respectfully effervescent. Leave the laptop at home (no wi-fi or outlets); so curl up with a book instead. And, unless you enjoy washing dishes, bring cash. |
Diamond Heights
Looking for a gem in Diamond Heights? Sorry, but you're just pinching coal.
Do Good
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D.Light Designs |
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| Donate to the Give Light Program |
D.light is committed to providing light for the 1.6 billion people in the world without electricity. The extremely impoverished living on $1 or less per day need our help. 100% of all donations to the Give Light Program provide these households access to life-changing solar lighting.
Join Mister Archer and give the gift of light. |
Financial District
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Caffé Ida |
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| 303 Sacramento St, SF (at Battery St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Bro... things at work are stuck in slo-mo? Short on time, but coffee you can't forego. Skip the stale cup with the packs of Sweet & Low. Instead, head on out and appreciate the walk to and fro. Hello! Grab a cup of joe and go! You can't dillydally because the seating capacity is zer-o. Woah! When you need a quick cup of joe... now you're in the know. Hey yo! |
Fisherman's Wharf
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Buena Vista Cafe |
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| 2765 Hyde St, SF (at Beach St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Is this the magical elixir in your school dean's Thermos? Welcome to the domestic birthplace of the Irish Coffee—a brew consisting of steaming coffee, Irish whiskey, and cubed sugar topped with a layer of cream. Yeah, a bit too many folks in the pink “San Francisco” trolleycar sweatshirts. Fortunately, you don't need to elbow jockey for the barstools... just head around back to the downstairs room. |
Glen Park
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Cafe Bello |
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| 2885 Diamond St, SF (between Bosworth St and Wilder St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| “Coffee beans roasted fresh daily,” greets the sign. Coffee connoisseurship is thriving in this cozy Glen Park enclave. Conveniently close to the Glen Park Bart station, or just a quick detour off the highway. Might as well grab a bite to eat too and the quiche selection is eggscellent. For those working remotely, enjoy the quiet solitude and you will have a prductive morning with the double shot espressos. |
Other Neighborhood Favorites: Still looking...
Haight
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The Grind Cafe |
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| 783 Haight St, SF (between Scott St and Pierce St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| The Grind Cafe has partnered with some of the titans of SF dining, Mr Espresso, Boudin Bakery and Niman Ranch. Lucky they have vaulted ceilings to provide sufficient headroom and natural lighting. There's free Wi-Fi during the week. On the weekends, hit up the french toast croissant wopped with fruit. Don't worry, it won't hit back. This is your refuge from the Haight street panhandling. |
Hayes Valley
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Blue Bottle Coffee Co |
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| 315 Linden St, SF (a little off Gough St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| This alleyway kiosk is groundzero for the boutique coffee revolution in San Francisco. There's always a line here... even in the late afternoon. The secret sauce? A promise. James Freeman, the Bill Walsh of SF coffee connoisseurship, founded BB on a commitment to use the “finest organic, and pesticide-free, shade-grown beans” and serve them less than “48 hours out of the roaster.” |
Inner Sunset
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Alvin's Scrumptious Coffees & Teas |
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| 1708 Irving St, SF (between 18th Ave and 19th Ave) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Affectionately known as the “coffeemeister,” Alvin and wife Helen have almost 35 years serving the best coffee in the Sunset. The Blue Mountain Jamaica is the favorite of the regulars. Their secret? “Roasting is tender loving cooking.” For those looking to cool off in the afternoon, order up a cafe glace—coffee with a scoop of ice cream. Now that's scrumptious coffee! |
Laurel Heights
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Rigolo Café |
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| 3465 California St, SF (between Laurel St and Spruce St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Rigolo is filled to the gills during brunch and lunch. You, my friend, should swim against the current and visit during the off hours (although the $3 mimosas from 11am - 3pm are tempting). There's plenty of parking in the back lot and a few sidewalk tables out front. Their brews feature coffee beans from Equator Estate who also roasts for a gentleman by the name of Thomas Keller. |
Marina / Cow Hollow
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Jovino |
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| 2184 Union St, SF (between Fillmore St and Webster St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| The power breakfast spot in Cow Hollow with free coffee refills and hour-by-hour Wi-Fi. Be seen up front or start companies in the back. Their intimate patio is a special place for bright, sunny mornings. The creative décor also works for the happy hour and evening shifts. Oh, coffee is a stimulant... and Jovino features the best bathroom in the Marina—could be subletted as a studio. |
Mission
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Coffee Bar |
