370139 Sun Feb 11 18:44:11 -0800 2007 16 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 2283010 It’s been well over a year since my original coffee wars post, and Ritual and Blue Bottle are still entrenched, and Organica hasn’t reopened yet. But my idea of branching out is trying new cafes, so I’ve been wandering the Mission/Noe outskirts with my New York Times and laptop, drinking mostly cappucino while I work. Sociologically, it's been fun discovering all these alternate universes, each with its own cast of regulars, atmosphere, and culinary strengths and weaknesses. For the most part, these aren't destination cafes--you choose them because you live nearby and want to get out of the house and don't have to worry about parking. Wifi is not only everywhere, it's faster and more reliable. Or maybe that's just the advantage of getting out of Ritual once in a while, more bandwidth for me. A completely biased, random survey: Nervous Dog Coffee Mission and 30th Classical music, sunny, clean, well decorated. A haven for gay singles and expats with laptops and babies, or anyone who wants to get off Mission Street for a moment. My cappuccino was perfectly prepared but a bitterer roast than I like. They sell Dagoba chocolate bars, which always makes me happy. “Turandot” on the airwaves and later jazz, although a trifle louder than I’d like Ceiling fans! funky art. Mighty leaf tea and smoothies available, along with a soup of the day and decent looking savory fare. If I were a student or had serious work to do, I’d move in here. But so apparently do the people around me—they even bring mice for their laptops. The owners welcome every baby and dog. I felt like the regular the first time I walked in the door, except for my iBook. This is a PC café. Cup of Java Guerrero and 28th I went here for the first time when someone was working on my house, and I needed to do laundry. Cozier than the location would lead you believe. Real food! Loose leaf tea in a cheap but effective pot; I wish more cafes would follow their example. Haven’t tried the coffee because I’m too busy having bagels with sprouts and cukes and avocados. The owners/employees vary. One woman couldn’t be warmer; she might have called me "darling." The other talks to her friends all day. Bathroom could use work. They have some kind of ipod playlist or subscription—I thought I recognized Portuguese group Madredeus, but they weren’t sure. Muddy Waters Tiffany and 29th Another sunny corner. Well behaved patrons without any particular affiliation. Rice Krispies treats. Mighty Leaf teas (and lots of other teabags). The woman who works weekdays is a sweetheart. I've had the cappuccino and been unimpressed, but this is considerably cleaner and more cheerful than the other Muddy's. And the post office next door is never crowded. Last Laugh Dolores and Valley New owners and night hours except Sundays when I always seem to show up with the remains of the NYT as they’re closing. Couches as well as tables. Two women on a date sat on the sofa by me. I’ve never liked their coffee or tea selection (Stash and a box of Barry's), but they do have sandwiches and Odwallas. A free iMac as well as wifi, and lots of newspapers. Sometimes good cheer trumps tea and coffee. The guy behind the country let me try some of the Pirate's chai he was mixing up. I think they have wine. They do offer pirate’s chai, a soy-matcha drink that’s not too sweet. Better than the horrible Oregon chai concentrate found all over town. Probably pretty high in calories. Luv A Java Dolores and 26th Also a sweet place, fine tea selection, not enough outlets. Very different crowd on weekends versus weekdays, when I prefer it. Rice Krispies treats, Mighty Leaf tea. All Dell laptops. Is there a rule that San Francisco cafes have to be corners? Sugarlump Coffee Lounge 24th and Bryant Sugarlump definitely wins the mid-century décor award. Food is decent including mini-quiches with salad and MystiPies. Coffee was not. I was there on a freezing day, sitting by the fireplace hoping it would work (it didn’t). Too SoHo for the part of the Mission it’s in. A batch of trendy folk were having a meeting in the back, trying to turn it into its own Ritual. Where do these people come from? Surely not 23rd and Alabama. Better for a date than for working. And doomed to be crowded with people who want to see and be seen. Mission Pie Mission and 25th I’ve had both coffee and tea at this sweet haven on 25th. I’m lukewarm on pretty much all the baked goods, as I’ve previously posted. But I recognize a good cause when I see one, and because they’re trying to employ local kids, they’re open later (9 or 10 pm) than most bakeries in the neighborhood. A currant scone was respectable but not as delicious as a currant scone I got from Tartine the week before or an apple pear scone from Arizmendi. Coffee and tea are Taylor Made organic. I tried a café au lait with the Papua New Guinea roast (decent, although I was a little offput that I had to serve myself) and the