Coffee Bar
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mission1890 Bryant St
(between 17th St & Mariposa St)
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 551-8100
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sun 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
321 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"There is nothing to do but LOVE this place. From the decor, to the location, to the food, to the vibe, it's not just grabbing some grub.…" read more »
123 Reviews for Coffee Bar
Nice coffee place. Good quality coffee and teas. Big and spacious.
Free wifi and plenty of outlets. If you want to sit outside, there are sunny spots for you too.
It's the perfect "work from home" office space.
I noticed that the majority of laptops here are Macs... it's good to feel at home.
Have to try their food next time.
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***Update... White Sangria party tonight!***
I love this cozy, open place. When I can read five pages of a book in less than a minute, you can say I am fully comfortable. I was fully engrossed in their bookshelf after a satisfying snack sized sammie, OK, I weigh about 115, so you might need to order two if need be. The staff are charming, sweet, and ready to walk upstairs to check every seat to make sure the cappuccino sitting on the counter for a minute wasn't going to waste and gets home to its owner. Free wifi, decent hours, great natural lighting, couch. All I need. A little pricey, maybe slightly underdeveloped plates, but fantastic menu.
Alright, truth is, when I mentioned that my sammie was on the skimpy side, my assertive friend Hallie rescued me. My plate returned with the waiter who happily gave me and extra helping of what I craved more of and is often hard to convince most to replenish, their perfect Prosciutto. So bonus, extra star to make up for the lack of others' assertiveness. This day I learned that if you don't like something, YELL! lol
Coffee Bar can't accept being loved.
Don't get me wrong, there were lots of things I liked about it. Beautiful, airy, very European decor. Nice range of seating. Good coffee. I so wanted it to be my spot. It's a stone's throw away from my shithole of an "office" where I "write."
And yet . . .
Decent food, but on the pricey side. $6 for a green salad that was only greens and dressing and a piece of, frankly, dry bread? Ouch. Where are YOU buying your organic greens? I also found the service inattentive. Standing at the bar for a good 5 minutes while 2 people behind the counter answer the phone, talk about a plumbing problem, and munch on a toasted croissant? Lame. Getting my order wrong and not refunding me the $1 I was owed when I had to bring the food back up to the counter? Lame. (I didn't ask, because that would have made me feel like That Asshole Who Really Wants Her Dollar Back.)
I work across the street so I'll be back, probably, but this is not the Ritual respite I wanted.
I love Coffee Bar! It's places like this that make me want to throw off the chains of Russian Hill's old-school ways, move to the Mission and hang out in cafes with hipsters all day. Mac in tow, I'd write the most FUCed reviews this city has ever seen.
Coffee Bar looks like an art gallery. Reminiscent of a private loft, it has tall white ceilings where fixtures bounce light and paintings spew color into the room. All of the seating faces in, so eye candy is always on exhibit. Why is it that cafe people are more attractive than the general populace, anyway?
In addition to our espresso drinks we ordered four of the small plates, and nothing disappointed. We had tuna in olive oil on canneli beans and tomato, the cheese plate, artichokes with aioli and the charcuterie plate. This ain't yer average coffee food! In fact, I'd say it's the best I've had.
The owner Luigi, whose pops owns the infamous Mr. Coffee in Oakland, was working behind the counter and served our food. Gotta love a business owner who's passionate, hands on and feeds my addiction at the same time.
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This is the spot. If you are looking for a place that is cooler than cool, but a place that is not so cool that even a non-hipster can still feel comfortable, then coffeebar is the place for you.
Every time I come here I continue to be amazed at the quality of the ambiance. I really like a place that has a lot of foot traffic, friendly workers, free wi-fi and plenty of power outlets - coffeebar hits on all fronts. The only reason that they are four stars instead of five is because I wish that the tea were loose leaf (I am not a coffee drinker).
Aside from my one concern on the tea (as long as I come in the afternoon I get iced tea anyway) it is a great spot. I will even go out of my way to schedule meetings at this location so that I can hang out here for a portion of the day.
