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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Creperies
Neighborhood: SOMAMon-Wed. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Best cappuccinos in SOMA (only other legit competitor is Cento around the corner). And the cheapest: 2.47 if you bring your own cup, which I always do. Plus, organic milk!
Most of the baristas are really good, but they seem to have lots of new cashiers through, so they can be rather flaky.
I don't bother with the food, but I sometimes get a croissant, which is pretty good considering I am as snobby about my croissants as I am about my cappuccinos. I think they use the frozen ones and bake them there, which is way better than buying them pre-baked from another place.
A-OK because it's not a chain. The coffee was good and the pre-made sandwiches were CHEAP and good.
I've only been to the coffeeshop part, but it feels like this is the only place that actually has an independent feel anywhere in this neighborhood.
An ode to the creamery:
Why does thou sucketh creamery?
You are located so conveniently, not far from the caltrain station.
And one would think, dare even assume, that a simple order of black coffee and toasted bagel would be right up your alley.
Alas, no.
Instead, the coffee is small, overpriced, the bagel untoasted and missing cream cheese, but served with a massive side of sheer disdain; aplenty.
This one's for you red headed barista b*tch.
And I think that's a haiku.
I liked it ok. For a crepe, it was a little small but it was still pretty good. Would I come here again? Not likely.
Tough to beat a place with sunny outdoor seating and dope coffee. I stick to the basics so I can't really comment on their brewin skills but they have good sandwiches (be prepared to wait). I like this spot.
So I went to two different coffee shops in one day - which helped me form a better idea of what I thought of The Creamery. I like this place - they made a good mocha, and I really enjoyed my crepe (Alaska) there. It has a nice outside area to hang out in and a lo-fi atmosphere which certainly doesn't rush you to leave. If I am in the area, then it is definitely somewhere I would go to mooch around in again. After all, isn't that what a coffee shop is for?
No.
Why is Ritual letting this place use their logo for the coffee? There's no way their coffee is up to Ritual's standards. It's ruined by untrained/uncaring baristas.
Haven't tried the food, but the coffee is this crappy why would I bother?
Sad, because the location seems nice for Caltrain travelers.
Great decor and outdoor patio area.
The crepes are just ok, nothing special. Not enough cheese or filling in the crepe I got. There are far better crepe places in the city, though I don't delude myself that this is trying to be a crepe specialty place- it's nice that they have the option and I'm glad they've expanded their menu. The bakery & cold case looks just like Starbucks, so not really a plus there. My main pet peave here is even if all I'm getting is a small black coffee, it somehow always seems to take 20 minutes. The service is painfully slow and the cashiers don't seem to care. They are generally nice, just not very speedy.
I love the mighty leaf teas- not the green tea one, but the other flavors are really good. Coffee's a little strong for me, but my man loves it.
A huge disappointment...Creamery without handmade, homemade icecream? I turned around and walked out the first time I was there.
Came back a couple of times later, since I'm officially living in the hood. The only good thing I've ever gotten here was my Americano coffee the other day. It makes me want to make a trip to ritual...yeah i know, should've done it already as a coffee freak.
Great setting, LOTS of potentials, please please please....just improve your food and coffee and it'll make a lot of people happy, ok?
Coffee's not bad. Food's not bad. Ambience's not bad. Patio's nice, especially on a Sunday morning. But. Two things really kill this place.
First, the staff. They fit every single stereotype of the San Francisco coffee slinger: hipsters who act as though they are doing you a huge favor by making your coffee. There's one dude there with (I think) an Australian accent who's a nice fellow and will actually crack a smile from time to time. Everyone else I've encountered there makes me want to vote for Sarah Palin out of sheer spite.
Second, the prices. They charge premium prices for drinks and (particularly) pastries that are about half the size of what you get at any other joint for the same price. Don't get me wrong: the coffee's good, and the pastries are outstanding, especially their muffins. But everything is about 30% the size of other places.
This place has a lot of potential. If they either (i) cheer up; or (ii) drop their prices by about 30%, this place would merit four stars. Until then.....
