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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Sandwiches
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph HillTue-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"Birley's a new favorite of mine in the FiDi. I've tried a couple of really fantastic sandwiches and will plan on working through the rest of…" read more »
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Caffe Greco's latte has got to be one of the best latte's I've ever had. Torani syrup + Illy espresso = huge win. Plus, the guys here really know how to steam their milk! I loved the generous portion of froth on the top.
Great location, lots of indoor and outdoor seating, and a whole menu of sandwiches, baked goods, cakes, and breakfast items.
However, $5.50 is quite steep for a double latte, and the fact they only take cash is -1 star.
I love this place. I walk by it every day on my way to work and when I find that I don't have any coffee or milk in the house or I just want to treat myself to a cup of coffee I make sure to stop by.
The coffee and morning pastries are wonderful. A perfect small cappuccino. The staff is so nice and friendly (to the point where one time I forgot it was cash only and they hooked me up).
AND I just realized that they are open until 11:00pm with free wireless, which is great news. A nice alternative to The Grind.
This is a nice place to chill out at and get a warm panini and ice cold Peroni on a hot day.
PROs:
1. Reasonable prices: 7.95 for a crispy italian sandwich (prociutto, salame, and other styles). $4 for a Perono, $5 for a single-glass bottle of Champagne.
2. Shaded seating outside
3. Panini comes with green vinaigrette salad which was surprisingly tasty.
4. Nice people working at the counter
CONs:
1. No waitservice
2. Cash only
Would go again for lunch.
All the 'Italian' cafes on Columbus seem to be serving about the same thing, but for some reason this is the only one I ever go to.
I brought my half-Italian friend here for some tiramisu, because she was craving it and because Yelp said this place has the best tiramisu in SF. I haven't had nearly enough tiramisu in my lifetime to judge whether it's the best or not, but it was definitely good. Light, fluffy, moist... yum. My friend and I split one, which was a decently sized portion, but I could have eaten more - that's not saying that it should have been bigger, that's just saying that it was tasty. I'm usually not a big dessert person either.
My friend also had an espresso which she enjoyed (big coffee-addict), and I had a cappuchino which was really good too. We were going to go for the tiramisu gelato afterwards, but decided to exercise some self-restraint instead. I'll be back...
For late morning walk thru North Beach, a latte is very necessary. And a nice sidewalk seat so you can catch up on a book, see the cute dogs, and see the streets liven up as the sun begins to shine thru the fog.
Perfect.
I have had mixed experiences with this place. My boyfriend ended up being sick for a day after having a sandwich and latte here and I ended up having a stomachache after having my latte. Last time I was here with some friends and ordered their smoked salmon and it was OK, so I gave it a 2 star. Also what's up with not taking credit card and only taking cash, we live in 21st century!!
North Beach packs in the tourists, Columbus Street especially, but what a perch to people-watch! We enjoyed the lattes and fresh fruit tarts
The Illy canned espresso here is cheaper than at Safeway. They usually have a table available even during peak hours. They serve wine, which is great for my husband who does not drink coffee and does not typically eat dessert. The quality of food is no match for the other pastry shops beside and across of them.
This review is exclusively for Tiramisu. It. is. as. good. as. it. gets!
I have been coming to Greco for as long as I can remember- first as a little kid with the parents, then in high school to hang out in front and pretend we were super cool...then in college when I would escape back to the city, and now as a local who misses mom's tiramisu...
I can sit here for hours with a book or just people watch...this cafe just does an excellent job at capturing the European spirit of cafe culture I miss so much.
This is my FAV place in North Beach! It is soooo cute and chill and totally has the Euro vibe. They make little hearts in the capuccino and it is so effing adorable. The workers there are very friendly and cool and even speak Arabic (even though they are mexican?) to us when we come in! Definitely a North Beach gold mine. The outdoor seating is very chill, as well. The hubby and I split a sandwich and it is the perfect lunch amount to just eat and chill.
I took my sister here from out of town and she loves this place. She says it reminds her of italy.
Here is the deal:
As a local, I would never recommended going to a cafe for a nice cappuccino on Columbus street- except for Caffe Greco.
Atmosphere:
It's very chill and the mocha makin machines behind the counter are there to please. They may even throw in a bit of Spanish too. The space has a very European decor, and the slight detail of serving every coffee (no matter what it is) with a small spoon is straight out of Italy. The sound of that cling when the spoon hits the coaster will bring you back to your European travels.
What you need to know:
It's cash only- there is a Wells Fargo ATM right across the street and a couple other banks on the corner.
Don't drive here- walk or take transit. You don't want to ruin your experience by starting it off cursing over no parking- because there isn't.