Look for me!
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My third visit to Coffee Bar and I feel comfortable bumping them up to five stars. Three of the four dishes we shared today were absolute home runs - the cheese plate with three types of cheese and quince paste, the meat plate (mmm, meat!) and baked artichokes were all fantastic. The tonno in oil was ok but paled in comparison to the other dishes.
My iced chai paired well with the patio and the sunny afternoon. Throw in a couple of puppies out front, a friendly staff and cute hipster girls milling about and Coffee Bar is a fantastic place to waste away a Sunday with friends.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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02/02/2008
Coffee Bar is my kind of place. I love the wide open space, the art, the music...but that would be… Read more »
Fantastic loft-like space with local art on the walls. Seating is upstairs [wheelchair accessible!] and outside too. Free wireless. Lots of outlets along the wall. Big and small tables, plus a few couches. During the day, great natural lighting. At night, not so much. Studying at Coffee Bar in the evening is a strain on the eyes if you're not seated at the large table on the far left corner. I've not yet tried Coffee Bar's food [sandwiches and salads], but the iced tea and coffee are great. For coffee enthusiasts who might be interested in this tidbit, they serve Clover coffee. The wine and beer in the evenings puts the "Bar" in "Coffee Bar."
Great Thursday/Friday spot! From 6 in the evening, delicious plates are served by Radio Africa & Kitchen [http://radioafricakitc...], a nomadic restaurant. Chef Eskender Aseged often brings the dishes from the kitchen directly to your table himself, and there's a DJ mixing up some African music for the evening. The edamame hummus with green olive oil is a MUST TRY!
Love is patient and forgiving. With an occasional missed order or a forgotten drink [they are totally wonderful and make up for it when they realize it], I am still forgiving and absolutely in love with this place and the people who work here. The owners are very cool - warm and inviting faces whenever I stop in. Everyone else working here is great too [*cough* eye candy *cough*]. The patrons sharing the space are friendly too. Aside from being a little closer to where I live [it's ~13 miles round trip] and longer hours [although their closing hours aren't too strict], it doesn't get better than this.
Coffee Bar is my latest great find, and while I would like to keep it a secret, I'm all about sharing too. I'm usually here on my own, so if anyone wants to join me, holla! Parking in the area hasn't been too difficult, and there are buses running along 16th, Potrero, and Bryant. If I was ever to move out of my current living situation, I'd want to move to Potrero Hill because of awesome spots like this one.
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There are plenty of seat-level power outlets here. No scrounging around on some nasty floor begging your neighbor to spare some space.
Not that you'd ever have to. My laptop magically consumes less power in this place. I am completely unplugged right now, as a matter of fact.
The ambiance is very comfortable. I don't have to feel like I'm not cool enough to be here. It's the perfect place to wait for my coworkers to arrive at the office after I've locked myself out.
The only minus is that their (free!) WiFi network is called "linksys". I'd rather they named it to something like "CoffeeBar". I don't want to add every "linksys" in the world to my "trusted wireless networks".
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This is my new spot! I'm coming here to study, eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and study some more. I like the open space, the vibe it brings, the people who patronize this place and its wine/beer list. So, yeah, I do take a break from studying for some wine/beer and that's why I'm a fan. Don't ask me if I can study afterwards.
Coffee is amazing, Never over-crowded.
My partner likes vanilla lattes. They don't have syrups. I respect the "all-natural-ness" of this place but they people have a bit of a tude.
This is one of those places that irrefutable demonstrates how superior locally owned, independent establishments are to corporate chains. I came here for the first time for a friend's graduation party. He had done much of his studying here for in the past few months, and all of the employees seemed to know him by name and come by to chat with him. I have not yet sampled their coffee or tea, but they do have a decent beer selection. Their food is delicious and reasonably priced. While it was very loud due to several parties happening last night, the space seemed really accomodating. It's pretty sizable, tastefully decorated, and comfortable. There is free wi-fi. They have a DJ spinning live music thursdays and fridays, which is pretty awesome. I'll definitely be back here often!