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| 1890 Bryant St, SF (Corner of Florida St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Can't a guy keep one secret? Guess not. A gem on the corner of Bryant x Florida, the Coffee Bar warrants a spot in your regular rotation. They know their beans... one of the owners is the son of Mr. Espresso. The clean, industrial look is surprisingly welcoming. Lots of Silicon Valley rainmakers play hooky here. On a spring day, expect abundant sunshine and MacBooks. |
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Ritual |
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| 1026 Valencia St, SF (between 21st St and 22nd St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Ritual pioneered the roastery-cum-cafe experience in the Mission. They source their own beans, seeking out the best varietals by geography, altitude, soil, shade, and harvests. Ritual brews both coffee and controversy, ranging from the Soviet-inspired logo to the removal of the power outlets. (Sorry, all day Tweeters.) But they offer a great cup of coffee and they've even shared their brewing guide. |
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Atlas Cafe |
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| 3049 20th St, SF (at Alabama St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Who let the dogs out? I can't help you there... but the Atlas Cafe lets the dogs in. Hang out on their back patio with the morning paper, man's best friend, and a cup of Equator coffee. For a morning snack, indulge with a $1 Mission Mini, you deserve it. Thursday nights are special here—live music from 8-10pm or ragtime & blues on Saturday from 4-6pm. |
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Philz |
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| 3101 24th St, SF (at Folsom St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Sorry folks, the Philz phenomenom is creeping outside SF. The reason? Discerning folks appreciate over 20 handmade coffees brewed one cup at a time. The go-to order is the Tesora blend. For special occassions, try the mint mojito iced coffee... smooth and chocolatey, decadent and refreshing. Patrons seem to be able to concentrate even though the pours probably have 3x the caffeine. |
Noe Valley
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Bernie's |
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| 3966 24th St, SF (between Noe St and Sanchez St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Bernie's is much too humble... "a local coffee shop?" no, THE local coffee shop with bed and breakfast-like amicability and tranquility. The owner, a third generation Noe Valley resident, will quickly match your face with your name and drink of choice. Reciprocate her smile and you'll have another friend along with a free refill. Milkbones gratis for the dogs (the people food is good too). |
North Beach / Telegraph Hill
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901 Columbus Caffé |
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| 901 Columbus Ave, SF (at Lombard St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Happy Hour starts at 5pm featuring $2 beers. Oh... work before play, eh? Get an early start and grab a booth seat enjoying the morning solitude. For lunch, they offer salads and sandwiches... but you can't go wrong with the Al Capone panini with the focacia bread saved a few seconds before being blackened. They have a ginormous HD tv if you need a quick distraction. |
Pacific Heights
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The Grove |
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| 2016 Fillmore St, SF (between California St and Pine St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Disclosure: I've somehow never had the coffee here. I go straight for the fresh-squeezed OJ. You should too! With 15+ years experience, they've perfected the staples including the right-from-the-oven cookies and bursting breakfast burritos. They're anything but complacent. The newest concoction? Zoe's hot pastrami sandwich. They'll soon open in SOMA then followed by Hayes Valley. |
Parkside
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Mocha 101 |
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| 1722 Taraval St, SF (between 27th Ave and 28th Ave) |
See Yelp reviews
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| The friendly owner Eric puts the "mo" in mocha. Kickstart with a coffee and then add on the appropriate meal... breakfast bagel, the strawberry + banana crepe, or a matcha green tea smoothie. Great people watching from the loft, especially during their weekend live jazz. Great retro feel with pacheco and even a Street Fighter arcade. Show up wet and get a free cup o' joe with purchase. |
Portrero Hill / Dogpatch
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Sundance Coffee |
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| 2295 3rd St, SF (at 20th St) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Sundance subscribes to the K.I.S.S. methodology... “provide the highest quality product in a simple and straightforward manner.” Success! After all, you should be the protagonist! This is the neighborhood cafe for a few friends to share some stories and laughs. On Tues/Thurs afternoons, swing by the Lower Deck gallery afterward for inspiration from emerging local artists. |
Presidio
Do you work for Lucasfilm? Then you get
Javva the Hut. Everyone else should go bowling in the Presidio.
Richmond
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Blue Danube Coffee House |
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| 306 Clement St, SF (between 4th Ave and 5th Ave) |
See Yelp reviews
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| Instead of cursing the long lines of Burma Superstar, peel over to this bohemian coffee house. With 6+ years of experience, they don't resort to cheap parlor tricks like free wifi. Instead, they've honed their cuisine including the stellar french toast for breakfast and the prosciutto panini for lunch. The Mexican Hot Chocolate is one size-fits-all (large) and the pitcher of sangria is great for friends. |
