San Francisco Bay Coffeeshops

Ritual Coffee Roasters

North Beach

Caffe Puccini ***½ 411 Columbus Ave, North Beach, San Francisco. Excellent Latte in the neighborhood. And if you are a fan of Italian opera, you won't be disappointed by the music. Stylish seating, with nice North Beach people watching.
Caffe Greco *** 1414 Grant Ave, North Beach, San Francisco. Even though I am not particularly crazy about Illy's coffee, Caffe Greco has more than enough to make up for serving this brand. Nice ambience, large windows, spacious seating, pretty decor, and to top it all, excellent tiramisu.

Dolores Park Cafe ***½ 501 Dolores St (at 18th), Mission District, San Francisco. Their espresso, at $1.75 a shot, must be an expensive habit for regulars, but the potent flavor of this little cup is difficult to resist. A must try for true coffee lovers. The surroundings are quite pleasant, with a pretty view of Dolores Park.
Ritual Coffee Roasters ***½ 1026 Valencia St (at 21st), Mission District, San Francisco. There are now lots of places to get coffee in the Mission, and Ritual Coffee Roasters positions itself as the most sophisticated new addition. Here they take coffee seriously (tbe shop has a logo which appears on the cups and everything), and they do things right, all the way to the espresso art. The seating space is large, with tables, stools, and leather couches all around. The crowd is a good mix of local yuppies, punks, and occasional visitors, and in the Mission noone feels out of place. 10/2006
Martha and Bros. Coffee Company **½ 3868 24th St, Noe Valley, San Francisco. Good coffee in the middle of Noe Valley. Unfortunately the shop has very scarce seating, and unless you grab a seat at the bar by the window, you might be better off enjoying your cup out on 24th Street, browsing the stores in the neighborhood. Martha & Bros has several other locations in the city.

Cafe International **½ 508 Haight St, Lower Haight, San Francisco. A funky coffeeshop in the Lower Haight. They have a live band playing in the evenings. It is a very relaxed place during the day.
Bean There Cafe **½ 201 Steiner St, Lower Haight, San Francisco. A popular neighborhood place for the Lower Haight locals, it provides a nice, mostly quiet setting for reading or studying. Highly valued by the gay community for the reportedly attractive staff.
One World Cafe **½ 1799 McAllister St (at Baker), Upper Haight, San Francisco. A small and very pleasant coffeeshop, with lots of light, tasteful decorations, and a relaxing couchy-pillowy deck.

Piccino **** 801 22nd St, Potrero Hill, San Francisco. Just as I was beginning to despair that the world was running out of true four-star coffee establishments, I was introduced to Piccino - a West-coast (read: better) version of the venerable Ninth Street coffee temple in New York City. The americano here is out of this world. An explosive shot of ristretto, rich in crema, yet not as bitter as the Ninth Street cup, dissolved in the perfect amount of water to release its incredible flavor. You may just never want to drink anything else ever again. Yes, the barista takes his time, so step outside and enjoy the view of the bay while your perfect cup is brewing. 2/2009
Farley's *** 1315 18th St, Potrero Hill, San Francisco. A nice neighborhood joint with a spacious feel and good lighting, Farley's is something like the hub of Potrero Hill during daytime, with the usual assortment of young professionals, families, and dogs. A pleasant place to work in, if you can stand the thought of missing out on a cup of Piccino instead. 2/2009

Piccino

Gaylord's Coffee *** 4150 Piedmont Ave, Oakland. A relaxed, comfortable, pretty coffeeshop on Piedmont, with remarkably good house coffee, and so-so baked goods. Mostly frequented by neighborhood locals and students from nearby Mills college.
Grace Baking Cafe **½ 1127 Solano Ave, Albany. Homely feel, good coffee, lots of pastries and tasty baked goods. One of the better places to go in downtown Albany. (Review may be out of date. Shop was recently remodeled under new ownership.)

Red Rock Coffee **½ 201 Castro St, Mountain View. A nice refuge away from the corporate behemoths of Mountain View, Red Rock is a not-for-profit joint that takes good care of the population's americano and latte needs. While the conversation typically revolves around what is currently being googled, you are not required to take part in it. If you stay, skip the watered-down americano and go for the latte, known for its expressionist latte-art. 2/2009
Caffe Verona *** 236 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto. If anything ever brings you to downtown Palo Alto, and you don't want to spend big bucks for lunch, Verona is a nice alternative. Good sandwiches and coffee in a pretty atmosphere.
Torrefazione Italia **½ 419 University Ave, Palo Alto. Yes, everything is five times as expensive in the South Bay, but they do make good coffee. And notice how the motif on their latte cups matches the tile on the tables. A good place to relax, talk, read, and observe remarkable specimens from nearby Stanford University.