Jeanne

Is there anyone out there who is as addicted to fine coffee as I am. I need to know where to find great coffee while I am staying in San Francisco--no flavorings, creams, or sugars, please.

Caitlin

My personal pick is Peet's Coffee. Probably a dozen or so outlets in SF. It's a Berkeley company, and they roast and keep their coffee very fresh. Lots of variety, very fine quality, and at the shops they brew it for you by the cup, your choice of bean. Bay Area expats living elsewhere in the country go to great pains to get Peet's. A look in the phone book (or on an internet yelow pages) should give you the addresses of Peet's shops in SF.

Bud

Give Starbucks a try in its' simplest form, coffee of the day plain, think you might be surprised. It's all the gook they add that ruins it.

Donna

Jeanne, I think there is a coffee tour offered in San Francisco. I didn't get a chance to do the tour when I was last in SF so I'm not sure what it is, but you may want to look into it. I think a tour guide brings you around the city, telling you about SF, and you stop in a few coffee places along the way. I read about it in Frommer's guide to SF.

John

Jeanne, try Graffeo on Columbus Street in North Beach.

kal

Hello, We like Cafe Puccini and the Bohemian Cigar Store in North Beach.

Buena Vista Cafe makes on hellava Irish Coffee and you get a good view of the bay.
I heard of the coffee tour, too, but where...? If you find it, please post it?!?
Thx,
Kal

kam

I know there's a tour of Chinatown with dim sum and there's the Mangia North Beach and there's a San Francisco on Tap tour for beer lovers, but don't know of a coffee tour. Great idea though. Suggest you wander around in North Beach and stop in for espresso--the most popular is Cafe Trieste. The Buena Vista Cafe near Ghirardelli is famous for its Irish coffee as well as great breakfasts. Another suggestion is to wander down Union Street from Van Ness to Steiner. There you'll find The Coffee Merchant, Starbucks, Bepple's Pies (better pies than coffee, but worth a stop), Coffee Cantata, Coffee Roastery plus bakeries, candy stores, boutiques and little restaurants. It's a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! Nearby is a Peet's Coffee on Fillmore at Sacramento st. and another Starbucks across the street and 1/2 block down, but know that Peet's is "grow hair on your chest" style! P.S. You can email the SFVisitors to ask specifically about a coffee tour.

Caitlin

It's true that Peet's brews their coffee strong, but since they brew it by the individual cup, you can ask them to tailor it to your taste (of course, you *will* get a disgusted look if you say you want it weak!). I'm betting you don't mind strong coffee, though...