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Cento
Category: Food Coffee & Tea Coffee & Tea [Edit]
360 Ritch St(at Brannan St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
Neighborhood: SOMA
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 3:30 pm
Sat 9 am - 2 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
122 reviews for Cento
Review Highlights
"Truly the best coffee around (Blue Bottle."
(in 65 reviews)
"I recommend the New Orleans iced coffee on a hot day."
(in 11 reviews)
"...hooked plus with Farmer Brown's Little Skillet next door."
(in 3 reviews)
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122 reviews in English
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Review from jini l.
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2011
This place is called "Cento"?! MIND. BLOWN.
Oh well, a Blue Bottle coffee by another name is just as effing delightful.
I love their iced coffee... with whole milk and some raw sugar. Nom nom nom!! The coffee itself leaves a "clean" taste your mouth and you just feel so refreshed afterwards!
It's near my workplace, so it's perfect for a coffee break. The walk & the coffee make a fantastic duo for energy!!! Whoooooo!
Oh, and technically there is "outdoor seating"... on the sidewalk. But I think Yelp is asking for actual outdoor seating, so I said 'no.' (I think the sidewalk works... but I'm low-maintenance. Bwa ha ha.) -
Review from Sally T.
oh cento, you are super cute.
tucked away in a little alley and next to little skillet.
i love that you serve blue bottle coffee just a hop and a skip away.
what i love even more are your homemade mint ice cream sandwiches.
those little fuckers are so delicious i made that my breakfast.
i wanted to get a second but didn't want to look like a glutton. -
Review from Peter T.
Emeryville, CA
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
This hipster coffee shop hidden in an alleyway is definitely a gem for all us web 2.0 geeks that work in the South Beach area. This is the perfect place for one to get a quick caffeine fix. Actually this is my favorite place to go in the South Beach for a great cappuccino. And one can't ask for more: amazing espressos, Blue Bottle, tasty cookies, and nice laid-back respectful service.
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Review from Stephanie Y.
San Francisco, CA
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was just next door for some fried chicken and the smell of coffee just drew me in. It seemed like a cute stand and I got my coffee in a few minutes after ordering it. They serve blue bottle coffee, but their latte was MUCH MUCH MUCH better than how Blue Bottle serves it. Rather than being diluted with milk, I could taste the roasted coffee beans. Definitely a must get if you're right there already!!
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Review from A B.
Oakland, CA
6/13/2011
Had a decent latte here after a bite at Little Skillet. The mood was a little cranky, but since basically 92% of all baristas have a stick up their porta-filter, I didn't sweat it. I was optimistic that a drinkable, non-corporate latte was available on my usual bike route to work.
Tried a couple days later on the way to work. It was 8:30 am, and they were "open". I was the only person in line. As I walked up to order, the dude behind the counter looked at me, then lifted up his phone, and started typing.
And typing...
And typing...
And typing...
And typing...
So, I left. I don't care if he was texting a antidote to rattlesnake venom to a rapidly dying friend. Make eye-contact, and say "one minute, please". Don't just ignore me, like I'm not even there.
I'm sure Cento doesn't need my yuppie business. But they obviously also don't need more of my yuppie stars. I doubt I'll bother trying again, as I'm not planning on being cool enough to go there any time soon. Sight Glass is just up the road a bit, which has 10x better coffee, anyway. -
Review from Michael W.
Sunnyvale, CA
7/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is my first experience with Blue Bottle Coffee and I have to say I am impressed. I ordered an espresso and the crema on it was fantastic. My friend got an iced latte and I thought it was okay, nothing too spectacular. This place is great to order something from when you're waiting for your order from Farmerbrown's Little Skillet, right next door.
I think its a solid coffee place, but I would only be here when I was getting something from Farmerbrown's Little Skillet. -
Review from Mark G.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2011
Someone recommended I have the coffee cento today. Amazing. Just a great cup of coffee. They used Blue Bottle coffee but took it to another plane of caffeine existence........... Boosh!
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Review from Christina C.
San Francisco, CA
6/2/2011 3 Check-ins Here
blue bottle! There's a secret menu ... anything you can order at the other two locations can be ordered here as well.
go iced macau!
just don't get a coffee before eating at little skillet next door. No bathrooms around :( -
Review from Justin P.