Disclaimer: My ratings are based on value compared to other restaurants of the same cuisine and of a similar price point. A $10 meal could very well score 5 stars if the restaurant delivered excellent value. Similarly, a $100 meal could score 1 star if the food was dismal compared to its similarly-priced brethren. For the most part, my ratings will be based on the quality of the food, unless I explicitly comment on the service or the decor.
I haven't been to that many creperies around SF, to be fair, but for less than $10, this is a pretty neat place for a quick snack or brunch. I've never had coffee here but I really, really like their crepes (the only thing I've ever ordered from them). Good location.
Avoid on Monday mornings, the staff this day is slow and pretentious. Every Monday I go in hoping for them to be better, but am sadly disappointed every time. I am ashamed to say that now I go to Starbucks on Mondays.
Only reason they're getting 3 stars: food is really good. But, if you want a sandwich, get one to-go. It's about $3 less than ready made, but same quality. The extra salad is totally not worth it.
I found this yummy place thanks to Genevieve Y. and I'm glad I stopped by to try the yummy crepes & cappuccino!
The staff was friendly and I enjoyed the woodsy interior and option to sit outside in the sunshine on the patio.
I had the berry blintz crepe w/strawberries & blueberries with vanilla bean whipped cream. The fruit was fresh and the blintz filling was yummy too, not sour like some can be. The vanilla bean whipped cream was a unique twist & very tasty!
The sandwiches & salads being served to others looked very good too.
I would go back to try other items, but it would be hard to deviate from that delicious blintz!
Date & Time: Saturday September 12, 2009 @ 1pm
Company: Michael & Jack
Crowd: Mix of Neighborhood 20-40 Somethings, Young Families & Couples Shopping for Limn Furniture
Vibe: Chill
Decor: Rustic. Wooden Benches & Chairs
Service: Efficient
Devour: Roast Beef Sandwich, Breakfast Crepe & Berry + Cream Cheese Blitz w/ Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
Skip: Weak Coffee
Total: $28.26
I always thought this place was a dessert or ice cream parlor. Surprised me when I actualyl walked inside to get a cone! They've got coffee (nothing fancy just your americano etc types), savory and sweet crepes, sandwiches, and salads. Since it was around breakfast time (I know i had wanted ice cream) I got a bagel with lox, cream cheese and capers. Pretty basic but well done. My buddy got a nutella crepe which was really good. Price is about right for the area (not a baragain). I'm a fan of the barn-themed decor and the instant access to the taqueria next door (haven't eaten there yet, but will review when the time comes). This is a good place to bring a date or grab some sunday brunch on a sunny day (which happens more often than you'd think in the Mission Bay/SOMA area).
If I were to rate this place in terms of milk choices that are available at coffee shops, The Creamery would be 1% milk. You know, one of those anonymous cream options that fall in between non-fat and whole milk. You honestly forget it exists sometimes. I mean, who wants 1% anyway? Why not 2%? Why not non-fat? It's just a random extra option that doesn't stand out.
And that's exactly what The Creamery is. A decent place with some cute features that doesn't make you remember it after you're gone. They don't brew their own coffee. They serve Ritual, which people may like, but I've never been a fan of places that brew someone else's coffee. They have some pastries and bagels but nothing that I couldn't find at another locale.
What they DO have is a nice front patio overlooking the 4th & King train station, a cool and calming wood interior, and great font choice for their sign (it reminds me of the cover for "The Royal Tenenbaums").
There's no way I'd choose this place over Philz, especially since their regular coffee costs $2 and Philz costs 3 something for 18 gabillion the quality. Plus, they don't have flavored syrups. If you're super fancy and only make 3 amazing kinds of drinks, I get it. Do your thing. But there's nothing about here that screams "I'm above Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup!"
Purchase some syrups and I might let you get to second base.
Delicious coffee, but ridiculously small cups. Food takes forever, but is delicious.
This place is the reason I joined Yelp. This place had so much potential but has instead just steadily declined. It has gone from a daily must stop to a complete avoid. Simple things could have made this place so much better.
- Faster food service
- Bagels that are not rocks
- Giving guest order numbers to place on the table so food can be delivered when it is finally ready instead of standing at the front auctioning off peoples food, who half the time are sitting outside!
