Linea is a good first stop for house-roasted espresso. Snowbird is handy for the Inner Sunset, Abanico brings Latin American influences, and Paper Son or SPRO suit a signature drink.
The shortlist runs through Potrero Hill, the Inner Sunset, the Mission, FiDi, Church Street, and the Tenderloin, so it works best as a choice by neighborhood.
Linea Caffe
Linea Caffe’s Mariposa Street shop shares an address with its Potrero Hill roastery. The café serves coffee and sells beans, with seating outside in a parklet. Linea also has shops in the Mission and near Dolores Park.
Linea Caffe · Potrero Hill
The menu favours balanced espresso, including Linea Reserve and A4, with cappuccino, cortado, shakerato and iced espresso tonic. Organic coffees are also available.
House-roasted espresso at the compact roastery café.
Snowbird Coffee is on 9th Avenue in the Inner Sunset, just south of Golden Gate Park. The compact, dark-toned café has a counter, pastry case and shelves of beans and merchandise.
Snowbird Coffee · Inner Sunset
The menu includes cortados, cappuccinos and café bombón with condensed milk, as well as cold brew and decaf. Beans are available to take home.
Espresso drinks in the Inner Sunset, close to the park.
Abanico Coffee Roasters is on Mission Street between 17th and 18th, in San Francisco’s Mission District. The bright café has a mural behind the bar, retail coffee, local art, goods from local makers and seating.
Abanico Coffee Roasters · Mission District
Abanico roasts its own coffee in small batches, focusing on Latin American sourcing. Try one of the Salvadoran or Latin American-inspired drinks and browse the beans to take home.
House roasting and Latin American-inspired drinks in the Mission.
Paper Son’s downtown café is on Second Street, near the Financial District and Moscone Center. The compact room has a bright counter, a few tables, beans and merchandise. It can get busy on weekday mornings.
Paper Son · FiDi / SoMa edge
The menu includes espresso drinks, drip and cold brew, with rotating single-origin coffee. Signature drinks include Guava Pillow, Pandan Aerocano, Cardamom Cappuccino, Thai Tea Cloud and Matcha Passionfruit Soda. Pour-overs are available when the bar is not too busy.
Espresso and signature drinks at a Financial District counter.
SPRO Coffee Lab is on Church Street between Mission Dolores and the Castro, a few blocks from Dolores Park. The bright café has large windows, outlets, outdoor tables and indoor seating.
SPRO Coffee Lab · Mission Dolores / Castro
SPRO serves espresso, signature drinks, matcha, cold brew and pour-over, including competition-style coffees. Signature flavours include orange blossom and spices.
Scullery is a tiny coffee-and-toast counter on Geary Street in the Tenderloin, west of San Francisco's downtown hotels. Order at the counter and take one of the few seats if available, or carry breakfast away.
Scullery · Tenderloin
Scullery serves house-roasted coffee, including Peru Organic Norandino on espresso and Colombia Samaria on batch coffee when last checked. Drinks include cortados, cappuccinos, lattes, burnt caramel latte, Vietnamese-style Shakerado, flash-brew iced coffee, Nola Kola, matcha, chai, hot chocolate and tea. Most flavoured drinks use house-made syrups; the burnt caramel comes from Recchiuti.
House-roasted espresso and toast at a tiny Tenderloin counter.
