On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: MissionMon-Fri. 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
"The pearl of the mission! A great way to start your sunday mornings....."
Loading...
After doing a quick tour of SF, I decided that I wanted to continue my West Coast vacation at home in Massachusetts. Why not bring some local beans home. I rushed into Ritual grabbed some High Striker beans and left. I can comment on the coffee drinks they serve.
I will say the there were a ton of emo/aggro hipsters when I came in.
Dear Ritual Coffee Roasters,
I am sitting inside your coffee establishment as I type this. I came here to get some work done, and feel like I was "out" on a Saturday night, instead of at home, by myself, at a desk.
The chillout lounge music that's blaring is louder than my headphones, and making me stressed out. I'm also getting more and more frustrated that you offer free wi-fi, however there are no outlets to plug into...my computer is at 19% batteries, and I'm totally peacing out of here in a minute.
Let's talk about the giant cup of coffee to my left, in which I've drank maybe 1/4 of. Your coffee is far too acidic and almost burnt tasting. It's actually pretty gross. Not having it!
Now that my batteries have depleted down to 17%, I'm outta here.
Goodbye...forever.
People thought this was:
I'm screwed.
I paid these guys a visit today in the Mission. God, I hate hipsters.
Had a double ristretto of their High Striker. Bought a 12oz bag of their beans. As a graphic designer, I decided I liked their logo, so I bought one of their attractive mugs.
$30.
Ouch.
But damn, that espresso was absolutely phenomenal. So now I'm ruined. Now I sip my watery stuff at home, and have realized several things...
a) I need to learn to pull a shot properly.
b) The beans I thought were good enough... aren't.
c) Mixing milk with a quality espresso - even a well made latte or capp - is tantamount to blasphemy.
Their espresso is worth four stars. But the sheer volume of hipsters - we're talking an infestation that would require a phone call to the Orkin man - shears another star off the rating. Which I'm sure the patrons of Ritual will blog about after riding home from their job at the vintage clothing store on their fixie...
People thought this was:
I gave up drinking coffee about almost 16 years ago but recently I have been on a chai kick with a shot of espresso and these guys make an amazing "dirty chai" -
great place to sit and connect with friend or do some work - check it
I don't mind hipsters, I'm getting coffee in the mission, what were all you people expecting?? Sure it's a bummer when people hire them and they are bored with your order, but who cares... there's no way I'm docking this place it's rightful stars after that coffee and that latte...
Initially I ignored them because I did not want to stand in line. One day I stopped for a latte and a slice of vegan banana bread. All yummy, even the vegan bread. I went there a few more times. Always crowded and always good. I even tried their drip coffee and it was also good. Then I tried the Sweet Tooth Espresso fresh ground and brewed at home. I have never made a cup of coffee that good at home before. So yummy! I am sold and now buy their coffee beans "ritually".
I don't really have a problem with the too-cool-for-school "fixie" vibe of the place. It is entertaining, and it is clean and well kept. The neighborhood around it is wonderful for a walk as well, so I have never stayed to drink my coffee there. Perhaps I'll try that next.
The coffee is good, but I didn't like the service.
I felt rushed.
Staff wasn't friendly, courteous or helpful.
And the place was packed with people.
It just wasn't a good place to hang so I took my capps and left.
Will I be back? Probably not, but I'm sure they could care less.
They seem like they've got a nice following.
Again, coffee is good, but it's not the right place for me.
I will say, I like the logo...and everyone who works there is gold star worthy...but they sure let you know they are roasting all the damn time...
(and endless amounts of Built to Spill blaring over the roasta' does not help me keep my chi in check!!)
I used to like ritual coffee so much. The coffee is actually still quite good.
However, the service experience here is atrocious. Be ready to wait 20 mins for your espresso drink as the hipsters tending the counter do like to take their time and ignore you.
Just last week my girlfriend went to ritual while I waited for a seat at boogaloo's down the street. By the time she got her coffee I was already seated and 3/4 of the way done with brunch.
This is a review on the coffee only.. so 5 whopping stars for their joe. This review does not cover their baked goods, because they do absolutely nothing for me and look sort of sad. This review does not cover/judge those white apple lit typing skinny dirty jean wearing hipsters mentioned in the other reviews either - its the mission duh!