Despite all of this the thing that completely killed The Creamery for me was the destruction of their Mocha! It was once made using Horizon Chocolate milk and was superb! They however stopped making it this way and informed me it was "because of all the preservatives in the organic chocolate milk." WHAT???? The new mochas, which come in only one size now have a weird chalky taste, forcing me to completely write off this place. The coffee at the actual Ritual Coffee in the mission is cheaper than here!
If you are looking for good coffee in the area check out blue bottle around the corner or Philz. Heck, even Starbucks is better now.
Overrrhypppppeeed. Still, I'm sitting here and drinking my Ritual coffee feeling pretty relaxed. I enjoy the wood-themed decor, makes me feel intelligent without having to exert any effort. Why yes, I make an effort to do all my work near... nature.
The barista didn't warn me that the Cafe au Lait a la decently-sized mug would burn my fingers. But due to the large numbers of hot coffee orders she receives in a day, her fingers are probably just numb. Instant forgiveness.
* Comprehensively speaking, this isn't the best review. I haven't tried their food.
WIFI: Free and stable.
It's a competition if you need an outlet for your laptop battery. I plugged in to an outlet behind the trash can under the cabinet/cream+sugar area...
Agree with Dean S 100%! I would have been happy to walk the extra block from my place to The Creamery for my morning coffee but I prefer the friendlier service at Starbucks. I like my coffee without the side of attitude.
The best thing about this place is the outdoor seating. The second best thing is that it is in a pretty good location. The third is the little design they make on the top of your latte. Besides that, this place is nothing special and actually the 2 things we ordered were absolutely disappointing. I got a crepe and my friend got the tomato and mozzarella salad and neither were satisfying. I actually had to go get something to eat afterwards.
The crepe had no flavor, I couldn't taste or see the cheese and when I took it back to the counter to politely let them know that they forgot cheese, the woman kind of snapped at me and said it does have cheese, but that it is just mixed in with the eggs. There was no cheese. I know. And if there was, there should have been more. I should be able to at least see or taste it a little bit. The crepe was also cold and I asked if they could heat it up and she acted like I was asking for her right arm. There was a gentleman who was working there who was much more friendly and actually had a personality (a good one).
The Creamery looks cute and I want it to be good, but the food just doesn't cut it. The beverages are fine. I hope they figure it out, adjust their menu, and improve on a few things because I want this to be one of my regular spots, but till then, I'll have to go elsewhere.
This place would be 10 times better with some flower planters outside providing visual separation from the parking lot and busy street. Right now it's like...sitting in a noisy parking lot.
Is it too much to ask for a bottle of ketchup as well?
On the good side, my breakfast sandwich was quite tasty and they were accomodating with substitutions.
Perhaps I should preface this with the confession that I really love their mochas (thus 2 stars), but sadly will NEVER purchase another one from them for one simple reason: they're obscenely overpriced!!!!! Four bucks (ok, $3.95) for a 'large' that everywhere else would qualify as a 'small'. And when I buy a small regular coffee I get something resembling an espresso cup.... so the question is, why are they so incredibly stingy with their damn cup sizes? As coffee is exorbitantly priced anyway, we don't have to be insulted and gouged at the same time. My honest recommendation? Increase ALL your cup sizes to something larger than a chihuahua's sippy cup, we're human beings after all.
Warning!
Do not expect ice cream here at the Creamery.
If, like me, you don't put cream in your coffee, you may wonder (cue girl scratching her head) what to order here.
Since lunchtime is no time for ice cream anyway (I guess, hrmpf), order a sandwich. I did that, and was pleased. I got the grilled chicken with sauteed veggies and aioli, with a mixed greens salad. It was only $six.something, which seemed like a good deal. Moderately sized sandwich, better suited for me than those ginormous sammichs some places serve. Love the complimentary herb infused water. xoxo.
Very nice seating area outside on a sunny (scratch that, overcast, damn SF) day. Kitchen staff pretttttttty sloooooow, but I still made it to where I was going on time, so no grudges.
I'll probably be back soon, as I am now on a coffee and water (and ice cream) diet.