Berkeley, CA
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Outstanding coffee. Not the quickest service in the world, but the staff is very friendly. Reasonably priced for the quality of coffee and milk. Highly recommended.
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Review from Allison J.
Sacramento, CA
9/7/2011
Good latte, nothing special. Beware, they don't have any flavored syrups. Other than that, I probably won't go back unless I'm in the area and other places are closed.
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Review from Jason S.
San Francisco, CA
10/20/2011
Delicious quick blue bottle coffee and treats. I wish they were open later for an afternoon fix.
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Review from Michael G.
Oakland, CA
10/19/2011
Yes! Blue Bottle that's not at Mint Plaza!
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Review from Anna L.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2011
Hipster, why you so sad?
You serve Blue Bottle, while also drinking in the aroma of fried chicken.
I jest; this place is a quality establishment. Not "service with a smile," but always caring, respectful, and committed to crafting a delicious cup of coffee that is outrageously clean on the palate. -
Review from Ben B.
San Francisco, CA
1/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
A fast, early morning Blue Bottle stop on my way to work in SOMA.
They typically have good music playing while you wait (though you never wait more than one song). This morning I enjoyed a little Kanye West while waiting for my Americano.
I've never had their food (do they make food?) or really anything else other than an Americano.
There's quite a mix of patrons. Some are hipsters heading to their job. Some are businessmen wondering why this place is different than Starbucks. Everyone tends to be in an early morning daze when I am here. -
Review from apple r.
San Francisco, CA
8/28/2010
I work across the street from here. They are nice and let me take my coffee in a cup and saucer. I love drinking out of proper glassware.
I will have to try this New Orleans coffee everyone is raving about! -
Review from Mariko F.
1/17/2011 8 Check-ins Here
I love this place. I think it's the best coffee in the area. Hidden in a little street, you need to know that it's there. Then again, that's what Yelp is good for, right?
This is not a place to go to sit down. It's run out of a garage, more or less. There are no chairs or tables. It's a get-your-coffee-and-go kind of place.
These guys are quick and make great lattes with Blue Bottle Coffee. They are friendly and try to get your in and out quickly, while keeping you happy. Oh. And their croissants are great.
My only wish would be that they open earlier than 8am. Granted, this is SoMa, land of the startup, and so usually no one shows up in an office before 9 (more like 10). But me, personally, would love some early morning coffee. -
Review from Kristina L.
San Francisco, CA
7/27/2011 8 Check-ins Here
I'm so not a morning person and I need some good stuff to wakey wakey this sleepy baby. What better way to awaken the senses than some Blue Bottle Coffee. Soy Cap and I'm on my way! Hands down my fav coffee!
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Review from Steph L.
San Francisco, CA
10/25/2010 1 photo
What better way to wash down my meal of fried chicken & waffles (and pulled pork & grits) at Little Skillet next door than with some Blue Bottle coffee?
I like my coffee strong so I got a macchiato (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). (Straight espresso is a little too hardcore for me.) The espresso was complex, intense, and not too acidic. The splash of milk toned it down just enough and made it *almost* perfect. I say "almost" because it also cooled the drink down a little too much. Unless I'm planning to sneak it into a theatre in my pocket à la Kramer, coffee should be hot hot hot! -
Review from Eric C.
San Francisco, CA
The case: went to primo patio around the corner and dropped onto Ritch to eat. Decided to join the cento skillet crowd for an afternoon brew.
The score: macchiato, blue bottle $2.75
Hanging out in this little alley of the city reminds me of the vibe and chill nature and charm of this city.
Macchiato served in a baby sip cup on a platter. Cute.
Nice relaxing hiphop/ lauryn hill playing on the speakers outside
The getaway: up and back to work a block away. Supercharged and ready, thanks cento -
Review from Nicholas N.
Denver, CO
5/6/2010
While thiss place is a little disorganized from an ordering standpoint, they make a hell of a coffee and it's literally a hole in the wall. Pretty rad if you ask me. Now that I'm working near by, I'll def make this a usual haunt. So far I've only had the drip coffee, but it was very very good.
Overall pretty killer really. -
Review from Lion G.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2011
The best espresso drinks in South Beach.