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I love this space.
If I can turn this place into my loft space, I would be in heaven.
Great place to come for a coffee. I wish it were open a little later on some nights. Its a great place to come instead of a bar or an all night Starbucks.
Coffee is pretty good too and so are the sandwiches. I'll be back again soon!
Great coffee, really nice and airy and great for working/studying. These guys take coffee seriously, and I respect that. They made a beautiful leaf on the top of my latte.
Free wifi of course. Thumbs up!
Been meaning to stop in here for a while, and this morning was a "two coffee morning"... Great cappuccino: dark, rich espresso, nice crema, properly sized cup (not huge). Friendly, attentive staff.
My only knock is that if you're really a "coffee bar", you should have sugar _on the bar_ as you would find in any proper cafe in Europe. Not all the condiments, just sugar, so that if I sit at the bar (as I did) and they slide my coffee down in front of me (as they did), I don't then have to get up and make my way over to the "condiment bar" just for a packet of sugar. It might sound like a minor point, but it puts a minor dent in the coffee bar experience. Going to the condiment bar is always a bit of a downer; makes me feel like Starbucks. Get a few proper sugar boats.
Otherwise, I like the space and the feel, minus the assh**e on his iPhone speakerphone in line -- so lame. Good stuff. PS, for detailed coffee ratings, check out coffeeratings dot com, it's pretty neat if you're really into espresso.
Love this place; Coffee Bar exemplifies the great things about San Francisco; also it makes one ponder; why aren't there more of these kinds of places and fewer of the chains? Coffee Bar lured from the street by it's beaming red sign. I figured I have discovered all the coolest places by now. I was surprised I had not been here sooner. This is a highly stylized palace for all things Java; I like the format and there are elements that tell you how the principals are engaged in their business; it is more than a business but a passion. I like how there is a roll of shipping paper that cleanly depicts the days offering. The art work was fantastic; the front coffee bar shows an homage to the bus park nearby. The art work and the higher level seating transport you to a nice coffee house experience -- more like a coffee salon. So nice; so needed and it feels like my out of the way secret coffee palais.
This place is so cool! The space is great - lots of seating inside (though it does get crowded), and an outdoor area with tables that will make your friends with dogs happy. My mocha was delicious, and the pastries seem very good too, judging by the croissant sample I tried. I live across town, but I will definitely try to stop by again.
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Tasty coffee. Big tables and fairly mellow/quiet music makes for good studying atmosphere. Oh and the place gets amazing sunlight because of that whole front wall being all windows. And I had a bite of a friend's apple tart which was delicious. Only downside was that it got pretty warm and muggy on the upstairs floor but not terribly so.
Great little coffee place. I come here to get a clover coffee that I drink black, it's just that good. Even though there is a comfy Starbucks a block away, I come here because the coffee is just that much better. If you are looking for something cheap to eat, seriously go to Safeway. The fresh made sandwiches are cheap and tasty. If you want a nice place to hide with a coffee and don't mind paying a little extra for a nice bite to go with your beverage of choice, then come here. Oh and I love the guys that work here. Even when I come in all surly in the morning, they are sweet and efficient in making sure I get a nice cuppa joe.
While my car was in the shop, we needed to kill some time and I needed to get caffeinated so we came to Coffee Bar. Wow, it's the prettiest cafe I've been to in a long time. Pretty in an industrial, loft-like way, of course, considering the location.
All the seating is upstairs. Couches, small tables, bar seating and one large table are well placed. Lots of natural light from all the windows but the light fixtures and photo art they have up are perfect for the space and the sound system and music selection were excellent. Even the sound snob was into it. There is also patio seating out front. Seriously, I want to live there.
Jason, the owner, was cool and made me an Americano that woke me up right away. Woo. Then he showed me the lovely pastries that had just been delivered. I love him.
