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blue bottle cafe

12/11/0910:20 am

Shopping? Where to Eat in Union Square

(blog)
Obliterate shopping hunger at Tropisueño
Courtesy of Tropisueño

To those of you who are braving Union Square holiday shopping I say, Godspeed! I also say don’t forget to stop for lunch.

Here are my picks for the best inexpensive lunches in the Union Square area:

Muracci’s Japanese Curry and Grill

04/12/0910:53 pm

Tour d'Espresso

(event)

 

Combine two of your favorite loves: cycling and espresso. Join the SF Bike Coalition's Tour d'Espresso and ride to sample six of the city's finest cups, according to CoffeeRatings.com. How jacked will you be after six shots?

03/25/08 5:39 pm

Blue Bottle Cafe

(restaurant)
Google Maps Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=66+Mint+St.,+San+Francisco&sll=37.784952,-122.417378&sspn=0.011837,0.019312&g=771+O'Farrell+St.,+San+Francisco&ie=UTF8&ll=37.784554,-122.413273&spn=0.011837,0.019312&z=16&iwloc=addr

This cafe, the first from the beloved local microroasters of the same name, looks like a mod science lab devoted to top-shelf coffee. It anchors one corner of the Mint Plaza development and is probably best known for its $20,000 Japanese siphon coffeemaker, the first (and only) of its kind in the United States. A communal table provides not-quite-enough seating for the crowds.

Eats:What's on your menu.: <p>In addition to siphoned joe, you can also get drip coffee (the cornerstone of the Blue Bottle brand) and espresso drinks, but don’t come looking for any caramel Frappucinos—these people are serious about their beverages. Food offerings are dead simple: In the morning, try the poached eggs set on slices of lightly toasted Acme pullman or a bowl of stone-ground polenta topped with maple syrup or smoky ham and Gruyère. They serve sandwiches daily from 11am until 3pm, and Saturday evenings a small selection of wine and beer is on offer, along with plates of cheeses and cured meats.</p> <p>MUST ORDER: A Gibraltar</p>
10/24/063:56 pm

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

(article)

A new wave of coffee, led by two roasters and fueled by their radical regulars, hits San Francisco with its best shot.

A new wave of coffee, led by two roasters and fueled by their radical regulars, hits San Francisco with its best shot.

I’m sitting on the wooden bench outside of Blue Bottle Coffee, observing the flow of people making the pilgrimage from all over the city to this tiny kiosk tucked away on a quiet block of Hayes Valley. It’s truly slow food (or, rather, drink): All of the beans here—from the 100 percent Yemen Sana’ani to the Chiapas—were roasted no more than 48 hours ago; the coffee is ground to order; and each cup of drip is filtered one at a time. Still, everyone waits for their fix without complaint.