Pro tip: get the Cento. -
Review from Naveen A.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2011
So, the first time I ordered a macchiato, I'll admit, I was expecting a frou frou drink. Fortunately, when I ordered one at Cento (right next to Little Skillet -- a great pairing, and a hearty hangover cure), I knew what to expect.
This place is teeny, with no seating, but perfect for a quick stop and quality coffee. My macchiato was actually delicious. I'm no coffee elitist, but I actually generally don't like the taste. So this caught me off guard. Throw in the warm service and good conversation at the cash register, and that's a coffee fix twice as good as Starbucks, for the same price (or a little less). -
Review from Lisa K.
5/16/2011
I liked the vibe and the people, but the latte was surprisingly not strong enough for me, and I generally don't think I need lattes to be particularly strong. I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
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Review from Kevin J.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2011
Located right next to Little Skillet how can you say no? I mean coffee AND chicken with waffles... I think I just died and went to heaven. I'm a big iced latte/coffee fan so of course when John, the owner, offered me a Centino I couldn't pass it up. A little bit of a macchiato with simple syrup... amazing. It was smaller then expected but for $3.00 I couldn't complain about my experience. Keep it up Cento.
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Review from Genevieve Y.
San Francisco, CA
6/25/2009 5 photos
Date & Time: Thursday June 25, 2009 @ 12:30pm
Location: 330 Ritch
Company: Michael & Jack
Crowd: 20-30 Something SOMA Professionals in B&R Business Casual
Vibe: Chill
Decor: Coffee Window
Service: Nice Hipster
Imbibe: Mocha & New Orleans Style Iced Coffee
Total: $7.50 -
Review from Brandon O.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2010
They serve no bullsh*t Blue Bottle coffee here. They take a lot of care when making your coffee. I recommend the regular drip coffee ($2.50) and the New Orleans Ice Coffee. I've heard the lattes are good.
Location is just a window in an alley so there's no seating/wifi but hey, it's better than starbucks. Great for all you coffee snobs. -
Review from Kristy M.
6/17/2009
How I've gone 4 1/2 years working across the street without ever knowing this place existed is a mystery. Nevertheless it is now my go to coffee shop. They're fast (as fast as freshly dripped coffee can be served), friendly and the coffee is like heaven for your taste buds.
If you've never experienced Blue Bottle Coffee do yourself a solid and try a cup today. Start off with a simple cup of drip coffee ($2) so you can really appreciate the complexity of their bean's and drip process then move on to their latte's or mocha's or the New Orleans iced coffee on a hot day. Simply delish!
If only they opened before 8am.... -
Review from Josie M.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2008
YESSSSSSSS!!!
Today is the best day EVAR on so many levels.
1. Blue Bottle is now amazingly accessible one block from my office!
2. the sun was gloriously shining as i sashayed there in flip flops and white linen pants from 2005 (which still fit thanks to recent gym visits tank yew!)
3. they have a new orleans ice coffee which is pretty darn refreshing!
4. the folks behind the kiosk are super nice!
5. and finally i am the first to yelp this super rad joint!
life is good and i'm going to celebrate it with blue bottle to start my work day and happy hour to end it! you should too!
PS. fyi - as i said before, blue bottle has the best espresso in all of san francisco, with lattes as good as italy.
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ok so slight correction here, blue bottle is actually storefront CENTO, but who would even know that they sold blue bottle? looks like a blue bottle kiosk to me?? -
Review from Lindsay A.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2011
Such a great little spot with terrific coffee! All I can say is the coffee is delicious and on a nice day it's just really nice to sit out in the alley drinking a cup of coffee. Good stuff!
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Review from Cat S.
11/11/2008
It took me having a day off to even know this place existed...
YESSSSSSSSS! Blue Bottle in my neighborhood!
Blue Bottle coffee + friendly barista + no line = a happy Cat. -
Review from Taylor E.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2008
Call me crazy, but I really want to quit my job and work here. There is something so Bohemian cool about working at a coffee shop; and while this coffee shop is lacking the shop portion of the criteria (would be described more accurately as a coffee hole-in-the-side-of-a-building) it makes up for it with Blue Bottle coffee and a staff that is incredibly friendly without being creepy like the Cheshires over at Starbucks.
