San Francisco has hundreds of coffee shops. Some are worth the hype, others aren’t. This guide covers 10 places that consistently make good coffee.
These aren’t just the most popular spots. People come back to these places because the coffee delivers and the atmosphere works.
Short Answer
The best coffee shops in San Francisco are Ritual, Blue Bottle, Sightglass, Andytown, Four Barrel, Flywheel, Wrecking Ball, Trouble Coffee, Matching Half, and Saint Frank. Most great spots are clustered in the Mission, Hayes Valley, SoMa, Outer Sunset, Russian Hill, and Haight.
10 Best Coffee Shops in San Francisco
Ritual Coffee Roasters
Where it is: Hayes Valley, Mission, Napa
Why people go: The espresso doesn’t suck and they’ve been doing this since 2005
Ritual sources beans directly from farms and roasts everything themselves. The Hayes Valley spot is always packed but the line moves quick.
Order the house espresso. It’s smooth, doesn’t taste burnt, and you won’t need to add sugar to make it drinkable. Their pour-overs change depending on what beans just came in-the kind of quality you’d expect from top cafes in Los Angeles or any serious coffee city.
Cold brew here is pretty decent. Not too acidic like some places that basically serve iced battery acid.
The Mission location has more space if Hayes Valley is too crowded. Staff actually knows what they’re talking about when you ask questions.
Blue Bottle Coffee
Where it is: Ferry Building, Hayes Valley, Mint Plaza, bunch of other spots
Why people go: New Orleans iced coffee and they’re reliable
Yeah, Blue Bottle went corporate. But the SF locations still make better coffee than most chains.
Get the New Orleans iced coffee. It’s got chicory, comes out sweet and strong. Their Gibraltar is basically a cortado in a rocks glass.
The single-origin drip is usually solid. They don’t burn their beans which sounds basic but you’d be surprised how many of the best coffee shops in Austin and elsewhere still mess this up.
Ferry Building works if you’re down there anyway. Mint Plaza has actual seats and outlets.
Sightglass Coffee
Where it is: SoMa on 20th Street, Mission on Division
Why people go: You can watch them roast coffee through huge windows
The SoMa spot has this massive roaster right in the cafe. Pretty cool to watch while drinking coffee.
Their beans run lighter with fruity notes. Not great if you want dark heavy coffee.
Try the affogato. They make ice cream in-house and dump espresso on top. The cappuccinos come out right, not that overfoamed nonsense.
Ethiopia beans are good when they have them. Place is big enough to work for a few hours without feeling cramped.
Andytown Coffee Roasters
Where it is: Outer Sunset, few blocks from the beach
Why people go: The Snowy Plover drink and chill neighborhood vibe
Andytown isn’t trying to be fancy. It’s just a solid local spot that makes good coffee.
Everyone gets the Snowy Plover at least once. Espresso, sparkling water, whipped cream, brown sugar. Sounds insane but somehow it works.
Cold brew is good. Almond croissants come fresh every morning from a local bakery.
Not an Instagram destination. Just a place where the same people show up every weekend because the coffee’s consistent.
Four Barrel Coffee
Where it is: Valencia in the Mission
Why people go: Strong coffee and it’s been a Mission staple forever
Four Barrel opened in 2008. Big industrial space, always busy, tons of people on laptops.
The coffee here is bolder than most SF roasters. More body, less of that super light fruity stuff.
Get the espresso straight. Their Friendo Blendo is the house blend and it’s good as drip or espresso. Iced coffee doesn’t get watered down.
Staff knows the beans. You can actually have a conversation about coffee instead of getting corporate script responses.
Flywheel Coffee Roasters
Where it is: Haight Street
Why people go: Everything’s organic and they’re not pretentious about it
Small spot, loyal regulars, all organic beans. They’re not trying to do 50 different specialty drinks.
Flat white here is good. Mocha uses real Guittard chocolate instead of that syrup garbage most places use.