And for the ladies, well, and the gay men: at 8am on a Sunday morning, except for me, there were only men in there. What a nice way to start a busy Saturday.
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I am a coffee (and coffeehouse) snob. As a friend from Chicago who called me yesterday noted, I'm almost always in a cafe when he calls me.
Today I have been working all afternoon from Coffee Bar and it is rapidly going to be one of my favorite cafes in the city, especially for productive afternoons working or meeting with people. My other favorite cafes - Ritual Roasters on Valencia and Blue Bottle Cafe on Mint have their appeal (though Blue Bottle which I think has by far the best coffee in the city and perhaps in the country, doesn't have wifi), Coffee Bar is probably the best of the three for being productive and especially for business meetings.
I don't get the complaints of some Yelpers about the coffee or the prices - yes, these are not bargain prices, but neither are they particularly high (and the $3 for a Clover cup of coffee prepared quite well is actually a bargain). I had a cappuccino with a Madeline when I first got here - both were excellent and then now I'm enjoying a magnificent Clover coffee and one of their great small plates (anchovies over shaved fennel and oranges - a perfect afternoon light meal).
When I see a new cafe beyond the coffee which is of course key, a personal measure of a place is the size of the tables. Small, traditional "cafe" tables usually create a space with few people sharing tables, are not conducive to laptop use or spreading out and working. In contrast a cafe with larger tables, easily shared, and with one or more great big group tables is a cafe whih is designed with working in mind. And further, a cafe with tables than physically can accomodate groups is a cafe where people are that much more likely to talk with each other.
Coffee Bar has by far the best and largest selection of shareable group tables I've seen in a very very long time. Three large tables each designed to easily accomodate 8-12 people around them on the large, comfortable benches, as well as a large couch seating area and a row of large tables along another wall which can easily also accommodate multiple groups. Plus two large bars along the edge of the balcony which are well designed for individuals with laptops to use and work at.
Overall a space that also due to the very high ceilings is extremely well suited for groups to work together, while also working very well for individuals. Unlike Ritual Roasters which often suffers from a lack of available tables and tends to be very loud due to the relatively small space and cramped layout, Coffee Bar's two levels plus outside space (and I think a further private room) make for a much quieter space where multiple groups can be talking and working at nearby tables and I can still hear myself think, could even take a phone call if I needed to.
In terms of the crowd Coffee Bar seems to appeal to a slightly older crowd (I'm sure the wine and beer help here, as well as the location). I would guess that most of the people in the space a the moment (about 40 people or so) are in their mid-30's. A professional and graduate student crowd vs. the more hipster crowd at Ritual Roasters. And I don't know how the crowd changes on the weekends, but at the moment at least there are a lot of women working in groups or by themselves and about a 50/50 ratio of men to women.
I don't live near Potrero Hill (I live in Noe Valley) but Coffee Bar is great enough that I fully plan on shifting my patterns to work here many afternoons.
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suc.cu.lent is one of my favorite words. it carries with it an oasis filled juiciness that make a long drought of good coffee a forgotten past- right after the first sip! it was only fitting that the plants that line the entryway and the wall by the stairway were an assortment of succulent plants - thick vibrant leafy varieties contrasting against the gray cement wall. the modern decor inside was enhanced with huge mural photography of iconic industrial places in san francisco. generous amount of lighting entered through the wall of window panes and the evening lighting from the retro lamp fixtures and wall chandelier open an invitation to come back later (for the pinot wine tasting perhaps?).
but what makes this a great coffee bar is the third seldom used meaning of succulent:" highly interesting or enjoyable; delectable." the coffee beans come from far exotic places like papua new guinea and bolivia but the effort of grinding and brewing individual coffee make this a worthwhile place to visit. the 'bar' guy was hospitable and knowledgeable with the coffee selections and even offered his compliment to each one. several pastry selections were available as well but I found the apple crisp tarts so wonderfully mouth watering that he too agreed would be a perfect compliment with the coffee...how could one turn down a crispy philo puff pastry covered with thinly sliced apples fanned across its entire length, sweetened by a film of caramel glaze underneath?
so the next time you have a craving for something interesting, enjoyable and delectable (yes I am sure there's quite a few other things that come to mind)--add this one to the list--perfect afternoons are as rare as an oasis in the desert.
ps- they do have lunch and sandwiches here as well- maybe a brunch destination as well?