Rituals Coffee Review:
Move over Blue Bottle, I need my cappuccino with a nice leaf on it NOW! Yum - this place has addicting coffee.
I've only ever ordered espresso, or straight coffee at Ritual, so I, personally, don't have a beef with these folk. However, my European pal had a bit of a problem while at Ritual with me. He'd wanted a long-pull espresso, and they don't do that, I guess, EVER. My euro pal was aghast, and kept repeating what it was that he wanted. The response was just same each time: "No, we only pull ristretto."
To show you the rube I am, I didn't know at the time that "ristretto" meant short-pulled espresso. I mean, I sorta sussed it out based on context, so I was cool. I do think, however, that homeboy behind the counter, who, btw, wasn't from Italy, could have made the effort a bit and just told us in plain in English what it was that they only do there at Ritual.
Euro friend, deflated from his repeated attempts at trying to get what he wanted, finally just ordered an espresso. With cup of coffee in hand, I took a seat. From my vantage point I could see the European, en route to sitting down, putting tap water in his espresso, and the look of horror on the barista's face as he did so. The barista, lacking any sense of decorum, mouthed to we-only-pull-ristretto-guy, "that's disgusting!" Even if you do find it "disgusting," coffee dude, could you, at least, keep it to yourself, or whisper that shit to your co-worker? Thanks.
People thought this was:
[Green Zebra Coupon: Free cup of coffee with 3/4 lb of beans or buy one, get on free coffee]
I've only seen longer lines at the Starbucks on Union Square. Seriously, the coffee was OK, but in San Francisco, OK coffee just won't cut it.
So how does Ritual do it? Is it the free WiFi? Probably not. Is it the location? I'm sure that has something to do with it, but places a few doors down were half as crowded.
Oh, is it the hipsters? OH! IT MUST BE THE HIPSHTAHS!
Now the mob of 30 year-old road bikes and just-sub-30 year-olds crowding in a cafe who's logo makes one think of Soviet-Communism makes perfect sense.
Come here if you have a lot of time to spend waiting for your coffee and like to ogle at creatively-dressed Valencia-frequenters.
People thought this was:
I've only been to Ritual on Sunday mornings, with my NYTimes in tow, garbed in my usual preppy crap. I've never felt that this was hipster-infested though, as most of the reviews here offer. The cash register people are always friendly, I will say, but yes, the baristas seem to have a holier (or is that coffier)-than-thou attitude. The guy this morning had this Jack Black-look and was coughing seemingly productive, crispy coughs (away from his hand-crafted hot beverages, mind you). They leave you alone, all in all. I guess I don't mind the hipsters. And that is coming from a non-hipster.
I DO mind that there are no wall plugs for your laptops. That indeed deserves one big WTF.
I'm not even from here and I felt kinda weird, despite being interested in the espresso. They treat you like shit.
The espresso was quite good. The post-Bush socialist propoganda is not.
I'm docking two stars from Ritual.
Why?
* Inconsistency. This drives me nuts! It still takes forever to get your coffee, but the quality standards seem to have disappeared.
* Not enough seating. The entire back of the cafe went from seating to bags of raw coffee. This is aggravating, because there's just no place to sit! Couldn't they take the roasting off-site?
* No more free power. Sure, it wasn't going to last, but it was fun while it did.
Anyway, the coffee can still be quite good and I do go back every now and again. But Ritual has really lost its magic for me.
People thought this was:
Ritua'ls coffee is excellent! The lattes are picture perfect, and the espresso is yummy.
The…
Read more »
From a non-coffee drinker... it's ok.
Like it or not, unless you have a Mac, you are going to feel out of place. Maybe I'm one of the cheapest guys out there relative to the amount of technology that I oversee, but I still use my company issued Thinkpad.
Works for me...
anyway... yes... wifi.... no power. but... I understand that as well.
Coffee only... no other drinks... some pastries, but I had eaten enough.
My co-worker loves this place. It was a good place to hunker down and get online.
Best damn Latte in Northern Cali. This place convinced me that there's no need to add anything to your coffee once it's been served to you. After 25 years of drinking coffee, I finally do NOT add sweetener to my coffee. When I travel, I now look for coffee that can step up to the quality of Ritual. I even advise barristas to research how Ritual does their business.
