Photo credit: cgfan on flickr

There are so many great independent coffee shops in San Francisco.  Each one having it’s own unique style and clientele. Surely there are many more undiscovered great ones, but for now I’ll just give props to a few of my faves.

It’s very worth mentioning a few coffee shops that are conveniently located within walking distance of our home. Wake up, put on your coat and head out for a nice morning walk. A piping hot coffee or cafe latte can serve as great motivation. Here are the ones in order of proximity to our home.

Café Ponte
This is a great little coffee shop and eatery featuring organic fair trade espresso and other fair trade coffees along with high quality fresh foods. This is a great place to grab more than just a coffee. They serve breakfast and also have delicious soups and sandwiches all highlighting their freshly baked breads. This isn’t a very trendy or hipster coffee shop but they do the basics just right. Don’t forget to grab a slice of their Banana bread to go!

Favorite pick: Banana Bread
www.cafeponte.net

751 Diamond (corner of Diamond & 24th St)
M - F 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Sun 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Free wifi

Bernies
A relative newbie to the 24th street scene, Bernies coffee shop is full of local flavor as they have a devout following of Noe Valley regulars who make it their first stop each morning. There is a plaque on the wall that explains the owner’s story of how she managed to make her dream a reality. Clearly this is a place geared towards serving great Spinelli coffee in a no frills environment to locals who like supporting a down to earth owner. Grab a bench out front and watch the neighborhood go by. 24th street is ideal for people, dog and stroller watching.

Favorite pick: Café Americano

3966 24th Street (Sanchez & Noe)
7 days a week, 5:30 am - 8 pm

Free wifi

Martha Brothers Coffee
This is the flagship location established in 1987 by Martha and her siblings. Their knowledge of coffee goes back to the 1960’s when growing up at their uncle’s plantation in the mountains of Nicaragua. They now have seven locations in San Francisco along with a roaster plant in South San Francisco. If you are looking for a super strong cup of drip coffee or perfectly steamed café late, Martha’s is a great choice. The biggest challenge here is navigating the frenzied ordering system and trying to understand if there is actually a line, or who’s next in a crowd of anxious customers.

Favorite pick: Café Latte
www.marthabros.com

3868-24th Street
M - F 5:30 am - 8:00 pm
Sat, Sun 6:00 am - 7:00 pm

Spikes
If heading down towards the Castro, or if you are just out for a walk it’s worth a stop at Spikes. A tiny shop with tons of character, Spikes is the answer to large corporate coffee. This is a place that Castro locals flock to for a great cup of coffee along with some spirited conversation.

4117 19th Street
www.spikescoffee.com

Ritual Coffee Roasters
Clearly one of the best coffee shops in San Francisco, Ritual has a cult-like following that draws customers from all over the city. Their space is funky and geared toward the Mission skinny-jean-fixie-bike type. The walls are adorned with local art complimenting the ambient grooves that play in the background. At Ritual, you can always expect a line out the door because the coffee is that good. While waiting just keep repeating…. “it’s well worth the wait.”

Favorite pick: Café Latte
www.ritualroasters.com

1026 Valencia St
M - F 6am-10pm
Sat. 7am-10pm;
Sun 7am-9pm

Free wifi, but no power outets

Ritual Flora Grubb
If you are up for another adventure in a unique location where you can drink a coffee amongst exotic plants, try their location at Flora Grub Gardens. If the weather is nice, bring along a book and enjoy one of their benches along with your cup. Flora Grub is a high end gardening supply shop with unique gifts and art.

Flora Grubb Gardens
1634 Jerrold Ave

M-Th 8am-3pm
Fri, Sat 8am-5pm
Sun 10am-5pm

Blue Bottle Coffee
Blue Bottle is hands down the best coffee in San Francisco. A lot has been written about it. There are two locations, the original Hayes Valley walk up window on Linden and the newer location at the Mint Plaza Alleyway on Jesse St. This is coffee done up by dedicated purists. For a thorough review of everything Blue Bottle, we’ll direct you to the Blue Bottle Review on CoffeeRatings.com.

Favorite pick: anything
http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/

315 Linden Street, SF, CA 94102
M-F 7-5 or 6
Sat, Sun 8-5 or 6

66 Mint Street, SF, CA 94103
M-F 7am-7pm
Sat 8am-8pm
Sun 8am-4pm

Coffee Bar
A warehouse-type industrial space popular with the wifi crowd. A great spot to get a little work done while getting an excellent cup of coffee, but go early because getting a seat can be challenging. They also offer a tasty food menu featuring organic ingredients and an excellent wine list.

Favorite pick: Americano
www.coffeebar-usa.com

1890 Bryant Street, SF, CA 94110
M-Sa 7am-10pm
Su 7am-7pm

Free wifi