Cento is cash only. However, the lovely staff will let you into their mother building, 330 Ritch, to use the ATM so long as they aren't too busy.
Lines before 9 AM are barely existent, however, to my dismay, they close at 3, right when I really need them for an afternoon pick me up.
Also, while their paninis are pretty hittin' (my favorite among them being the "Flower Child"), I really wish that they'd start stocking some more coffee friendly carbs behind the counter.
While I've heard their espresso drinks are very good, I consider it blasphemous to come to a Blue Bottle establishment and not order a drip. They rotate roasts so things stay exciting! Add honey and cream for best results :) -
Review from Kristen S.
San Francisco, CA
8/20/2008
Oh. My. God. One sip of their latte and I'm in heaven. It's as good as it gets.
Latte, $3
Drip Coffee, $2
The fact that it's not Starbucks? Priceless. -
Review from Adam L.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2008
New Orleans Ice Coffee? I'm jumping out of my skin right now, it's awesome. The $3.50 price tag was a little ridiculous. Ok, you "slow roast it for 24 hours." Ok it's Blue Bottle and it's "Trendy." But is that any reason for it to cost twice as much as your hot drip coffee?
Just had Blue bottle coffee for the second time ever. It's perty damn good. Unlike the Hayes Valley location the line was extremely short , but I'm sure this wont last for long.
I'm just glad there's a new place to take more and more business from Starbucks.
Damn the man! -
Review from Erin P.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2011
Five stars for the super friendly baristas who were full of energy, smiled often, and asked me how my day was. They even asked me what type of milk I like. The Blue Bottle iced latte that I ordered was good, not as amazing as at their Linden location, but definitely a great caffeine fix before getting back to work.
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Review from Angie Q.
4/6/2011
Hopped over from Little Skillet, literally for some coffee! We tried some New Orleans Iced Coffee and I have to say this is one of my favorite coffee joints in the area. They make some great quality coffee!
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Review from L S.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2008
Whoever that handsome young fellow with the dirty, raunchy-looking moustache is.... oooh-wee! Such a coffee slingin' stud!
Cento serves the highly-acclaimed Blue Bottle Coffee with each cup individually prepared to perfection. With that, comes a wait-time (usually less than 3 minutes) which might turn people off. However, it's hard to get mad at the friendly, warm-loving, hard-working staff. Each employee, yes including John Q., the manager, satisfies the customers' needs with an excellent level of product knowledge, presentation, quality, and speed of service. -
Review from Lucia C.
Palo Alto, CA
9/1/2010
Wow, this place is a gem of a hole in the wall.
The coffee is rich, smooth and full-bodied - words that I usually only reserve for liquor.
My boss could tell that I was desperately in need of an energy boost, and promptly brought me over here. Ordered a soy latte, and got the perfect pick-me-up.
This place is definitely going to become my regular spot. -
Review from Andrei Z.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2009
To call this a coffee shop would be an overstatement. It's more like a coffee stand. But what it lacks in size (or seating), it more than makes for in the quality of its coffee and friendliness of the staff. They brew with Blue Bottle coffee and I've never had a bad cup here. I used to work in the building across the alley from Cento, and it was really nice to come down on a sunny day, get the regular drip (brewed by hand, by the way) or the New Orleans-style ice coffee, and chill out outside. The place is popular in the neighborhood, especially with moped- and scooter-riding hipsters. I miss having this so close to work.
Oh, they also serve decent panini sandwiches during lunchtime. -
Review from Ian G.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 3/23/2010
2010 Update: I had to remove a star for poor service. Normally I don't care about service -- as long as I can order something, pay for it, then receive it. Order, Pay, Receive Goods. You would think my bar is set pretty low but the newest staff at Cento can't always pull that off. Coffee is still the best though.
More updates! One, a drip coffee is now $2.50 so that's a 25% increase but is apparently in line with what the Blue Bottle mother ship charges. Two, I have been successfully ordering and receiving my coffee lately! Three, this morning I also got coffee grounds in my cup. Cento is still a HOLD at four stars.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/9/2008
I did not want to give Blue Bottle, aka Cento, yet another 5-star review if I didn't have something… Read more »
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Review from Ted R.
12/18/2010 1 Check-in Here
Phenomenal lattes at Cento. P-e-r-f-e-c-t five stars!