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The coffee was as good as everyone says, but this place gets five stars especially for the decor. I loved the space and the design elements were great. I asked the owner who did it and he told me Lauren Geremia. I checked out her website (laurengeremia.com) and it was really cool.
This place makes me believe in karma. Though SF is a city of many coffeehouses, every one is either too loud, too small, too crowded, lacks decent eats, doesn't offer free wifi, has only a few outlets, has crappy food options or a staff who gives me attitude when I order my fancypants coffee drinks (what can I say? I like my triple vanilla lattes). But after years of trolling the city looking for the perfect spot, I finally discover Coffeebar. It's *just* right. Its many charms include:
**Great space -- Outside, there's a lovely patio, perfect for sunny days. Inside, the bi-level loft is bright and airy thanks to huge windows.
**Super-nice, friendly, helpful and sincere staff.
**Free wifi -- and loads of outlets.
**Excellent coffee and chai drinks -- they take it seriously here.
**Good eats -- Sandwiches, salads, and (my personal favorite) a bowl of granola (with no raisins fouling it up) with yogurt and fresh fruit.
**A decent beer and wine menu, great for after work.
Part cafe, part bar, part restaurant: an awesome combination in a cool loft space. Went here on a Friday evening and couldn't believe the Starbucks across the street was full with a gem like this nearby. I just went in for some coffee and to do some work on my laptop. Jason, the owner, was behind the bar and was really welcoming and nice and encouraged me to order something to eat from Radio Africa & Kitchen (http://www.radioafrica...). I got the edamame hummus, and it was great, but what was even better was the big hunks of bread that came with it...which they replenished without me even having to ask. The Clover coffee was great too.
Since I came in at dinnertime, all the tables were set, so I had to move the plates over to set my laptop down and felt a little awkward about that, but no one seemed to mind.
I'll definitely be back! (Hopefully with friends for dinner and a glass of wine rather than by myself with my laptop and work to do.)
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Great space for work and daydreaming. Impeccable coffee. Friendly service. Community regulars. Succulent foods. Ample space for laptop, book and cam sans the pressure of table turnover... at least still while it gains popularity. :)
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I enjoy the ample, comfortable seating and laid-back attitude at this large, open-spaced hybrid of a coffee house and a wine bar. The selection of wines and beers is, I'm told, narrow but well chosen, and the fact that one can get a Clover coffee for $3 is a draw as well.
The pastries are better than those at the average coffee house, and the food is simple and satisfying; the prosciutto sandwich with goat cheese and fig jam has emerged as my de facto food choice at this point.
If I need to spend a considerable amount of time lost in thought, Coffee Bar has proven to be a fairly convenient option. Parking is typically easy to find nearby, and from what I can tell, the seating area is never overwhelmed by patrons.
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It's a hidden spot where the entrance isn't found by looking at the address. Turn down Mariposa St. and on the corner of Florida St. you'll find the way in. The birch colored wood lining the second level was especially nice. The owner, Jason Paul (yes two first names), promised it wasn't Ikea wood but the real deal.
They had a wine event last evening, which they'll probably be having more often given how many people showed up. We stayed back at the bar drinking champagne and eating sandwiches. The food is good but priced a bit on the high-end for what you get. It is though comparable to other wine bar prices. I hear the coffee is wonderful but haven't had a chance to try it yet. Next time..
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Disclaimer: I'm a little biased, because a friend from high school is one of the owners.
Nonetheless, this place is undeniably the quintessential coffee bar.
