Signature Coffee Drinks in San Francisco
San Francisco has many cafes and many great coffee beverages. But some coffee drinks are very special and have become symbols of the city, at least to me.
First I should mention, of course, a traditional Italian espresso from Caffe Trieste. Giovanni Giotta (people called him Papa Gianni) opened this place in 1956, and his family still runs it. Giotta introduced espresso as a drink and as a movement to locals and the whole West Coast.
Soon Trieste became a popular meeting place for musicians, artists, and writers (Jack Kerouac, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Joe Rosenthal, to name a few). The cafe was so well known, it even got into a couple of movies. They say that Francis Ford Coppola was writing the screenplay for “The Godfather” here.
If you decide to visit this iconic place, don’t forget to bring cash.
Then, there is the famous Irish Coffee. Journalist Stan Delaplane and Jack Koeppler, then-owner of The Buena Vista, together re-created original Irish recipe in 1952. The cocktail has been celebrated ever since.
It’s made with Irish whiskey and whipped cream, a unique mix of flavors and textures, and it’s worth trying at least once. Be prepared to find the bar quite crowded.
Third drink on my list is the Snowy Plover, a creation of Andytown Cofee Roasters (they have four locations in SF). They usually offer original and matcha plovers, but sometimes have seasonal varieties as well.
The original snowy plover is made of espresso, sparkling water, syrup, ice, and topped with homemade whipped cream. It’s very bitter and very sweet at the same time. If you don’t like drinks like espresso tonic, you might not like this one either, go for a matcha plover then, I highly recommend it.
Next one is a special treat called Piccolo. It’s a marvelous combination of ristretto and steamed milk that make this small drink very strong. I haven’t seen it anywhere else except Pinhole Coffee at Bernal Heights. Seriously, it was love from first sight/sip.
If you like nonalcoholic coffee cocktails, you don’t want to miss SPRO Coffee Lab. To me, they are as noteworthy as the Golden Gate bridge. No exaggeration here, I love this place.
Everything they make is wonderfully delicious, plus there are always new seasonal drinks on their regular and secret menus.
I’ve had Orange Blossom, Coco de Mer, “V” for Velvet, Pumpkin Spice Latte (it’s not like what you’ll find in Starbucks), and Black Swan. They all are magical. I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll love.
Many places make Pour Overs, but if I crave one, I go to Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters. Their pour over is delicate, not too strong, and pairs nicely with savory scones that they also sell.
Cold Brews are served almost everywhere too, but only in Provender, you can try a maplewood cold brew. It’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup and served with a dash of milk. There’s just nothing else like it.
This is my list of signature coffee drinks in SF. The city wouldn’t be the same without them. What would you add?
