Ready to get your caffeine on? Here are four new places around town to put a little more zip into your day.
This new coffee shop in the Inner Richmond is quite a looker, with a living wall, not-your-average-café furnishings, and plenty of seating (there’s a spacious patio). They’re serving Sightglass Coffee, and there is also an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, with sandwiches, burgers, soup, and more. While it’s meant to be a neighborhood hangout, there’s no Wi-Fi, so bring your book instead (how novel, haha). Beer and wine will be coming soon. Open daily 7am–5pm. 343 Clement St. at 5th Ave., 415-742-0629.
Four Barrel Coffee—Portola
This new outpost for Four Barrel in the Portola neighborhood is in an industrial-looking building in a funky little cul-de-sac that the neighborhood association has been busy landscaping and improving. There are some unique details inside, from the custom metalwork to the ceiling made of curving pieces of reclaimed wood from an old pipeline that transported water from Hetch Hetchy—the space is also very eco-minded, with plans to eventually be off the grid completely. Indoor carts house an espresso machine and a pour-over bar and coffee brewer. Seating is a bit limited for now, but there are plans for sidewalk seating soon. And there are pastries from Neighbor, lucky you. Hours are 7am–4pm daily. 1 Burrows St. at San Bruno.
Coffee and books, always a good combo. At various bookstores around town, keep your eyes peeled for a folding table out front with coffee being poured from pop-up café Proyecto Diaz. The roving coffee stand is from Fernando Diaz and his buddy Travis Cabello. The beans are sourced from Diaz’s grandfather’s farm in Oaxaca, plus another producer in Chiapas and then roasted locally—and there’s a social mission too (you can read more in this piece from SFoodie). You’ll find the gents outside of Adobe Bookshop on Sundays from 11am–4pm, at Alleycat Books from 10am–1pm, and at Modern Times Bookstore Collective on Fridays from 11am–3pm. Follow Proyecto Diaz on Twitter: @proyectodiaz.
Can this place get any prettier? The brand-new brick-and-mortar location of Kevin Bohlin’s Saint Frank is quite a beaut (you may have visited his pop-up at Public Bikes in South Park). The space has a clean and modern design, and is full of light. Yeah, you’ll want to hang out. Check out the custom espresso machine designed by John Ermacoff—and since it sits lower on the counter, you'll be able to talk more easily to your barista about the coffee and its origin while your shot is getting pulled (yes, you're encouraged to geek out here). You’ll find two different espresso shots each day from different farms, and pour-over selections will change regularly. Ritual roasts Saint Frank's “relationally sourced” beans in collaboration with Bohlin, and you can bring some home too. There are also some breakfast pastries and other goodies. Open 7am–7pm daily. 2430 Polk St. at Union, no phone (yet).
Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe and get more food news and gossip at tablehopper.com. Follow her on Twitter: @tablehopper.
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