Superb coffee! I am one of those unfortunate flavored latte drinkers, BUT putting a little brown sugar in my coffee helps that need. Also, their brownies were amazing and the chairs up front were super comfy.
Have to agree with the fact that it is very hipster...think it depends on my mood if i want to deal with attitude or not. This last time around was better than the first. The latter was not as great of an experience, very rude service and snotty baristas. Better tonight, but i still keep the attitude factor in when i want to SIT at a coffee shop......
Although touted as *the* place to plunk down your laptop when you need a break from your four walls...I wouldn't expect to get a ton of work here...unless you have the concentration of a gymnast.
However, I've had some of the best coffee here and due to the hipster clientele, there's never a dull moment.
People thought this was:
Today, on this glorious, overly humid, too bright and sticky New York day, when I am as hungover as the guy that's always sleeping on the subway platform*, I crave only one thing: Ritual Coffee.
I hate that I am 3,000 miles away from not only this coffee, but this cafe.
Everything was delicious, so much so that some of us went multiple times a day. Regular coffee was good, iced coffee was good, the chai was good, the lattes were good. Sense a pattern? Except substitute "perfect" for "good."
But I also have a feeling that if I lived here, this would be where I spend all my time reading, writing, Interneting (free wi-fi!) or just simply hanging out (if you can secure a nook; this place is popular, and rightfully so). It's a laid-back, adorable cafe that I'm still searching for in New York. Ritual Coffee, where is your east coast equivalent?!**
Now, I must return to slumber to heal my head, and dream about delicious coffee.
__________
* I was almost that guy this morning. 3 hours of sleep is rough; not doctor recommended.
** Whoever can help me: I'll buy you coffee!
People thought this was:
Point zero in the Mission with seriously good coffee. Long lines, slow service, sometimes friendly occasionally bitchy and forgetful. But the espresso will be worth all your sacrifice.
I can't speak for the coffee as I didn't get any.
However, their croissants are almost exactly akin to an authentic croissant from Paris. The size was a little larger than ones in France, but it had a good ratio of fluffy inside to buttery and crispy outside. Lovely, and simply delicious, even without an espresso to match.
I can't wait to try a pain au chocolat there.
People thought this was:
Fayantyastic! They roast their coffee onsite so it's oh-so-fresh and deeeeeelicous!
Just moved back to SF and although ALL the power cables are gone, this place still rocks...need to get a backup battery now :)
Great Coffee, Great Music, Great Crowd....I'm glad a friend of mine told me about this… Read more »
Ritual Coffee Roasters is composed of hipsters, Mac-toting geeks, Mac-toting hipster geeks, and really freakin' good coffee. Many people hate the hipster/geek factor, and that's fine, but it's totally unreasonable to withhold stars for that reason. It's like down-rating a donut place because donuts consist of empty calories and fat, or a high-end boutique because the clothing is expensive. If you're complaining about a variable that's integral to the business's identity, you're in the wrong place to begin with.
People thought this was:
First of all, the last time I had a macchiato at Blue Bottle it tasted totally burnt, and the last time I drank their coffee it tasted totally ashy and burnt. The last time I went to get coffee from Philz because my friend adores it, I took one look at their black oily coffee beans and split. Four Barrel is okay. But Pete's and Starbucks and the other run-of-the-mill coffee huts around town stink.
I drink a macchiato or a cappuccino at Ritual and it is like a milky cloud of sweet, chocolaty goodness in my mouth. A cup of coffee tastes like fruit and chocolate and smells AMAZING! When was the last time you drank coffee anywhere and said or thought these things? And did you know that they have a guy at Ritual who sources their beans? That's right. He goes right to the farms and hangs out with the farmers. I talked to a friend who works in coffee and is familiar with standard bean sourcing and barely anyone else is doing this. They are buying online instead. Think http://Amazon.com. If you fret and worry and bitch about the price of Ritual coffee, consider that you are helping pay farmers a living wage for their product. That's not so bad now, is it?