ORDER the bagel with tomato. It comes all spiced up and topped with olive oil. This simple culinary concoction will rival the best of any bagel.
It goes perfect with a cappuccino.
Salute.
I stumbled upon Caffe Greco quite fortuitously. Having just moved into the city, I was without Internet. So the hubby and I scoured the area for free WiFi, and Cafe Grecco became our spot.
Grecco's coffee is intense (which it should be to qualify as Italian-style coffee). Their paninis are excellent--grilled warm and toasty, with a small salad. Mmmm.
So I recommend Grecco for two things. Paninis and WiFi. If you need both and you're in North Beach, Grecco is your place.
The coffee is arguably the best in the city here. I especially like the latte they prepare. Personally, I am not a big espresso drinker, but more of a drip person. However, I do like lattes and, sometimes, I like americano's as well. This place is a real treat for coffee drinks. I tried their tiramisu once and it was good. The rest of the deserts were nothing special. And gelato was ok. Mostly recommend it for coffee drinks. You are bound to run into lots of tourists here. But, this is North Beach, after all.
my mom & i have been coming here for about 2/3 years already & loved it here & will always love it here! i usually get tiramisu & a random drink from the menu & all the drinks i had before is great! very thing is great! my mom loves the cappuccino. i will keep coming here when i get the chance to.
One of the best soy cappuccino's I've had! The tomato, mozzarella and veggie panini sandwich, which included a green salad, was excellent and at a decent price!
Great place to sit down and people watch. Friendly staff.
Came here right after dinner and had one of their most raved about tiramisu. It was not the best I've had in life, but pretty close contender. Greco has some pretty interesting drinks I haven't tried. When I asked the guy what I should have with my tiramisu, he simply said Cappuccino. And he was dead-on! It was simply the BEST cup of cappuccino I've had and it went really well with the dessert. If you are into the less sweet type of tiramisu, this is definitely your place!
This is THE place in North Beach for a lite bite or REAL Italian coffee, scrumptious dolci, people watching AND they have motorcycle parking out front. Try the tiramisu, torta della nonna, cannoli or cheesecake. Eat a pannino, drink a Peroni.
Perhaps an espresso or an AUTHENTIC cappuccino? Yummy. BUONO!!
If you think that a cappuccino at Starbuck's is the real deal then this place is NOT for you. If you like it here then visit the original one near the Piazza di Spagna the next time you're in Roma per pia un caffe!!
Dear Caffe Greco,
Why am I never satisfied after a cup of your awesome Mochas. I always want more! I heart you Caffe Greco. 'Till we meet again, I will see you in my dreams and keep you in my thoughts.
Love me, Ling
*A great, must go to coffee place when you are in North Beach. And I never tire of hearing the friendly workers say, "Prego Bella."
After coming back from Europe, I've been searching for a great gelato place and been disappointed in… Read more »
I love this area in North Beach! It reminds me of Paris, the brasseries lining the streets, people of all ages milling about, enjoying the nightlife not in the club. All the cafes are open late, and we walked around this area around midnight.
We stopped here for some cafe lattes, cafe au lait, hot cocoa, and even a plain soy milk. Everything was amazing and warmed our tummies for the night. The drinks were made insanely fast, and the prices were reasonable.
If I lived close by, I'd bike here all the time.
If you are in need of the world's largest cup of hot chocolate on a cold night, this is the place for you. It probably isn't the world's largest, but I was in Barcelona last week and got used to those teeny-tiny expresso cups of high-octane caffeine. But here I was in North Beach, and for $4.50, I got one mutha of a serving of hot chocolate (see my photo). I needed about 30% of it, but that's OK. And the $4.75 helping of Tiramisu was nice and light (see my photo) - so it didn't induce the complete diabetic coma I was expecting.
Sometimes among the tourist traps on Columbus, one can find a tolerable place to hang a bit without being overwhelmed by the tourist patrol. That's because they offer two good-sized rooms from which you can choose your cafe table in relative obscurity. That night, as the tables got more crowded, there was a blackbird flying impetuously from the blade of one overhead fan to the next. If Maya Angelou knows why the caged bird sings, I must know why the ADD-addled blackbird refuses to search for the night sky. Let me think about that one...
SWEETS - 4 stars...hot chocolate in a vat and a nice tiramisu
AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...plenty of space and vintage poster reproductions to make you feel like it's Italy or something
SERVICE - 3 stars...they serve at the counter
TOTAL - 4 stars...a nice respite among the many look-alike North Beach cafes
Best Bittersweet chocolate gelato! Nowhere else can beat their espresso, desserts or outdoor patio.