Earl Grey with Lavender (too little tea put into the tea bag). Good place for a tete a tete. Service is mostly uninspired. detours…. Piccino 22nd and Tennessee I met Cynsa at Piccino for pizza and cappuccino. The hand-formed plates are exquisite. But when did Dogpatch become quite this expensive (expect to spend $15+ for lunch, especially if you want to try the wild nettle soup, and you do)? It’s another corner, and not only do they have Blue Bottle coffee, they hired the tall guy from Blue Bottle with the platinum locks. So the cappuccino is really really good, and you don’t have to stand in line, in an alley. Very limited hours so far, closing by 3 p.m. Pizza was respectable; not quite Pizzetta 211 but every item is made to order. Could have used more sauce, or salt in the crust. Has anyone tried the pastries? An apple tart the day we were there looked very very good. Mango Medley Judah and 40th and in another part of town, Mango Medley is a charming Hong Kong style café with tea, coffee, and snacks ($2.50-8) way out by Ocean Beach. Table service and gorgeous teapots and cups. Comfy bouncy chairs as well as more dining-focused tables. Snack menu looks delicious. We shared mango with black and white sticky rice that was wonderful and made to order. Looseleaf teas are by Leaves. I had a Hong Kong Style Milk Tea; my friend had a pot of jasmine tea. Anyone eaten here? There was a lone computer. Not sure whether they have wifi Even hhc would approve of the bathrooms. (This may be the nicest smelling bathroom in the city limits). Bottom line: It’s fun seeing the town with my laptop and getting out of a rut. I have noticed more trouble falling asleep than usual, after four shots of espresso a day. And good to know I can branch out and find people in my neighborhood who are over 30. I’m not going to stop working at Ritual any time soon though—they’re consistent in a way these other places largely are not. And I still think Blue Bottle’s beans make the best cappuccino in town. Now to find a cafe with a decent bagel. Here's my original post. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/38231 It amazes me that I was ever enamored of Ritual's food. I miss the Miette ginger scones, after 100 ham and cheese croissants and nearly as many mini-cupcakes. The Red Blossom teas are a good addition, but those metal tea strainers! Like a prison for tea leaves. Sun Feb 11 18:44:11 -0800 2007 10966 Windy 1 2283049 Every time I look into SugarLump I think to myself: Who are all these people and what are they doing in my neighborhood? I haven't tried them since they first opened, and I guess I'm willing to try it again, although I really like L's across the street. I actually ate there this morning, had the veggie bagel w/ creamcheese (hold the sprouts). The everything bagel, which includes some fennel seeds in addition to poppy, sesame, etc., was packed with cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives and red onion. A great breakfast. I brought a travel mug w/ me to fill up on coffee, and I noticed that before the woman at the counter (one of the owners I believe) filled my cup, she cleaned it and heated it with a spray of hot water from the espresso machine. A very nice gesture, since I get the sense that most people would simply fill it up without thinking about cleaning or heating the mug. I really like the people at this place. Dave MP Sun Feb 11 18:58:47 -0800 2007 2283010 21930 Dave MP 2 2283075 L's is on the list, especially since they have real food. It's a little far afield for my usual walk radius, but that's no excuse. Thanks for the recommendation. Sun Feb 11 19:07:12 -0800 2007 2283049 10966 Windy 1 2283051 Try Simple Pleasures on Balboa and 36th for - in my opinion - the most chill cafe in town and epic coffee. great food and music too... Sun Feb 11 19:00:17 -0800 2007 2283010 22477 jbyoga 1 2283136 Sounds like fun! I'm envious. It's been a couple of years, but I used to love Atlas Cafe: http://www.atlascafe.net/menu.html ~TDQ Sun Feb 11 19:28:37 -0800 2007 2283010 12005 The Dairy Queen 2 2283189 I also like Atlas a lot. More for coffee and hanging out and reading the paper, slightly less for real food. Sun Feb 11 19:49:40 -0800 2007 2283136 21930 Dave MP 3 2283202 I liked their salads and sandwiches a lot. Breakfast was more ordinary. ~TDQ Sun Feb 11 19:54:44 -0800 2007 2283189 12005 The Dairy Queen 1 2283279 A second on Simple Pleasures, also Blue Danube is nice...use to hang at both when I lived out that way. Atlas, Farley's and Muddy's (at 24th st.) on the other side of town are also nice places to hang. Oddly, Farley's is a CHP hangout but they're cool. Muddy's for the odd-ball old school-esque SF vibe. Funny, one day I was meeting w/ a artist friend going over some stuff and he says to me, after overheaing the communist planning a rally and the board game players really get into it at the next tables, "lets get out of here it's too weird." A week later we were suppose to meet again and I think I said about Muddy's, "what