People (especially hipsters who are afraid to call themselves such) will despise hipsters until the end of time. Get over it. It's the Mission. Sure it's annoying but you just sound like a whiny yuppy or that kid no one liked in grade school. If you're not cool and you're not embracing your inner dork, don't go somewhere you perceive to be on the forefront of coolness and feel shunned because you don't fit in. Unfortunately, it's your own damn fault.
Sure the service is at times on the cold side. But imagine that long Ritual line everyone complains about. Wouldn't you feel less than friendly sometimes if you were that kid at the counter? Now imagine half of the customers showing up with attitude after reading all these Yelp reviews and expecting the WORST time ever (why they would go there then is a mystery to me). Cut them a little slack.
Anyway, I am just fortunate to have recently transplanted to Napa, where I have my very own Ritual to visit with no lines and plenty of delicious coffee and skilled baristas.
For all of you still in the city: Toughen up. The coffee is worth it. It really is.
People thought this was:
I love coffee. Though, admittedly, as long as it swims on the seriously strong side and isn't Folgers, I am pretty happy.
I have imbibed coffee and/or espresso at the following Bay Area locations: Blue Bottle, Starbucks, Peet's, Philz, Caffe Trieste and Cafe Roma. All of the above (including Starbucks) have a tastebud ranking of somewhere between decently satisfying and nearing perfection.
Seriously - what is so special about Ritual? I had the drip coffee which was not brewed by the cup and was overtly bitter.
Am going to have to go against the crowd on this one - too many other places I can go to and be guaranteed to enjoy the 2-3 dollar investment.
The line was out the door when we arrived on a cold Saturday afternoon. At first, I thought everyone just wanted a drink to warm up from the breeziness that day, but apparently, it's just always that crowded. That's a good sign to me. One step in the door and all you can smell is freshly brewed coffee...mmmm.
Way better than Starbuck's or Peet's, but still doesn't beat Blue Bottle. I'll give it some love for the cool ambiance inside, especially the huge coffee roaster in the back. It's got a really chill vibe and the baristas are so talented with their foam art skills. I got a kick out of watching them pour on apples and leaves.
I ordered a small latte, which was really milky, but woke me up after a few sips. Next time, I'll probably try the macchiato or the French press. Coffee doesn't hit me as hard as it used to, but that's probably because I usually order the sugary and syrupy mixed drinks from the local Starbuck's. I need to live in SF where real coffee is made...
People thought this was:
I went back last weekend with a couple friends for coffee. It was the first stop in our Mission progressive for brunch. lol!
Sundae espresso double shot - A blend of three beans, fairly acidic, with a tart/bitter finish.
Sweet tooth double shot (I forgot which bean it was) - Much better, smoother, more mellow. Good crema.
Had a cup of clover coffee as well. Very good, totally worth it.
The double shots are pulled extremely short. I've never had such a small double shot anywhere. Blended beans can be hard to pull off for espresso (zoka in seattle is one of the few i would buy blended beans from), so I recommend to stick to single origin if you're gonna have espresso here. Or just get a clover and that will last you much longer. I downed both double shots before my friends even got their coffees. ;P
There's always a line, so be prepared to wait.
A bit disappointed in my double espresso, considering how long the line was and the hype around this… Read more »
The drip coffee's amazing... I think it vies with Blue Bottle and Philz for the the top of the SF coffee triumvirate. Quite hip, and hipster-centric... some were bringing in their fixies and chatting with their friends-employees. I felt nervous whipping out my non-Apple here to get some work done, not knowing what kind of shunning I would incur. This isn't the ideal place to get work done, with blasting indie-rock, and many attractive and/or interesting people to look at.
Good place to hangout, hi-speed wifi with delicious hot chocolate. I love their coffee artworks.
Coffee is pretty good here and I like the vibe. It's a great place to spend an hour here sipping coffee and reading the paper. The vibe is laid back, young and is both yuppie and bohemian at the same time. Their beans are expensive at $16 to $20+ per bag.
For me, the coffee at Blue Bottle and Philz are stronger and better. It's is a good alternative to Peet's.
