It’s long been a Marina landmark, but the Metro Theatre building on Union Street now plays host to the perfect combination of mind and body inspiration. Illy Caffè has taken up residence right next to Equinox, the must-join gym for San Francisco’s mover and shakers (and spin class junkies). Over the past several months, Italian coffee brand Illy has been sweeping SF with artful events, tasty recipes, and inspiration by the ton.

This recent relocation next to Equinox allows for a deliciously energetic fusion of caffeine and calorie torching. A shot of espresso before your Cycle Beats class? Gratzi!  Or perhaps an hour of pumping iron followed by a recovery-inducing cappuccino?  Perfecto!

The third stand-alone café by Illy in SF sprawls over 1,600 square feet, yielding maximum space to make room for authentic coffee culture. In a city where space is at a premium (or just plain unavailable), an Illy coffee bar is an urban oasis. There’s also a delicious Mediterranean menu that will take you from breakfast straight to a late-afternoon snack, featuring local ingredients such as produce from Green Leaf, bread by Acme, dairy by Clover Farms, and bakery delights by Semifreddi’s.

The concept behind Illy caffè focuses on curating a space to jumpstart your creative juices by combining visually inspiring art with well-crafted Italian coffee. Can’t get past that stubborn line of code? Gaze upon Sebãstio Salgado and James Rosenquist images with a cappuccino in hand, and your laptop keys will soon flow like a shot of well-crafted espresso.

The coffee bar's signature piece is the Illy Art Collection cup chandelier, which pays homage to the Metro Theatre with art cups designed by film directors including Julien Schnabel, Pedro Almodóvar, and the Bay Area’s own Francis Ford Coppola. Talk about creative fusion. Opened December 1st, 2055 Union Street.