I really wanted to like The Creamery. Independent coffee shop, serves Ritual coffee and nice ambiance - all makes for what should be a good experience, right?
I only tried the mocha and compared to my beloved Blue Bottle mochas, this one was very disappointing, especially after paying $4 for it.
They also serve various crepes, both savory and sweet. The descriptions sounded good, although priced between $7-9 seemed a bit expensive.
It's in a great location kitty corner from the Caltrain station, so I'm sure they do ok. I just wish they served up better tasting coffee drinks.
I get my daily Latte before hoping on the train every morning and love this place! I know there is alot of hype about Blue Bottle Coffee being the best in SOMA but I think they are just as good! All of the Batista's I've encountered have been really nice. The only drawback is there can be a bit of wait if they are busy, but the coffee is well worth it.
I think I made the same mistake as several other Yelpers ... I wandered into this place looking for ice cream and was caught unawares when all I saw on the board was coffee.
The coffee is fine. I like the independent spirit.
I was excited when a new coffee shop, serving Ritual coffee, opened across the street from CalTrain. Today, I finally left my house 10 minutes early to check it out on my morning commute.
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend The Creamery. The server at the counter was smug, my coffee cup was leaky, and I paid $5.55 for a regular sized coffee and a small turnover.
Next time, I'll pass and I advise you to as well.
Ritual Coffee, nice presentation, and a patio space to sit in the sun. I was meeting a friend at Caltrain the other day, and this place was very convenient to get some breakfast.
The crepes (both savory and sweet) are nicely sized, and my latte was especially tasty.
Atmosphere: Dark wood interior, spacious seating
Crowd: Caltrain commuters, ambitious China Basin suits, crepe and coffee enthusiasts, clever coffeemakers
Cost: Latte and crepe - under $12
Oh, people of San Francisco....I love this city, I do. But when it comes to coffee, truly, you have no taste.
First off, despite what you may have been led to believe by the numerous "Happy" Donut shops who deliver alkaline black liquid of dubious provenance from lukewarm, pump-handled cisterns, coffee is is NOT MEANT to be enjoyed in Super Big Gulp proportions. So please, I beg of you: stop complaining about the cup sizes at the Creamery. If you want California-sized portions, walk over to Starbucks and order a venti (that's "twenty" big ounces, doncha know!) mocha-mint-iced-gigundo-ccino with whip and sprinkes. They'll be happy to accommodate your preferences (and your growing waistline).
Next, I realize that you South Beach types are all Very Busy rushing between your condos and the Financial District and your Ugg-Boot-and-large-sunglass merchants while walking your skittish, incontinent purse dogs, but please, understand that it takes a minute or two to pull a good shot of espresso. Yes, I know they do it faster at Starbucks. That's also why it tastes like it was filtered through your brother's un-laundered jock strap. But trust me on this: if you want a good cup of coffee, you're probably going to have to wait a few minutes. You can deal.
Finally, perhaps I'm just insensitive to surly barista behavior after living in Seattle for so long, but you folks need to toughen up. I realize that the sunshine and blue skies and Ugg Boots and purse dogs have made you all a bit soft, but if you can't handle it when a freaking *barista* is a bit gruff to you in the morning, you need more than good coffee to face the world. The staff at the Creamery have been nothing but pleasant to me -- but perhaps that's just because I don't order incoherently while talking on my cellphone, only to tinkle a few pennies in the tip jar after raising my voice to the staff for taking two minutes to construct my mondo-ccino with whip and sprinkles.
I like the Creamery. They make good coffee, they play good music, and the place has a great vibe. In short, it's a much-needed addition to an otherwise culturally blighted area of the city.
I've been to this place 3-4 times now, I waited for them to get their act together since it recently opened...they never did.
The space is nice with a lot of dark wood and the coffee is pretty tasty. However, that's about all it has going for it.
A laconic and lifeless staff who seem overwhelmed when there's more than 2 people in line, drab dated top 40 music that doesn't match the feel of the decor (nothing like Brian Adams to make you glad you walked into a place), the food service takes longer than most sit down restaurants, and over priced/under sized coffee drinks.