House drip is reliable. Sometimes you just need normal good coffee, not something experimental.
Staff is chill. Good place to grab coffee and leave without any production.
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters
Where it is: Cow Hollow
Why people go: Darker roasts when everything else in SF is light
Wrecking Ball goes the opposite direction of most SF roasters. Darker, fuller, stronger.
Cow Hollow location is small and cozy. Not a work-all-day spot but good for a quick coffee.
Espresso is bold with chocolate notes. Strong but not bitter. Americano works if you want more volume. Cold brew hits hard.
They do small batch roasting so beans stay fresh. Good change of pace if you’re over light fruity coffee.
Trouble Coffee
Where it is: Judah in the Outer Sunset
Why people go: Cinnamon toast and simple drip coffee
Trouble is tiny, cash only, and famous for one thing. Thick cinnamon toast with strong coffee.
No wifi. No fancy drinks. No real seating. You order at the window and that’s it.
Drip coffee is strong and hot. Toast is ridiculously thick bread with butter, cinnamon, sugar. Some people think it’s too much bread. Those people are wrong.
Place doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Either you get it or you don’t.
Matching Half Cafe
Where it is: Inner Sunset
Why people go: Boba coffee and Asian flavors mixed with espresso
Matching Half does something different. Black sesame lattes, ube, matcha mixed with coffee.
Boba coffee is their main thing. Espresso with tapioca pearls. Not traditional but people line up for it.
Black sesame latte tastes unique without being weird. Ube latte is sweet but not candy sweet.
Wrong place if you only drink black coffee. Right place if you’re open to trying something new.
Saint Frank Coffee
Where it is: Polk Street in Russian Hill
Why people go: Light roasts and they care about brewing technique
Saint Frank does precision brewing. Light roasts, careful attention to temperature and timing.
Small minimalist spot. Not much seating but the coffee’s excellent.
Pour-overs are their thing. Ask what single-origin they’re brewing that day. Cappuccinos are balanced. Espresso tonic is good if you’re into that (espresso with tonic water and ice).
Staff takes coffee seriously without being snobby. Good place if you care about the craft side.
Best Coffee Shops by Area
| Where | Coffee Shop | What’s Good |
| Mission | Four Barrel | Strong coffee, big space |
| Hayes Valley | Ritual | Solid espresso, busy |
| SoMa | Sightglass | Watch roasting, light beans |
| Outer Sunset | Andytown | Snowy Plover, chill |
| Russian Hill | Saint Frank | Pour-overs, light roasts |
| Haight | Flywheel | Organic, simple |
Why These Coffee Shops Work
Most of these places source directly from farms instead of going through brokers. Better beans, more control over quality.
San Francisco still has a strong indie coffee culture. Even though Blue Bottle and Ritual got big, smaller spots like Trouble and Matching Half survive by doing their own thing.
Baristas here generally know what they’re doing. You can ask about beans, roasting, brewing methods and get real answers.
How to Find Good Coffee Here
Go to independent shops first. Chain coffee is fine but local roasters usually have fresher beans and more personality.
Ask when beans were roasted. Coffee tastes best 2-4 weeks after roasting. Good shops will tell you if you ask.
Order pour-over or drip to judge quality. Milk hides everything. Want to know if a place has good beans? Skip the latte.
Come mid-afternoon. Morning rush between 8-10am is crazy everywhere. Come after lunch and you’ll actually get to talk to the barista.
Just ask for recommendations. Tell them what you usually drink and ask what they suggest. Good baristas want to help you find something you’ll like.
Bottom Line
San Francisco has great coffee. From old-school roasters like Ritual and Four Barrel to unique spots like Trouble Coffee, there’s options for everyone.
This list covers places locals actually visit, not just trendy spots that look good on Instagram. These cafes make consistently good coffee and people keep coming back.
Try a few, see what fits your taste, enjoy the coffee.