you don't like the half-baked melancholy and slightly dellussional charm?" His response, "If I were on the same meds...probably." Nice staff just the same. Sun Feb 11 20:33:40 -0800 2007 2283010 27275 ML8000 1 2283305 Last Laugh has new owners? When did that happen? As far as I know, it's been owned by the same folks for years (Bill Schwartz of Those Darn Accordions and his wife Kristen). The owner of Nervous Dog is a delightful person. I have my issues with the place (let's just say I stick to a bagel if I want something to eat), but it's a welcoming spot that I'm very grateful to have one block from my house. If only Progressive Grounds could keep their filthy store one-fourth as clean as Nervous Dog. Sun Feb 11 20:48:51 -0800 2007 2283010 10658 Atomica 2 2283319 Maybe I'm wrong about Last Laugh's owners. There was some change I remember reading about but forgot the substance of. Maybe they got liquor license when they expanded hours? There was a robbery recently.... Was actually at Progressive Grounds yesterday for a chicken pesto wrap, and the place was frustrating as ever. Numi tea (which I don't understand the popularity of), too many screaming toddlers, but the sun porch has untapped potential. The coffee's the same bitter stuff found all over town. My friend liked her smoothie though. Sun Feb 11 20:56:37 -0800 2007 2283305 10966 Windy 3 2283753 Last Laugh was robbed at gunpoint as they were closing, I think this past October. Progressive is frustrating. In mom/toddler defense, they do encourage parents to bring their kids to play in their back room by having toys and books available (though we usually don't because they haven't cleaned the back room in years). Their coffee isn't very good and their staff is dismissive. Coffee at Martha's is better. As you mention, though, the back patio is lovely on a sunny day. Almost none of their food menu appeals to me, though. Mon Feb 12 05:34:18 -0800 2007 2283319 10658 Atomica 1 2284772 There's a new one called Sundance that just opened on the corner of 24th and Harrison. Anybody been? http://www.sundancecoffeesf.com/index.htm Also I've never been to Philz on 24th and Folsom but it gets raves from some coffee loving friends of mine. http://www.philzcoffee.com/index.html Mon Feb 12 10:55:13 -0800 2007 2283010 10157 farmersdaughter 2 2284865 We stop in Philz pretty much every weekend. It's one of our favorite places and I adore their coffee. Mon Feb 12 11:14:23 -0800 2007 2284772 10658 Atomica 2 2285242 I haven't been to Sundance yet....it doesn't *look* very exciting (looks kind of Starbucksy) but I will definitely give it a try sometime soon. Philz is definitely a worthwhile experience....I like their chai, and their coffee is good too but pretty intense (potentially in a good way which is why it's so popular) Dave MP Edited: Hmm, just checked out Sundance's website. It's interesting that I thought they looked Starbucksy, since it appears that they are striving to be the opposite of Starbucks (they didn't name names, but they certainly implied). The website says it's locally owned, but doesn't say who this person/people are. Has anyone tried the location on 3rd St? Mon Feb 12 12:41:50 -0800 2007 2284772 21930 Dave MP 3 2285863 I don't like Philz' coffee or chai, although their spicy iced coffee was good, probably because of the half and half. I'll add another charming cafe to the list, Kape on 16th street between Church and Sanchez, near Joseph Schmidt. Gorgeous place with comfy easy chairs, shiny wood floors, lots of outlets (no internet yet but it's coming), and 10 kinds of flowering teas and glass pots. I tried the shining star, a green tea with osmanthus blooms inside. Real sandwiches, a torta Española, empanadas, and fancy pastries and cheesecake. Lovely staff and welcoming atmosphere. The coffee is Mr. Espresso. I plan to spend a lot of time here as soon as their wifi starts working. Open until 9:30 or 10:30 at night. And we were at Farley's this morning, which continues to hold out as a cafe for coffee and adult conversation rather than working online. Cappuccino was better than I remembered. Hazel's has decent bagels that you can bring in. Mon Feb 12 15:15:44 -0800 2007 2285242 10966 Windy 4 2531799 A note that Kape now has free internet with a $5 purchase, making it a viable office away from home. It's a sunny, peaceful place to work or read, with easy parking. And real food, not just pastries. I tried the torta Española sandwich today ($4.50) and enjoyed it. Fine cappuccino too. Sundance is an odd spot. I've been to the one on 24th a few times. The coffee is good, but it's a poorly designed space, mostly empty but crowded if three people are sitting. The young baristas are usually hiding in the kitchen. Fast wifi which isn't much of a sell since it's not comfortable to hang out there. Tue May 01 13:13:52 -0700 2007 2285863 10966 Windy 1 2532626 Try Higher Grounds a the corner of Chenery and Diamond in Glen Park. Tue May 01 16:50:17 -0700 2007 2283010 87071 Mission Terrace Foodie