Just not a lot to like here...
Update: the food. Don't bother. My friend and I had a "crepe" here the other day, and it was gross. It was not freshly made, and the eggs inside were burnt. I caught a glimpse in the kitchen and saw a bunch of crepes just sitting there, like maybe they reheat them when someone orders them? Eww.
The location is ideal and probably the best part about this place. Also some of the people who work there seem a bit snide. When I asked for a vanilla latte, they were like oh so condescending about that they don't do that. After a few tries I don't think this place lived up to the expectations I had for it. By the way, do NOT order the iced coffee. The muffins are pretty good. With Blue Bottle and Philz nearby, this place is going to have to work hard to stand out.
Bad food, inconsistent coffee, sometimes-snarky staff, bad music, need I go on?
This place is about to open and I am very excited. It looks like coffee and sandwiches maybe?… Read more »
I've been twice in the last two days to coffee up before getting on the train, and I've only succeeded one of those times.
As others have said, the service is just dog slow. I had to walk out because I couldn't get an already-brewed cup of coffee in less than eight minutes.
They're totally flustered. Nobody behind the counter seems to know what's going on, and it took everybody huddling together to get the cash register to work. I watched one person wander around for several minutes looking for a box for this one woman's pastries while the line just grew and grew.
Then, I waited a while longer while the barista argued with another woman about the relative merits of pulling ristretto shots for cappuccinos. I guess it's great that they're so passionate about the product, but it really throws a kink in to the operation.
As such, it still gets three stars because, well, the coffee itself is really outstanding.
But a place that takes so long to serve people will have a lot of trouble growing a customer base, especially in such a commute-focused location.
I suppose they're still relatively new, so maybe I should cut them some slack. Here's hoping they get their act together.
Tasty sandwiches and crepes.
I stopped by here for lunch and had the basic crepe with cheddar, onions, and tomatoes. It came with a small salad on the side that just had tomatoes besides the lettuce. The crepe wasn't your typical flat one, but rolled like a wrap. There were two of them, and they weren't particularly generous. The problem I had with them was the ratio of ingredients. WAY too many onions, and not enough cheese. I could barely taste the cheese for some bites.
The prices are reasonable, ~$7 for the basic. Adding chicken costs a little more. If you're looking for a light meal that's convenient to the cal train, then this place will do.
Ok, I'm sorry but I have to say it: Why are you called the creamery if you don't sell ice cream?
I had one of the blandest salads of my life here, and it was far from creamy in fact it was rather dry. The salad itself, and the goat cheese they use. I was pretty surprised. Maybe I will try something else next time. The staff was nice.
lacking "hang-out" vibe
fine drip, apathetic staff
has potential, though
Food and baked goods are pretty good and they serve coffee in real cups. Atmosphere is so-so. Best thing really is that it's not a "rushed coffee fix" place, but more chill and "let's sit back for a second" kind of place.
Great outdoor seating, their coffee's pretty good (creamy and light) though their version of a "small" is half the size of a small at a normal coffee shop - no lie , and they've got a great location on the corner right next to the Caltrain Station.
Unfortunately the service is really slow (really, 10-15 minutes to make a crepe?), the two times I've been in during peak lunch hours you can hear the crickets chirping it's so slow, and they have a very bare bones menu selection. You can choose from sweet or savory crepes (which leave much to be desired), 3 different salads and few different breakfast options, that's it.
For their location they better pick it up fast or they're going, going, gone!
I have two words for you Creamery: HAPPY. HOUR. Us SOMA folk love a good happy hour spot....especially with great outdoor seating (you know, for all those hot summer days we enjoy here in SF). Play some music, serve wine and beer and offer easy and affordable appetizer plates - done!
Stopped her a couple times this past week on the way from Caltrain to Moscone for a week long event.
If I were a coffee chain owner I would try to replicate this type of coffee house for the vibe. Friendly and unpretentious staff combined with good house coffee helped jump start my long days. Tempting baked goods on display. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Menu board highlightlng breakfast fare along with crepes and salads.
I will visit again and spend a leisurely morning here when I am on holiday.
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