I totally recommend this place for a late-night romantic treat. Grab a gelato or in my husband's case ( "the best tiramisu ever!"), a freshly brewed illy coffee and plop yourself at one of the many outdoor tables and bathe in all San Francisco's Little Italy has to offer.
2.75 stars rounded up to 3.
* Service was pretty quick
* Cannoli was good enough to eat; not great.
* Tiramisu was sub-par.
Bottom line: go to Stella or Mara's instead.
Easily my favorite cafe in San Francisco. There are few things as enjoyable as spending an afternoon or mid-morning at Greco. I try to always bring out of towners by and they all, to a person, enjoy this gem of a cafe.
The espresso drinks are amazing, the selection of sweets deep (I love the Tiramisu and the big round orange/chocolate dipped cookies the most) and the paninis are good.
The cafe has been around forever--I remember visiting when I was in college and having to wait for a table, thankfully, they now have two rooms, though a window seat at the main room is my favorite perch.
Yes, the drinks are a bit pricier than say, Starbucks, but they are strong and worth the extra money. And so pretty.
If you have a criminal record or are frightened by the po-po, don't come here. They come here (especially at night) -- obviously (cue sarcastic voice) since North Beach is like, such a terrible neighborhood (end sarcastic voice).
My man-yelpers who haven't gotten lucky recently: I have a formula for you:
Treat your date to an amazing meal + take her to Cafe Greco + order 2 lattes + order the bread pudding = JACKPOT.
There is something about Cafe Greco that girls go crazy over..maybe all the sweets get us riled up. Maybe all the caffeine make us want to stay up longer. Then whatever you both do is up to you...but either way - take my advice and you will thank me later.
If that doesn't work..then maybe she's just not that into you. But I guarantee you, she'll stay for an extra 10 minutes just to finish the bread pudding.
At least that's what I did.
Greco is my go-to for a North Beach cappuccino. They use Illy for coffee, which I love. I honestly like this better than Cafe Trieste. Gasp!
The cafe is very cute, and the staff is simply wonderful. They always remember me, which is apparent because they'll launch into a Spanish conversation with me (I'm as white as they come, so you wouldn't know I spoke Spanish otherwise).
The thing that is randomly very good here is the smoked salmon/egg/tomato open-faced breakfast sandwich. They aren't really outfitted for full-on kitchen classics, but they make it with great ingredients, so it's a great (light) breakfast to supplement your coffee.
Best tiramisu in the city? Please.
Watery. Weak. Sad-looking. Kind of leaking on the plate.
Doesn't help that it's served by a bunch of guys who are positively bored to be working there and look like they would rather be out drinking. I've never seen so many lattes produced so carelessly, one after another, no quality control at all.
Not truly offensive by any means, but certainly not worth your time and money.
I don't know what's the deal with most cafes in Little Italy, but they look messy and disorganized to me. The chairs are messy most of the times and they aren't placed so people can get in/out easily. Anyway, that's the first thing that I feel with Caffe Greco. Messy tables and chairs.
I haven't really found the great coffee place in Little Italy yet, and it's not in Caffe Greco either. Dessert selection is not bad. They have a cake with gold shaving, but we decided to go with their tiramisu. It doesn't taste bad, but I think I prefer a stronger taste of rum in my tiramisu...
I'm a believer. They do have the best cappucino in SF. I decided to check out this place because David Kessler writes about this cafe in his book The End of Overeating. I've had cappucino at other places at SF and it was more expensive and not as good. I'm going to come here again for breakfast next time I'm in SF instead of wasting my money at Starbucks or other overpriced cafes. I can see how David Kessler was craving this place and had to go there! Next I have to try that chocolate orange cookie Kessler could not resist. Also, this place is really fun to people watch.
I love their desserts, love the gelato, sorbetto selection, love their espresso, love the flirtatious hombres!
I get the mozzarella Panini when hungry. great place if you're off on a weekday to just hang and read by yourself!
Have a craving for cheesecake so off we go. Had our mind to try Trieste but they didn't have cheesecake. I remember Caffe Greco has a North Beach cheesecake so that was our next stop.
On a windy Tuesday evening, the area was a bit slow. The cafe had a few tables of patrons enjoying their dessert and coffee. We headed straight to the display case and see that the cheesecake is there. They also had a chocolate raspberry one...hmmm. Hubby saw the cannoli and it did look very good. So we decided to pig out a bit and ordered both the cannoli and the North Beach cheesecake with a decaf latte to share. Hubby can't have caffeine after 1pm or he'll be up all night.
We grabbed one of the tables near the window and settled down. The cheesecake was moist, creamy and soft as I had wanted. It was supposed to be a plain cheesecake but there was a hint of lemon flavor to it, which was quite good. The cannoli was tasty - the shell was crunchy and the ricotta filling was light and creamy with chocolate chips. Latte was good too - the foam on top was nice and thick.