It's spacious and airy with lots of natural light for reading, sitting, chatting, studying or working on your laptop & accessing their free wi-fi.
Their interior decor, signage & artwork is thoughtful & creative and complements its industrial/residential locale.
Their food, drink and alcoholic beverage selection is vast, although I just went in for a latte-- which by the way, was expertly crafted.
I went in on a random, windy, Saturday afternoon and my friend was actually (and unexpectedly) behind the counter making the drinks & serving customers himself. This is big in my book: I respect small businesses which are owner-operated, because I myself own & operate a small business.
Another plus, their outdoor front patio, which is large enough to hold a small party, but fenced off from the street lending to some level of privacy.
Next time I'm back in Potrero Hill, I plan on making a stop.
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Im already in love with this place.
So happy to see a place that has sandwiches and soup (and other yummy things) after say, 3PM. Staff is exceptionally nice and non-snotty which is a big plus in my heart AND great coffee.
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Anchor Steam, Veggie panini's with soup and good espresso drinks? I'll be there plenty.
BEANS: Mr. Espresso
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Oh Wow,This place was Horrible, you're better off getting some deli meat from safeway and making yourself a sandwich at home. THAT IS NOT A SANDWICH.
NO ON THE FOOD.
at a cafe if I pay that much for a sandwich I expect it to be good.
Ice coffee was good.
I think this place is focused to much on the image and not about the product.
This is one of my fav places to hang out and get stuff done. Not to mention they have prob some of the best coffee in town. Good drip coffee (not made to order though unless you get Clover) and good espresso drinks. I asked the owner for a long macchiato and he knew what it was (bonus star for that). Food here will leave you wanting more (its good but won't cut it for an appetite like mine). All-in-all, great place to read, hang out, work, surf the web, and most importantly get your coffee fix.
Airy and spacious
Free wireless
Super friendly staff
Front patio
Open all day and night
Organic ingredients
Pretty decent+ food
Wine!
What a fantastic addition to the neighborhood. Not only is the place hip, but the coffee is damn good. These people have taken the time to figure out exactly how to make a perfect cappuccino. They use just the right amount of espresso to milk and foam. Not too large, just right. The organic milk they use, I believe, is their secret weapon. The Starbuck's across the street should take some lessons from these guys.
awesome food! awesome environment. hip people. wireless. kick ass cofffee... what else do you need? get the Clover Coffee... enjoy the ride!
great, clean, bright, place for meetings, working, or just a break from everyday monotony. 4 stars not 5 because they dont serve beer.
Coffee Bar is great--the space is beautiful. The tables are spacious and the atmosphere is really cool. Great place to spend an afternoon or evening. Also love that they host Radio Africa on Thursday and Friday.
I attended a Global Discoveries wine event there so I can't really review this for what it is. The wine tasting event was held by Vinfolio. It was a good setup for the wine tasting but I didn't try the coffee or the food there. I like the lofty feel to the place where it's wide open space with high ceiling. It's just in the middle of nowhere kind of place and it's not near my neighborhood. It will be interesting to bring my laptop and a friend out there to geek out one of these days since there's free wifi and parking isn't so bad.
I had an amazing Fresh Mozzarella sandwich with sun-dried tomato and pesto. Yum!
My friend said the coffee was really good so I'll be sure to go back with my laptop and lounge for a while.
Free Wifi!!
The decor is clean and modern. I would love to come here for a private party!
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LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. It's a block away from the office but I think I spend more time here.
On beautiful days, you will find me outside lounging in the sun. Upstairs is where we have our power meetings.
My new favorite coffee place. I don't even drink coffee but this place has it all for the mobile professional: good food, free wireless and large tables to lay your stuff out on.
The building is a large loft-like space. It's what my dream house would look like. I had a hot chocolate and a ham and cheese croissant which were cheap and much better than a lot of the things I have paid a lot more money for at other places in SF.
No joke - I am going to schedule my work meetings here.
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