3.5 stars for their coffee
4-5 stars for atmosphere / space
People thought this was:
This place sucks. Their coffee sucks. Was at the street food festival that La Cocina put on and got to listen to their drunk obnoxious hipster staff with egos be lame. Whatever, go to blue bottle or four barrel. Next time I go by this place I'm taking a dump out front.
Great Espresso!!!!!!
If you are in search of genuine, fair trade, & local Espresso this is the Spot. It's a dwelling place for hipsters(no offense), telecommuters, the office space for internet start ups and artists. If you can look past all that to get some awesome espresso good for you.
*Biggest Complain:
I came here a few times with a friends to sit and chat (respectfully) over espressos and the people "working" around us were looking at us with contempt as if we've crashed into their home and invaded their privacy. Not cool! This is a public place of business, if you want your peace, quiet and concentration go work from home.
The espresso drinks are some of the best you'll ever have in your life.
Too bad the customers are insufferable douchebags.
People thought this was:
I didn't know what to expect when I swooped in this place last week for a midday pick me up and a small snack-a-roo.
Snack-a-roo? Really? Am I 12 years old? I digress....
Since it's located smack dab in the middle of the Mission, it's naturally crawling with disillusioned 20-somethings wearing cut off jeans and Toms shoes, but don't let that be a reason to skip the place altogether... as it's a dandy little spot.
I ordered something completely basic (Americano), so I can't really speak to the quality of their caffeinated offerings. However, my hot water/espresso drink was great! Sometimes, espressos taste a little burnt if prepared wrong... this bad boy, on the other hand, was just perfecto. If it's any indication to the rest of their specialty javas, I'm sure they're all fab.
Not sure if they only carry vegan baked goods or not, but it seemed like everything in the display counter was ready to be devoured sans animal byproducts. I had a piece of zucchini/walnut bread, and it was delicious! If I didn't know better, I'd have guessed the pastry was swimming in butter and shortening.
They also have free WiFi and plenty of room to sit. I kinda dig the layout of the place... it's like eating/drinking in a coffee warehouse or something. Not your typical coffee shop setting.
I can definitely see myself coming back on a regular basis to bang out some work on the ol' lappy. It was a little steamy in there, but it was also right in the middle of a pretty substantial heatwave, so I doubt that's a huge problem 90% of the time.
People thought this was:
4.5 points for the coffee. Subtract 1.5 points because the clientele make me feel uncomfortable for not having a powerbook.
People thought this was:
Fellow yelp buddy John W. suggested that we get coffee here. I'm so glad we did! Not only were we privy to great iced lattes, I was lucky enough to hear about how the space was once a supermarket owned by his grandparents. This city has so much rich history and it's stories like these that make me feel lucky to be here. Anyway, the coffee was great (the iced mocha was fantastic... not overly chocolatey like you would find at chain coffee shops), the employees were friendly and sweet. Nice modern decor. Free wifi to boot.
Well...darn great coffee spots with a rep!
II had no intentions of searching out any yelp food locals, after just gaining 10 beautiful pounds of curves from empanadas and dulce de leche on a recent trip, but darn if my first day back at work didn't land me at a meeting that was only 2 blocks away from Ritual Roasters. As I was walking to my car after the meeting, what did I pass, but RR. No choice. After reading so much about it, I HAD to stop.
The girl at the register was so sweet and helpful.for my newbie experience. I ordered a low-fat lattte...AND a brownie. (OMG!). Seriously, both were divine. Coffee was definitely very high ranking (possibly, above BB!), the brownie..(which, was NOT vegan, BTW) was quite possibly just as impressive.
Thank goodness I don't live or work in the neighborhood. But, I do happen to have another meeting there on Thursday this week.....
This place is coffee mecca, as far as I'm concerned. It destroys Blue Bottle. The espresso is perfect. The cappuccino is perfect. You have to go here if you're a coffee fan. Just amazing.
I once had a barista apologize to me for 'screwing up' the latte art, which was still better than what I do at home.
Neighborhood: Bayview/Hunters Point
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Category: Coffee & Tea
I am cupcake-obsessed. I dream about the perfect…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
From a girl who's constantly on the twitch from…
Valencia street is an awesome array of coffee…
All the cafe's I have ever been to ranked in order…
My Vegan in the City list is just too damn…
When I have coffee withdrawals & I need to cure…