Tummies are happy and life is good.
One of the few cafes on Columbus where you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee, latte, mocha or whatever… Read more »
I have never been a cafe/bring your laptop goer. Seems like more work than pleasure. My trip here changed my outlook. I came her with my bestie JFish to get some "work" accomplished (updating my resume and planning my trip to Italy constitutes work these days).
Let me break it down. Mozzarella and tomoatoe panini was pretty damn good. The Italian music playing while I got some things accomplished was absolutely fantastic. It got my mind moving and made being hungover from Vegas not so painful as I was trying to express my accomplishments on paper.
You lose one star because the man behind the counter was so not friendly. He had a mean look on his face and was not very helpful as I pondered what to order.
Cheerful. Warm. Buzzing.
Downstairs (left room): perfect for reading, romantic whispers, studying, quietly contemplating meaning of life
Upstairs (entrance room): perfect for catching up with raucous laughter, little kids eating gelato, contemplating meaning of life with noise
Greco is too overpriced for me to frequent it, but I love the ambiance and the hot drinks! Side room is great for reading/studying.
Open late
Also serves paninis
$$3 for large chocolate chip cookie- taste: mediocre
$$2.75 for small cup of tea?
$$3-6 for coffee drinks
I like this cafe, I really do.
I walk by this place everyday on my way to work and have already thought about coming by to get some reading done. I was a little skeptical at first, since it's always look super busy from the outside. Great if you want to hang out and people watch, but probably not so great if you want a little quiet to get some work done.
But.... after reading reviews on here and trying it out for myself, I think this is the perfect place for both of those things.
I finally made my trip on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The tables were all packed outside with a chatty/hanging out vibe. The inside, was surprisingly serene (considering the windows were wide open, with tons of foot traffic outside). The tables and the patrons inside had the perfect "get some work done" vibe.
I ordered an iced mocha and a cannoli. The mocha was not too sweet and not too bitter. It cured my lack-of-caffeine headache within minutes. The cannoli was so delicious! The shell was perfectly crunchy, and the ricotta cheese had a nice little texture. I couldn't stop eating it!
My only complain is that the pastry selections are a little hidden. They have a few choices on display, but not too many. I was there for the cannoli, and had to ask if they were out since I didn't see it in the display. If they only written the selections somewhere, I think it'll be most helpful.
I hate to pan business in our neighborhood, but this place sucks.
My fiance and I came here on a weeknight to meet with our wedding planner. We grabbed one of the many open tables. After about 10 minutes, one of the Cafe Greco staff comes up to us and says:
"Are you gonna order anything?"
Not "How are you?" or "Anything I can get for you?" or even "Is there anything you would like to order?" A rude, almost accusatory, "Are you gonna order anything".
I understand that these guys are running a business. But come on, that's no reason to be discourteous.
We're never coming back here again.
It was nice to go late night for hanging out. You grab a chair and it is the seat for you!! You can order coffee-kind drinks and lots of sweets. I liked it!!!
Our favorite place to sit and read while North Beach plays out in front of us. Be sure to speak loudly when you order as sometimes the guys behind the counter dont' hear your exact order if it gets loud. The coffee is ok and the desserts are usually tasty, but the charm really is in the atmosphere and the neighborhood and the large rooms to sit in a quiet corner or among a larger group chatting.
And there are always cops around, so there's always some good stories to overhear.
Go here and order the affogato. I don't give a shit if you drive 600 miles there and get straight in the car to drive back. It's worth it..
That is all.
I LOVE North Beach... restaurants, cafes, candy stores, ice cream shops, strip clubs (LOL), you name it!
Caffe Greco is my favorite cafe, hands down. I stop by for their Illy coffee - Starbucks and Peet's can't compete. I order a white mocha (if it's available), otherwise I end up getting a mocha w/hazelnut. The coffee is a bonus b/c I really come here for the cannoli and gelato. I've tried cannoli from nearby cafes and Caffe Greco has the best in the city!
They're open late so it's a great spot after dinner. Sit indoors or outdoors and enjoy the view. It gets a bit crowded, esp on weekends, but worth the wait and the hassle to find parking.
TIP: CASH ONLY. There's a Wells Fargo ATM conveniently located across the street.
I come up to visit my best friend once year and i LOVE this place. She brought me here 3 years ago and i always beg for her to take me here. I love their coffee! they use illy! :) I also fell in love with their tiramisu! i should be visiting next year! look forward to coming here again. Oh and the staff is great.
Order NOW for a great…
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